A safe computer starts with a user who uses it safely. MacMeep can name a few different basic rules to do that:
-Rule number 1: Go and visit a Mac news site regularly (for example Macintouch.com) to stay informed. Non-Mac orientated news sites will inform you badly about what is REALLY going on. A virus for Mac OS X will be world-class news and headlines will be all over.
- Rule number two: don't download software from untrusted websites. Don't let yourself lured by false popups that say there's something wrong with your Mac. They offer to help you get rid of junk or problems on your Mac, but in reality it's just scareware. They make you afraid, and then want your credit card number before 'helping' you.
- Keep your passwords at a safe place, on paper. Safe passwords are words that do not exist, with numbers in them. Use different passwords for your Mac-account, your Email account, Internet account, and et-cetera. By the way: Mac or no Mac, remember that email is an open book to hackers!
- Do not open strange files that unknown people send to you by email
- Use the Firewall when you're online
- Keep your System Software up-to-date with Software Update
- A virus scanner helps your Windows friends. Although a Windows virus doesn't hurt a Mac at all, you can send it to your friends. But remember: the safety an anti virus program gives you, only lasts a while. You need to update the virus definitions regularly! This doesn't mean daily, monthly is okay.
- Power Users: do not use the root-account! Prefer the 'sudo' command in Terminal. Sudo gives you five minutes time to work as 'root'. Is it absolutely necessary to work as 'root', de-activate the account as soon as you're done. Don't let it show itself in the log-on user list when the Mac boots.
- This tip is for the Switchers: DO NOT PANIC! Don't think of a virus or Trojan when your Mac is in trouble. Also realize that even a computer as safe as a Mac is not totally on-vulnerable. Every program contains programming errors. That's because programmers are human.
- Go and visit a Mac news site regularly (for example Macintouch.com) to stay informed.
You are not anonymous on the Internet...
Examples of malware (Trojan horses) on the Mac
You arrive at a website who tells you this:
In case you are clicking on OK, a screen like this appears. :
"Oh dear," you might think "that looks serious!"
Looks real... at first glance... but MacMiep warned you. You take another good look and see it's not your own Mac's Finder at all. You try to click the window away.. and then you get this:
Yep, they make it look very serious and real... but don't buy it!
Quit Safari immediately when you see things like this!
The next example is a fake update for Flash. You arrive at a website when suddenly a pop-up appears that tells you your Flash needs to be updated.
When you download the updater program, it sure looks real:
But it isn't. It's fake. So make sure you get your updates from the www.adobe.com website. You can check there if your version of Flash is the latest one.
What is a Fire Wall?
A computer in a network communicates with other computers through so-called 'Ports'.
Every port has a number. Some port numbers are reserved to certain protocols and programs. Traffic on the Internet, for example, goes through port 80, Email port 25 and FTP port 21.
Ports who are not used (thousands) can be miss used by hackers and Worms. So it is obvious that you should close those ports. This is what a Firewall does.
A Firewall is a piece of software (or hardware) that lets the computer use only those ports its user approves of.
There's a Firewall in Mac OS X. Go to System Preferences => Security. Turn on the Firewall at 'Firewall':
At' Advanced' you can choose to go Stealth:
Editing the Firewall
Experienced users can edit the Firewall by clicking the + button. This can be useful to specific P2P programs or other server programs.
Security in Safari
Security issues in Apple's main internet browser:
In case you're downloading a program, Safari will warn you:
Go to the Safari Menu => Preferences => 'General' and deselect "Open "safe" files after downloading":
At 'Security' you have also the option to Disable scripts, plug-ins, forms and Cookies:
Note: when you Disable plug-ins or javascript/java, some websites won't work properly
Privacy in Safari
Also in the Safari Menu you can select the 'Private Browsing' option:
At the 'History' Menu you can find 'Clear History':
Securely emptying the Trash
When you empty the trash, the file you threw away isn't really gone. The Mac only 'forgets' its place at the hard disc. The data itself continues to exist until other data is written over it.
With specialized software, anyone can access those hidden files, it can take months for them to be overwritten.
That is what this safe option is for. Data isn't only removed, it will be overwritten too. So in case you might think this option is for reducing the risk of accidently remove data: it is not!
Safely sell your Mac or hard disc.
Erasing a hard disc doesn't mean its completely free of data. Only the index of the discs is being erased and its data can still be recovered.
'Disc Utility' gives you the opportunity to erase your disc completely and make all its data unreadable:
Note: There are companies who specialize in recovering data from hard discs. Even fire or water won't make a disc totally unreadable!
Secure the data on your hard drive
At System Preferences => File Vault you have the option to encode the data in your user folder. Without your password, or a master password, the data cannot be read and will be lost.
-Rule number 1: Go and visit a Mac news site regularly (for example Macintouch.com) to stay informed. Non-Mac orientated news sites will inform you badly about what is REALLY going on. A virus for Mac OS X will be world-class news and headlines will be all over.
- Rule number two: don't download software from untrusted websites. Don't let yourself lured by false popups that say there's something wrong with your Mac. They offer to help you get rid of junk or problems on your Mac, but in reality it's just scareware. They make you afraid, and then want your credit card number before 'helping' you.
- Keep your passwords at a safe place, on paper. Safe passwords are words that do not exist, with numbers in them. Use different passwords for your Mac-account, your Email account, Internet account, and et-cetera. By the way: Mac or no Mac, remember that email is an open book to hackers!
- Do not open strange files that unknown people send to you by email
- Use the Firewall when you're online
- Keep your System Software up-to-date with Software Update
- A virus scanner helps your Windows friends. Although a Windows virus doesn't hurt a Mac at all, you can send it to your friends. But remember: the safety an anti virus program gives you, only lasts a while. You need to update the virus definitions regularly! This doesn't mean daily, monthly is okay.
- Power Users: do not use the root-account! Prefer the 'sudo' command in Terminal. Sudo gives you five minutes time to work as 'root'. Is it absolutely necessary to work as 'root', de-activate the account as soon as you're done. Don't let it show itself in the log-on user list when the Mac boots.
- This tip is for the Switchers: DO NOT PANIC! Don't think of a virus or Trojan when your Mac is in trouble. Also realize that even a computer as safe as a Mac is not totally on-vulnerable. Every program contains programming errors. That's because programmers are human.
- Go and visit a Mac news site regularly (for example Macintouch.com) to stay informed.
You are not anonymous on the Internet...
Examples of malware (Trojan horses) on the Mac
You arrive at a website who tells you this:
In case you are clicking on OK, a screen like this appears. :
"Oh dear," you might think "that looks serious!"
Looks real... at first glance... but MacMiep warned you. You take another good look and see it's not your own Mac's Finder at all. You try to click the window away.. and then you get this:
Yep, they make it look very serious and real... but don't buy it!
Quit Safari immediately when you see things like this!
WARNING: Windows users are used to using 'cleaning apps' for keeping their system working fine.
Please do not download programms who promise to do this on your Mac! Your Mac doesn't need cleaning. The only cleaning it needs is with a soft cloth.
Please do not download programms who promise to do this on your Mac! Your Mac doesn't need cleaning. The only cleaning it needs is with a soft cloth.
The next example is a fake update for Flash. You arrive at a website when suddenly a pop-up appears that tells you your Flash needs to be updated.
When you download the updater program, it sure looks real:
But it isn't. It's fake. So make sure you get your updates from the www.adobe.com website. You can check there if your version of Flash is the latest one.
What is a Fire Wall?
A computer in a network communicates with other computers through so-called 'Ports'.
Every port has a number. Some port numbers are reserved to certain protocols and programs. Traffic on the Internet, for example, goes through port 80, Email port 25 and FTP port 21.
Ports who are not used (thousands) can be miss used by hackers and Worms. So it is obvious that you should close those ports. This is what a Firewall does.
A Firewall is a piece of software (or hardware) that lets the computer use only those ports its user approves of.
There's a Firewall in Mac OS X. Go to System Preferences => Security. Turn on the Firewall at 'Firewall':
At' Advanced' you can choose to go Stealth:
Editing the Firewall
Experienced users can edit the Firewall by clicking the + button. This can be useful to specific P2P programs or other server programs.
Security in Safari
Security issues in Apple's main internet browser:
In case you're downloading a program, Safari will warn you:
Go to the Safari Menu => Preferences => 'General' and deselect "Open "safe" files after downloading":
At 'Security' you have also the option to Disable scripts, plug-ins, forms and Cookies:
Note: when you Disable plug-ins or javascript/java, some websites won't work properly
Privacy in Safari
Also in the Safari Menu you can select the 'Private Browsing' option:
At the 'History' Menu you can find 'Clear History':
Securely emptying the Trash
When you empty the trash, the file you threw away isn't really gone. The Mac only 'forgets' its place at the hard disc. The data itself continues to exist until other data is written over it.
With specialized software, anyone can access those hidden files, it can take months for them to be overwritten.
That is what this safe option is for. Data isn't only removed, it will be overwritten too. So in case you might think this option is for reducing the risk of accidently remove data: it is not!
Safely sell your Mac or hard disc.
Erasing a hard disc doesn't mean its completely free of data. Only the index of the discs is being erased and its data can still be recovered.
'Disc Utility' gives you the opportunity to erase your disc completely and make all its data unreadable:
Note: There are companies who specialize in recovering data from hard discs. Even fire or water won't make a disc totally unreadable!
Secure the data on your hard drive
At System Preferences => File Vault you have the option to encode the data in your user folder. Without your password, or a master password, the data cannot be read and will be lost.
TIP
Secure data on your iPod or an USB stick
Open Disk Utility and click on the 'New Image' icon:
Choose the appropriate size and give the disk a name. Select at 'Encryption': "AES-128":
Enter a password, and IMPORTANT don't choose 'Remember password in keychain':
And a .dmg disk is created. Copy this .dmg to your iPod or USB stick.
When you open the .dmg, a password will be asked:
Now you can access your secured virtual disk.
Secure data on your iPod or an USB stick
Open Disk Utility and click on the 'New Image' icon:
Choose the appropriate size and give the disk a name. Select at 'Encryption': "AES-128":
Enter a password, and IMPORTANT don't choose 'Remember password in keychain':
And a .dmg disk is created. Copy this .dmg to your iPod or USB stick.
When you open the .dmg, a password will be asked:
Now you can access your secured virtual disk.
Maximum physical security of your Mac
Later on in this training, you'll learn how to boot your Mac from cd and change user passwords. Booting in Target mode (for Macs with FireWire cards) will also give you access to all the files on the Mac. This is a potential safety-issue.
First: be careful with those system cd or DVD you got with your Mac. Put them away and out of sight.
If you want to close your Mac COMPLETELY to foreign access, use Open Firmware.
Firmware is the instruction that is not on the hard disc but on a special chip at the motherboard. This only restricts physical access, it does nothing against hackers, crackers or script kiddies.
You can find more information about this method at Apple Knowledge Database document No. 120095.
I'm afraid my Mac gets stolen
'Undercover', a program from the Belgium company Orbicule, ( http://www.orbicule.com), helps to find back a stolen Mac. Ingenious!