Direct from Apple this statement can be quite confusing and may lead you to believe that you do not need any additional software on your Mac. “Protection starts at the core. The technically sophisticated runtime protections in macOS work at the very core of you Mac to keep your system safe from malware. This starts with state-of-the-art antivirus software built in to the block and remove malware.” (Source document)
Man, does that sound confusing or what? What does that even mean? Do I need additional AV software on my Mac or what? Don’t worry you are not alone! For many years, it was believed that because you have a Mac, you do not need to worry about Malware, Viruses or attacks. Part of that statement is not wrong. Back in the day Mac’s were not that dominate in the computing world and most hackers did not waste their time on writing code to target Mac computers. It simply was not worth their time. Well fast forward from the early 2000’s to today and Mac computers are everywhere. Not quite as popular or widely used as Windows computers but close.
Direct from Apple they will tout about how their hardware and OS are so secure and near un-hackable (see Hardware and System Security sections of the link provided). That just is not true. Nothing is foolproof. Nothing! Give someone enough time and it will be hacked into.
Back to our question at hand. Do I need AV software for my Mac computer? IT answer is YES, absolutely, for sure. Even Mac’s need AV protection. To add to this article here is a source that is widely used by IT folks around the world and everyday computer geeks like me. PC Mag has some great stuff. They also have a lot more hardware and software resources than your average person. This article will also speak to what I have stated above and give you some ideas of AV software that they have done some intense testing on.
Remember that while there are lots of software packages to choose from that range from free to super expensive, you get what you pay for. Free is not always the best answer nor is the most expensive. Here at The Tek, we analyze these options on behalf of our clients and arrive at the option that is most suitable given each company’s unique situation and needs.
As always, if you have any questions, drop us a note at solutions@thetek.com
