For years, owning a MacBook or iMac was seen as a great achievement; this is because Apple devices were seen as safer from hackers and malware than Windows computers.
But new findings suggest that this confidence could be leaving some Mac users dangerously exposed.
A global survey by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky found that 12 per cent of macOS users reported experiencing malware infections over the past year, compared with nine per cent of Windows users.
Only 35 per cent of Mac users surveyed said they install dedicated security software, compared with 42 per cent of Windows users.
The findings challenge the long-held belief that simply owning a Mac provides sufficient protection against cybercriminals.
The survey, conducted by Kaspersky’s market research centre in 2026, involved 7,200 respondents from 18 countries, including South Africa, India, Germany, France and Brazil.
According to the findings, Mac users also reported higher rates of several other cyber incidents.
For example, 12 per cent said they had fallen victim to phishing, compared with nine per cent of Windows users. Mac users also reported more scams and investment fraud, at 16 per cent compared with 13 per cent among Windows users.
Privacy violations were reported by 11 per cent of Mac users against eight per cent of Windows users, while personal data theft affected 12 per cent of Mac users compared with seven per cent of Windows users.
The problem may not necessarily be that Macs are inherently less secure. Rather, cybersecurity experts say, users can become vulnerable when they assume their devices are immune to attack.
One of the biggest differences in behavior was around suspicious links and emails.
While 62 percent of Windows users said they avoid opening suspicious emails or links, only 51 percent of Mac users said they follow the same practice.
This is an important warning because cybercriminals increasingly rely on phishing rather than simply attacking the operating system.
A fake email claiming that your bank account has been blocked, a message asking you to reset your password, or a convincing investment opportunity can target anyone regardless of whether they use Windows, macOS, Android, or another platform.
Password habits also revealed a gap. Windows users were more likely to use unique passwords for different accounts, at 38 per cent compared with 35 per cent of Mac users.
They also reported higher use of complex passwords, 52 per cent against 45 per cent, and two-factor or multi-factor authentication, 51 per cent against 46 per cent.
For Mac users, therefore, the first line of defence is not simply the device itself but everyday behaviour.
Do not click on suspicious links, even when they appear to come from a familiar company. Instead, visit the organisation’s official website directly.
Use a different password for every important account. If one service is breached, criminals will have a harder time using the stolen password elsewhere.
Turn on multi-factor authentication wherever it is available, particularly for email, banking, social media and cloud-storage accounts.
Keep macOS and other software updated. Security updates often address vulnerabilities that criminals could exploit.
Users should also be careful when downloading applications. Installing software from untrusted websites or opening suspicious attachments can expose even well-protected devices to malware.
A password manager can help users generate and securely store unique passwords, while reputable security software can provide an additional layer of protection.
The biggest lesson, however, is simple: no internet-connected device is completely immune to cybercrime.
Whether you use a MacBook at home, a Windows laptop at work or a smartphone on the move, your strongest security tool remains a combination of updated software, strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and, above all, healthy scepticism when something online looks too good or too urgent to be true.
