Insusceptibility to viruses used to be among the foremost reasons people migrated to Apple computers. However, as the company’s star has risen, virus developers, malware spreaders and other breeds of cybercriminals have set their sights on its products. As such, staving off virus infection should now be a priority for every Mac enthusiast. Fortunately, while contending with a host of cyber threats may seem daunting, effective virus protection doesn’t have to be a drain on your time or financial resources. Mac users looking for effective ways to send viruses packing will be well-served by the following measures.
Invest in Dedicated Antivirus Software
While macOS comes with some truly effective antivirus elements, getting maximum protection will require you to invest in dedicated antivirus software. When searching for antivirus for Mac, you’re sure to find that your options are far from limited. In the interest of selecting an antivirus program that’s perfectly suited to your needs, take care to do your homework before making a purchasing decision. The ideal antivirus program will offer consistent updates, provide around-the-clock support and garner positive reviews from tech outlets and consumer feedback sites. These reviews can be particularly helpful to people who have minimal experience shopping for antivirus software.
Regardless of which program you select, you’ll need to keep it up to date in order to fully reap the benefits. Since software updates are created in response to new threats, letting them pile up only serves to make your Mac more vulnerable. If you don’t trust yourself to install updates posthaste, you can simply abdicate this responsibility entirely by installing automatic updates.
Regularly Update macOS and Assorted Apps
As we just covered, updating dedicated antivirus software is crucial to maintaining solid cybersecurity. However, said software isn’t the only thing you’ll need to keep up to date. For starters, make a point of installing macOS updates in an expedient manner. A fair number of these updates are security-focused, and placing them on the backburner may leave your computer susceptible to a plethora of threats. If you’re afraid that certain updates may interfere with software functionality, take care to review them as they become available to determine whether they stand to improve virus protection and overall security.
You’ll also need to update certain apps on a consistent basis. Cybercriminals often take advantage of security oversights in software, and the more up-to-date an app is, the less likely it is to serve as a vehicle for virus infection.
Clear Your Browser Cache
If you suspect you picked up a virus or malware infection from a certain site, it’s in your best interest to clear your browser cache. This will help ensure that any traces of the site and its files are completely removed from your browser. Furthermore, since browser extensions are sometimes responsible for spreading malicious software, make a point of removing any extensions you believe to be unsafe.
Uninstall Flash Player
In years past, Flash Player played an integral role in the web-browsing experience. Although this plugin helped pave the way for the internet of today, it’s become largely unnecessary. Not only is it rarely a crucial part of modern-day browsing, it’s a very popular vehicle for virus propagation. That being the case, you should simply uninstall it and save yourself a number of potential headaches.
If you don’t feel like uninstalling Flash Player, you should make a point of leaving the plugin disabled. On the rare occasion that access to Flash Player is absolutely essential, you can re-enable it – and subsequently, disable it again once its purpose has been served. This same approach should also be applied to Java, another plugin whose heyday has long passed.
As anyone who’s made the switch can attest, Macs hold a number of distinct advantages over PCs. However, as amazing as they are, they are not immune to viruses, malware and other cyber threats. With viruses targeting Mac users on the rise, it’s in every Apple devotee’s best interest to make cybersecurity one of their foremost priorities. Luckily, this doesn’t have to be a stressful, cumbersome or difficult experience. With the help of the previously discussed pointers, keeping a Mac virus-free should be well within the abilities of any Apple enthusiast.
