Scan My Mac For Viruses

Bitdefender Virus Scanner finds Mac malware as well as Windows viruses with ease. Scan running apps, scan critical locations, scan a specific location or scan the entire system, the award-winning Bitdefender engines will find that malware. Don't put your friends and family at risk by unknowingly passing malware. Jul 29, 2019 There are a few ways to substitute online virus scan that macOS needs, and protect your Mac so no malware can get in. 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 update to the latest version of macOS as well as turn on auto-updates for all your apps. Macs can get viruses, just like any programmable computer. However, there are no known viruses for Macs in the wild. There is malware for Macs (viruses are just one type of malicious software). Malware usually gets on your computer when you insta.

Macs don’t get viruses, right? Wrong, sadly. Your Mac may be safer from malware than the average Windows PC, thanks to its Unix core and Apple’s default security settings in the OS, but it’s not immune. All it takes is one thoughtless click on a link in an email or on a website, and your Mac could be infected.

The good news is that performing a Mac virus scan is very easy and if it finds anything, getting rid of the virus is very straightforward, too.

How to check your Mac for a virus

There are a number of tell-tale signs that your Mac has a virus. If it’s not displaying any of those, there’s probably nothing to worry about. So, before you scan your Mac for a virus, here are a few things to check.

1. Is your Mac behaving erratically?

This could include applications crashing, web browsers loading pages you didn’t ask for, and unusually high traffic on your network.

2. Has it started running very slowly all of a sudden?

Some viruses run processes that hog CPU cycles and leave little capacity for the tasks you want to carry out.

3. Are you seeing adverts or pop-ups for things you would never normally see?

Adware viruses are designed specifically to show adverts in the hope that you’ll click on them.
4. Have you noticed software appear on your Mac that you didn’t deliberately install?

Some viruses appear in the form of browser extensions, others run in the background, but some may appear as applications in your Applications folder. Before we'll explain how to scan Mac for malware, check these 5 tell-tale signs.

If any of the above are true, it’s possible that your Mac has a virus, but don’t panic, it may be relatively easy to remove.

How to run a malware scanner on Mac

So how to check for malware on Mac? There are several Mac virus scanners that allow you to scan your system. However, it’s very important that you don’t just google ‘free Mac antivirus software.’ Many sites that claim to offer free antivirus tools in fact host viruses themselves. So, you go to the site looking for a solution and end up making the problem worse. It’s important to use a reputable tool. We recommend using CleanMyMac X.

CleanMyMac X detects thousands of malware threats, including adware, spyware, worms, ransomware, cryptocurrency miners, and if it finds something suspicious, it offers immediate removal. Here’s how to scan your Mac for malware:

Download CleanMyMac X (free edition here) and launch the app.
Click on the Malware Removal tab.
Click Scan.
Click Remove.

Malware Monitor is another thing I love about CleanMyMac X. And this Mac malware scanner works in real-time. Whenever an adware attempts to enter some protected areas on your Mac, you’ll get instantly notified.

How to get rid of suspicious apps

If you find an application that you didn’t intend to install, you should get rid of it. But don’t just drag it from your Applications folder to the Trash, that won’t remove every trace of it from your Mac. Applications store files in a number of different places in your Mac’s Library folders. You could hunt them down and remove them manually, but it’s quicker and easier to use a dedicated uninstaller like CleanMyMac X. That way, you can be sure you will remove every trace of the application and no stray files will be left behind.

Download CleanMyMac for free here.
Launch it from your Applications folder.
In the Utilities section, click on Uninstaller.
Look through the list of applications until you see the one you want to get rid of.
Check the box next to it.
Press the Uninstall button.

How to prevent your Mac from getting a virus

Scanning Mac for malware is one thing. But prevention is always better than cure. So, if you want to make sure that every virus scan returns a clean bill of health, here’s what to do.

Never click a link in an email unless you’re 100% sure where the email has come from and where the link will take you. Reputable companies and banks won’t ask you to click a link to log into an account, for example.
Never download anything unless you’re certain what it is. That includes movie files, software updates, games, and anything else you’re not absolutely certain about.
Keep your Mac updated with the latest version of macOS. That doesn’t mean you have to be running the very latest OS, but if you’re running, say, Sierra, make sure you install the latest updates when they become available.

Scanning your Mac for threats is very easy. To check Mac for malware, you can download the free version of CleanMyMac X which is an Apple notarized app. With its help, you get rid of any applications you didn’t intend to download and scan your whole system for malware very quick and easy. Give it a go.

These might also interest you:

In 2019, the number of attacks on Mac computers increased by 400%. To protect your device from viruses and malware, you should install an antivirus and an inbound firewall, uninstall the Flash Player and follow a few more simple rules. This article will help you keep your Mac protected 24/7 without paying too much or seeking professional help.

Apple computers are safe and reliable devices. When compared to a Windows PC, Macs are less likely to get hacked or get infected by viruses. However, according to statistics from Malwarebytes, the number of threats to Mac computers has increased by 400% in 2019. The positive news is that by following a few simple steps you can protect your Mac against cyberattacks.

How to protect your Mac from viruses and malware

There are a few easy steps to enhance your protection. First, update all of your apps regularly. An outdated app becomes a security breach even if you don’t use it.

To protect yourself from phishing attacks, start using a password manager. It will generate long and complicated passwords automatically every time you try to register on a new site and will store all passwords in its database.

Instead of an inbound firewall, switch to a two-way one. Inbound firewalls are built in your device, but you shouldn’t think it’s a panacea for all sorts of attacks. Outbound firewalls are much more efficient against malware. For example, you might download some software that you didn’t think would be connecting to the Internet. In case it tries to connect, an outbound firewall will send you an alert.

You should stop using the standalone Flash Player. Adobe Flash is constantly asking for updates, and one day this might be a phishing attack.

It’s preferable to enable full disk encryption. This will provide an additional layer of protection to your files and folders. If your data isn’t 100% encrypted, a hacker may get hold of it.

It’s advisable to switch off Spotlight Suggestions. These suggestions might leak your personal information to third parties unless you change their default settings. These “third parties” would be normally Apple and some search engines, but it’s better to play safe.

When you need to share files, avoid peer-to-peer platforms. It’s extremely easy to download malware from such a platform, and then it will expose your private data to anyone who would be interested in seeing it. If there are several devices in your house, all connected by the same network, you might infect them all in just a few minutes with the malware downloaded on your device.

Use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi. The Virtual Private Network will encrypt your data so that your important information won’t get stolen.

Cached

To maximize your security level, you should install efficient and reliable software that will keep you protected — for example, MacKeeper. This solution provides multi-layered protection from online threats and optimizes the performance of your device. It includes antivirus, an ad cleaner, a memory cleaner, and an update tracker. Unnecessary pop-ups won’t bombard you, and viruses will be detected well before they attack you.

What to do if you Mac was hacked or caught a virus

Free Mac Virus Scan

If your device caught a virus, follow these steps:

Remove all the questionable extensions. Open the list of the extensions in your browser and delete manually all of those that you didn’t install on purpose.
Remove all the questionable apps. It’s not enough to remove just the icon of the app: you need to drag to the trash both the app and all the files related to it. Be careful, because if you accidentally remove the files of the useful apps, the device won’t function properly. Otherwise, you can delete the apps quicker and easier with MacKeeper.
Create a new user profile. Viruses often attach to a particular user profile. But if you start a new profile and transfer all your important data to it, you’ll probably be safe.