To demonstrate our meaning, what follows is a detailed analysis of what may be the most sophisticated threat on macOS-called Crossrider-a threat that is “just adware.” Mac adware installationĬrossrider, also known as Bundlore or SurfBuyer, is detected by Malwarebytes as Adware.Crossrider. They can intercept and decrypt all network traffic, create hidden users with static passwords, make insecure changes to system settings, and generally dig their roots deep into the system so that it is incredibly challenging to eradicate completely. However, adware and PUPs can actually be far more invasive and dangerous on the Mac than “real” malware. “Macs don’t get viruses” is a statement that is still overwhelmingly true. This has led some in the Mac community to dismiss these findings as unimportant, even leading one Mac blogger to write: The remaining 99+ percent of Mac threats are “just” adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).

That figure is less than 1 percent for Macs.įurther, Mac malware is rather unsophisticated overall. Most notably, more traditional forms of malware, such as ransomware, spyware, and backdoors account for over 27 percent of all Windows threats. As the data revealed in our State of Malware report showed, Mac threats are on the rise, but they are not the same type of threats experienced by Windows users.

What is malwarebytes for mac