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How to protect your Mac from Malware
Apr 30, 2024
More Apple news: http://www.cultofmac.com Over the past few weeks, a new Mac malware called OSX doc has been dominating the news. So in this video, I thought I give you 4 tips to protect your Mac from Malware. Follow us! Twitter: https://twitter.com/cultofmac Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultofmac Instagram: https://instagram.com/cultofmac/
View Video Transcript
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Over the past few weeks, a new Mac malware called OSXDock has been dominating the news
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So in this video, I thought I'd give you 4 tips to protect your Mac from malware
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So let's get started. My first tip is to check your security settings, which manages Gatekeeper
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Gatekeeper is a built-in security measure. It blocks any software that hasn't been digitally signed and approved by Apple
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You may have come across this when trying to install an app that you've downloaded outside of the App Store
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To check your settings, head over to System Preferences, then Security & Privacy and make
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sure you're on the General tab. At the bottom, you'll see the Apps Downloaded From section
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Then make sure you've got the App Store Unidentified Developers option checked
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This means that you can only install apps that have been approved and are known to be safe and you're still able to install many apps from outside the App Store
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If you need to bypass this to install an app that you trust, you can hold down Control
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click on the DMG file and then choose Open. You'll then be able to install an app that isn't approved by Apple
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Just make sure to be careful when doing this. On top of blocking suspicious apps, Gatekeeper also blocks plugins like Flash or Java to
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help keep your Mac safe, stores malware definitions in its XProtect file and it also features
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anti-phishing technology in Safari. So if you're on a fraudulent website, it will immediately alert you and disable the page
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As well as Gatekeeper, make sure your firewall is on. It protects from unwanted incoming connections from the internet and other computers on the
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same network. To do so, head into System Preferences and Security and Privacy
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Click on the Firewall tab and make sure the button is set to On. My second tip is to stay vigilant
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A lot of it can be common sense, but malware is also getting smarter
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For example, OSXdoc is a Trojan horse that has been able to bypass macOS's Gatekeeper
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by accessing a genuine developer's account and gaining a certificate. It targeted users through email phishing
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So avoid responding to emails that ask for any passwords or to install any software
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A malware such as Mac Downloader gained access through fake Adobe Flash updates
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If you receive a message to update a plugin or software that you use, it's always best
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to avoid updating from the message and checking back on the official website. Luckily, Apple does its best to stay up to date with all viruses and malware, but it's
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always best to be wary. Probably the most important of all these tips is to keep macOS up to date
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Most people are looking for the cosmetic and feature updates, but with each update of macOS
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new malware threats are added to the XProtect file. XProtect stores malware definitions to combat all malware known to Apple, kind of like your
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antibodies against a virus. On top of updating the XProtect files, the updates also patch any vulnerabilities within macOS
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Make sure to keep your OS up to date to stay ahead of the fight against malware
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Finally, while Apple has built in some great malware protection within macOS, it doesn't
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hurt to get a second opinion. There are some great options out there that are completely free
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Apps like Bitdefender and iAntivirus can perform scans whenever you're worried about your Mac
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Well that's it for this video, hopefully you found it useful. If you did, go ahead and hit that like button down below, and don't forget to hit subscribe
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so you don't miss a single video from Cult of Mac. I'll catch you in the next one
#Antivirus & Malware
#Computer Security
#Consumer Electronics
#Network Security
#Software Utilities