Kaspersky study finds macOS users experience more malware infections than Windows users

A Kaspersky research survey conducted in March 2026 with 7,200 participants across 18 countries, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, China and India, shows macOS users face higher rates of security incidents than Windows users. Twelve percent of macOS respondents reported at least one malware infection in the past year, compared with nine percent of Windows users. The gap is mirrored in other threats: phishing (12% vs 9%), financial fraud (16% vs 13%), privacy violations (11% vs 8%) and data theft (12% vs 7%). Only 35% of macOS owners use dedicated security software, versus 42% of Windows users, and fewer macOS users avoid suspicious emails or links (51% vs 62%). The study suggests Apple users adopt fewer protective habits and have lower adoption of security tools.