1 - The functionality of the MS app store - and any apps purchased from it - relies heavily on the Windows registry, which is a bundle of hurt. Try migrating a Mac user's existing home folder (apps, etc., included) to a secondary, non-boot drive; it works, seamlessly. Then try doing the same for a Windows user who relies on MS's app store and its apps; it almost requires superpowers!
2 - There are free, third-party apps which claim to protect against ransomware, camera/mic exploitation, etc. I happen to run a couple by Objective-See, but I'm sure there are others.
3 - There are a lot of innocent, babes-in-the-woods-type users who are not at all stupid, but who are overwhelmed or intimidated by technology. People like this are especially vulnerable to socially engineered exploits.
I have used the free version of MalwareBytes and a few others over the years, but they have never found anything on any of my Macs. That said, I am pretty cautious about what I download and from where.
The Mac App store is paradise compared to the Microsoft Store. I can count on the fingers of 1 hand the number of worthwhile apps I've ever found in the Microsoft store.
I wonder what infection rate would be if all Mac software had to be installed through the App Store...
That's precisely why the default is/should be ONLY Mac App Store and Notarized Apps can be installed. If you bypass it, you're accepting responsibilty for the consequences.
I've never caugh a virus/malware on any of my machines, neither macOS nor Windows because I'm paranoid as can be and I never got into the pirated software scene. Other than a modicum of open-source software that I've built from source, everything on my machines is from the App Store, Adobe or SetApp.
Windows would like you to do the same thing, install apps only from the official Microsoft Store. In fact it will insistently warn you that the program you are installing may be unsafe when it was securely downloaded directly from a trusted software provider, advising you should not proceed and visit Microsoft instead. If they could they'd force everyone to deal only with Apple and Microsoft and use only what they provided. Fortunately for us they can't without straying across antitrust lines.
The difference is Microsoft’s Store is garbage.
Too bad that the macOS App Store is not that good either, and may be even worst than than Microsoft App Store.
Still, would be the best for users in both environments if only they had access to applications from their respective app stores.
Mac App store worse than the Microsoft store??? Are you SERIOUS? I'll grant you that the Mac App store doesn't measure up to the IOS store (IOS has a vastly larger installed base and thus attracts more developers), but compared to the Microsoft store it's paradise. I can count on the fingers of 1 hand the number of worthwhile apps I've found on the Microsoft store.
Have not had a problem but I have always run a pretty proactive setup.
I run Intego’s suite which includes a firewall and alarm system similar to little snitch as well as AV scanning. Also running Cylance. The home network is on an eero with the + service that bocks stuff using ZScaler technology.
Comments
1 - The functionality of the MS app store - and any apps purchased from it - relies heavily on the Windows registry, which is a bundle of hurt. Try migrating a Mac user's existing home folder (apps, etc., included) to a secondary, non-boot drive; it works, seamlessly. Then try doing the same for a Windows user who relies on MS's app store and its apps; it almost requires superpowers!
2 - There are free, third-party apps which claim to protect against ransomware, camera/mic exploitation, etc. I happen to run a couple by Objective-See, but I'm sure there are others.
3 - There are a lot of innocent, babes-in-the-woods-type users who are not at all stupid, but who are overwhelmed or intimidated by technology. People like this are especially vulnerable to socially engineered exploits.
I run Intego’s suite which includes a firewall and alarm system similar to little snitch as well as AV scanning. Also running Cylance. The home network is on an eero with the + service that bocks stuff using ZScaler technology.