How to Hackproof Your Mac

The number of MacBook users is rapidly increasing globally. Many are recognizing the benefits of using MacBooks both at work and for personal uses.

A MacBook enjoys widespread use because it offers better service, and being productive means using the best tools for the job. With Mac’s amazing apps, you can accomplish any task within no time and with less effort.

One of the apparent advantages of choosing MacBooks is that it is less prone to malware than Windows running pcs. In other words, the widespread of malware and virus attacks on Windows running pcs is greater than MacBooks.

However, this lower rate of malware attacks on MacBooks is not full proof that it is not susceptible to such attacks. Mac users also need to be at the forefront in safeguarding their data security.

Apple does not provide a safe platform but instead uses various advanced technologies to secure their users’ data. These days, it isn’t easy to find a digital system that is 100% perfect. So, you should continuously ask yourself, is my MacBook safe? With that, you can always adapt these methods of hack proofing your Mac.

Disengage the automatic opening of safe downloads

MacBook’s web browser Safari is by default set to open ‘safe’ downloads soon after downloading. What you should ask yourself is how safe are those files? The browser downloads any apps you click on, which is where the issue of being safe comes in.

There is no clear definition of ‘safe’ as the downloaded files may include disk image files and package installers that can contain malware. For instance, malware could be embedded in a website, and the moment you click it, the download starts, and opening the file means your Mac gets exposes to malware which compromises your security and data.

To avoid that, head to the settings menu on the safari browser on your Mac, select the menu, preferences, general tab, and disable open safe downloads. That means you will be able to open downloads you see safe manually.

Secure your internet connection

Browsing online over an unencrypted network makes your IP address and online activity exposed to the prying eyes of hackers and other malicious parties on the internet. For instance, public free WiFi is often unencrypted. That means, as you browse over it, other people sharing the same network can snoop on your online activities.

That means cybercriminals and hackers can spy on your data. You can prevent that by using a VPN for Mac to encrypt your online activity and hide it from snooping eyes. A VPN routes your online traffic through a private network and prevents ISPs or prying eyes from seeing your online activity. If you don’t have an encryption service, do not connect to a network service you are not sure of.

Create secure passwords

When you use a simple password that is easy to crack, you make it easy for a hacker to access your account information and other sensitive data. You can avoid that by using the Mac OS X that has a smart password generator to generate random and complex passwords and checks to ensure the password is complex enough.

You can always use the feature whenever you need to create a secure password. In the system preferences, go to the account page, click user account, password change option, then the button with a key icon beside the new password field to generate a secure password.

Disable the display of user names and passwords as hints

At default settings, Mac OS displays a list of all the users who can access a Mac in a network. That means anyone with physical access can gain access to a Mac as long as they guess the password to steal your information.

You can prevent that by disabling the display of users to add an extra layer of security (In the login display, select ‘name and password’ next to the icon ‘login window as’). That means the hacker needs the user name associated with an account to crack it.

Again, the Mac OS also displays password hints to a user, which undermines the power of password security. Disable this option too by disabling the ‘show password hints’ at the accounts pane where you disable automatic account logins.

Disengage unused network interfaces

Macs include several network interfaces such as Ethernet, firewire, Bluetooth, etc. In a remote attack, especially wireless interfaces that do not need a physical connection to a network, a hacker can use an active network interface to access your Mac.

So, launch the system preferences, select the network pane and disengage any unused network interface.

Utilize the security pane options

Under system preferences, the security pane option gives you many powerful options to secure your Mac. For example, the need for a password to start a screen waking up from screen saver and disabling automatic logins. If your Mac provides any form of public access, ensure you utilize the security pane options to add an extra layer of security.

Final word

Do not assume your data is secure on your Mac. It is necessary to use more encryption and safety options to add an extra layer of security to your data.

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