The Practical Guide to Mac Security is a book from MacMost host and producer Gary Rosenzweig. Learn how to protect your Mac and yourself in an online world. The Practical Guide to Mac Security teaches you how to stay safe online. Learn how to create and use strong passwords to prevent your accounts from being hacked. Find out if you need antivirus software and how you can protect your Mac against malware. Read about scams and cons that try to trick you into granting access to your Mac or installing malware. Learn how to back up your Mac and protect your files and data from disasters.
This book is a guide for the practical Mac user. This is for those who want to buy things online, share over social media and travel with their Mac while maintaining a decent level of security. I’ll show you common sense techniques for staying safe online. The idea is not to build a wall around you, but to learn how to look out for problems and avoid common security pitfalls.
I’m going to give you honest advice. You’ll learn my personal approach to protecting myself, and I’ll share what I recommend to friends and family. Even if you don’t follow every piece of advice I give you, I hope that this book makes your computing life a little more secure and safe.
Table of Contents
1. Online Password Security
Improving Your Passwords
Using Different Passwords Everywhere
Moving Up To Two-Step Verification
Dealing With Security Questions
What To Do If Your Accounts Have Been Compromised
Chapter Actions
2. Malware and Hackers
Do You Need Antivirus Software?
Following Three Simple Rules
Using OS X Gatekeeper
Protecting Your Data With Mac User Accounts
Setting Up Guest User Accounts
Do You Need OS X Firewall?
Staying Safe With Secure Connections and VPN
Chapter Actions
3. Scams and Tricks
Recognizing Phishing Scams
Avoiding Social Engineering Tricks
Ignoring Misleading Web Ads
Help Stop False and Misleading Sharing
Stay Away From Email Scams
4. Physical Disasters
Backing Up Your Mac
Storing Your Files in the Cloud
Using FileVault and Encrypted Backups
Backing Up Online
Cloning Your Hard Drive
Preventing Problems With a UPS
Find My Mac
Chapter Actions
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Suspicious Sharing
Peek-A-Boo
Stopping Spam
PIN Problems
Wi-Fi Passwords
Exploits Versus Malware
Keep It Secret
Keep It Secret 2
What’s Your Location?
Selling Your Mac
Private Web Browsing
More Help
More Information
