Checklist 144: Summer Security Blockbusters

This week, we’re going to the movies! It’s our special summer security blockbusters edition of The Checklist, where we take a fun and whimsical look at some of the big technical concerns that pop up in our favorite movies and how they can relate to some real-life issues, too.

Sneaky Gatekeeper Flaw Could Let Hackers Run Malware on Macs

Among the most fundamental security features on Macs, Gatekeeper is near the top of the list. A first line of defense against malicious software, Gatekeeper’s job is to verify code signatures, which ensures that the software you’re running is genuine and hasn’t been tampered with by outside forces. Gatekeeper also helps to keep unauthorized software from running without your permission and provides help to users through warning messages letting you know when something might not be safe. Recently, though, a security researcher named Filippo Cavallarin unveiled a flaw in Gatekeeper …

Checklist 143: Whole Lotta Listenin’ Goin’ ON

On this week’s episode: Samsung takes heat for advising SmartTV security, La Liga: Revisited, and An app hears taps and guesses passwords.

Checklist 142: Panic! at the Drive-Thru

On this week’s episode: A four-year security breach at Checkers and Rally’s, Microsoft suggests killing off killing off passwords, and Apple leaves room to peek into MDM deployments

Introducing MacScan 3.2 from SecureMac

New version improves privacy in Safari, offers significant UI/UX upgrades

Las Vegas, Nevada — SecureMac is pleased to announce the latest version of its award-winning security software for macOS: MacScan 3.2. This release offers some significant improvements, including UI/UX enhancements as well as a big change for Safari users concerned about privacy.

We’ve seen some seriously disturbing cybersecurity news of late, from entire cities crippled by ransomware to 12-year-olds on dating apps. And unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much good news on the macOS front. At a recent Mac …

AirPort Base Stations Receive Important Firmware Upgrade

Do you rely on an Apple AirPort for your home Wi-Fi needs, or an AirPort Time Capsule to keep your Mac always backed up? If so, you’ll want to make sure you’ve updated your device to the latest version. On May 30th, Apple released a substantial firmware update for these devices, comprised of several high-priority security fixes. Upgrading will ensure your network remains secure while allowing you to continue enjoying the devices with plenty of peace of mind.

The new software version, 7.9.1, includes eight security fixes in total. Of these, …

Checklist 141: Security Privacy and WWDC

This week, we aren’t tackling an organized list as such — more like a rundown of a ton of events in a free-ranging discussion! We’re talking about WWDC, of course, the Worldwide Developers Conference Apple hosted this week. It’s an annual event where Apple often makes its big software announcements for the year and lays out the road ahead for the company’s technology. We’re looking at some of the security moves Apple made and some of the exciting upcoming changes and new developments. Buckle up — we’ve got a lot …

Highlights from the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference

On Monday morning, Apple’s 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference kicked off in San Jose. As is tradition, WWDC began with a keynote presentation from Apple highlighting long-awaited updates, important announcements, and a vision of the road ahead.

Here’s our roundup of the biggest news from the keynote, along with a few comments on what this means for Mac security as well.

macOS

As expected, macOS 10.15 is here. Named “Catalina”, the newest version of macOS features a few important changes and a bittersweet farewell.

Goodbye iTunes

Maybe the biggest news—and something that’s been a long time …

Objective by the Sea 2.0

Tthis weekend the glamourous Mediterranean enclave was all about Mac security, as it played host to the Objective by the Sea 2.0 conference. Billed as the world’s only conference dedicated to macOS and iOS security, OBTS is a two-day gathering of researchers and developers from around the globe.

macOS Receives Critical Supplemental Update for MacBook Pro

Following on the heels of Apple’s most recent raft of updates, which included macOS Mojave 10.14.5, the company has released another smaller update targeting specific MacBook Pro users. Apple suggests that all macOS users download and install the new supplemental update in order to take advantage of the latest security protections.

What’s in this latest update? The details aren’t quite clear; after nearly a week since the patch was released, Apple has not updated its online security page with any details. Instead, the company merely said that the update corrects “firmware …

Checklist 140: To Track or Not to Track?

On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac: Apps are talking in your sleep, A case against tracking software for kids, A followup on ZombieLoad, and Automatic updates and. FileVault.

Is your phone talking behind your back? It might seem like an odd question, but the answer might be as surprising to you as it recently was to some security researchers. Here’s another question: how closely should you monitor your kids? Despite the popularity of child tracking apps, today we’ll be making a case for why you shouldn’t rush out to install them. Those …

Checklist 139: 2FA 101

We mention two-factor authentication quite a bit, but it’s been a while since we took a close look. On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac: Different types of authentication, What kinds of accounts should employ it, and August tells a 2FA tale.

Apple Releases iOS 12.3 and Security Updates to Its Products

The newest array of updates from Apple has arrived, with an array of updates for a variety of products addressing numerous security concerns, some of them serious. While these updates, particularly iOS 12.3, also add several new and exciting features that are sure to please users, there are also new layers of security and fresh bug fixes going into place behind the scenes to keep iPhone users safe. Here’s how the updates break down:

iOS 12.3

More than 40 separate flaws were patched and fixed in this latest version of iOS, though …

Checklist 138: Any Times a Good Time for an Update

A tricky class of vulnerability rises from the grave to trouble us again, one of the world’s most popular communications apps turns out to have a glaring flaw in its code that requires an immediate update to fix, and it’s time again to update your Apple devices — those stories, and all the details you need to know, are right here on today’s show. Here are the stories we’re checking off our list:

Zombies on the ProwlNews of a WhatsApp VulnerabilityA Slew of Updates from Apple

It’s the night of living dead …

Checklist 137: Security Breach on Pump Four

On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac: Security breach on pump four, A U.S. city under cyber siege, and Keeping 12-year-olds off of dating apps.

Checklist 136: The High Cost of Free Viewing

On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac: Free viewing, plus bonus malware, 80 million households exposed, Is Facebook ACTUALLY working on user privacy?

Checklist 135: Share This Show

On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac, we talk over the digital facts of life with mom and dad. Our topics include: Ellen Degeneres is NOT giving things away on Facebook, How to share your wifi network (and why you may not want to) & Password safety: Because we keep being unsafe with our passwords

Checklist 134: Many Things, Revisited!

On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac: Worried about your internet of things things? Princeton has a tool for that!, Worried about hotels and data security? You should be!, Apple’s new steps against scammy subscriptions,and Facebook: amiright…?

Checklist 133: Hello, Turkmenistan!

On this week’s Checklist by SecureMac: More enterprise certificate abuse, Threats to put CEOs in the poker and A layer of certification for Mac apps.

Checklist 132: Soup, Salad, and a Security Breach

Do you eat at restaurants? Do you use a phone? Do you even, dare we ask… go shopping? Then boy, do we have an episode for you this week! These might sound like mundane questions, but with this week’s stories, we’ll see that sometimes that’s all you need to do to end up exposed to threats against your security and privacy. That’s not to frighten you, though — after all, knowledge is the best defense against these threats. We’re not only telling you about what’s happened already but how you …