Apple often upgrades its operating systems, adding security enhancements and bug fixes. Furthermore, macOS Security Updates contains a method that enables Apple to secretly install anti-malware defenses on Mac machines. Additionally, a recent study claims that the corporation updated macOS this year with significant internal security fixes.
macOS Security Updates is susceptible to viruses, just like any other piece of software on the market. While the Mac operating system features a utility called “XProtect” that continuously searches for viruses in the background, it lacks the user-visible app Windows Defender.
Older versions Also Get macOS Security Updates
The latest macOS Security Updates running even older versions of macOS, according to Oakley, were published in April 2022 for versions between OS X El Capitan and macOS Mojave. Of fact, if your Mac is still running this software, it may be time to upgrade to a new model as it appears that Apple will stop providing regular security upgrades for it.
For older gadgets including the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and first iPad Air, Apple released iOS 12.5.6 earlier today. Two security flaws that were also patched for newer devices with iOS 15.6.1 are addressed by the upgrade. Apple announced a new version of XProtect earlier this year with the introduction of macOS Monterey 12.3, which replaces the previous MRT in a more aggressive manner.
In the past, macOS searched for viruses far less frequently and mainly after launch. While the most recent updates do not render macOS malware-proof, they do make it much harder for Mac users to be the target of such assaults. The nice aspect is that the new XProtect version works well even on Macs running earlier versions of macOS. The update is also accessible for computers running macOS Catalina and later, claims the researcher.