It is easy to get the idea about MacBooks not being prone to cybersecurity threats because of information one can find online. Plenty of people praise Apple’s engineers and the effort they put into ensuring that Macs are protected.
However, these praises are far-fetched quite often. At the end of the day, MacBooks are no different from other computers in the sense that they are also prone to malware and other threats. Moreover, it does not help if Mac’s owner does not bother putting any effort into securing their device and leaves everything to chance.
Exposing your Mac to potential attacks means risking personal information and the computer’s performance. Therefore, you should take some time and create a proper cybersecurity strategy that will protect your device. And to help you with that, here are some neat suggestions.
Back up Files
Securing the files should be one of the priorities. Some people go as far as creating passwords for separate files or encrypt zip file mac has. However, if there are many files on the computer, creating passwords for each one manually is too much of a hassle.
Backing up data should be enough as far as its security goes. In case a virus wipes your Mac’s data, you can access it from a copy.
Now, to back up MacBook data, you have two options. The first one is investing in an external hard drive and using Time Machine. The second is transferring files to iCloud.
Both methods are solid, and it would probably be for the best to create a backup on iCloud and an external hard drive for extra security. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Get Proper Antivirus Software
Proper antivirus software is the second item on the list. The default XProtect tool may do it work, but plenty of people have reported how the default macOS antivirus is lackluster. In fact, there have been some cases when the tool caused more harm than it did good.
Therefore, it is recommended to look for an alternative that does a better job. You can ask for recommendations from some tech-savvy people who might give you some ideas. Or, as an alternative, you can spend some time looking for reviews online and pick an antivirus that suits macOS the best.
Use Virtual Private Networks
Investing in a virtual private network is not expensive. Decent services cost a few dollars per month, but it is worth it. And you may encounter some free VPNs, but these are not secure enough to risk.
The purpose of a virtual private network is to hide your tracks online. For example, if someone wants to attack you online, they will have a harder time tracing back your steps if you are using a VPN. The service changes your location and gives a different IP address. You could also access geo-restricted sites by switching to a proper IP address, which is another benefit of a VPN.
Lastly, if you need to connect to public Wi-Fi, it would be better to join via VPNs. The internet at cafes, hotels, or libraries is available to the public, which attracts hackers who want to set their traps and attack unsuspecting people.
By joining a public network through a VPN, you will protect the MacBook from potential hacker attacks because a proper virtual private network has the necessary security protocols in addition to other features.
Prioritize macOS Updates
It is necessary to install macOS updates as soon as they are released. Not having the latest operating system version means missing more than just the latest features and overall performance improvements.
macOS developers react to the latest cybersecurity threats and push updates to ensure that users are not exposed to these threats. Even if downloading and installing an update takes some time, you should still prioritize it.
Block Aggressive Online Ads
Encountering aggressive online ads is quite bothersome. Not only do they ruin one’s experience surfing the web, but these ads may also redirect you to a malware-infected landing page. And it is difficult to predict whether your MacBook’s antivirus is enough to protect the computer.
Even if you are aware of the threat, you may still click on an ad accidentally. Instead of worrying about the problem, why not eliminate it by installing an ad blocker extension? There are a few ad blockers you can use.
Change Your Passwords Regularly
A proper password management strategy is also a must these days. If someone was to get your password, they might cause a lot of harm to you personally, not just the MacBook.
Besides changing passwords regularly, it is recommended to use different combinations. In case you lack creativity, take advantage of password generators on the internet.
