Thanks to several rigorous security measures that Apple integrates into its computers, Macs are generally considered among the most secure systems. However, there is always an opportunity for malware and malicious threats to gain access to your Mac. Relying on built-in security features to protect your system can be all well and good, but it can be useful to manually check if a virus or malware has infiltrated your system without being detected.
Here’s how to check your Mac for viruses and malware.
Decreased performance
One of the indicators of possible malware and viruses that have infected your Mac is a significant decrease in performance. One of the best ways to investigate what exactly is causing your Mac’s CPU to slow down is through Mac Activity Monitor.
Step 1: Open Applications > Utilities > Activity monitor or search for “Activity Monitor” in the Finder search bar. Double-click the application to open it.
Step 2: U The name of the process the field below CPU tab (which should be selected by default), review everything listed and what percentage of CPU it takes to run. If you’re not sure about any process name, just type it into Google, which will let you know if it’s something you should be concerned about or not.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 3: If you find harmful apps and malware within Activity Monitor, click the item and then select x button in the upper left corner to cancel.
Step 4: Open in a similar way Memory card and analyze The name of the process to see if there are any unknown or unusual process names that you don’t recognize that require a significant amount of memory.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Browser extensions
While you may have Apple’s option enabled to only download apps from trusted developers, Mac users don’t have the same luxury when it comes to browser extensions. This can therefore lead to a threat actor installing potentially harmful extensions that slow down performance, spread malware, etc.
If you use Google Chrome, for example, click Menu on the far right side of the window, click on More tools field and select Extensions.
Review your browser extensions and remove any suspicious extensions that have been added.
Suspicious apps and downloads
Checking the list of installed apps on your Mac should be something you do regularly to make sure you’ve installed all of them and still want to install them.
Step 1: Open Applications folder located in the Finder’s left sidebar.
Step 2: Find any apps you didn’t install yourself. Click Control + [Program] and select Move to trash. Don’t forget to empty the trash to permanently delete the app from your system.
Step 3: Of course, any downloaded file from an unknown or untrusted source can potentially contain malware and viruses. Ever had a pop-up appear in your web browser that automatically downloads a file without your permission? Go to Downloads folder on your Mac and delete anything you didn’t download yourself. As with applications, be sure to empty the cache if you remove certain files.
Full disk access
Full Disk Access is a feature that lists all the applications that have unrestricted access to your Mac. Threat actors creating malicious trojans, spyware, keyloggers, etc. will ultimately seek to gain access to this area as this essentially makes them system administrators. If successful, they can cause serious damage. Therefore, if malware or a virus has indeed entered your system, it may appear here.
Step 1: Click System settings > Security and privacy > Privacy tab.
Step 2: Click on the sidebar Full disk access.
Step 3: Here you can check which of your applications have full access to your Mac’s drive. If there’s something on the list that you don’t recognize, uncheck it and proceed to delete that app from your system.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Items to report
Another way to manually check for malware on your Mac is through Check-in Items. As its name suggests, it controls which applications are installed alongside your system. Using this feature can also prove to be an effective way to scan your Mac for viruses and malware.
Step 1: Get directions System settings and then click Users and groups.
Step 2: Click on Items to report tab. Deselect any suspicious-looking items. Google their purpose for more information and, if further action is required, find the source and delete it.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Antivirus and malware scanners
If you think you’ve been infected with malware, you need to know how to remove it. In addition to the above manual methods for checking for malware, there are plenty of Mac-based antivirus and malware scanners. One such program is the popular Malwarebytes, which offers a limited trial period of 14 days.
Step 1: Download and install the app.
Step 2: Run the scan and wait for the results.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 3: If Malwarebytes detects malicious files like adware or spyware, click Quarantine selected or Delete to remove them all from your Mac.
Premium programs are also effective at removing malware and viruses. As a general rule, consider purchasing apps from leading digital security companies such as McAfee, Norton 360, and Avast.
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn