One of the biggest safety hazards of working with technology is the chance of your device getting hacked or otherwise infected. In the past, people have thought that Mac devices were somehow immune to these threats. And while hackers will often try to pick the lowest hanging fruit to attack, Macs are quickly moving their way down that tree. So to help ensure that you’re able to keep your device and all your sensitive information safe for unwanted eyes, here are three tips for protecting your Mac from cyber attacks and viruses.
Know What Your Current Settings Are
Before you can know what steps you should take to further protect your Mac, it’s important that you know where you’re starting from and what your current safety and security settings are. According to Keir Thomas, a contributor to MacWorld, you can see what you have going on for security by going to System Preferences and clicking on the Security & Privacy tab. Once you’re here, you’ll be able to see what’s going on with things like Firewalls, privacy settings, and general security. If there’s something that you don’t like, you can make changes here either for the device itself or for your specific profile if you’re sharing your device with others.
Keep The Built-In Protection Apps Up-To-Date
With Mac devices, there are built-in protection apps put in place in order to increase the security for everyone. Matt Elliott, a contributor to CNet.com, these apps are Gatekeeper and XProtect. Gatekeeper makes it so you can’t download harmful apps, and XProtect will scan your downloaded items for malware. However, in order for these to function at their optimal abilities, you have to ensure that these apps are kept up-to-date. With the right settings, these apps can update automatically. But if you don’t have automatic updates setup, make sure you check regularly to see if there are available updates for you to take advantage of.
Get Antivirus Protection
While many people get Macs so they don’t have to worry about getting antivirus protection, getting additional security on your device could make sense for you. According to Matt Egan, a contributor to Tech Advisor, if you’re just the average person doing average, non-work browsing on your device, you’re likely going to be fine without bringing in additional protection. But if you use your device for work or you have sensitive information that might be targeted by hackers, paying for antivirus protect could be very worth it for your safety and peace of mind. It really all comes down to how much risk you’re willing to live with.
To help keep your information safe, consider using the tips mentioned above to determine how you can better protect your Mac.
