What level of protection does an operating system really offer against malware, and when does third-party software become necessary? The answer depends less on the marketing of vendors than on the actual attack surface of your devices. Protecting your devices against viruses and malware in 2024 starts with measuring the gap between what the OS provides and what your daily usage requires.
Native Protection Windows, macOS, Android: What Each System Covers
The built-in protections in operating systems have significantly improved. Microsoft Defender, combined with the native mechanisms of Windows 11 (SmartScreen, kernel isolation, application control), achieves a level of security deemed sufficient for a broad audience, provided that updates are applied promptly.
You may also like : How to find your UAI number?
Apple follows a different logic with macOS. Gatekeeper, XProtect, app notarization, and Lockdown Mode form a model of security integrated from the design that targets unsigned executables and suspicious system extensions. For a user who does not modify the default settings, the coverage remains solid.
Specialized resources allow tracking the evolution of threats and comparing available solutions, such as https://viruslab.fr/, which aggregates analyses of protection software.
Read also : How to Effectively Contact Your Company's Support?
| Criterion | Windows 11 (Defender) | macOS Sonoma (XProtect) | Android (Play Protect) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time scanning | Yes | Yes (downloaded files) | Yes (apps from the Play Store) |
| Web filtering / phishing | SmartScreen + Edge | Native Safari | Safe Browsing (Chrome) |
| Application isolation | Windows Sandbox | Gatekeeper + notarization | App sandbox |
| Ransomware protection | Controlled folder access | Limited (no dedicated module) | Natively absent |
| Signature updates | Daily (cloud) | Automatic (variable delay) | Via Play Services |
The table highlights a key point: ransomware protection remains uneven across platforms. Windows offers a dedicated module, macOS relies on upstream blocking of unsigned binaries, and Android offers nothing specific.
Signed Malware and Stolen Certificates: The Gap That Classic Antivirus Does Not Cover
Since 2023, several security vendors have documented an increase in attacks by signed malware with legitimate certificates. The principle is simple: malicious software carries a valid digital signature, allowing it to pass the OS’s reputation checks and many signature-based antivirus programs.
This type of threat directly bypasses built-in protections. Gatekeeper on macOS, for example, trusts signed and notarized binaries. A stolen or fraudulently purchased certificate renders this barrier ineffective.
For a third-party antivirus, the workaround relies on behavioral analysis: monitoring what a program does after it launches rather than relying on its declared identity. Not all protection software offers this layer. It is a selection criterion to verify before any purchase.
- Ensure that the software includes post-execution behavioral analysis, not just a signature database
- Prefer solutions that use cloud telemetry to detect recently compromised certificates
- Enable application control on Windows (WDAC or AppLocker) to restrict allowed binaries, even signed ones
Third-Party Antivirus or Native Protection: Profiles Where the Gap Widens
For a user who browses known sites, only downloads from official stores, and keeps their system updated, native protection covers the majority of common threat scenarios. Adding a third-party antivirus in this case provides little measurable value.
The gap widens in three specific usage profiles. The first concerns users who regularly install software outside official channels: open-source tools downloaded from GitHub, niche utilities, manufacturer drivers. Each unsigned file represents an entry point that native protection handles with less granularity than a dedicated antivirus.
The second profile involves mixed environments. A household with a Windows PC, an Android tablet, and a Mac benefits from a multi-device security suite that centralizes alerts and applies consistent policies. Native protections operate in silos, without cross-visibility.
The third profile is that of professionals who handle files received by email or direct transfer. Malicious Office documents, harmful PDFs, and compressed archives containing scripts remain a major infection vector. An antivirus with attachment scanning reduces this risk more granularly than the native OS filtering.
Complementary Security Measures to Antivirus Software
No protection software, whether native or third-party, compensates for poor digital hygiene. A few technical measures significantly reduce the attack surface, regardless of the antivirus choice.
- Apply system and application updates as soon as they are available: unpatched vulnerabilities remain the primary vector for exploitation by malware
- Use a password manager and enable two-factor authentication on all sensitive accounts
- Segment usage: an administrator account for installations, a standard account for daily use
- Regularly back up data to a network-disconnected medium, the only reliable defense against ransomware that also encrypts online backups
The overarching trend in 2024 is a consolidation of protection at the OS and cloud level, with DNS filtering, real-time file reputation, and shared telemetry across devices. This evolution does not render third-party antivirus obsolete, but it shifts the balance: the usefulness of additional software depends on the usage profile, not a universal rule.
Measuring your own attack surface remains the most reliable starting point for choosing the right level of protection.