#Uxprotect mac app how to

But it doesnвЂ™t take care of cleaning up any existing infections and doesnвЂ™t check to make sure your Mac is clean in the background. XProtect is just a convenient way for Apple to blacklist individual pieces of malware.

#Uxprotect mac app how to

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This allows Apple to put the brakes on any bit of Mac malware before it gets too out of control and ensures your Mac is protected from downloading any old pieces of malware out there. ItвЂ™s just looking for a handful of bad files Apple has specifically listed. Unlike other antivirus applications, XProtect doesnвЂ™t use any sort of advanced heuristics. It only checks downloaded files run through File Quarantine, which makes it similar to the SmartScreen featureВ on Windows.В ItвЂ™s designed to sit between your Mac and the web, preventing you from running a few known-malicious applications. RELATED: Mac OS X IsnвЂ™t Safe Anymore: The Crapware / Malware Epidemic Has Begun

If you disable it, your Mac wonвЂ™t update its XProtect file with the latest definitions from Apple. Ensure the вЂњInstall system data files and security updatesвЂќ option is enabled. To view this setting, click the Apple menu, select System Preferences, and click theВ App Store icon. Malware definition updates arrive through AppleвЂ™s normal software update process.В Like other software updates on Mac OS X, these are enabled by default, but can be disabled. When you open a downloaded application, File Quarantine checks if it matches any of the malware definitions in the XProtect file.В If it does, youвЂ™ll see a nastier warning message that says running the file will damage your computer and informing you which malware definition it matches.