Hackers are everywhere, preying on the unknowing users’ personal and financial data. Identity breaches, financial fraud, theft of banking details, social security numbers’ leakage, identity theft, etc., are only some of the many threats you are exposed to online. Thus, keeping your device intact is the primary step to take in the struggle against hackers and cybercriminals. Here is a list of methods and tips to increase your Mac’s protection and elevate the security of your online activities to a whole new level.
Use Cleaners and Checks
You might not know this, but some piece of malware may already be sitting somewhere in your iOS, waiting for an opportune moment for activation. Thus, whenever you see that your Mac operates slowly or exhibits the signs of errors or system failures, it’s time to check it with automated software. Such checks will surely boost your Mac’s speed and operational performance while also helping to detect malware and spyware creeping into the system.
Avoid Using the Administrator Account
Once you’re in the admin mode on your Mac, any unsafe step on the Internet can put your Mac’s critical system files at risk. Even if some piece of malware gets to your Mac during such sessions, the spyware will fail to reach the vital settings and information. Thus, you can make the Internet surfing experience and app/content downloads safer if you create an alternative account with restricted access to system settings and files.
Don’t Skip Updates
Your Mac’s apps and software become more vulnerable to hackers and cybercriminals with time. Hence, a vast team of Apple’s coders and testers work on the software updates to reinforce protection and oust bugs and vulnerabilities. Once you skip the regular system updates, you leave your software unprotected. Thus, the criminals affect non-updated Macs much more often as they use the vulnerabilities of old-version apps and get to the system with ease.
Set Account Accesses
As we already clarified, using the admin account for careless searching or online shopping is too light-hearted. Protecting your Mac gets way more manageable if you have several accounts with various degrees of access to critical system files, using only guest accounts with limited system access for online surfing. Besides, it would be best to disable the Automatic Login function on your account and set passwords on all critically important system folders. In this way, your vulnerable system data or personal information will be safely sealed, with no spyware getting access to private details.
Set Connectivity Limitations
Some services come automatically included in your Mac, and you may not even know the hazards associated with those features and functions. For instance, the Bluetooth or VPN services can become hackers’ entry points if you don’t disable them. Other unnecessary services creating additional threats for your device’s safety are NIS, ARD, WebDAV, and iSight. Check all of them to see whether you’re using them regularly. If the answer is “no,” it’s better to turn them off to avoid unauthorized breaches.
Double Your Mac’s Firewall Protection
There are two firewalls in the Mac system – the IPFW Packet-Filtering Firewalls and the newer Application Firewall. Some users opt for the use of one of them, which is the Application Firewall. The reason for its choice is the ease of installation and configuration, setting robust Mac protection in minutes. However, experts caution against ignoring the broad functionality and coverage of the IPFW solution. Though requiring more technical skill, effort, and time for setup, the IPFW Firewall guarantees end-to-end protection from all known malware threats. Thus, you create a bulletproof shield for sensitive data and system files by using both firewalls, ensuring safe and private online activities.