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Category: Security

Adam Engst 25 comments

Do You Use It? VPN Use Is Widespread

The results of our poll about how you use VPNs reveal widespread VPN usage, with most respondents using VPNs for security, privacy, and bypassing access restrictions.

Adam Engst 9 comments

Upcoming NMUG Presentation on Building a Modern Backup Strategy

Join Adam Engst for a free online presentation about creating an effective modern backup strategy at the Naples MacFriends User Group meeting on 21 May 2025.

Adam Engst 105 comments

Do You Use It? VPNs

This week’s Do You Use It? poll asks if you use a VPN, what you use it for, what type of VPN you use, and which one you prefer.

Adam Engst 18 comments

Apple Releases iOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, and Other x.5 OS Updates

Apple’s latest operating system updates deliver security fixes, Screen Time notifications for parents, and a few minor improvements and bug fixes.

Adam Engst 2 comments

WhatsApp Receives $170 Million Judgment Against Israeli Spyware Company NSO Group

After years of litigation, WhatsApp has won a nearly $170 million judgment against the Israeli company NSO Group, maker of the Pegasus spyware. The ruling follows Apple’s quiet abandonment of a similar lawsuit in late 2024.

Adam Engst 19 comments

Apple’s x.4.1 OS Updates Patch Exploited Security Vulnerabilities

Apple has released updates for its primary operating systems to address two actively exploited security vulnerabilities. iOS users also gain fixes for wireless CarPlay, while macOS enterprise users see improved update reliability.

Glenn Fleishman 6 comments

Add Protection from Scammers with Cyber Insurance

While early identification of phishing and other online fraud is your first line of defense, a solid cyber insurance policy could save your bacon from “pig butchering.”

Adam Engst 56 comments

Apple Releases iOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, and Other x.4 OS Updates

Apple’s latest operating system updates bring Apple Intelligence to more languages and regions, improve Photos organization, expand Mail categorization to the Mac and iPad, and address what must be a record number of security vulnerabilities.

Adam Engst 48 comments

How to Identify iPhone Apps That May Contain Location-Tracking Ads

Adam Engst explains how to determine whether any apps on your iPhone may have been unintentionally sharing your location with data brokers by relying on ads from the real-time bidding ecosystem.

Adam Engst 15 comments

Apple Updates Keep Malicious Web Content in the Sandbox

Apple has released operating system updates to address a serious WebKit vulnerability that surfaced 14 months ago. The latest version of this vulnerability also affects Google Chrome.

Glenn Fleishman 81 comments

Apple Disables Advanced Data Protection in the UK

The United Kingdom has secretly demanded that Apple enable backdoor access to all iCloud data stored by any user worldwide. In apparent response, Apple has disabled its higher-grade iCloud protection for UK users, although it is illegal for the company to admit that.

Adam Engst 33 comments

Security Updates for macOS 15.3.1, watchOS 11.3.1, and visionOS 2.3.1

Apple’s latest updates for macOS, watchOS, and visionOS focus on resolving undisclosed vulnerabilities. Install them sooner rather than later.

Adam Engst 3 comments

iOS 18.3.1, iPadOS 18.3.1, and iPadOS 17.7.5 Block USB Restricted Mode Attack

Apple has released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 to patch a vulnerability that disables USB Restricted Mode. While the risk is low for most users, high-profile targets like activists and journalists should update immediately.

Adam Engst 13 comments

Is Your PIN Easy to Guess?

In the latest installment of “People Are Bad at Security,” reporters from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation use a heatmap to illustrate the prevalence of 29 million PINs from the Have I Been Pwned? database.

Adam Engst 42 comments

Apple’s January 2025 OS Updates Enhance Apple Intelligence, Fix Bugs

Apple has released its third major operating system update, including macOS 15.3 Sequoia, iOS 18.3, and iPadOS 18.3. These updates improve the Apple Intelligence notification summaries, enhance Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16 users, bring Genmoji to the Mac, and add repeated operations to the Calculator app. They also fix a zero-day security vulnerability.