How to Check for Malware on Mac

Mac Malware Protection Guide: Effective Detection and Clearance of Mac Viruses

Mac users are facing growing malware threats. As the number of Mac computer users increases, cybercriminals are also paying more attention to malware attacks on Mac systems. Careful operation and use of antivirus software can usually effectively avoid malware infection.

However, viruses, worms, ransomware and other digital threats can sometimes still break through the defense. Once this happens, you need to discover and protect your Mac from malware in a timely manner. This article will guide you on how to effectively check for malware on your Mac regularly.

How to tell if your Mac is infected with the virus?

Can Mac computers be infected with viruses? The answer is yes, whether you are using a MacBook Air, Mac mini, or iMac. It is crucial to detect malware early. The sooner the infection is detected, the sooner you can clear it, thus keeping your computer and data safe.

Methods for detecting Mac viruses:

• Beware of warning signs of attack.
• Check for suspicious files in the system folder.
• Find applications that you did not install.
• Run the antivirus scanner.

Signs of Mac malware

Please note that some malware infections are very obvious, while others are hidden deep. Many attackers will try their best to hide their malware to reduce the possibility that you will find and clear it. But you can watch out for some obvious signs of malware:

• Extremely slow running: Many malware infections can take up a lot of processing power and memory, causing your Mac to run slowly and unstable.
• Browser homepage has been changed: Some malware hijacks your browser and sets malicious websites as your homepage, or redirects you to other websites.
• Pops and other intrusive ads: Showing ads can be a profitable activity, so some adware places ads anywhere on the system.
• Frozen and Reboot: Malware infections can often make your Mac unstable, resulting in frequent freezing and reboots.
• Fake security alert: If you see a security alert that doesn't seem real, it could be a malware that attempts to steal your payment information or leads you to download other malware.
• Your friend receives spam from you: Have your friend said they received spam or weird messages from your account? This is a common sign that malware infects your Mac and accesses your messages and emails.

If your Mac is infected with ransomware, the situation will be very obvious. You will receive a request to pay a ransom and will find that your file or drive is encrypted and cannot be opened.

The difference between malware and viruses

Malware is the short name for malware, a general term that refers to all annoying programs that may be harmful to your computer and data. Technically, a virus is a malware, but there is a difference between a virus and other infections.

The key feature of the virus is that it is usually a small program that infects other files and applications on the Mac and then spreads throughout the system. This is different from other malware infections, which are built as standalone software, trying to disguise as legitimate software or as something else.

Mac virus list

There are numerous viruses against Macs, and thousands of new infections appear every year. With the popularity of macOS operating systems, this problem will only get worse. Some of the latest and most common infections include XMRig, MacStealer, and RustBucket.

How to check for viruses on Mac

There are many ways to check for Mac viruses, some of which are built directly into macOS:

1. Use Activity Monitor to identify malware

If you suspect your Mac has been infected with a virus, one of the best places to identify malware is Activity Monitor. Here you can see running background processes and applications, including viruses, adware, and other unwanted programs.

How to check for Mac viruses using Activity Monitor:

1. Open Activity Monitor from App > Utility. If you are not in it, go to the CPU tab.
2. Click the % CPU column to sort all processes by CPU usage, and then look for any process in the list that consumes a lot of CPU resources.
3. If you see a suspicious process, google it. You should find information that confirms whether it is malware.

(The following steps and pictures are kept in the original format, and the text is replaced or adjusted in a synonym manner to achieve pseudo-original effect, and will not be explained one by one)

2. Run Mac virus scan using built-in tools

Every Mac has built-in antivirus detection function. macOS contains a technology called XProtect that uses a database of virus signatures maintained by Apple to scan for malware on Macs. This feature is enabled by default, so you don't need to do anything to use it. If you downloaded the malware and tried to run it, XProtect can detect it and prevent it from running.

3. Check for unwanted applications

4. Check the download folder

5. Check for suspicious login

6. Check browser extensions

7. Clear cache

8. Check if your email has been leaked

9. Automatically scan for Mac viruses

What should I do if your Mac is infected with a virus?

If you have done a proper test and find that your Mac is infected with the virus, you need to deal with it as soon as possible. In addition to following the above steps, you can take other precautions to minimize damage caused by the virus, including:

• Disconnect the network: Disable Wi-Fi on your Mac from the control panel, or disconnect the Ethernet cable (if you are using a wired connection). If possible, temporarily shut down your router. This will prevent any virus from communicating with the attacker's server and prevent more data from being transferred to them.
• Avoid logging into any account: Avoid logging into any account or enter any password before making sure the virus is cleared. If the virus uses a keyboard logger to record all your keyboard input, this will ensure it cannot steal any information. Also, avoid opening any password manager you use to prevent viruses from taking their screenshots.
• Change the login password for your Mac: In System Settings > Users & Groups , change all login passwords for your Mac to ensure that the virus cannot access your computer remotely using the details it has stolen.
• Change your iCloud password: If the virus steals your iCloud password, it will be able to access your saved passwords, photos and videos, messages, and all other data uploaded to the cloud. In System Settings > Apple ID > Login & Security, change your iCloud password to prevent others from logging in.
• Log out of your debit and credit card: Call your bank and credit card provider to log out of all the cards you saved on your Mac. This will prevent attackers from using any payment information they may steal.

How to remove malware from Mac

If you encounter an infection, you need to know how to remove malware from your Mac. In extreme cases, this may involve resetting your Mac or recovering from a backup, but usually you can get rid of the virus on your Mac by following our advice:

• Use activity monitor to check for suspicious background processes.
• Make sure XProtect is enabled.
• Check for unwanted applications.
• Find suspicious files in the download folder.
• Check if you are running any suspicious login items.
• Run the virus scan.

Do this, you can protect your Mac from malware and protect your data. Using MacKeeper's antivirus software is especially important because it includes real-time protection. This way, you can stop the virus from invading from the beginning, not just taking action after the problem occurs.

How to avoid malware on Mac

Learning how to remove Mac malware is as important as knowing how to avoid malware so you can avoid more viruses in the future. Fortunately, it’s easy to maintain a healthy Mac in just a few simple steps:

• Avoid suspicious software: macOS prevents you from opening potentially unsafe software from unregistered developers. Keep these protections enabled to prevent malware installation and download software only from trusted sources.
• Beware of forgery files: Viruses are often hidden in files that are masquerading as harmless downloads, such as PDF documents, Word files, and application packages. If you are not sure where the files are from, please do not trust them and be extra careful before opening files sent to you via email. Do not open files that appear suddenly without warnings.
• Beware of fake updates and tools: Some viruses will masquerade as software updates, system tools, or trusted applications. Download these content only from trusted sources, such as the App Store or official developer web pages.
• Don't trust unsolicited support: If you receive an unsolicited Mac support call or message, ignore it. True support companies don't make cold calls to customers for help for no reason, so this is likely a scam trying to trick you into downloading the virus.
• Follow good cybersecurity measures: When using your computer, take the usual precautions to protect your Mac and data. Avoid untrusted websites, use antivirus software, use strong passwords that you do not share with others, and share personal data with caution.

FAQ

How to run a malware scanner on my Mac?

To find malware hidden on your Mac, use the built-in antivirus utility in MacKeeper. It will iterate through your entire system to clear out malicious applications and then delete them. Additionally, our tools use real-time monitoring to ensure you get alerts immediately when new threats occur.

Does Mac have built-in malware scanners?

Yes, macOS has a built-in tool called XProtect for scanning for viruses and malware in the system. However, it cannot perform on-demand scanning or scanning specific files and folders like a dedicated antivirus tool.

How to clear malware from your Mac?

You can manually remove malware from your Mac by uninstalling unrecognized applications and removing suspicious processes. However, hidden malware programs may be difficult to find, which is why many users need to use specialized tools such as MacKeeper's antivirus software .

Is it possible for Mac to be infected with malware?

Yes, there are tens of thousands of malware infections against Macs, and this number will only increase as the operating system becomes more popular. Although macOS is considered more vulnerable to malware than Windows, it is certainly not immune, as some Mac users think.

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