Elastic Security Labs (ESL) recently released its Global Threat Report 2022, which today summarizes threat trends, forecasts and recommendations for the cybersecurity industry. According to the report, only 6.2% of malware landed on macOS devices, compared to 54.4% and 39.4% on Windows and Linux, respectively. This is not surprising given Apple’s focus on security on its platform and MacOS’ small share of the desktop market.

But surprisingly, almost 50% of all macOS malware comes from one source: MacKeeper. Ironically, MacKeeper is a program that advertises itself as a way to “keep your Mac clean and safe with no effort.”

But as ESL explains, attackers can abuse the program because it has broad permissions and access to processes and files. This means that a program designed to protect Macs against cyber threats could put your system at risk.

In general, the program is famous for its controversial history. First, MacKeeper is notorious for being difficult to remove completely. Many users have also found that the program is a malicious antivirus. And in 2014, a lawsuit was filed against former owner Zeobit alleging that MacKeeper falsified virus detection to force users to pay for unnecessary fixes.

In addition, Elastic’s report also revealed that more than 80% of malware in every operating system is caused by Trojans. Crypto miners ranked second with 11.3%, while ransomware was third with 3.7%.

To protect your Mac computers from cyber threats, be sure to keep your operating system and applications up-to-date; so that cybercriminals cannot exploit software vulnerabilities to attack your system. Also, only install software from trusted sources and use reliable antivirus software to minimize the chance of your Mac getting malware.