It seems like the days when Apple’s MacBooks were considered to be more secure than Microsoft Windows devices are numbered, if a report by Atlas VPN is to be paid heed to. According to the findings, more macOS malware was created in 2020 alone than in the period between 2012-19, making it spike up by more than 1000%. As per the malware data results by neeAV-Test GmbH, an independent research institute, 674,273 new malware samples were found in 2020 while 56,556 samples were detected in 2019. Before 2020, the highest number of macOS malware was 92,570 samples in 2018.
This doesn’t mean that hackers and other cyber criminals have suddenly decided to zero in to the Apple systems, leaving the Windows platform. As per the report, the Windows malware samples this year were even higher than that of macOS ones, actually 135 times more. As per the report, a record 91.05 million new Windows malware samples were discovered last year, an average of 249,452 threats per day.
The report adds: “Microsoft lumps malware into thirteen distinct categories: backdoors, downloaders, droppers, exploits, hack tools, macro viruses, obfuscators, password stealers, ransomware, rogue security software, trojans, trojan clickers, and worms.”
Mac users clearly need to be extra cautious from now on. Hackers have been able to target Apple’s new M1 chip-powered Macs also, apart from the Intel-powered ones.