The State of macOS Malware in 2025

Why Mac Risk Is Rising

  • Growing market share: macOS and OS X collectively average around 13% of desktops OS’s and gaining while Windows market share of desktops is decreasing.
  • Attacker investment: 2024-2025 saw a continued increase in development of targeted macOS malware and APT tooling, plus numerous paid malware services (stealer as a service).
  • Delivery economics: Adware, trojanized installers, and app store lookalikes are increasingly more common as the macOS user base continues to grow and how apple targets less technically informed customers, making macOS a perfect target.

The macOS Malware Landscape

  1. Stealers
    • Purpose: Exfiltrate(steal) browser cookies/session tokens, saved passwords, crypto wallets, SSH keys, and files, often in minutes and more recently without any lingering persistence.
    • Primary methods of delivery: Malicious ads, fake download sites, and trojanized DMG and PKG files.
    • Highest risk currently: Stolen cookies can bypass MFA and unlock various personal accounts and information.
  2. Trojans
    • Purpose: Pretend to be legitimate apps and or installers, once executed, fetch payloads, steal data, or alter security settings.
    • Primary methods of delivery: look alike applications and cracked (stolen) software.
  3. Backdoors / RATs
    • Purpose: Provide persistent remote control for hands‑on‑keyboard activity, lateral movement, data theft, and staging.
    • Common delivery: spear‑phishing of developers/finance roles, fake conferencing plug‑ins, poisoned 'updates'.
  4. Ransomware & Data‑Extortion
    • Purpose: Encrypt and or exfiltrate data for payment. Less common than on Windows but present and growing in Mac telemetry.
    • Common delivery: same initial vectors as stealers and trojans; sometimes dropped by commodity loaders.
  5. Adware / PUA & Loaders
    • Purpose: Hijack browsers, inject ads, or install frameworks that later pull down more dangerous payloads.
    • Why it matters: Normalizes unsafe 'click‑through' and creates footholds for stealers and trojans.

Initial Access: How Attacks Commonly Start

  • Malicious advertising / poisoned search results deliver DMG/PKG seeded with loaders or stealers.
  • Trojanized installers & fake updates (including 'install this to join the meeting') pressure users into granting permissions.
  • Fraudulent app ecosystems and review gaps allow look‑alike crypto/utilities to slip through and reach users.

Apple’s Built in Anti-Malware: Not Sufficient
Apples built in security is very good, but it is currently not enough as more and more bad actors are trying to create new malware, and find new vulnerabilities every day.. However, social‑engineering‑driven cookie theft, novel loaders, and user‑consent abuse can bypass purely signature based controls. Independent testing and field data point to the need for layered, behavior aware defenses.

 

Sources

  • Statcounter Global Stats (Aug 2025): Desktop OS share (Windows ~69.75%; OS X ~8.69%; macOS ~4.79%).
  • Red Canary Threat Detection Report (2025): Significant YoY rise in macOS threats; stealers as key drivers.
  • 9to5Mac (Jul 2024): New macOS malware families up; ransomware, trojans, and backdoors prominent in rankings.
  • Intego Mac Security Blog (Jan 2025): 2024 Apple malware chronology; forecast of more Mac‑targeted APTs and stealer activity.
  • AV‑Comparatives Mac Security Test & Review (2025): Built‑in macOS protections and the case for layered defenses.