Many people assume that viruses are Windows things.
But that’s not true.
Even Apple laptops can get viruses.
So the answer to your question is Yes.
But the answer is not that simple. Windows machines are more targeted when it comes to viruses for a number of reasons.
But let’s not get off-topic.
Let’s talk about viruses on Apple laptops.
Kinds Of Viruses In Apple Laptops
Just like in Windows, your apple laptops can get a variety of viruses that can be used for several purposes.
Trojan Horses
These are very similar to the ones we’ve seen in Windows.
In February 2017, a trojan horse names ‘MacDownloader‘ was making rounds.
This trojan was hidden in a fake Adobe Flash update and when it gets access to your Mac, it can steal your data.
Acting as a SpyWare, the MacDownloader was used to steal personal data like names, addresses, usernames, passwords, PINs, credit card information and other classified information.
Adware
Adware is another type of malware. But having adware may or may not cause serious damage as they can be benign as well.
What adware does is that it blasts the users with a ton of advertising pop-ups. When the user clicks on the ad, the maker of the adware makes money.
There are some cases, where certain adware work in conjunction with spyware and help steal important information.
The popups shown by the adware can take the users to malicious websites that could do damage in more than one way.
For example, those websites can inject spyware on to your computer. This spyware might even be able to track every single thing you do online and can get access to all the private information you use to get into your user accounts.
This stolen information can be sent to hackers and others with malicious intent. They can use all the information to make crimes like theft, fraud, extortion and other serious crimes.
Even if the adware on your laptop is not serious, they will still host a ton of popups which is very annoying and will spoil your browsing experience.
If you come across adware on your laptop, the first thing to do is to remove it. Most adware is installed on your browsers as toolbars which can be uninstalled easily.
You can also make use of software like Malwarebytes to remove adware from your laptop.
Macro Viruses
Macro viruses are usually found to affect Microsoft Word users. This has been around for quite a long time and is known to attack Windows users.
But now, they’ve made their way to Macs as well.
When you open an infected file with macros enabled, these macro viruses start their work. It runs a macro that can do a series of functions.
Macro viruses are known for taking screenshots, hijacking your webcam, and also logging your input.
These viruses can create new files, corrupt existing data on your laptop, move files, send messages, format hard drives, and can do a lot more malicious stuff.
Having a malware protection software is very important to wipe these macro viruses off your laptop.
Ransomware
This is something that took a long time to reach the macs.
The very first notable ransomware was the KeRanger.
With the KeRanger, you have to pay a ransom to get your data back. If you fail to pay the ransom, you have the risk of losing your personal data forever.
Ransomware, like other ones mentioned above, is injected into your Apple laptops when you visit a really bad neighborhood on the internet.
If you can watch your steps, or should I say footprint, on the internet, you should be safe even without active antivirus software on your Mac.
Is My Apple Laptop Affected With A Virus?
Not all viruses will openly present themselves.
Some of the viruses will silently work in the background gathering all the information it needs without disturbing your workflow.
In such a case, you should check your laptop for viruses and kick them out.
Here are some ways to find if your laptop has a virus or malware.
Your Mac Is Unusually Slow
Modern-day Macs are quite fast.
If you have a machine with an SSD in it, then you should be a stranger to slow computers. In this case, there is a sudden sluggishness in performance, it should get your attention.
If you’re a Mac user, then there is no way you’ve escaped the rainbow wheel. With SSDs on your laptop, you shouldn’t get them often. But when you get them for a longer period, be wary of what’s causing it.
If you can’t find a proper reason for it, then there is something hiding on your laptop that’s causing it.
Run a scan and see if you can find anything. If you do find something, remove it ASAP.
Sudden Blast Of Ads
If you’re getting a ton of ads for no reason, then you probably have adware on your Mac.
These ads might say that there is something wrong on your computer and you have to fix it soon. It can also present updates to your laptop or the software in it.
The moment you start getting these ads, be sure to check your laptop for adware. Most of the time, these are just benign ones, but you don’t have to take that risk here.
Browser Starts Acting Weird
Is your homepage different all of a sudden?
Usually, you’ll see a search engine you’ve never encountered before. In this case, you can be sure that you’ve got malware from one of the websites you’ve visited.
This can also be the case if your browser is unresponsive and crashes more often than before.
When you get browser issues like this, make sure to run a scan for malware and viruses and remove them as soon as possible.
I Notice Nothing Different
This is also possible.
Most malware are designed to not let the user know of its existence.
They will run quietly in the background and will not interfere in your work in any way.
These viruses will have malicious intent and will be tracking your every movement and will be stealing your information as you use them.
Having an antivirus can help when it comes to malware and virus attacks.
We can go on and list the best antivirus out there for your needs, but that deserves another post of its own.
We hope we answered your questions about Apple laptops and viruses.
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