You can think that every Mac device is secure from the very start of using it. But the reality shows that this is no longer true. You can think that Mac is more secure than personal computer running on Microsoft Windows because most of your friends think so. It was true for some time, but in 2018 you should take care of your data privacy even if you have a Mac. After the scandal with macOS High Sierra, in which a root-access could be obtained without knowing a password, many Mac users realized that even Apple sometimes fails in keeping their devices free from vulnerabilities. In this article, we describe how hackers can hack your MacBook and how to protect yourself against it.
Is macOS Still Safe or You Need to Start Worry About Your Data?
It is generally accepted that the level of macOS security is much higher than the one on Windows. But there are no bug and vulnerability-free software. So your MacBook can also be hacked, which means hackers can access your personal data, photos and even work files.
If you will check Community Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, you will find that in 2017 MacOS X was in top-5 operational systems by the total number of vulnerabilities found.
How Hackers Install Exploits on Mac
There are two ways how hackers could infect your Mac with an exploit or virus:
- Make user click on the link and execute malicious code on the site using a known browser vulnerability.
- Make user open a file with exploit code masked as photo or archive attachment to phishing e-mail, etc.
If you think your Mac is infected, find more information here on how to remove malware from your computer. Never underestimate the consequences of malware infections.
iCloud Can Help Hackers Hack Your Mac
For hacking your Mac it is enough to have a login and password from the victim’s iCloud account. How hacker can get it? There are a lot of options: from a fake websites to searching of intercepted credentials from other services and social engineering.
It is possible to lock the computer with a password, set up a hint with a demand for ransom and payment details. By the way, to use the “Find iPhone” function on an authorized device from the iCloud website or in the corporate application for iOS, you do not need two-factor authentication and that’s the problem.
While having access to your account in iCloud, hackers do not have the full control over your iCloud account. But knowing credentials are enough to remotely lock the device.
And what is the danger of this, you may ask? At a minimum, it is no longer possible to work on a MacBook, which can paralyze the work on your project.
How to Protect Your Computer
There are few steps Mac users can take to defend their computers from being accessed through hacking the iCloud account. And here is the list of what you need to do:
- Disable the “Find iPhone” option in the settings.
- Change the Apple ID password in iCloud.
- Enable two-factor authentication.
- If you are a victim of this hacking, contact Apple technical support.
What is Two-Factor Authentication and How It Helps to Protect Your Mac
Two-factor authentication is more reliable way to protect your Mac from being hacked than believing that you are protected just because it is macOS. If it is enabled, then whenever you try to log into the Apple ID account from the new device, you will see a notification on all trusted devices. To read it, you need to unlock the device and confirm receiving of a one-time passcode in a separate window.
With two-factor authentication enabled, this push notifications will be delivered to all your devices. So you will be able to block an unauthorized attempt to enter your account.
Final Thoughts
You should always remember that eventually every program or operating system can be hacked. Keep that in mind when considering to install an antivirus software and a network monitor. It is always better to make few more steps in ensuring the safety and privacy of your data than marketers say is necessary.
