Put On Your Seatbelt…

 …Simple steps to secure your Mac!

With the recent malware scare for the Mac everybody has opinion on the security of our preferred platform. This threat does remind us that NO computer platform is immune to attacks. The main reason for this? People. People use computers, so therein lies the main security breach. But with education and knowledge users can close the door and prevent any sensitive information from being stolen.

Where to start.
Make things a little more difficult on those nefarious miscreants by creating a good password for your Mac. A good password is something easy for you to remember, but hard to guess. Never use a word that can be found in a dictionary. A good example is take a sentence, “I have 2 kids I love” and take the 1st letter of each word to create a password like IH2KIL, and mix it up with upper & lower case letters.

Where to next.
If you use Safari as your internet browser change the default setting of “Open ‘safe’ files after downloading” which can be found under the Safari menu, then Preferences. Click on the General tab and at the very bottom of the window un-check the box next to the above mentioned setting. While some people like the convenience of having installers open automatically, I always un-check this setting on any Mac I use and suggest un-checking it to be safe.

Your Mac has other security measures you can explore. For more information about the “Security” preference pane check out here.

Last by not least.
As I’ve mentioned and suggested before, use an anti-virus application. I use and install ClamXav on my clients Macs, because it works and it is free. I do donate to the developer, so he keeps up the great work. Not only does it track the latest Mac malware, but it also scans for known Windows viruses, so you don’t accidentally pass one along to your Windows using friends. I’ve also heard good things about Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac which is also free.

One more thing.
Remember the ads with Smokey the Bear? Well the same holds true for security, you can be the unlocked door or the dead bolt. You don’t need to be paranoid about security, but be vigilant. Don’t install something that you’re unsure of. Don’t click links in emails from unknown sources. Most of the time virus, phishing, and malware creators have horrible English skills, and often misspell and utilize poor English. I hope these tips help keep you and your Mac safe.