(6 votes, 4.33 / 5
Loading...Mac users no doubt are the luckiest of the lot; they are relatively safer. Yeah, they are much safer than the rest of us computer-internet users when it comes to Malware attacks. But trouble makers are there everywhere. It’s sort of a passion for them to tresspass upon as many territories as possible. Give them just a chance to enter and they’d strive to do the utmost damage. It would be very much a ‘camel’s nose’ kind of situation and you may end up being like the Arab miller…
A malware can definitely get into your Mac if you’re not cautious and cause you ample damage. There was this very recent incident of Transmission, the Mac app getting infected with ‘ransomware‘, which as we all know well, asks the user to pay up for “unlocking” an infected computer. Of course Apple did step in and made a timely intervention, disabling the certificate that allowed the software to be installed to a Mac computer. This averted serious damages, but the moral of the whole story however is that no one is 100% immune to malware.
For you to emerge victorious in the Mac Vs. Malware battle, there are some steps that you must definitely take. Here we make a list of some stay-safe tips for Mac users…
Update your system
Updating your system should in fact be given top priority, though your Mac’s reminders may seem to be a bit irritating at times. These reminders are like your well-wishers- those well-wishers whose tresspassing upon your time and privacy you may sometimes tend to dislike. But well-wishers are well-wishers after all and are hence not to be ignored. Acknowledge the reminders and keep updating your system as you go. We bet you won’t have reasons to repent over that. The few minutes you spend updating your system could save your system, your time, your energy and of course your hard-earned money too. Always make it a point to check for outstanding updates by opening the App Store, selecting the Updates tab and clicking on Update All. You could also go to System Preferences > App Store and turn on automatic update. You got to select ‘Download newly available updates in the background’.
One of the best things to be done would be to tick ‘Check for Updates’ and select ‘Daily’ in the drop down menu.
Handle apps with some cautiousness
Apps are always to be handled with some amount of cautiousness, especially when it comes to downloading them on to your system. Mac users should better refrain from using apps that Apple doesn’t know. This would give them utmost protection. There are three options if you click on System Preferences > Security and Privacy > General. You can go and choose ‘Mac App Store’ and rest assured. You’d be allowing into your system only those apps that are screened and distributed by Apple. This is the best thing to do. The second option however is to go for the ‘Mac App Store and identified developers’, which too is a safe bet. You’d be getting only those apps that are either distributed by Apple or coming from developers whose identities have been authenticated by Apple. The third option however is to go and select ‘Anywhere’ and take the risky plunge. You would then be on your own, responsible for your own protection. You can download any app and Mac won’t stop you. But then don’t forget- you’d be prone to malware attacks and need to be on the guard always. Well, take our advice and always go for either of the first two options. Prudence always pays…
Saying a ‘NO’to automatic file opening
It’s always good to say a ‘No’ to automatic file opening after download, which some browsers may lure you into doing. Always scan and make sure whatever you have downloaded is safe for your PC. This is a rudimentary thing and may seem outdated to some in the days of advanced techniques, but some old basic rules are always good to follow. It just takes a few moments to ensure safe downloading while it could take hours and sometimes days to mend damages when they are done…
Doing malware scans
Mac has its own way of combating malware attacks, but still it’s always good to install a good antivirus for Mac and do regular, systematic malware scans. Malware come in different forms and from anywhere including emails or even the internet browser that you use. So using a good malware scanning software is always advisable.
Postscript– There of course are the basic things that you’d of course be following- like having strong passwords and updating them regularly, encrypting critically important files by using FileVault, enabling ‘Secure Empty Trash’ etc. We haven’t included such basic things simply because they are followed by almost everyone.
Related Resources
Best Antivirus for Mac 2019
