Malware Attacks Targeting Mac Computers Surpass Windows For The First Time

Apple and Windows are two different operating system that could never be similar.

For all this time, it was considered that Apple's Mac computers are more stable, polished and have a better security when compared to Microsoft Windows. It was considered that way because Mac was a slightly harder target than Windows, and less people use Mac than Windows.

Looking back at their history, Windows system was the first that tool of during the PC revolution, and further during the rise of ubiquitous networking. What's more, most early computer programmers are more familiar with the IBM platform and Microsoft Windows, than Apple.

Then there are theories that most malware in the wild are developed by so-called "script kiddies" that do little more than make modifications to existing malware templates using tools designed for Windows.

This inadvertently tempted hackers who saw an opportunity to spread their malware malware easily from one system to another.

But in 2020, the trend is changing. That according to the security firm Malwarebytes.

Mac threats per endpoint vs. Windows threats per endpoint - Malwarebytes
Mac threats per endpoint vs. Windows threats per endpoint. (Credit: Malwarebytes)

On its 2020 State of Malware Report Malwarebytes wrote that:

Beyond that what we saw was a virtual landslide of adware and PUP detections, far outpacing growth on the Windows side. While these threats are not considered as dangerous as traditional malware, they are becoming a much larger and more noticeable nuisance for Mac users, who can no longer say that their beloved systems are immune from malware. And despite the relative low-grade hassle from adware compared to that of, say, ransomware, these families are becoming more and more aggressive, displaying malicious and persistent behaviors to trick users into a false sense of security.

Meanwhile, straight-forward malicious behavior from Mac files is increasing year-over-year, with more deceptive techniques to evade Apple’s rather stringent eye. And breakthroughs on the iOS side may have the tech behemoth reconsidering whether they should allow antivirus products on their beloved mobile devices. If 2019’s threat landscape tells us anything, it’s that it’s time to take a good hard look at Mac security and finally get serious.

And here, Malwarebytes suggested that the amount of malware on Macs is outpacing PCs for the first time ever.

"People need to understand that they’re not safe just because they’re using a Mac," said Thomas Reed, Malwarebytes’ director of Mac and mobile and contributor to the report.

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Windows computers are still dominating the market, and there is no doubt that Microsoft is willing to keep it that way.

The popularity of Windows makes it alluring for hackers to try to launch malware campaigns on the users. And with Windows having an increasing number of user base, the operating system from Microsoft has become the prime target for many hackers alike.

But since Apple’s computers have also grown in popularity, a number of hackers appeared to be shifting their focus to exploit the versions of macOS that power them.

Malwarebytes said there was a 400% increase in threats on Mac devices from 2018 to 2019, and found an average of 11 threats per Mac devices, or about twice the 5.8 average on Windows.

The report said that the types of threats differ between operating systems.

While Windows devices were more prone to “traditional” malware, the top 10 Mac threats were adware considered as “potentially unwanted programs.”

"There is a rising tide of Mac threats hitting a population that still believes that ‘Macs don’t get viruses,’" Reed said. "I still frequently encounter people who firmly believe this, and who believe that using any kind of security software is not necessary, or even harmful. This makes macOS a fertile ground for the influx of new threats, whereas it’s common knowledge that Windows PCs need security software."

It should be noted that Malwarebytes' report is attributable to an increase in Mac devices running its software.

Top Mac detections in 2019 - Malwarebytes
Top Mac detections in 2019. (Credit: Malwarebytes)

Apple and Windows cannot be directly compared because the two have different audience.

For example, Windows users are more pampered with a more varieties of software and third-party apps available in the market. What this means, hackers can also leverage that many as a way to breach computers using Windows. Apple users on the other hand, tend to be more focused on using their device to complete certain task.

However, Mac can become increasingly vulnerable when users install additional software, plug-ins, and add-ons that connect to the internet.

Among the reasons, this is also why in Malwarebytes' report, adware is the most common type of malware found on Mac computers.

The most noteworthy, is the NewTab adware which tops Malwarebytes' list.

This adware only appeared on the scene in December 2018, but rapidly rose to the top of Malwarebytes' detections in 2019. NewTab is an adware family that attempts to redirect searches in the web browser for the purpose of earning illicit affiliate revenue, and it is mostly delivered in the form of apps with embedded Safari extensions.

Mac computer can also become vulnerable when users install third-party browser and browser plugins, like Adobe Reader, Flash, and Java.

This is why Reed recommended against installing Adobe Flash Player, saying that “fake Flash installers are one of the top methods for getting malware installed on a Mac."