Intro
As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that have followed, concerns of cybersecurity are ever more present.
Although there is no specifically identified cybersecurity threat from Russia at this time, this does serve to highlight the importance of cybersecurity on any level, and we thought this might be a good time to remind you how to protect your personal information on the internet, and for you to know what you can do to keep yourself safe.
Some Mac users have a notion that their Mac “doesn’t need” anti-malware software, but this is actually a common misconception! Apple sold almost 29 million Macs last year, making them a very attractive target to cyber-criminals, and while Apple have built in some basic ways to try to protect users, cyber-criminals often find ways around these security measures very quickly.
Just last year Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, famously admitted that he’s “had a couple of family members who have gotten malware on their Macs” and then said “Today, we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don’t find acceptable”.
So, while Apple’s security is better than no security, it is essential to be a smart computer user, and ensure you do what you can to protect yourself.
This is an overview of the most important ways to protect your computer (and yourself!) online. In the rest of our Cybersecurity Series of blog posts, we will revisit each of these concepts, and share more information.
Basics
Be cautious of links in emails:
If the email is from an unknown sender, or is unexpected, it is more likely to lead to malicious content that may affect your computer. We will discuss emails and email scams in more depth in our Email and Phishing blog post.
Use a password manager
Generate and store all of your passwords securely in one place, along with your usernames. Password managers keep all of this information (and more!) protected for you. We will discuss all things password related in our next post!
Keep your operating system and apps up to date
It may be frustrating to have to download huge updates and restart to install them, but macOS updates often contain security patches, and failing to download and install these puts your computer at risk. The same is true for apps, especially browsers!
Be aware of downloads
Pay particular attention to where a download is coming from. Only download things you need — malware on Macs is spread primarily by downloading files, so make sure you trust the source of the download.
Never follow instructions to “Right-click the app and choose Open” - this bypasses Apple’s built-in safety mechanisms.
Always ignore instructions to disable your antivirus software before installing any app.
Which brings us nicely on to…Use anti-malware/antivirus software You can’t always be 100% on top of all your internet activities — you’re only human! ClamXAV detects existing malware on your computer and has a built-in background monitor to stop any new nasties from getting in, so you know you’ll always have some backup in the fight against cybercrime.
Upcoming posts in our Cyber Security series
- Cybersecurity Basics
- Passwords
- Multi-Factor Authentication
- Emails and Phishing
- Browsers
- Physical Security