Tips to Protect Your Mac Computer from Cyber Threats

Mac computers have an excellent reputation when it comes to cybersecurity, but they can still be targeted. Find out about protecting your Mac from threats.

Mac Cyberattacks

Malware, ransomware, phishing—the cyber threats on the internet abound, and these threats are generating an astounding cost to the people who rely on computer systems to do business. To date, the cost of cyber infections has racked up billions of dollars in costs to unwitting business owners, some of which thought they were protected. Even though Macintosh (Mac) computer systems are highly regarded for their security, they are still at risk. Here are a few tips you should know.

1. Keep your Mac properly updated.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest reasons Mac computers fall victim to a cyber-attack is because they are not updated as they are meant to be. The developers of the Mac operating systems, whether it is one of the older Mac OS versions or something more modern like Mojave, send out frequent security patches as new updates. If you have automatic updates turned off or do not take the time to update your computer manually, you could easily miss an important line of defense.

2. Use good security programs on your business Mac.

Just because you have a Mac that has a stellar reputation for protecting itself against cyber threats, it does not mean that you should not go a step further and install a good security program. These software programs are designed to catch all those things that get past the existing Mac firewalls and security defenses.

3. Keep your Mac free of unnecessary programs.

Every user has them—those unnecessary programs that are really not used often enough to be counted as valuable or useful. These unnecessary filler programs take up valuable space on your Mac computer and slow it down. If the system is already slow, it can make it harder to recognize when something is awry and something fishy is going on. Plus, the more unnecessary programs you have that you never use, the easier it is for malicious software to latch onto something and set up shop on your computer because you will never see it.

4. Get educated about the biggest threats to security on your Mac.

Knowledge is a powerful defense tactic no matter what type of computer or OS it is that you rely on as a business professional. You should take the time to familiarize yourself with the biggest MAC cyber threats and the types of cyberattacks most often occurring today. You should familiarize yourself with things like:

  • Phishing and how phishing attacks are carried out as well as how to avoid them
  • Ransomware and how it gets latched onto your Mac system
  • How to avoid things like malware that get attached to legitimate software

Whether you use your Mac for everyday tasks and projects at work or you have a system of Mac computers utilized by multiple employees and users within your organization, it is critical to protect your business Mac computers properly. Work with a managed IT service company to implement the best security measures and negate Mac cyber threats.