Sep 15, 2021 Check Activity Monitor for Mac malware. If you suspect your Mac has been infected with a virus, one of the best places to look is Activity Monitor. Here, you’ll be able to see background processes and apps that are running – including malware. Open Activity Monitor from Applications Utilities. Get our free Avast Security for Mac to scan for and remove malware and other threats from your Mac. Our real-time protection stops all kinds of malware — from viruses to ransomware — and even warns you of intruders on your Wi-Fi network. 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.

1. Check Mac For Malware Free Software
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3. Check Mac For Malware Free Online

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Computer viruses hold a sweet spot between boring, everyday occurrences, dating back to the 70s, and dramatic, science fiction-fueled monsters that will haunt us in the digital world. Whether you want to know how to find virus on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac, learning to keep your information safe first is necessary and easy, with a few tips from the professionals.

In this guide, we explain how to detect malware on Mac (both with virus checker software and manually), as well as how to protect your Mac from getting infected in the first place.

Can your Mac get a virus?

“Do you need a virus checker for Macs?” one may ask. The answer is yes, all computers, even Macs, are vulnerable to malware (short for malicious software). A popular malware virus of 2017 was embedded into a Word document — a Mac Word file, not a PC one. In 2018, Apple discovered flaws in their Intel processor chips that could lead to two kinds of very ambitious strains of Mac viruses too. It’s wild to think that even iPads and iPhones can contract malware.

While Apple takes a lot of security precautions, the level of protection depends on your knowledge of how to check for malware on Mac.

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Know what a Mac virus is

Most of us are familiar with recognizing what a virus looks like thanks to its atrocious design and alarming vocabulary. However, not all viruses take the shock-and-scare approach to getting on your Mac. The latest adware could be a Trojan hiding in one of your Xcode projects, which is hard to recognize and equally hard to delete.

While Apple’s new M1 Macs are considered more secure than Intel-based models, they get viruses too. The infamous Silver Sparrow virus — disguised as the macOS Installer Javascript API — specifically targets Macs with M1 chips and is believed to have infected over 30k Macs at the time of writing.

Mac viruses often take a form of a .dmg file, because it was created by Apple itself to help install good software on your computer. If you’re ever trying to download something you know is supposed to be an image, music, movie, or document, but you get a .dmg file instead — that is as red as a red flag gets in terms of viruses. Do yourself a favor and delete that file immediately.

How to know that your Mac is infected

Before you learn how to find virus on Mac, get acquainted with the main signs of your Mac being infected. The common red flag is your Mac going slow — but don’t panic, your Mac could have performance issues for many reasons, including low RAM, resource-hungry apps, etc. Typically, apart from slow Mac, viruses will give you one of the following problems:

• New extensions just appeared in your browser from nowhere
• Your browser homepage has changed
• You’re being stalked by annoying ads and pop-ups
• You get security alerts as a result of Mac virus checking
• You can’t access your private files.

How to scan your Mac for virus

Why virus scan for Mac is important? Because Macs are vulnerable. Malware, adware, spyware, malicious files, worms, trojans, phishing software, you name it, you should check for it.

The old way of thinking was that because there are more PCs than Macs in the world, the “virus people” would focus on them instead of Macs. But, we’re not in the 2000s anymore. In fact, in 2018, Apple moved to the fourth position in global laptop shipments. This means Macs are no longer shiny white boxes that are meant for fun and entertainment.

Not only do we run our businesses off Apple devices and different versions of macOS but we also store family photographs, send out sensitive info — and, thanks to cloud computing, each device is synchronized. This means you should have a reliable Mac virus checking tool.

Run a Mac virus scan in one click

So how do I check for malware on my Mac? There are two answers to this question — you can either inspect your Mac step by step manually or get it all done for you. If you want complete Mac security, there is no better tool than CleanMyMac X, which can effortlessly scan for all the latest viruses, malware, spyware, and more. Here’s how it works:

1. Open the app and click Smart Scan
2. Wait a few minutes
3. Check the results of the Mac virus scan under Protection
4. If the app has found any malicious files, click Remove to get rid of them.

Using a tool like CleanMyMac X makes getting rid of viruses, of all shapes and formats, very easy. After the scan, it tells you what it’s found and gives you the option to remove it completely right then and there. Additionally, it will give you all kinds of other great options on how to optimize your Mac’s performance and free up some storage space.

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Run an instant malware scan to identify and remove suspicious files from your Mac. There’s no tool that can do it better than CleanMyMac X.

How to do a virus scan on Mac manually

In an ideal world, scanning for viruses should be automatic and happen nearly continuously. In reality, you can consider yourself reasonably safe if you scan your Mac once a week. However, not everyone has a good virus checker. “So how do I run a security check on my Mac manually?” you may ask. Here are the top five things to do:

Clear downloads

As we’ve mentioned before, .dmg files could be the source of Mac viruses. While everything you download, including .dmg, typically goes into the Downloads folder, it’s smart to clear it first. Go to Finder > Downloads and delete the files you no longer need from there.

Check for browser extensions

The second step you should take is to check for browser hijackers and adware extensions:

1. Go to Safari > Preferences. See what the Homepage URL is currently set to and correct it if needed
2. Then proceed to the Extensions tab and uninstall any you don’t recognize, as they could spy on you, save your private data, and redirect you to their malicious websites.

Remove suspicious apps

See whether you have applications installed that you don’t recognize:

1. Go to the Applications folder via Go > Applications in Finder or using the shortcut Shift + Command + A
2. Scroll through the list and delete any unknown applications
3. Then empty the Bin.

Delete suspicious login items

Another step on your “malware removal Mac” mission is to remove any login items that act strange. Maybe you don’t recognize some of them or you don’t remember enabling them. Here’s how to stop these items from launching on startup: Apple menu > System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items > uncheck the boxes.

Create a new profile in macOS

If a Mac virus seems to be targeting the user and not the device, you can solve the problem by creating a new profile in macOS. To add a new user profile, do the following:

1. Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Users & Groups
2. Unlock the page to make changes
3. Click the plus button and choose the type of user you want to add (admin or standard)
4. Add a new user name, password, and click Create User.

How to stop viruses from stealing your data

It’s a common misconception that viruses only happen to people who are gullible, ignorant, or technologically illiterate. The stigma is that hackers prey on people, when in reality, they prey on behavior. Our basic assumption with Macs is that we expect Apple and our applications to have done all the security work for us. In truth, every user has to adjust their own behavior when using their Mac.

Do you use public WiFi? Consider getting a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt the connection between your laptop and the external network. Shimo is a great VPN manager app that will help you here. While using it, raw information (whether sensitive or not) can’t be fed to any malicious programs lurking on your Mac, and hackers on the same network won’t be able to decode anything you’re working on.

ClearVPN will help you block access to malware sites, which is a great security precaution. You can also use this stellar VPN app to remain anonymous online at all times and encrypt your connection.

Speaking of encryption, Macs using OS X Lion and later come with the option to encrypt their hard drives using FileVault 2. Although encryption won’t prevent viruses from entering your computer (for that, you’ll need a scanner), it would still be very helpful in stopping viruses from stealing your information. To turn on FileVault:

1. Go to System Preferences
2. Select Security & Privacy
3. Navigate to the FileVault tab
4. Choose Turn On FileVault.

Keep your Mac secure and virus-free

Unfortunately, viruses don’t live in an easy-to-find location like your computer’s desktop. They can be embedded within an application, most notably, your favorite web browser, where it’s easier for them to view what you’re viewing and track what you’re typing. If you kept on seeing weird websites taking over your search bar, it's a sign that your browser has been hijacked. Other applications can get corrupted or infected too, especially if they have particularly weak security systems. Another example could be an email app you use or an open-source application that is behind on its patch upgrades. Check out how to get rid of malware on mac.

If you think one of your applications is infected, a typical knee-jerk reaction would be to delete the whole thing and redownload it. Often, this will do the trick, but there are simpler solutions available. Clearing the application's cache should always be your first step, and, if there are optional hidden files, consider removing them as well.

To remove an application’s cache and get rid of Mac malware from the Library folder:

1. Open Finder > Go > Go to Folder
2. Type ~/Library/Caches and choose Go
3. Delete any particular files inside the folder.

If you are unsure about deleting cache files manually, use CleanMyMac X:

1. Open CleanMyMac X
2. Go to System Junk and click Scan
3. When the scan is complete, choose Review Details
4. Select User Cache Files and pick the caches you’d like to delete
5. Click Remove.

Unfortunately, not all viruses are easy-to-understand files that just sit on your computer. Sometimes they are root certificates that intercept your passwords and messages and send a copy to hackers. To effectively secure yourself from this, only download apps with valid developer certificates. Which ones are those? It’s hard to know but Apple built a feature that could help you here.

1. Go to System Preferences
2. Select Security & Privacy
3. In the “Allow apps downloaded from” select App Store and identified developers.

Finally, keep an eye on your Mac’s performance 24/7 with iStat Menus. This will allow you to identify malware threats as early as possible. iStat Menus is a system monitoring tool that lives in your menu bar, with real-time insights about your Mac. CPU, network, disk load, resource-hungry apps, iStat knows more than you do about how your Mac performs. So when it slows down because of malware, this app will alert you first.

You are well on your way to being protected from malware now. But, the truth is, simply avoiding viruses is not enough. You need to be proactive and know how to check for malware on Mac.

As mentioned above, hackers who want to steal your information don’t target you specifically, they target your behavior. So, with this in mind, change your behavior when it comes to using your Mac in potentially unsafe ways.

Arm your computer with encryption tools (like FileVault and a VPN), so that your information can’t be stolen. Practice a healthy dose of skepticism when downloading files. But, most importantly, get professional apps like CleanMyMac, iStat Menus, ClearVPN, and Shimo — all of which are available on Setapp for your to try free. So get a scan now and see what it says.

While you may have heard that Macs don’t get viruses, this just isn’t true. Lately, it’s becoming more and more common for Macs to be affected by malware, as the potential payoff is generally larger than on PCs, and very few Macs have installed protection in place.

Maybe you’ve noticed that your Mac is running slower in the last little while, or you can hear its fan working overtime — all these could indicate a virus that has infiltrated your computer’s defenses and is running somewhere in the background.

Don’t panic yet! It could be that a virus is not as malicious as you think. Also, you can be sure to know how you get rid of it quickly and efficiently by the time you finish this article.

How to scan your Mac for viruses online?

The truth is there are lots of ads and websites that promise free online virus scan and removal for Mac. But most of them are ironically also affiliated with malware players trying to get into your Mac for their malicious purposes and make things even worse. There are a few ways to substitute online virus scan that macOS needs and protect your Mac so no malware can get in.

1. Update your software

As searching for “online virus scan Mac” doesn’t help much, the first thing to do to really protect your Mac is updated to the latest version of macOS as well as turn on auto-updates for all your apps. The latest versions of software include all the necessary security patches known to developers, so it’s a good starting place.

1. Check the App Store for software updates and install them.
2. In System Preferences > Software Update, check the box to “Automatically keep my Mac up to date.”
3. Click Advanced and select all the options there.

2. Back up your Mac

Another precaution against viruses you can take is backing up your documents. For instance, you can use your Mac’s built-in Time Machine utility to save your backup to an external hard drive. That way, frequent backups will allow you to restore recent versions of your documents should they get deleted or encrypted by a virus.

1. Connect an external hard drive.
2. Go to System Preferences > Select Backup Disk and turn it on.
3. Choose Back Up Automatically.

3. Turn on Mac’s built-in protection

If you’ve ever got a warning on your computer asking whether you’re sure you want to download something, you’ve seen File Quarantine in action. It lets you decline to download an item in case you don’t completely trust the source it’s coming from.

Another built-in utility Gatekeeper checks that there’s an electronic signature from an approved Mac supplier on any item you attempt to download. So making sure it’s turned on is a great way to protect yourself from downloading something malicious.

1. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
2. Under “Allow apps downloaded from,” ensure that “App Store and identified developers” or “App Store” and not “Anywhere” is selected.
3. From macOS Mojave onwards, the “Anywhere” option is no longer available to increase security. That’s why updating your macOS is crucial.

4. Examine your Disk Utility

Navigating to Disk Utility will give you a sense of what’s taking up space on your hard drive. You can also click on First Aid to run a scan of the hard drive and repair any errors. Make a note of the types of things taking up space, especially if any category is unusually large — this would be a good one to target directly or to check on later to see if it became smaller through the measures you are undertaking.

5. Clean up your hard drive

Unused apps, redundant copies of documents, and old media files — getting rid of these is likely to help with deleting any existing viruses and also free up space and speed up your Mac at the same time.

In general, cleaning up your computer will improve your day-to-day experience and ultimately mean you won’t have to buy a new one too soon, saving you money.

1. Launch the Applications folder (Cmd + Shift + A).
2. Go through the list and uninstall any programs you’re no longer using.
3. Then check your Documents, Pictures, Movies, and Music folders for files you haven’t been using in a long time.
4. Empty the Trash when you’re done.

Here is an ultimate tutorial on how to clean up your hard drive.

It’s easy to forget about keeping your files tidy (sort of like your apartment), so periodic cleanups are a must.

6. Check if your email has been compromised

You daily hear that millions of user emails have been leaked due to the careless policies of Facebook or other corporations. Could your account be one of those? The security expert Troy Hunt created a website that allows to see if your email has been hacked.

Check out this website https://haveibeenpwned.com/

You can even get a clue as to which company leaked your email.

7. Encrypt your Mac

It might come as a surprise but files on your Mac are easily readable to anyone who can gain unauthorized access. They will be able to read your documents, apps, messages, etc. To prevent this, you need to turn on Mac’s built-in encryption engine called FileVault.

1. Go System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
2. Turn On FileVault and wait for the encryption to finish. Done!

8. Protect and optimize your Mac in one click

If you have the time and are willing to be methodical about the cleanups you need to do and how often you need to do them — ideally once a month — you can go through the above checklist every time.

However, why not save some time and make sure you do it the right way. The truth is there is no online virus scan macOS would be happy about, but there definitely is some pro software like CleanMyMac X that can do it better. It’s fast, automatic, and vigilant — saving you time and doing a more thorough and complete job of taking care of your Mac than you can.

To scan your Mac for viruses:

1. Grab a copy of CleanMyMac X (the free version is available here)
2. Go to Malware Removal tool and click Scan.
3. Wait for results and process as instructed.

Check Mac For Malware Free Software

Here's how the scanning process looks:

Check Mac For Malware Free Trial

Once CleanMyMac X has finished the scanning process, it will show you all the found threats. These may include adware, spyware, viruses, cryptocurrency miners, and more. Some of these apps will try to sneak into your Launch Agents and other protected system folders. For such cases, CleanMyMac has a real-time monitor that detects any attempts for unauthorized access from malware apps.

After you finish scanning for malware, don’t forget to perform additional scans for Optimization, Maintenance, Junk, and an overall Smart Scan. In each case, CleanMyMac X takes care of all the tasks necessary to protect and optimize your Mac. Repeat the process every week or so and you are set.

CleanMyMac X is notarized by Apple which confirms its safe status for using on Mac computers.

Check Mac For Malware Free Online

You've just learned a few ways to check your Mac for viruses. Hopefully, they will encourage you to study the built-in protection layers of your Mac. In case you did find malware on your Mac, that's not the end of the world as we've shown you some antidotes you can try.
Stay tuned for more Mac tips!