Mac Security Protection
Intego is the only provider on this list that specializes solely in Mac security. The result is a well-polished, effective and easy to use product. In independent antivirus tests, Intego is among the top performers. Strong test scores combined with an abundance of useful features put it at the top of our list.
- How macOS Protects Your Computer. Your Mac has many built-in security features to keep it safe. The bedrock of macOS (formerly Mac OS X) is a rock-solid Unix foundation. This is the same operating system on which BSD and Linux were built, and it’s earned its reputation for reliability and security thanks to a robust permissions system.
- Take the following tips to heart to better protect your Mac and its data. Enable the OS X firewall The firewall in OS X is a network filter that allows you to control which programs and services.
- Protect the devices you own, all from an easy-to-use web page; security compatible with Windows, Mac OS, iOS, and Android devices Identity Theft Protection Gain access to Dark Web monitoring and 24/7 dedicated agents when you're enrolled in auto renewal ‡.
- Keep up to date. The purpose of software updates to patch up bugs and to provide more security for.
System Integrity Protection is a security technology in OS X El Capitan and later that's designed to help prevent potentially malicious software from modifying protected files and folders on your Mac. System Integrity Protection restricts the root user account and limits the actions that the root user can perform on protected parts of the Mac operating system.
Before System Integrity Protection, the root user had no permission restrictions, so it could access any system folder or app on your Mac. Software obtained root-level access when you entered your administrator name and password to install the software. That allowed the software to modify or overwrite any system file or app.
Mac Security Update
System Integrity Protection includes protection for these parts of the system:
- /System
- /usr
- /bin
- /sbin
- /var
- Apps that are pre-installed with OS X
Paths and apps that third-party apps and installers can continue to write to include:
- /Applications
- /Library
- /usr/local
Mac Security Protection
System Integrity Protection is designed to allow modification of these protected parts only by processes that are signed by Apple and have special entitlements to write to system files, such as Apple software updates and Apple installers. Apps that you download from the Mac App Store already work with System Integrity Protection. Other third-party software, if it conflicts with System Integrity Protection, might be set aside when you upgrade to OS X El Capitan or later.
Malware Protection Mac
System Integrity Protection also helps prevent software from selecting a startup disk. To select a startup disk, choose System Preferences from the Apple menu, then click Startup Disk. Or hold down the Option key while you restart, then choose from the list of startup disks.