This system consists of the quarantine of any app downloaded from the Internet, the use of Code Signing certificates to verify that an app is coming from a legit source, and regular security updates that include databases of known malware targeting the Mac OS.īecause of this system, called File Quarantine and occasionally referred to as XProtect:Īpps in quarantine display a dialog window reminding you where the app came from and asking whether or not you’re sure you want to open it.Īpps with no code signing certificate, depending on your Gatekeeper settings, may display a message saying the app can’t be opened because of your settings. While your Mac can definitely be infected with malware, Apple’s built-in malware detection and file quarantine capabilities are meant to make it less likely that you’ll download and run malicious software.Īpple introduced malware detection to the Mac OS with Snow Leopard (Mac OS 10.6).

And, to some extent, there’s truth to that. You may have been led to believe that you don’t have to worry about computer viruses on your Mac.