Apart from their design and technology, Apple is known for providing top-of-the-line safety and security software and applications, especially for their MacBooks. It's well-known within the industry that the MacBook security wall is a tough nut to crack. Their machines have long been one of the harder ones to attack, whether through malicious attacks, viruses, or any kind of malware.

Moreover, Apple's stand on customer privacy has been one of the brand's marketing promises. From iPhones to MacBooks, Apple does an excellent job of protecting user privacy.

If you're using a MacBook or is soon to be an owner of one, this infographic will help you steer clear of malicious attacks and show you how to maximize the device's safety and security features. Let's get started!

The Best Protection for Your Mac is In Your Mac

Whether you just bought a new MacBook or a refurbished MacBook, or are updating your Mac's operating system, it's always better to keep this powerhouse of a device up-to-date when it comes to software updates and Apple's latest enhancements for your privacy and security.

Malware is a threat to the security of your Mac and the privacy of your data. This can come in the form of viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and more. People who fail to enable the right security features are left more vulnerable to such attacks, especially if they lose their Mac. Their personal data and sensitive information might be used for identity theft, fraud, and other crimes.

Cybersecurity doesn't have to be intimidating and complicated. This rings true for Apple products, as you don't need to install antivirus software or any other applications for an extra layer of security. Apple always puts its customer's privacy and security first.

Moreover, not only are security software and other programs that claim to keep your MacBook safe unnecessary but often, they install folders that may slow down your otherwise smooth-operating laptop.

Thanks to the convenient tools that can be found in System Preferences, Safari, and other apps, Apple's system, along with macOS, allows its users to maintain their privacy and keep their data secure in simple steps.

Apart from the safety and security features above that you can tweak in System Preferences, we listed more tips below, together with the steps on how you can activate them. Take time to keep your Mac safe and secure.

More Mac Safety and Security Tips

• Set up Find My Mac

Much like when you get a new iPhone, one of the first things that you should set up on your MacBook is the Find My Mac feature. The tool not only allows users to find their lost or stolen MacBook, but it also enables them to wipe the device's entire data remotely so that they don't fall into the wrong hands.

How to set it up: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Location Services > click the padlock and enter the password to make changes > tick Find My Mac > lock the padlock to save the changes you made.

• Backup your files

You can never tell when your Mac will act up, get lost or stolen, require immediate repair, or get a kernel panic, so it's always better to have a copy of your files in case anything happens. Apple makes this task convenient and easy with its Time Machine feature, which regularly backs up your files on a separate hard drive, therefore, allowing you to restore your device and data from recent periods.

How to set it up: System Preferences > click Time Machine. Make sure to connect an external hard disk to your Mac and turn it on so you can select it as Backup Disk in the settings.

You can choose to backup your data automatically by ticking "Back Up Automatically."

• Encrypt your files using FileVault

Encrypting your files simply means protecting your data using a password. If ever your Mac gets stolen or lost, the thief or anyone else who tries to access your personal data and sensitive files won't be able to do so because your device is encrypted and requires a password that you, alone, know. FileVault is Apple's very own encryption tool, and it's easy to activate.

The unit is still password protected without having FileVault turned on. FileVault is an EXTRA level of encryption, recommended only for sensitive financial or legal data. FileVault makes OS upgrades more difficult and password recovery impossible.

• Modify your Safari privacy settings

Apple's browser, Safari, has privacy settings that you can enable to help protect your internet activity from snooping individuals or hackers.

• Use a private window (Command + Shift + N) when browsing to avoid your online activity from being recorded in History.
• Clean up your cookies and other cached data every few weeks to remove recorded data like saved passwords, address bar predictions, shopping cart content, and more.
• You can block third-party cookies by ticking "Block all cookies" on Safari's Privacy settings.

Bonus: You can see all your saved passwords on Safari and know which ones are identified as weak. To do so, open Preferences from the Safari menu and choose "Passwords." You can also uncheck the Autofill usernames and passwords option if you prefer to input them to avoid unpermitted logins by other users manually.

• Protect your contacts

Know that apart from your own data, you must also protect the data of the people in your contact list. Their personal information, like their names, jobs, and contact details, are also vulnerable to hackers and thieves.

You can check if you may have unintentionally shared it with third parties by going to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Contacts. Then, untick the box next to the listed apps to turn off access to your contacts for that app.

Safeguard Your Data and Keep Your Mac Secure

With cyber criminals targeting vulnerable individuals, including Mac users, protecting your data is more crucial than ever. Take safety and security precautions, and don't wait until you get a warning or someone you know falls victim to malware. Have the initiative to secure your device.

Know that you can also enable these safety and security features in your refurbished MacBook. Refurb Macs work well and are good as new, as they come with the same features as brand new ones, so you're guaranteed to find these in the refurbished device's System Preferences.

For your refurbished MacBook needs, head straight to Macs4U. We offer a free support session with every Mac purchase if you require any assistance regarding your Mac. You can book a session with us here.