We all—or should—password protect our Macs. Start up, login. Come out of sleep, login. Deactivate the screensaver, login (though technically that’s just unlocking). What about “fire up Chrome” or “start up Evernote”? We don’t usually think about entering a password to do those tasks. Maybe we should.
Mac App Blocker is, frankly, a new one on my. It’s an app that lets you set application passwords. Launch Mail, enter a password. Chrome…Evernote…Word… you get the idea. Interesting, huh?
Mac App Blocker adds an extra level of security—and did I mention it’s only $5 right now—that most of us don’t think about, but I think is actually a rather good idea.
The scenario is this, you don’t want people mucking about on your Mac and messing with app, settings, pictures, reading your email, and such. So you set a password for the app. Launch the app, enter the password. Enter the wrong password, and Mac App Blocker takes a picture of the person. Working on your Mac but have to leave it for a moment (say while working with friends or in the office), then in addition to locking your Mac (I work with a couple of jokers who like to post to your Facebook when you’re not paying attention) Mac App Blocker will lock down the apps as well.
The more I think about this app, the more uses I think of. Have a shared family Mac? Keep the kids from messing with Quicken or other financial apps. You could even limit access to games this way as well. And for only $5, there isn’t much risk to getting the app and finding that you know need or want to use it now and then.
Myself, I don’t think I’d use it all the time, but I might certainly use it when I’m teaching or working in a coffee shop. Security is a multi-layered thing. Always consider where you are, what you’re doing, and who you are with. And for those times when you need a little extra protection, Mac App Blocker might be just the ticket.
