Plenty of Mac fans will tell you that Apple computers are inherently secure and don’t require protection.
There are a number of reasons why Macs are more secure than PCs. Malware writers tend to target PC users because of Microsoft’s large market share. The Mac operating system is UNIX-based, which means there are already a number of security features built in. Additionally, Apple has included a number of security measures that make attacking a Mac particularly challenging, such as Gatekeeper, which blocks any software than hasn’t been digitally signed and approved by Apple from running on your Mac without your agreement.
However, in recent years there have been more and more cases of malware and adware making their way onto Macs. This month the first reports have appeared of ransomware (where your computer is locked and all data encrypted, only to be released if you pay a ransom) on Macs. Clearly this sort of attack can be devastating to a business. It is no longer enough to assume that you’re safe just because you’re using Apple Mac. So what can you do?
Apple themselves say that the best way to keep your Mac secure is to run the latest software. When new updates are available, OS X sends you a notification. Just accept the updates with a click and they download automatically. OS X checks for new updates every day, so it’s easy to always have the latest and safest version.
In addition to keeping your software up-to-date, always be careful when downloading or transferring files. If you have any concerns, check them out with Apple, or give the team at datamills a ring.