Posted on May 21, 2021 at 5:51 PM

Apple Admits There’s Enormous Level Of Malware in MacOS

Apple has called the level of malware on Mac systems “unacceptable.” Craig Federighi, senior VPN of software engineering at Apple, pointed out that there is an enormous amount of malware targeting Mac OS users. He made this statement as a witness during the testimony of the Apple vs Epic Games case.

Apple was taken to court by Epic Games for Apple’s approach to the management of its app store. It demanded that Apple should open its mobile platform to third-party app stores.

“Today, we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don’t find acceptable,” Federighi said.

During questioning, he made different comparisons regarding the security of Apple’s computing platforms.

Epic Games accused Apple of Monopoly

Epic argues that Apple is managing the IOS’s system in a way to deliberately shut down competitors on the platform. But Apple replied that opening the doors to all third-party apps will lead to major security issues, considering the level of malware targeting the system.

Federighi added that the iOS system is more secure than the Mac operating system due to the former’s open nature.

So, users who can download iPad apps or iPhone outside of the Apple’sapp Store will be opening the door for security issues that Apple could not review before it is used.

He said it is mainly because of the review process of the App Store, which provides the standard of safety across iPad and iPhone apps.

Epic Games took Apple to court after its major game, “Fortnite” was taken down from Apple’s App Store. According to Epic Games, the decision Apple was made to stifle competition for its similar products.

Apple Responds

However, Apple countered the company’s claims, stating that Epic implemented a payment system that violated the terms of its developer agreement with the platform.

Epic still stands on its ground, arguing that Apple Store operates as a monopoly, adding that iPads and iPhones are no different from computers.

The trial started earlier this month at the US District Court in California. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive officer, will be standing as a witness in the court on Friday. The hearing is expected to conclude on Monday.

Apple has claimed for many years that Mac is the most secure computer to use on the market when it comes to malware. However, the recent statement credited to the tech giant is implying otherwise.

Although desktops suffer different computer viruses, Apple has marketed its Mac differently, even going to the point of saying Mac is an impenetrable platform. The company has always insisted that their MacOS are more secure than PCs.

But now, the company, through Federighi, is changing the tune. He stated during the court hearing that Mac was faced with more than 130 different variants of malware this month alone. He added that one of the malware-infected over 300,000 devices.

Increasing Threat of malware on macOS

It is hard to know whether this claim from Federighi should be taken seriously considering the situation behind his reasons for such comments. He was testifying in defense of Apple during the lawsuit hearing.

But in line with the current situation, the cases of malware on computers have been rising in recent times. In February, there was an advising malware for Apple’s M1 Mac devices that enabled users to bypass Apple’s built-in security layer using Google Search.

There have been other instances where Apple had to release a quick security update to keep out dangerous malware from infiltrating Mac systems.

Federighi stated that the locked-down feature of the Ipad and iPhone allows the devices to be more secure. This is because users are unable to install applications from third-party apps. He said this action has cut down the risk of exposure to considerable levels.

Federighi added that Mac has a “significantly larger malware problem” when compared with iPad and iPhone.