How to Protect Your Mac with these 6 Security Tips

While Mac computers are more secure than their Windows counterparts, they are still vulnerable to malicious software. Often, Mac users deem antivirus software unnecessary, making their devices susceptible to cybercriminals. Apple devices come with a robust inbuilt security system but enhancing your protection is critical. Here are security tips to protect your Mac and secure your private data. 

1. Use VPN Software

VPN (virtual private network) encrypts all the data from your Mac, protecting it from cybercriminals. They also conceal your IP address, protecting your online activity and preventing your ISP from accessing your browsing history. 

You can use a well-tested and reliable VPN on your Mac to access the internet from international servers. Virtual private network also allows you to bypass online restrictions such as movies. Choose to install a Mac VPN software if you use open public Wi-Fi networks in shopping malls, coffee shops, or offices. Using VPN prevents other internet users from logging your data. VPN protects your Mac from getting hacked and infected with malware or viruses. 

Before choosing VPN software for your Mac, evaluate its features. The ideal VPN should feature two-factor authentication to bar cybercriminals from gaining unauthorized access to your network. A kill switch is a critical VPN feature that enhances the security of your connection by blocking internet access on your Mac if the VPN isn’t working. This prevents your Mac from making unsecured connections. 

2. Limit Admin Users

Limit administrator privileges on your Mac to one or two people. The default administrator is the person who configures the Mac initially. An administrator creates, manages, and deletes other users on the Mac. 

The computer administrator also installs and uninstalls software, creates, manages, deletes other users, and changes computer settings. Usually, an administrator creates a standard user account for day-to-day computing tasks. Standard user accounts are unable to access the registry or install new applications. They rely on User Account Control (UAC) to execute these tasks to gain permission. Once the user account control prompt appears, a standard account user must type the administrator’s credentials to continue. 

A standard user account comes in handy when administrator privileges are not required. Suppose cybercriminals compromise the security of a standard user account; the possible harm is less severe than it would be for an administrator account. If many people have access to your Mac, consider limiting accounts with administrator privileges.  

3. Install Password Manager

A password manager tool protects your identity from data breaches. Creating secure, hard-to-detect, and unique passwords for your Mac is critical. Using simple passwords or re-using them on different websites makes them vulnerable to data breaches. 

Remembering complex passwords can be difficult. However, a password manager can ease the process for you. You only need to remember your password manager tool’s password to access all your passwords in a centralized place. A password manager manages your sensitive data. As a result, you must choose a reliable, trustworthy, and renowned application. 

The password manager you choose should encode your password database with a robust cipher. It should also integrate with your preferred browser to auto-fill your credentials. Ensure your password manager can back up and restore your password database accordingly. 

4. Audit Your Privacy Settings

Sometimes you may install apps that you don’t use. Apart from taking up space on your Mac, they can pose a security threat to your device, slow down your Mac, and drain your battery. The privacy policies of applications change often. Mac users should monitor their apps and check the security settings regularly. To check privacy settings on your Mac, click the Apple menu, navigate to system settings, and click privacy & security. Here, you will view a list of apps and the granted permissions. Evaluate them and disable unnecessary app permissions. 

5. Activate Automatic Updates

Ensuring your Mac is up to date is critical to keeping it secure. To activate automatic updates:

• Navigate to system preferences, then click software update.
• Enable the “Automatically keep my Mac up to date” option and click the Advanced menu for more options.
• Tick all checkboxes to receive all MacOS security updates when they are released.

To receive automatic updates on your programs, launch the App store on your Mac, proceed to Preferences, and check the Automatic updates box. 

6. Install a Two-way Firewall to Facilitate Inbound and Outbound Protection

While Apple’s in-built firewall secures inbound networks, inbound firewalls don’t offer protection against all types of attacks. As targeted and malware attacks become popular, installing multiple protection layers becomes critical. Outbound protection-enabled firewalls alert you about unknown malware in your Mac and prevent the device from connecting to the internet and endangering your data.  

Finally

Mac computers are susceptible to virus and malware attacks regardless of their inbuilt security features. Use these tips to enhance your Mac’s protection and secure your data.