The Great Debate: Are Apple Computers More Secure Than Windows?

The never-ending debate over whether Apple or Microsoft computers are more secure has raged on for decades. As both macOS and Windows continue to evolve technologically, each operating system offers its own unique strengths and weaknesses when it comes to cybersecurity protections for consumers and organizations.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll leverage my over 10 years of experience as a cloud data security expert to take an in-depth, unbiased look at the security track records, vulnerabilities, and specialized controls in macOS and Windows to help you decide which platform offers superior protection.

A Brief History of Divergent Security Philosophies

Apple and Microsoft took different approaches to security in the initial design of macOS and Windows operating systems.

Microsoft‘s Windows OS was engineered with openness, interoperability, and broad third-party hardware compatibility in mind. This provides more options for users, but also increases attack surface for vulnerabilities and malware compared to the walled garden approach taken by Apple.

Apple optimized macOS exclusively for its own Mac hardware line, limiting customizability but allowing for tighter integration between software and hardware components. This results in Apple having full control over both the physical device and the OS powering it.

These divergent philosophies continue to shape the cybersecurity postures of both operating systems today. The closed nature of Apple’s ecosystem enables them to quickly roll out security updates across all devices simultaneously. Microsoft still relies heavily on third-party OEMs to actually push Windows security patches to consumers.

Core Security Capabilities Built into Each OS

macOS and Windows incorporate robust security capabilities directly into the operating system. Let‘s look at some of the key protections provided out of the box with each OS:

macOS Security Features

Apple designed macOS as a series of layered defenses to prevent unauthorized access to files, apps, and computer resources. Some notable protections include:

• Gatekeeper: Gatekeeper blocks execution of unsigned apps from unidentified developers, preventing untrusted software from silently installing. Users must explicitly override Gatekeeper to install such software.

• System Integrity Protection (SIP): SIP protects sensitive system files and processes against modification, even by the root user. This prevents corruption and injection of malicious code into the kernel.

• App Sandboxing: Apps are confined into isolated sandboxes with restricted access to other files or system resources. This limits the damage malware can do if downloaded.

• FileVault Full Disk Encryption: macOS supports always-on XTS-AES-128 encryption to securely protect data at rest across the entire file system.

• Malware Scanning: Apple’s anti-malware utility XProtect scans downloads for known macOS threats based on continuously updated definitions.

Windows Security Tools

After a rocky start, Microsoft has enhanced Windows security enormously in modern iterations. Windows 10 and 11 now ship with these built-in protections:

• Windows Defender Antivirus: Microsoft’s free antivirus software monitors for malware and network intrusions in real time and removes infections.

• Windows Hello: Multi-factor biometric authentication uses face recognition or fingerprints for secure logins instead of weak passwords.

• User Account Control (UAC): UAC requires administrator privileges for system changes, blocking malware from covertly making malicious alterations.

• Windows Firewall: Stateful packet inspection firewall monitors network traffic and blocks unauthorized connections by default.

• Secure Boot: Verifies integrity of Windows bootloader before launch to prevent rootkits from loading. Hardware UEFI firmware validation is required.

• Windows Defender Application Guard: Runs Edge browser in an isolated hypervisor-protected container separate from the host OS to stop web-based attacks.

Closed vs. Open Source Code Security Tradeoffs

The closed source code of macOS theoretically makes it more difficult for hackers to discover vulnerabilities to exploit compared to Windows‘ open source codebase. They cannot easily decompile and analyze the code to identify security flaws.

However, the transparency of Windows‘ code allows both ethical white hat hackers and cybercriminals to audit for bugs. Responsible disclosure by security researchers allows Microsoft to issue patches before flaws are exploited at scale. The open model ultimately improves code hardening.

According to BitSight‘s 2021 vulnerability analysis, Apple scored 760 out of 900 – significantly higher than Microsoft‘s score of 580. However, other reports indicate Windows performed better in known malware protection tests like those from AV-Test. Ultimately, no software is impervious to zero days in either case.

Malware Infection Rates Over Time Reflect Growing macOS Threats

Historical malware infection rates illustrate some interesting trends for each operating system over time. In the early 2000s, Windows PCs faced an onslaught of threats while Macs were largely untouched, feeding perceptions of invulnerability.

However, Microsoft‘s security maturation combined with Apple‘s expanded market share led to an evening out of infection rates, especially recently as Macs have become more popular. Malwarebytes reports detecting the following threats per endpoint in 2022:

Operating System	Threats Detected Per Endpoint
Windows	10
macOS	11

So traditional wisdom of Macs being malware-proof no longer holds true. While Windows has more legacy threats, Apple is not immune as both operating systems are now routine targets.

Major Malware Outbreaks Impacting Each Platform

Both Windows and macOS have been impacted by significant malware and hacking campaigns over the years:

• Microsoft Windows: Massive worms like Blaster, Sasser and Conficker infiltrated millions of Windows PCs in the late 2000s. NotPetya caused over $10 billion in damage in 2017. WannaCry encrypted hundreds of thousands of systems globally in 2017.

• Apple macOS: The Flashback trojan infected over 600,000 Macs in 2012 by posing as an Adobe Flash installer. FruitFly backdoored Macs for years before detection in 2018. Shlayer infected 10% of macOS users in 2019. Silver Sparrow hit 30,000 M1-based Macs in 2021.

This illustrates that while Windows hosts the majority of threats, macOS is certainly not immune as both operating systems face sophisticated modern attackers. But robust protections built into both can still quarantine even zero-day threats once detected.

Firmware vs Software Vulnerabilities Pose Different Risks

Vulnerabilities exist at both the firmware and software level. Firmware-level weaknesses are highly dangerous since they can undermine higher level security controls in the operating system.

Apple‘s total control over its hardware and firmware gives it an advantage in rapidly responding to detected low-level firmware flaws. For example, Apple quickly patched the Thunderstrike hardware vulnerability in 2015 that allowed malicious Option ROM rewriting over Thunderbolt.

Such firmware updates are more challenging for the patchwork of Windows device manufacturers, since Microsoft does not actually control the physical hardware. Supply chain attacks targeting firmware and BIOS are an increasing concern for Windows machines.

That’s not to say software-level vulnerabilities don’t also pose massive risks – as demonstrated by ransomware like WannaCry encrypting entire file systems on Windows. Both OSes must contend with risks at both levels.

Native Encryption, Firewalls and Anti-Malware in Both Operating Systems

macOS and Windows share some common security technologies built into their core platforms. For example, both operating systems incorporate:

• Full disk encryption: macOS has FileVault while Windows offers BitLocker to securely encrypt hard drives.

• Application-based firewalls: Both enable dynamic firewalls by default to filter inbound network connections.

• Anti-malware: Windows Defender and macOS XProtect scan for known malware signatures during downloads and execution.

However, Microsoft Defender likely rates higher in malware detection based on widespread independent testing. Defender also offers more extensive options for manual or scheduled scans.

Apple’s sandboxing and kernel protections provide another layer of proactive security that Windows lacks. Ultimately, both OSes cover the security basics reasonably well.

Faster Updates Are a Clear Advantage for macOS Security

The centralized update model for macOS gives Apple clear advantages in quickly rolling out security fixes and major updates directly to users. New annual major macOS releases arrive like clockwork along with regular minor updates throughout the year.

Microsoft only issues two Windows 10 feature updates per year. But they then rely on OEMs to actually push those updates to consumer devices in a reasonable timeframe. Those lags leave Windows machines needlessly vulnerable.

Research shows that on average, Apple rolls out security fixes for vulnerabilities 23 days faster than Microsoft. This delay between disclosure and patched Windows releases gives hackers a generous window to reverse engineer and exploit the flaws before systems are updated.

Aggressively Removing Flash and Java Hardened Both Platforms

Two plugins historically plagued by security flaws on both Windows and macOS systems are Adobe Flash and Java. These components are rife with vulnerabilities routinely exploited by adversaries as infection vectors.

Fortunately, both Microsoft and Apple took steps to disable Flash and Java by default in browsers, removing a major avenue of attack. Users should avoid re-enabling Flash or Java unless absolutely essential to eliminate exposure.

Layered Third-Party Security Software Remains Necessary

While internal protections in macOS and Windows provide a strong security foundation, third-party endpoint protection software is still a must-have to fully harden either operating system against modern advanced threats.

All end users should still install robust third-party antivirus software to benefit from additional anti-malware capabilities on top of the built-in protections. Identity and access management tools also help reinforce user authentication. For traffic encryption against eavesdropping, virtual private networks (VPNs) are highly recommended as well.

Here are my top recommended software picks to improve security on either platform:

• Antivirus: Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Webroot
• VPN: ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark
• Password Manager: Dashlane, LastPass, 1Password

User Education and Vigilance Critical on Any Platform

At the end of the day, cybersecurity hygiene and user behavior matter enormously, regardless of underlying OS protections. Clicking on phishing links, reusing weak passwords, overriding security warnings, and downloading pirated software are just some poor habits that can result in infections.

No operating system or hardware can compensate for a lack of caution on the part of users. Cybercriminals are experts at crafting highly deceptive social engineering attacks to trick users via email, ads or websites.

Following best practices for creating strong passphrases, avoiding suspicious attachments and links, monitoring financial statements, installing software updates promptly, and not oversharing online all help keep users secure on any OS.

Windows and macOS Both Offer Robust Security

As you can see from this in-depth comparison, both Apple and Microsoft have made tremendous strides in building sophisticated security capabilities into macOS and Windows platforms.

While macOS offers advantages in some areas like rapid patching and hardware integration, Windows also provides enterprise-caliber security tools. Ultimately, both operating systems have proven track records of responding quickly to emerging threats when equipped with third-party protections and cautious users.

No computing platform is impenetrable, but consumers and businesses can use either Apple or Windows devices confidently as long as they take precautions. By layering OS-level defenses with user vigilance and modern endpoint security software, you can thrive safely in our digital world.