Chapter 19: Keep Your Mac Secure

How to…

• Protect your sensitive files and data

• Permanently delete files

• Protect your Mac from hackers and vandals

• Keep your Mac virus-free

Computer security, once a concern only of corporations, universities or other centers with large computers and sensitive data, has in recent years become an issue that affects every computer user. Now that most personal computers are connected to the Internet, the possibility of attack or infection has been increased substantially.

Computer security is a serious issue, especially given the widespread use of the Internet and the frequency at which users download and exchange files. The main threats are viruses and hacker attacks. While Windows users suffer from these attacks frequently, Mac users are much less bothered by them. But you owe it to yourself and your files to protect your Mac from the people who want to harm your data.

Security covers several areas, but begins, as do many things, at home. You need to control physical access to your computer to protect your personal files. Next comes your network access: if your computer is connected to the Internet or another network, there’s a risk that malicious users may attack your Mac to try to get at your data, or simply to harm your computer. Finally, viruses are a serious threat. They can damage your files, and potentially incapacitate your operating system as well.

In this chapter, I’ll tell you how you can protect your Mac from these security threats. I’ll explain how to protect your Mac from physical access, how to protect it against hackers and vandals, and how to stop viruses from damaging your system. I’ll also show you how to safeguard your most sensitive files with encryption, and how to use Mac OS X’s security features, such as FileVault.