Thursday, August 22, 2024

Monthly Mini-Bytes - August 2024

 

You Are Your Best Security

When you talk about computers with anyone, the topic of security always comes up in one form or another. With all the scammers, spoofers, SPAM, AI generated voices, and just the regular alien high frequency mind control it's something that everyone is concerned about. But did you know that you are your best security? Yes, you are the one who has the greatest ability to protect yourself from all the bad actors, malware, and scams out there. No software can do it better. You are in total control of your online digital destiny.


Now, this is for us Mac users. Windows PCs are a different animal. Having a Windows computer is like walking into a kindergarten class. You will walk out with some sort of virus. This is not the case for Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and all the rest of it. So, just focusing on the Macs today, here are three ways that you can get a handle on your personal digital security.


1.) Mind Your Computer Password

Your computer password, sometimes referred to as your Mac administrative password, is the most powerful tool in your security arsenal. Absolutely nothing can be installed or added to your Mac without you entering in this password. That's right! No malware, virus, adware, or anything can be added to your machine without you installing it and allowing it with your computer password. When you get that pop-up asking for that password, read the prompt and take a minute to make sure you want to allow whatever it is asking. This simple step can secure your computer better than any software at any price.


2.) Get a Handle on Your Passwords

You absolutely, positively need to get a handle on your password game. If you have weak passwords, use the same one for multiple accounts, or haven't changed your email password in a decade, then you are asking for trouble. Whether you use a spreadsheet, a third-party app, or Apple's built in password manager, you must have good passwords for all your important accounts. Apple will be enhancing its app called Passwords in macOS Sequoia that will be released in the fall. But don't wait until then. Good password management is just too important.


3.) Enable FileVault Encryption

This is especially important if you travel with a MacBook Pro/Air. FileVault encrypts your data so that it can only be accessed with your computer password. It can also stop bad actors from encrypting and locking your drive, but this is extremely rare in the Mac world. To enable FileVault go to System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> FileVault.

Your Mac Does Not Back Up to iCloud

I know I have mentioned it before, but it has come up in conversations recently so let me clarify: Your Mac computer does not back up to iCloud. iCloud is not a backup. It is a cloud syncing service that coordinates things like mail, contacts, calendars, notes, and potentially files and photos between your devices. Your Mac only backs up using a Time Machine backup. If you are not using Time Machine then you are not backing up your Mac. And since the new Apple M-Series computers put everything on the chip, when they fail it's complete and catastrophic.


To run Time Machine you will need an external hard drive connected to your Mac. If you are running Time Machine and want to know the status of your backups, go to System Settings -> General -> Time Machine.


To learn more about Time Machine visit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/104984

A Quick Word on MalwareBytes

Long ago there was an app called Adware Medic for Mac. It was free and it did a terrific job of cleaning up malware, adware, and junkware. It was purchased about a decade ago by MalwareBytes and we have been big proponents of this software. It does a good job of cleaning up malware from the machine and not taking up too many resources.


But lately you may have noticed unwanted pop-ups and other alerts encouraging you to purchase things like VPNs and the like. This is very Windows-esque as ads are prevalent all over PCs, but us Mac folks are not used to it. We don't like it and you probably don't either. You have options like ignoring them or turning off notifications for MalwareBytes, but this is a disturbing trend for a software that we have really liked. They are also getting rid of the free version and moving to a paid-only model. 


We will be investigating other solutions over the coming months, but if you have been annoyed by the pop-ups, just know that we have, too.

Lenny's Techy Bytes: Your Staff is Your Best Security Asset!

In this month's featured video, Lenny talks about how your employees are your best security asset. Check out the video below:

Your Staff is Your Best Security Asset!
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