Mac security... It's nothing to be scared of October 21, 2011 13:49 by Andy Warburton

So, I've been hearing quite a lot lately about the various 'trojans' and 'viruses' that are being released for Mac OSX, some that just bust up your computer quite signficiantly and others that sneak in and allow their evil masters into your computer through an artificially created back door so they can perform nefarious deeds to your Mac .

The thought of having someone access your computer from afar sounds incredibly scary to most people, and for the last 30 years or so, Mac users have mostly been free from security issues by using an less popular operating system (known in tech crowds as 'security through obscurity'). However, in more recent years as Mac OS has become more popular, resulting from the success of devices like the iPhone, iMac and MacBook Air the formally exclusive operating system is increasingly becoming a target for those that lurk in the darker areas of the internet.

So now here we are in the 21st century with our shiny Macs becoming increasingly at risk of attack and no idea what we should do about it. Should we perhaps install anti-virus software on our computers? Big hardware firewalls on our network? Turn off our printer whenever it's not in use? In all honesty, there's no need for any of these things. All you have to do is apply a modicum of common sense when using the internet.

You see, the problem with all of these Mac security holes is that you have to CHOOSE to install them. It's not just a case of downloading a file and it auto installing, you have to download the exposed file, install and and then enter your admin password to give the virus pemision to install. Because of it's previously gleaming track record, computer security reporters like to take pot-shots at Apple whenever a hole appears, however at this point in time, there are no self installing viruses for OSX that haven't already been patched by the security team at Apple's Cupertino HQ.

So to stay safe all you have to do is only download software that you trust - stay away from shady download sites and illigally obtained 'warez' and stick to software available in the MacOSX App Store (which is now built into the operating system) and trusted developers like Panic and Apple themselves. If you are a gamer, try and stick to buying games from outlets like Steam, which is a fairly restricted eco-system where games are tested and verified to be safe before being unleashed on the public.

One more thing... Apple are generally pretty good at patching these security problems as soon a they become public (if not before) so be sure to frequently check for software updates, by clicking on he apple logo in the top left hand corner of your Mac task-bar and selecting "Software Update". Mac security updates are free and mostly install silently in the background. When a reboot is requird, you can delay it until a time that suits you.

Until next time... Stay safe Mac people