Do you need antivirus protection on Mac OS X?

Yes, you need antivirus protection on Mac OS X too (called macOS since 2016), especially in a company. macOS has good built-in protections, but they don’t stop everything: there’s malware written specifically for Macs, and infected files can travel from a Mac to colleagues’ Windows computers.

The detailed answer is below.

What protections does macOS have?

macOS is built on a Unix-like system derived from BSD, with a solid security architecture. The Unix philosophy is that all operations are done by users without administrator rights, and extra rights are requested only when needed.

macOS also doesn’t allow apps from untrusted sources to be installed unless the user explicitly accepts it: the Gatekeeper feature checks whether the app is signed and verified by Apple. Another security rule is that apps get access to files, the camera, the microphone or the screen only with the user’s consent, just as on Android or iOS phones. On top of that, macOS has a built-in antivirus, XProtect, which blocks known malware and updates automatically.

If, for example, we install TeamViewer, the app opens, but until it’s granted permissions, the remote user can’t see the screen or click anything.

There is, however, malware that gets past the protection built into macOS, especially when users are tricked into installing it and granting it the permissions it needs themselves.

Why do you need antivirus on a Mac?

You need antivirus on a Mac because you work with all sorts of files, and they can end up on other, more vulnerable computers or devices. An infected file may cause no problems at all on a Mac but seriously affect Windows systems.

Another reason you need a security app on a Mac is software vulnerabilities. At the end of 2019, for example, a vulnerability was discovered in Office for Mac (CVE-2019-1457) that allowed malicious macro files to run, bypassing the security layers built into the system.

Macros are scripts containing customizable functions, created to automate various operations in Office documents. That’s exactly why attackers can hide malicious code in them.

What threats do Macs face in 2026?

The most widespread are data-stealing programs (infostealers), fake apps and phishing attacks:

• Infostealers, such as Atomic macOS Stealer (AMOS), which appeared in 2023, hide in pirated apps or in fake copies of well-known apps promoted through search engine ads. Once installed, they ask for the Mac’s password and steal saved passwords, browser data and cryptocurrency wallets.
• Phishing targets accounts (email, Microsoft 365, banking), whatever the operating system.
• Vulnerabilities in macOS and Safari are fixed by Apple through updates, but some are exploited before the fix comes out.

How do you secure a Mac?

• install antivirus, which in a company is managed centrally along with the rest of the computers;
• install macOS and app updates as soon as they’re released;
• install apps only from the App Store or from the developer’s official website;
• use an ad blocker;
• use the administrator account only when needed; for everyday work, use a standard account;
• encrypt the disk with FileVault and set a lock screen password;
• implement a backup solution: Time Machine or a managed service such as Backup as a Service.

In a company, Macs are managed just like the other computers: from a management console (MDM), with the same security, update and backup rules.

If you want to know how well your company’s computers are protected, whether they run Windows or macOS, ask for a free IT audit. See also IT security.