Mac OS XIf you are using a Mac (or any computer, for that matter), it’s a concrete fact that you are eventually going to download something from the Internet. Whether it’s a new app from the App Store, a piece of free software from a third-party source, a movie or TV show, a song or album, an eBook, or even just an email attachment, the act of downloading and uploading files is something that most of us do every single day.
But how can you be safe about downloading from …
December 7, 2015 •
5 min read
AppleIn a recent opinion piece for The Guardian, writer and technology professor John Naughton wrote about the ongoing war between Apple and Android for total dominance of the smartphone marketplace. The piece, titled “Security is the loser in the holy war between Android and Apple,” looked at how the battle between the iOS and Android operating systems has led to a marketplace where many smartphone owners are using phones that, in his words, “are riddled with security holes.”
While the title of Naughton’s article seems to suggest that the …
November 29, 2015 •
3 min read
SecurityParents raising kids today are at a disadvantage. Thanks to the internet and the advent of countless other digital and networking technologies, modern parents have to deal with challenges and dangers that their parents never had to deal with. Worse, many of these dangers are not often discussed in the public eye. Sure, we’ve all read a fair amount about cybercrime and online predators, but those threats are not the only ones that your kids are facing on the web.
The Child Identity Theft Problem
On the contrary, an equally …
November 27, 2015 •
3 min read
AppleApple’s latest mobile and desktop operating systems, iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan, launched in the second half of September. As of October 22nd, Apple has released updates for both operating systems to patch notable security flaws. The updates, iOS 9.1 and OS X 10.11.1, are essential for users who have updated their Apple devices to the latest operating systems.
According to a report on the updates from eWeek, Apple decided to release quick patches for their latest operating systems after third-party sources—including Google’s Project Zero and Yahoo’s Pentest team—identified …
November 17, 2015 •
3 min read
AppleIt goes without saying that the sleek, lightweight, and attractive design of the iPhones makes it an ideal smartphone choice for many. Unfortunately, those characteristics also make Apple’s flagship device both easy to lose and a target for theft. The small, light, and slippery design of the iPhone means that it can slip out of your pocket or bag without you immediately realizing it. And since iPhones are expensive, valuable assets, they tend to be the apple of many a potential thief’s eye (pun intended).
The good news is …
August 13, 2015 •
5 min read
SecuritySecurity Advisory update issued: 05/08/2015
MacKeeper has posted an advisory on their blog detailing the security issue and the steps they have taken in response. A new version of MacKeeper has been released to address the vulnerability, and MacKeeper users should update to the latest version as soon as possible. By default, MacKeeper automatically checks for updates, and users should click OK when prompted in order to install the update.
Original advisory follows:
Date issued: 05/07/2015
Risk: Critical (for users running MacKeeper)
A vulnerability has been discovered in MacKeeper, a utility program for OS X. …
May 7, 2015 •
4 min read
MacScanUpdated: February 12, 2014
OSX/CoinThief has been distributed under four different names so far: BitVanity, StealthBit, Bitcoin Ticker TTM, and Litecoin Ticker.
BitVanity and StealthBit were distributed on Github, while Bitcoin Ticker TTM and Litecoin Ticker were distributed on Download.com and MacUpdate.com. Both app names appear to have been taken from legitimate apps in the Mac App Store. The malicious payload was not found in Mac App Store copies of these apps.
When run, the malware installs a browser extension in Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, which will appear in those apps as "Pop-Up …
February 9, 2014 •
4 min read
AdwareThe links for many popular Mac apps on CNET’s download.com have been replaced with a “CNET installer” that installs toolbar adware and changes browser settings. This guide shows how to identify affected apps, how to avoid the toolbar installer, how to determine if it has been installed on your system, and how to remove it if so.
Adware can be a threat to user privacy, and is used to track a user’s browsing habits online. For example, the permissions for one of the Google Chrome extensions shows what these toolbars can …
October 13, 2013 •
4 min read
AdwareUpdate (10/29/13 12:15pm): SecureMac has prepared a guide to help users identify and remove the adware being distributed by CNET’s download.com in place of popular Mac apps. The guide provides detailed information, including step-by-step instructions to determine if the adware is installed on your system, and the steps to remove it. View CNet Adware Identification and Removal Guide for Mac OS X.
Direct download links for a variety of popular Mac software products have been replaced on CNET’s Download.com with installers for browser toolbars, commonly used by adware to track user …
October 13, 2013 •
2 min read
SoftwareReview by Israel Torres
Introduction
avast! Mac Edition is an Antivirus software for Mac. The software offers the following features:
On-Access Scanning
User friendly interface
Automatic updates
Integrated email protection
PowerPC and Intel supported
Simple Installation
This software is not free, however they offer a free 60 day trial version to download from their website. It comes in a variety of subscription flavors starting at 1 Year. It’s also offered with it’s PC version for a discounted rate. (Figure.00)
Note: It is very important to be sure to backup your system with Time Machine or alternative backup software (Carbon Copy …
June 4, 2011 •
12 min read
SoftwareReview: Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac OS X
Posted: November 8th, 2010
Author: Israel Torres
Introduction
Sophos declares the following in their campaign for Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition:
Malware myth: Macs can’t get viruses.
SophosLabs have detected over 1,000 threats for Mac OS.
Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition runs in the background and scans files for threats whenever your Mac opens them. It comes with an uninstaller (Applications/Remove Sophos) in case you want to remove it after trying it on your system.
I’ll be going through this review step-by-step and cover all the features related to …
November 8, 2010 •
17 min read
Apple5.12.10 News
PGP Whole Disk Encryption (WDE) ensures your entire hard disk is encrypted and only accessible by you. Read the whole review of PGP Whole Disk Encryption for Mac OS X.
May 12, 2010 •
9 min read