Protect your Mac

1 The basics

Use many different passwords, enable private browsing, avoid clicking links or opening attachments from strangers and never access a confidential service over public Wi-fi.

2 Enable firewall

To enable your firewall, head to System Preferences>security & Privacy. Malicious connections will be blocked, and apps will need permission for outbound connections.

3 Location Services

Head to System Preferences>security & Privacy and click on the ‘Privacy’ tab. Here you can oversee which apps are using Location Services and customise the settings.

4 Use Filevault

If your Mac’s system is compromised, Apple’s Filevault tool can protect data from abuse. Go to System Preferences>security & Privacy>filevault to enable it.

5 Scrutinise installs

Malware can be prevented by a little more vigilance when installing apps. By default, macos will prompt you whenever you try to install something on your system.

6 Find My Mac

Apple’s ‘Find My…’ app can help locate a stolen Mac. Go to System Preferences>apple Id>icloud and check ‘Find My Mac’, then click on ‘Options’ to enable the security features.

7 Disable auto-login

It may be convenient to automatically login every time you open your Mac, but it’s not safe. Go to System Preferences>users & Groups, click ‘Login Options’ and select ‘Off’.

8 Firmware password

Unless your Mac is encrypted, a hacker can still access your data by booting into recovery and resetting your password, so set a firmware password (see Knowledge Base).

9 Two-step authentication

Two-step authentication only allows access to your account from trusted devices. Signing in on a new device will require your password and the six-digit verification code.