File sharing
BitTorrent client apps are often used
to get content such as unlicensed
films and TV shows, but also legitimate
downloads like some software updates.
Malware is rife, but fortunately the .exe
files that can infect Windows PCs do
nothing under macOS. Just never enter
your admin password if asked when
opening a file. Installing a compromised
torrent app would be a very bad start:
read up–to–date advice first, then
download software directly from
a trusted source, not from online
search results.
Secure your
Apple ID
IF YOU HAVEN’T activated two–factor
authentication (diļerent from the older
%two-step veriĽcation%) for your Apple
ID, macOS, and iOS will nag you to do it.
It adds very little hassle: you’ll only
need to authenticate (with a code sent
to your phone) when you use a new
device or web browser. This should
ensure nobody accesses your account by
brute force. You can’t disable two–factor
later, but if you lose access to your
devices and can’t log in to your Apple ID
again, Apple has a rescue process.
The risks of physical access to your
Mac and iOS devices are unchanged by
this method, so ensure they require
a hard–to–guess password to unlock.If you really need to run Flash, make sure you
go to the official site to download and install it
!
ADOBE’S FLASH PLAYER
plug–in isn’t included with
macOS, and is disabled in
Safari by default. That’s because it’s
pretty much obsolete and provides
a handy attack vector for malware.
But if you need to use a website that
requires Flash, you may have to install it.
You’ll be warned about this in your
browser by an alert that links to the
required plug–in, but it’s wise not to get
into the habit of clicking software install
alerts on web pages, since they can be
fake. Instead, check whether Flash
Player is already installed by going to
System Prefs. Press Cmd+L to show all
panes, and look for a Flash Player icon
at the bottom.
If it’s there, click it and check its
settings and that it’s updated. Then go
to Safari > Preferences > Websites, select
Plug–ins on the left, enable Adobe Flash
Player and, with this selected, set
"When visiting other websites" to Ask.
(In OS X 10.10 and earlier, plug–in
settings are in the Security tab of
Safari’s preferences.)TRUE FLASH
If you don’t have Flash Player, head to
get.adobe.com/flashplayer by typing
that address into your browser. It’s
important that you don’t try a search:
the first Google result we got for "install
Flash on Mac" was a paid ad link to a
fake site offering "Abode Flash Player".
Such links can trick you into installing
adware or malware. From the official
site, download Adobe’s installer and run
it, then enter your admin password when
prompted to install the plug–in. You may
still need to enable it in Safari.Adobe Flash Player
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE FLASH
PLAYER, CHECK THAT IT’S UPDATED
maclife.comAUG 2019 35Stay safe online