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Mac malware doesn’t need a security flaw when users do the work

Bitdefender’s latest Mac threat report shows adware gaining ground as attackers increasingly use browser scams to trick users into bypassing Apple’s security protections.

Silver MacBook laptop partially open on a white surface, showing the Apple logo on the back of the screen, with a soft blue and purple gradient backgroundMacBook Air M5

Bitdefender’s September 2026 macOS Threat Landscape Report analyzes more than 1.5 billion security events collected between August 2025 and July 2026. Excluding web and document threats, adware rose from 22.6% of detections in the previous report to 34.4%.

Trojans remained the largest category at 45.2%, down from 51.8%. Potentially unwanted apps also fell from 25.3% to 20.4%.

The shift reflects the growing prominence of malicious ads, browser redirects, and deceptive software installers that trick users into compromising their Macs.

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