COMMENTARY: Apple’s products have gained momentum across enterprise networks over the past several years. According to an IDC study, more than 45% of organizations have some presence of macOS in their IT environments. The growing enterprise footprint of Apple’s operating system stems partly from its Unix-based architecture and Apple’s stringent security practices that for many years carried a sheen of solid protection.
However, this perception can make organizations slow to recognize and address potential security gaps in Macs used by employees. Adware, scareware, ransomware, zero-days, and supply chain attacks on these systems have piggybacked on users’ overconfidence in their built-in defenses for years. Ultimately, the myth of a malware-proof Mac creates a false sense of security that backfires on the company unless the IT team takes proactive action.
Why Mac protection became an afterthought
One reason these security issues go unnoticed has been the smaller attack surface of macOS compared to Windows, with Microsoft machines still dominating the enterprise landscape. This has historically made Macs less attractive targets for cybercriminals. The increasing adoption of these machines in businesses has incentivized attackers to ramp-up efforts developing macOS-specific exploits.
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Additionally, Apple’s security model heavily relies on users applying updates and configuring their systems properly. It’s difficult to achieve this prerequisite in organizations that lack centralized endpoint management. As a result, misconfigurations or delayed patches create hidden risks.
Security teams need to start by realizing that macOS systems are far cry from invulnerable to cyber threats. The other half boils down to identifying where potential gaps exist in the environment – whether it’s an untested backup or a bypassed security feature – and taking actionable steps to close them. Let’s go over these loopholes and mitigations:
Addressing these vulnerabilities isn’t just about plugging holes: it’s about creating a culture of preparedness. Regular audits, employee training, layered defenses, and security compliance monitoring can transform overlooked risks into managed ones. Once this becomes a well-oiled routine, organizations just have to stay the course.
David Balaban, owner, Privacy-PC
SC Media Perspectives columns are written by a trusted community of SC Media cybersecurity subject matter experts. Each contribution has a goal of bringing a unique voice to important cybersecurity topics. Content strives to be of the highest quality, objective and non-commercial.
