AV-TEST Evaluates MacOS Malware Protection for Tahoe 26.3
AV-TEST has evaluated 14 security solutions for macOS Tahoe 26.3, finding that most products offer reliable protection against increasing malware threats, particularly infostealers.
Security testing firm AV-TEST released results of its latest evaluation of malware protection for macOS Tahoe 26.3. The test comes amid a rise in macOS-specific malware, with information-stealing applications showing a notable increase in frequency.
The evaluation covered 14 security products designed for both consumer and business users. AV-TEST noted that the number of specialized attacks targeting macOS systems has surpassed one million. New threats include infostealers such as Atomic Stealer, MacSync Stealer, and Odyssey Stealer.
Products were tested on their ability to detect and block over 400 macOS malware samples. The evaluation also assessed how well the software distinguishes between legitimate and malicious applications, and how it handles scanning over 40,000 files without impacting system performance. Products were scored on protection, performance, and usability.
Of the ten consumer-focused products, eight achieved perfect scores in protection, detecting 100 percent of the tested malware. These included Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, ESET, F-Secure, Intego, Kaspersky, and Norton. Trend Micro and Avira experienced minor detection issues, resulting in reduced scores.
For business users, both Crowdstrike and Sophos solutions received full marks for protection. Trellix and Trend Micro also had some minor issues with malware detection. Overall, the majority of tested security solutions provided dependable protection for macOS users.