Many business leaders are still under the impression that Macs are safer to use than Windows computers, because they are less prone to viruses.

As it turns out, though, Macs are now being highly targeted by cybercriminals.

According to new research from McAfee, the number of cases involving malware targeting Macs jumped by 53 percent during 1Q17. And last year, this figure grew by 744 percent.

During 1Q17, McAffee discovered over 700,000 cases of malware on Mac endpoints.

As Business Insider pointed out, this is still a very small figure compared to the amount of Windows-based infections that are popping up. But it’s still a large enough growth rate to warrant attention — especially as the trend does not appear to be slowing down.  

So, what can you do to protect your Macs from cybercrime?

First and foremost, watch out for applications that embed adware onto machines. Employees should also be careful about where they click online. There are certain types of ransomware, for instance, that only target Macs. Ransomware can hide in sneaky places, like in online advertisements on leading websites.

It's also critical to keep up with network monitoring and patching, in order to detect suspicious activity and keep criminals out. 

If your team is currently strapped for resources, and it lacks the manpower to maintain a strong cybersecurity strategy, you can easily outsource operations to a third party managed services provider like Apex Technology Services — premier computer consultants serving greater New York City and beyond.

To learn more about how Apex can keep your computers virus-free, click here.

A new breed of hacktrepeneurs has awoken and they have little to fear and everything to gain by infecting as many companies as possible and extorting money from them. Apex Technology Services stands ready to protect your company regardless of whether it’s located in New York City; White Plains, New York; Connecticut; Australia; Europe; or anywhere else. Our full suite of cybersecurity and IT support services is at your disposal, enabling you to spend less time worrying about and more time growing your business.

To ensure your security, consider one of our most popular services — Auditing & Documentation — which pinpoints vulnerabilities in your infrastructure, process flow and internal security procedures.