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Apple

Apple recently introduced software updates and a removal tool for the “Flashback” threat on Macs. Users of Apple’s current desktop OS, Lion 10.7.3, and the previous Snow Leopard 10.6.8, Apple’s got you covered. For anything older, Apple’s recommendation is disabling Java. That’s wrong, and here’s why. Read More »

What’s behind Apple’s decision to require sandboxing in OS X apps? It is not a far stretch to consider that this shift in approach might have a connection to Apple’s long-term plans to make iCloud the center of their strategy for the next decade. Read More »

 
 

With OS X Lion’s incredible success and high adoption rate, Apple customers and repair technicians such as myself are facing higher than usual rates of embarrassment thanks to Lion’s ability to restore your windows exactly as they were when an app was closed. Read More »

Macs are fairly dependable, but there will still be occasions when you have to take them in for service at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. This can take some doing, so here are three tips about things you might not think about when moving your Mac. Read More »

Kickstarter-backed iPhone, iPod and iPad accessories really seem to have a knack for doing well post-funding, and the PadPivot I reviewed early this month is a perfect example. The PadPivot will be available at Best Buy and Future Shop retail locations beginning in September. Read More »

If you’re looking for something a little more rugged than a standard sleeve, check out the Bamboo Blackbox Case on Kickstarter. It comes in iPad 2, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro flavors, and should protect your device from even serious jerks, jolts and dolts. Read More »

Apple is already working on a fix for a security flaw reported by the German Federal Office for Information Security Wednesday. The Mac maker said in a statement that it is “developing a fix that will be available to customers in an upcoming software update.” Read More »

If you’re just getting started out as a freelancer, the sheer volume of advice out there about what software to pick up can be intimidating. Luckily, there’s a new Mac software bundle that actually acts as a really good one-stop shopping solution for new freelancers. Read More »

When you establish a secure passcode on your iPad, the expectation is that it locks out potential snoops. But if someone has access to both your Mac and your iPad, that isn’t the case. Here’s how to go an extra step further with iPad security. Read More »

Apple posted a short support article late Tuesday called “How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware,” which provides instructions on dealing with an existing malware infection, and also promises an update in the near future that will automatically seek it out and remove it. Read More »

MacDefender is the latest, and arguably the most significant Mac malware threat we’ve seen in a long time. Apple support reportedly isn’t offering help over the phone to affected customers, but doing so could set a costly precedent, and there’s arguably a better solution available long-term. Read More »

iOS 101: Keep Information on Your Device Safe

Chances are, there’s a lot of personal information and data stored on your iPhone or iPad. The last thing you want is someone finding your data and using it maliciously. You can encrypt your backup, but what about if someone gets hold of your actual device? Read More »

More Must Reads

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) wants to know why Apple’s iPhone collects and stores device location data in an unencrypted file. Franken penned a two-page letter asking nine questions of Apple CEO Steve Jobs in response to yesterday’s news regarding the “consolidated.db” file. Read More »

Developers Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden recently discovered that your iPhone or 3G-capable iPad has been regularly recording your device’s location since the introduction of iOS 4. All of the data regarding your device’s whereabouts during the past year is easily accessible using a simple app. Read More »

You can lock down your devices, but that doesn’t mean your network is safe. There are some features of Apple’s AirPort networking technology that, if used properly, provide ample security for most households. The process is time-consuming, but it could pay off in the long run. Read More »

Internet payment firm VeriFone found that you can easily create an app that uses the payment dongle employed by its competitor Square to skim financial and personal info from a user’s credit card, so it went ahead and created one and released it to the public. Read More »

If you’re getting or giving a new MacBook during the next couple of days, then grab Mac app Hidden, which provides a number of theft prevention services. Now until January 2011, the app is free. All you need to do is register, download and install. Read More »

While there are no true viruses for OS X, that doesn’t mean Macs are impenetrable. They’re still vulnerable to malware, spyware, spam and trojans. However, with just a few precautionary measures, your Mac can be more secure than most any other consumer technology out there. Read More »

Just released from Apple, Safari 5.0.2 addresses a few usability issues, as well as three security flaws that might get your Mac or PC pwned. Two of the three security issues affect both Safari for OS X and Windows. Read More »

With both the iPhone and Mac address book syncing to Google or MobileMe, your address book data can be hacked without access to your actual phone. It’s time to think twice about what you store in your address book. Read More »

The latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 4, has been with us for a number of weeks now, but did you know that one new addition to the OS is the ability to lock your phone with any password of your choice? Read More »

Luckily, it’s not often that we have to make announcements regarding dangerous malicious software for the Mac. But not often isn’t never, and right now there’s a nasty piece of spyware attacking Apple’s computer platform. It’s called OSX/OpinionSpy, and it piggybacks in on free screensaver software. Read More »

The next time you finish using that free AT&T hotspot that stands as one of the few highlights of being an iPhone users on that network of questionable dependability, you might want to make sure your phone forgets that particular Wi-Fi connection. Read More »

It looks like we’re getting close to the official release of 10.6.3, the latest update to Mac OS X Snow Leopard — and, from what we’re hearing on the developer grapevine, it might prove to be the most extensive Snow Leopard update yet. TUAW reported on … Read More »

I love Time Machine for its simplicity and the fact that it’s free. Apple did the right thing in creating a backup utility that was integrated into the OS and was actually useful. Anyone who has fought with Windows Backup can tell you, this has been … Read More »

Earlier this week, we reported that the first iPhone worm had been created. It was called “ikee,” and all it did was change the default wallpaper on devices to an image of Rick Astley with “ikee is never going to give you up” printed … Read More »

Safari version 4.0.4 is now available, the 30MB update promising improvements to “performance, stability, and security.” Regarding security, the update addresses several potential “maliciously crafted” attacks–are there such things as benevolently crafted attacks? One uses a color profile, which is inventive, if evil. Others use … Read More »

Microsoft issued updates for Office 2004 and 2008 covering security issues for both versions, as well as an XML conversion tool. The Office 2008 update also includes a number of minor fixes to enhance stability. Regarding security, both updates address vulnerabilities “that an attacker can … Read More »

Security firm Symantec is warning computer users about a new Mac-specific Trojan that deletes files on the user’s hard drive, according to Techworld.com. It has dubbed the piece of malware “OSX.Loosemaque,” and uploaded a YouTube video of how it goes about its nefarious purpose. Basically, … Read More »

Think affiliate programs are solely the province of SEO firms and experts? Think again. There’s such a thing as a malware affiliate program, and a very recent one targets Mac users specifically. It’s a sign that cyber-crime is beginning to target Apple more aggressively than it … Read More »

Do you disguise your MacBook as a security measure? A couple of computer case makers think it’s an effective strategy. Mitemite’s Newspaper MacBook Sleeve is a computer bag made from plasticized fabric and designed to thwart computer theft by camouflaging your MacBook Pro … Read More »

Just over a month since Safari 4.0.2 made its way into Software Update, Safari 4.0.3 has arrived for Mac and Windows. The update weighs in at 40.5MB and will require a restart. In addition to the boiler plate “improvements to stability, compatibility and security,” Safari … Read More »

Days after the SMS vulnerability was reported, in which a single character could be used to crash or even take over an iPhone, Apple has released a single-purpose update. The Knowledgebase Article makes it sound as potentially bad as it is. Impact: Receiving a maliciously crafted … Read More »

Cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner claim they can bring down your iPhone by sending it just a single “unusual” character, according to Forbes, which first published news of the exploit earlier this week. A single square character or a series of “invisible” messages can … Read More »

When June 17 comes around, iPhone customers will definitely want to upgrade to the latest iPhone 3.0 software to take advantage of huge improvements with Apple’s oft-discussed MobileMe service. Read More »

iTunes 8.2 became available for anyone and everyone with a Mac, not just developers, late yesterday. A pre-release version of the update has been available to registered iPhone developers since the release of iPhone OS 3.0 beta 4 a Read More »

It may not have the charitable underpinnings of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative, but Ivan Kristic couldn’t have asked for a better follow-up job than at Apple. Cupertino just snatched up Kristic following his time at OLPC, where he was the architect … Read More »

You can’t have pizza without cheese, socks without shoes, a sandwich without bread, or a complete week without hearing about the freshest iPhone apps. Before I present you with a hand-picked selection of the latest iPhone releases to hit the App Store, as is tradition, we’ll take … Read More »

Security scares seem to be coming up all too frequently for Mac users these days. First, there was the devastatingly fast hacking of a Mac thanks to a Safari exploit at PWN2OWN, and now the first-known botnet to exploit OS X appears to Read More »

The recent Conficker virus scare had me warning relatives to protect their PCs, while also simultaneously gloating about how lucky I am to not be affected, since I’m a Mac user. You could say it bordered on the obnoxious, and you’d be right. But it looks like … Read More »

Until very recently, Tor was always something I heard about online but never used. I never considered myself enough of a “hardcore” geek to really pursue it, but it turned out to be much simpler to use that I thought. So for those of you … Read More »

It’s a good thing we’re on friendly terms with New Zealand, because one of the residents of that green, hilly island recently acquired 60 pages of sensitive U.S. military data. Total cost of national secrets? $15. Which would’ve been great if that’s what the man who … Read More »

Depending on how closely you stick to the word of the law, you may or may not be aware of the potentially dangerous trojan called “OSX.Trojan.iServices.A” unleashed on some of the Mac community last week via a pirated copy of iWork ’09. The trojan, … Read More »

If you have Safari, on either Windows or OS X, you could be open to malicious attacks whereby users can gain unauthorized access to files on your hard drive. That’s according to a new tech note from developer Brian Mastenbrook, who has taken matters into his … Read More »

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