According to the McAfee Threat Report, macOS malware grew by 744% in 2016, with an estimated 460,000 instances detected. However, that number it is not as bad as it sounds. Most cases where “malware” was detected turned out to be adware bundled into utility apps, i.e. fake system integrity scans, like CleanMyMac and Mackeeper. These system scans have turned out to be phishing scams by bloated apps that do nothing but bog down your system processes and expose you to unwanted ads.
While rare, real deal malware does exist on macOS, as seen in an attack earlier this year that hijacked Safari and Apple mail causing the machine to crash. The best way to protect your Mac from true malware is to only ever install software from the App Store and trusted developers. This means paying for legitimate software.
While most of the surge in Mac malware was adware, we’ve had some just nasty Mac-based attacks over the last year, including ransomware and password hijackers. Ransomware is a form of cryptovirology attack, where the attacker takes your data and encrypts it, and holds it hostage till the victim pays a ransom. Password Hijackers do just that; they hijack your passwords to keep you from accessing your computer, phone and internet accounts. This can be easily avoided as well by only downloading apps from the App store or trusted developers. Additionally, make sure you’re using secure passwords and avoiding using unprotected wifi networks. This is also another reason to keep up on time machine back-ups so your data is yours.