You want your computer to be as secure as possible, right? Here’s one thing that newcomers to OS X might want to change pretty soon after getting their hands on their first Mac.
The OS X web browser, Safari, is a pretty good browser in almost every respect. But it has one default option that, personally speaking, I’ve never felt very comfortable about leaving switched on.
Look in the Safari preferences, under the General tab, and you’ll see it down there at the bottom:
“Open ‘safe’ files after downloading.”
What does it do, if you leave it checked? Well, when you download stuff from the web, that stuff gets opened, automatically.
It’s supposed to be convenient, I suppose. It’s supposed to make live easier and remove that hasslesome extra few clicks required to open files manually.
I’d rather be a little more circumspect, though, and keep an eye on what’s being download, where from, and make my own decision about what happens to it once it’s on my computer.
If you feel the same, I recommend you open Safari’s preferences and uncheck this checkbox. And leave it that way.
(You’re reading the 52nd post in our series, 100 Essential Mac Tips And Tricks For Windows Switchers. These posts explain to OS X beginners some of the most basic and fundamental concepts of using a Mac. Find out more, or Grab the RSS feed.)
Giles Turnbull is a freelance writer in England. He also writes for the Press Association and The Morning News. You can find out more at his website, and follow him on Twitter @gilest.
18 responses to “Tighten Up Safari’s Security With One Click [100 Tips #52]”
Are you able to say One Click? Surely Amazon want to protect their IP….then again I don’t think they respect IP.
Don’t forget to turn java support off in the Security tab. Nobody uses it anymore, and it’s a big security risk.
and unplug that blue wire from the wall as well. lots of dangerous stuff can come over that thing.
So you will open the finder look at the downloaded file and will open if you loke the name? Perhaps you flip a coin to decide if you will open or not?
Are you referring to the ‘enable java’ and ‘enable java script’ options?
so you’re suspicious a jpeg image may contain a virus? or an mpeg? It says “safe files” for a reason: they can’t do harm. But I guess if you’re a paranoid it would make sense, I know ppl like that…
spambot
Not nearly so much as comes over the black one attached to your TV!!