Apple just gave its security software a major boost without you knowing TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Apple just gave its security software a major boost without you knowing By Will McCurdy published 2 September 2022 Mac users will now get more proactive malware protection (Image credit: insta_photos / Shutterstock) Audio player loading… Apple has been quietly souping up its malware protection all this time, covertly introducing a new anti-malware tool called "XProtect Remediator". Mac blogger Howard Oakley (opens in new tab), who first unearthered the feature, noted how macOS malware protection "has changed more than it did over the previous seven years" over the last six months. "It has now gone fully pre-emptive, as active as many commercial anti-malware products," he added. What s new Though Apple has been giving Mac users at least some level of malware protection via its XProtect tool since it released Mac OS X Snow Leopard back in 2008, the new tool, which was introduced in macOS 12.3 Monterey, takes a step forward in terms of proactivity. XProtect Remediator frequently scans for malware in the background and fixes it when detected.READ MORE: > These dangerous scam iOS apps are still lurking on the App Store > VPNs on iOS are "broken" and Apple doesn't seem to be doing anything to fix it > Our guide to the best firewalls These scans occur at least once every day, though sometimes as frequently as every few hours, and tend to occur when the Mac is turned on but is not in active use. The tool contains executable code modules that can find and remediate many types of common malware strains, including endemic trojan Adload, trojan dropper DubRobber, and the browser hijacker adware Genio. Can I use this feature The new tool is available for users on macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina, but unfortunately not for users of previous iterations of ioS. Apple certainly hasn't slowed down in terms of rolling out security updates and recently patched two zero-day vulnerabilities that were being used in the wild with updates to macOS Monterey 12.5.1, iOS 15.6.1, and iPadOS 15.6.1.Not using a Mac? Check out our list which includes some of the best malware removal for PCs Will McCurdyWill McCurdy has been writing about technology for over five years. He has a wide range of specialities including cybersecurity, fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, cloud computing, payments, artificial intelligence, retail technology, and venture capital investment. He has previously written for AltFi, FStech, Retail Systems, and National Technology News and is an experienced podcast and webinar host, as well as an avid long-form feature writer. See more Computing news Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to theTechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1You may not have to sell a body part to afford the Nvidia RTX 4090 after all2PC gamers are shunning high-end GPUs – spelling trouble for the Nvidia RTX 40903Beg all you want - these beer game devs will not break the laws of physics for you 41000TB SSDs could become mainstream by 2030 as Samsung plans 1000-layer NAND5Micro-LED 4K TVs aren't trying to kill OLED, they're aiming at projectors1We finally know what 'Wi-Fi' stands for - and it's not what you think2Brave is about to solve one of the most frustrating problems with browsing the web3She-Hulk episode 8 just confirmed Netflix's Daredevil TV show is canon in the MCU4A whole new breed of SSDs is about to break through5Logitech's latest webcam and headset want to relieve your work day frustrations Technology Magazines (opens in new tab)● (opens in new tab)The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviewsFrom$12.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)