macOS Sierra is Ready for Prime Time
This Mild Upgrade is Good
macOS Sierra has been on our machines for a few weeks now and it is working well. It is stable, looks a lot like El Capitan, and hasn't given us any troubles. Your mileage may vary, but we wanted to let you know about our experiences.
If you wish to update to macOS Sierra, head over to the App Store for the free download. It takes a while (about an hour or so) and please make sure that you have a backup before you begin.
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Protect Yourself from Malware and Scams
An Update from An Article Published in May 2015
[If you are a long-time Mini-Bytes subscriber, you may have already seen this, but there has been a rash of new and updated scams. I thought this to be relevant again.]
Macs, by the very nature of the design of macOS, are very secure systems, unlike Windows computers (shiver...) that pass around infections and viruses faster than a kindergarten class. But still, the bad guys have to figure out a way to, well, be bad guys. The way they do this in the world of Macs is by trickery and tomfoolery. Keeping a watchful eye will go a long way to keep you safe.
Your Admin Password
Keep in mind that your Administrator Password (the one you need to enter to log in or install software) is the key to your Mac. If it pops up, ask yourself why. It's the front door of your system -- enter the password and you open the door. Just as you do at home, be sure you know who you open the door for.
Adware
Let's talk about Adware. What is it? Adware is software that tracks your activities on line so that you can be presented with ads either embedded in a web page or via pop-ups. Technically Google is adware, but we're talking about the bad stuff -- the borderline malware that gets installed on your system by piggy-backing on a legitimate install. If you are getting a lot of pop-ups or your home page has been changed to a weird search engine like InstallMac, then chances are you have adware on your system.
How to remove it? MalwareBytes for Mac does the job very well and is available here: https://www.malwarebytes.com/antimalware/mac/ BUT! If you have adware, you may not be able to download it or will be redirected somewhere else. It can be a vicious circle.
How do you prevent adware? Only download content from legitimate websites. Many malware sites will mimic the URLs of actual websites. Again, be wary and check twice.
The Scary Pop-Up
We know you've seen it. It pops up, may even lock your browser, and says that you are infected with some awful virus and that you need to click here or there, call someone, or buy something. Well, phooey! It's a scam. Don't download the software and don't call the phone number. Ever! If you call, they will want access to your machine and then it gets a lot more serious. Close Safari, then reopen and go to History and select Clear History & Website Data. Choose an interval, or all of it -- your choice. If you are having trouble clearing the history, disconnect your machine from the Internet and try again.
The Phone Call
The phone rings and it's Microsoft, or the Internet Police, or the Tooth Fairy, or whoever telling you that your machine is throwing errors and causing ships around the world to spontaneously sink. You must grant them access to your computer and pay them $200 or even worse things will happen. What to do? Hang up. It's bogus. How long have you been on hold with your ISP when you can't get online? Exactly.... they don't have time to be calling. It's a scam.
And never, ever, allow someone to remotely control your machine, unless you know them. (See the front door reference above.)
This is just the tip of the iceberg of best practices, but if you follow the roadmap presented here it will be a significant help to keep you away from the scammers. Is it a little cynical? You bet, but in this case a little cynicism today can keep any future headaches away.
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File Vault - When It Is Good
Encryption for Your Mac
There has been a lot in the news about encryption lately. An encrypted disk basically locks every single file with a passcode. For an operating system, like macOS or Windows (shiver...), to interact with an encrypted disk it needs that passcode. Don't have the passcode and you won't be able to get in. So, if you are bad with passwords, encryption can be a terrible thing.
But in many cases there are advantages to encryption. On the Mac the service is called File Vault and you can turn it on in System Preferences - Security & Privacy. But here are a couple of things to consider before you turn it on.
Do You Need Encryption with File Vault?
That call is personal. If you have a laptop that leaves the house often, then encryption is a good thing. In the case where the laptop is stolen, it is highly unlikely the thieves will be able to get at your data. Medical offices require encryption under HIPPA, and your business may require encryption on certain types of machines.
Can Your Machine Handle File Vault?
Encrypting and decrypting files on the file takes a lot of horsepower. It is highly recommended that if you do want to enable File Vault you do so on a Solid State Drive. You can enable File Vault on the old style SATA drives, but it will slow things down considerably. Also, you need enough disk space for the disk to encrypt. If you don't have enough space you won't be able to set it up and the machine may lock. Yes, it happened to me. If you have a newer machine with an iSeries processor and a solid state drive then you have the horsepower. It's generally accepted that it is not a good idea to encrypt disks when performance is paramount -- video editing and graphic design workstations are a good example.
If you are not good with passwords, you need to tread carefully. If you lose your password, or the encryption unlock key, or your iCloud, you WILL LOSE ACCESS TO YOUR DATA. So, be very careful.
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