The Safe Mac

Category: security

  • 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.…

  • Tech support scam pop-ups

    The internet has been awash with all manner scams for a long time. The variety boggles the imagination, ranging from Nigerian princes wanting to pay strangers exorbitant sums for help moving some money, to Facebook posts asking if it’s really you in this photo, to “one weird trick” for just about anything you might want to do.…

  • Ongoing MacKeeper fraud

    Controversy about MacKeeper has been around almost as long as MacKeeper has existed. It is one of the most aggressively-marketed products in the Mac world, and there are numerous accusations that it isn’t useful or even that it is fraudulent. At the same time, you will find a number of positive reviews out there. How…

  • What to do if your Apple ID has been hacked

    Apple IDs are a popular target for hackers. This is not only because Apple devices have become so popular, but also because Apple IDs typically provide purchasing power. With an Apple ID, a hacker can purchase music and movies in the iTunes Store or apps in the iOS App Store or Mac App Store on…

  • How to uninstall software

    Okay, I’ll admit that Windows has a leg up on Mac OS X in one area: uninstalling software. On Windows this is easy (in theory) for anyone to do through the control panel. Mac OS X, however, does not provide any systemwide features for software removal. As a result, there are many myths and uncertainties…

  • 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…

  • Mac anti-virus testing 2014

    Update: Many people have completely ignored some of the cautionary information mentioned in the Scope section, and have erroneously assumed that the anti-virus apps at the top of the test results are the best to use overall. For this reason, I will not be repeating these tests. Feel free to read on to see the results…

  • How to remove infected files

    I get questions all the time asking me how to remove a variety of infected files. There are a variety of different things that might be turned up by anti-virus software, some to worry about and many not to. They show up in a variety of places, some of which should not under any circumstances be touched…

  • How does your Mac NOT protect you?

    I spend a lot of time telling people about how their Mac protect them from malware. I have even written an entire section on the topic in my Mac Malware Guide. So it may be a bit surprising that I seem to be suddenly turning around and saying the opposite.  That’s not the case, though. The…