The Safe Mac

Tag: malware

  • Mac anti-virus testing 2013

    There are almost as many anti-virus programs for the Mac as there are families of malware, and a constant question among Mac users is whether to use one and, if so, which one to use. Last November I began a project to test Mac anti-virus programs to see what malware they are capable of detecting.…

  • How to manage a hacked wireless router

    There have been a lot of cases of wireless routers being hacked or infected with malware recently. With news of the malware known as the “Moon” that has been infecting a number of LinkSys routers (one of the most popular brands) and a report that one gang of hackers is in control of more than 300,000 wireless routers,…

  • Time to re-evaluate safety of Mac OS X

    My Mac Malware Guide has, for some time, made the claim that a properly up-to-date Mac OS X system cannot be infected by any known malware. This was true at one point, with some provisos, when that text was originally written. However, recent cases of malware that has failed to be blocked by the XProtect anti-malware system…

  • Do I need a firewall?

    Firewalls have always been poorly understood, even by knowledgeable people. With the recent upsurge in Mac malware, there has been a lot of questionable advice circulating, some of which related to firewalls. People are recommending firewalls for avoiding malware, blocking hackers, preventing spam and any number of other things.  Some of these recommendations have some…