The myth that Mac computers are immune to viruses and malware is simply not true. Mac computers can get viruses and need file-based antivirus protection. Additionally, they need the other layers of protection offered in a device security software suite such as Firewall, Intrusion Prevention and Anti.
Protect your Mac from malware macOS has many features that help protect your Mac and your personal information from malicious software, or malware. One common way malware is distributed is by embedding it in a harmless-looking app. You can reduce this risk by using software only from reliable sources. Airo is a new name in Mac malware protection and focuses on macOS solely. As such it claims to offer the best-looking Mac antimalware apps around, and the folks behind it say it also utilises AI in. Your macOS might stop some malware variants, but it can't help you if you're already infected. Our antivirus for Mac not only blocks viruses, spyware, Trojans, and other malware in real-time, it also.
You know how dangerous a Trojan Horse malware can be if infected to the core of your Windows PC. In fact, Trojan is one of the most common and used modes of malware infection. Some of our previous articles were regarding Trojan Horse as well as how this threat can affect the well-functioning of your computer.
If you were thinking that Windows PCs were the only prey of Trojans, you've been wrong all the time. Mac devices are also vulnerable to Trojan horse attacks and thus the loss of data and efforts. So, you need to be aware about the working process of Trojan Horse in your Mac if you need one Trojan-free Mac device.
In this article, we will tell you how a Trojan can affect your Mac device. This is applicable for your MacBook, iMac or Mac Pro. We will also share some tips to prevent your Mac from Trojan attacks. So, you can lead a safe digital life without the fear of falling into the pits of Trojan Horse malware.
What's the Impact of Trojan on Your Mac?
We are not talking about the ways that Trojans use to affect your computers. On the other hand, these are the after effects of Trojan Horse malware infection in your Mac device. Although there are minor issues, common impacts of Trojan are:
It Creates Backdoor
The major function of a Trojan Horse malware is to create a backdoor in your Mac device. It may create some vulnerable areas or exploit the non-safe areas. Either way, the hacker gets an opportunity for trespassing into your computer. Your data and other resources may be compromised through the unauthorized access by hacker. At the worst case, your device may be used for illegal activities, which puts you in the trouble in the long run. For instance, your Mac — along with other infected devices — can be used for DDoS attacks and other massive attacks.
It Steals your Information
Trojan infection is not about the hacker accessing your computer. We are now living in a data-centric world and everything you own has a digital version. For instance, you use a username-password combination for banking transactions and your money is also stored digitally. One of its major impact is the stealing of confidential information. Confidential data includes your banking details, passwords, account details and almost everything that can be used for hackers' profit.
Asks Your Money
There is a particular type of Trojan Horse malware named Trojan Ransom. This type of Trojan horse is supposed to steal money from you, by locking up your information. It works just like ransomware, and may download additional malicious stuff for proper working. In short, a Trojan horse can be used to encrypt your information and then to ask you money for unlocking the information. This works than almost all other malware methods, you know.
Surveillance
Yes, Trojan horse viruses keep your computer and activities under strict surveillance. It means that many things — keys you press and the webpages you visit — will be seen by someone else. If you care for your digital privacy, this is indeed a serious issue, we suppose.
Now that you have an overall idea about the impacts of Trojan Horse malware attack, we will see how you can prevent a Mac from such attacks.
How to Prevent Mac from Trojan Attacks?
Of course, there are many minor and major methods you can follow. Some of the prominent ones are:
- Always, make sure that you are running up-to-date versions of software and macOS. Nowadays, Macs are being targeted by hackers and other evil hands. Quite notably, Apple comes with on-time updates and patches to cover all these issues. This is the same when it comes to trusted software too. So, it is your duty to run the latest version only if possible. And, you should stop getting old, outdated ones for your use.
- There are a bunch of antivirus solutions you can grab for Mac devices. It makes enough sense to get one for your Mac too, because it's like having an additional layer. If you are purchasing the products from trusted developers such as Bitdefender, Norton or Kaspersky, chances are, you will get stunning features. From basic link scanning to thorough scanning, these tools are packed with many anti-Trojan horse features. These will help you prevent Mac from Trojan attacks, in the least time possible.
- This is something simple, but really useful in Trojan horse prevention. You need to disable the option named ‘Open safe files after downloading'. It's a fact that the mentioned file types are commonly safe. However, there are lots of times when you can find Trojan horse viruses in these files. So, you can disable these options. The next time you download something, do a double-check before opening it.
- You should never install random software you stumble upon while browsing web or so. As you might know, Trojan viruses are often disguised as useful tools and then leaves the payload. So, before installing, you have to confirm the authenticity of the software. This is a well-working way of Trojan Horse prevention.
Summing Up
So, we have seen the impacts of Trojan Horse attacks as well as some effective methods to protect your Mac from it. By taking a look at the impacts, it's clear that Trojan Horse is a possible issue. It's no simple thing if you are losing your data and your Mac being used for criminal activities. So, at the least, you should take the easiest method for Trojan prevention — which is the use of an antivirus software for Mac.
A Trojan Horse, in the computer world, is a potentially devastating type of malware that disguises itself as something desirable in order to be installed or downloaded onto a computer system. Once the Trojan program has been installed, it goes to work with its true purpose, executing malicious activities that greatly compromise the overall security of the system. If your Mac has been infected by a Trojan Horse, the program could do any number of things to the system—from initiating the installation of other viruses or malware programs, to giving a hacker complete remote control of your system.Needless to say, a Trojan Horse is bad news for both you and your computer. But what can you do to avoid this type of malware and the headache it brings, or to detect and delete it from your Mac once you have been infected? Read on to learn more about this particularly malicious type of malware.The Root of the 'Trojan Horse' Name
During the Trojan War, after a lengthy siege of Troy, the Greeks decided to try to trick their enemies in order to get inside the seemingly impregnable walls of the city. Pretending to sail away in defeat, the Greeks constructed a giant horse and secretly hid soldiers inside. The Trojans, thinking themselves victorious in the war, pulled the horse inside the walls of Troy as a trophy of their triumph. At nightfall, the host of Greek soldiers hiding in the horse emerged and opened the gates of Troy, letting the rest of their army into the city, catching the Trojans off guard, slaughtering the Trojan army, and winning the war.Trojan Horse programs use the same basic concept as the Greeks did to get inside Troy. These programs work by tricking a computer user into willfully downloading and running a disguised piece of malware, which activates malicious processes on your computer once it has been installed. The Trojan can be disguised as anything you might want to download, from a music or video file on a torrent site, to a third-party program. In other words, the best way to avoid a Trojan Horse is to be careful about what you are downloading and where you are downloading it from. Don't click links from people or websites you don't trust, download your software from the Mac App Store instead of from the internet, and avoid torrent sites and other P2P download networks.Trojans on Mac: Do You Need to Worry?
While Trojan Horses are nowhere near as common for Mac OS X as they are for Microsoft Windows, that doesn't mean Mac users never have to deal with these kinds of covert attacks. On the contrary, back in 2012, a Mac-based Trojan called 'Flashback' made a bunch of headlines—including this Mashable article, which claimed that over 600,000 Mac computers had been infected. In that case, the Trojan disguised itself as an installer for the Adobe Flash Player. Once implemented on a Mac machine, the Flashback Trojan would go to work searching the computer for passwords and personal information.Anti-malware Mac Os
The good news in the case of Flashback is that Apple was quick to solve the problem. Shortly after the Trojan Horse was discovered, Apple released a software update with a security patch that specifically prevented the Trojan from activating its malicious processes. In other words, users could protect themselves from the Trojan or cure the issue by simply staying on top of all OS X software updates. Users should take this story as a lesson to always install updates promptly when they become available, as doing so may be the easiest and best way to take care of any past or future Mac Trojan problems.Other Types of Trojan Horses
While the Flashback Trojan was used for password and data theft, that use is just one of the many applications for which hackers have written Trojan Horse programs over the years. Trojans can also crash your computer, corrupt your files, connect with and infect other computers or devices on your network, hold your computer ransom and demand that you pay a fee to 'unlock' your files, watch what you are doing on your screen, log your keystrokes, access your webcam, or install any other type of malware on the system—just to name a few possible effects of infection.Avoiding Trojan Horses on Mac
Antivirus For Macbook Pro
As with other types of malware, you can detect most Trojans using a standard anti-virus or anti-malware program. With that said, keeping your Mac system updated is arguably an even more important safeguard for preventing Trojan Horse infection. It's also not a bad idea to Google 'Mac Trojans' every once in awhile, just to see if there are any types of Trojans that are currently causing problems for a lot of Mac users. Since Trojans are still relatively and blissfully unusual on Macs, most of the bigger Trojan programs that can infect OS X will be reported on by major tech publications. Staying aware of the cyber threats that are out there will help you be more conscious of your internet behavior and more tuned into any unusual symptoms your computer may be exhibiting.