AV-TEST: 7 consumer Mac security products achieve perfect protection scores

The security research firm AV-TEST has released its most recent comparative test of macOS security software. In its September 2025 evaluation, conducted on macOS Sequoia 15.6, thirteen different security products were put to the test. Notably, seven of the eleven software packages designed for consumer users achieved perfect scores in detecting and blocking malware, successfully identifying 100 percent of the over 1,200 malware samples used in the assessment.

The test also examined how the software impacts system performance and if it triggers false positives. For business users, the two tested solutions also performed strongly, with both achieving full points, despite one having a minor detection rate of 99.9 percent. This highlights the ongoing threat from specialized macOS malware, such as Atomic macOS Stealer and its advanced variant Odyssey Stealer, which can sometimes bypass Apple's native defenses like Gatekeeper and XProtect.

On the consumer side, Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, ClamXAV, F-Secure, Kaspersky, and Norton successfully blocked all simulated attacks. ESET also received full points with a near-perfect detection rate of 99.9 percent. MacPaw, Avira, and TotalAV scored slightly lower, with detection rates ranging from 98.5 to 99.2 percent.

The AV-TEST findings provide valuable insights for Mac users seeking robust protection amid evolving cyber threats. While Apple continues to enhance its built-in security, third-party solutions remain crucial for providing additional layers of defense against known and sophisticated malware.