Explore 7 Ways That macOS High Sierra Helps You Protect Your Privacy and Security  

If you’re an Apple user, you have a lot of things to look forward to in the 13th release of the macOS operating system.  Some highlights include new features, improvements to existing features, and a few updates that will pave the way for future releases.  At the same time, device and internet security have become a growing concern with all internet and device users.  It’s a good idea to learn more about High Sierra security and privacy features, so you know what to expect and what to be careful of.

What Privacy and Security Features Does High Sierra Include?

The October 5 Password Patch

It’s worth mentioning that two security vulnerabilities with High Sierra made the news by the first day of its release on September 25.  These had to do with password hints and actual passwords stored in the keychain.  You can now upload a patch to fix these issues from Apple.  Apple released the patch on October 5.

Security analysts who had a chance to test the new operating system before it was released said they had notified the company about issues before release, so it is somewhat surprising that the company took several days to release this patch.  Prior to that, the company said that users who only downloaded apps from the Apple Store could protect themselves from these issues, but some security analysts weren’t so sure.  In any case, if you have already updated, you should certainly consider installing the patch.

High Sierra’s Built-In Privacy and Security

Besides the patches for these zero-day vulnerabilities, High Sierra also came bundled with plenty of new and updated privacy and security features on its own.

File System

Apple’s update to their new file system deserves the first mention.  Called APFS, or the Apple File System, it now relies on flash technology.  You should enjoy both better performance and improved security.

Improved security and protection features include:

• Improved encryption capabilities
• Crash protection
• Easier backups

Since the upgrade may totally change the way that your device stores all of its data, it’s a good idea to ensure that you have backed up your system before you start installing High Sierra.

Browser Tracking Protection

You probably already know that advertisers try to track your actions as you use your internet browser.  They usually don’t have malicious intentions.  They simply want to gather data that helps them target advertising better.  At the same time, lots of Apple users would prefer to protect their privacy from this type of tracking software.  The Safari web browser now includes intelligent anti-tracking features that are supposed to be as smart as the advertiser’s trackers.

Advanced Secure Internet Connections

When you visited secure sites, like your bank, you probably noticed that you had an https:// connection and not a https:// connection.  Besides financial institutions, you might have also noticed this on many emails, downloads, or membership sites.  This is an example of improved security through a TLS connection.  This is important, but this kind of security relied upon SHA-1 certificates in the past.  These old-style certificates are no longer secure enough to perform as intended.

Currently, Apple wants all developers to move to SHA-256. certification, which uses much more advanced encryption to protect privacy and security.  This latest update actually applies quite a bit of pressure to get developers to change.  Before High Sierra, your Apple device would offer you a warning that the connection wasn’t truly private and secure.  Now, High Sierra will simply block your connection.  Before you upgrade, you may want to check any secure connections that you rely upon to make sure they will still work.

Weekly Firmware Validation

Once a week, High Sierra will automatically run a firmware check to validate your hardware against any installed firmware on your device.  According to Intego, most users should never see a warning from this check.  A warning could mean that your device has been maliciously tampered with, but it might just mean that you purposefully installed a hack to allow you to run this new operating system upon an unsupported computer.  If the weekly firmware validation does trip a warning, you will have the option to ignore it or to send a report to Apple for further investigation.

Kernel Extension Approvals

Some software will add kernel extensions that add certain functions to the operating system.  For instance, antivirus programs may do this legitimately in order to work.  Still, developers of malicious software may also add kernel extensions in order to cause mischief, so you should always know when it happens.

In any case, High Sierra will offer you a warning the very first time that any software tries to install a kernel extension.  If the extension was already loaded before you installed High Sierra or you have previously approved the extension with High Sierra, you won’t get a warning.  Some hackers have become clever at masking their work to look like legitimate software, so this system isn’t foolproof.

Mostly, High Sierra Offers Better Security and Privacy

This overview of new privacy and security features nitpicked a bit.  It’s important to understand how your device protects you and how that protection may be limited.  Mostly, you should enjoy better security and privacy with High Sierra than you have with your past macOS operating system versions.

Mac users of Microsoft Office 2011 may be in for a nasty shock after upgrading to High Sierra, as Microsoft has announced that it’s no longer supported.  Even Office 2016 users may encounter difficulties. 

It may be no surprise that when you Google “MS Office for Mac”, that the majority of the results returned are alternatives to the popular office productivity software.  The Mac to MS Office relationship has been rocky at best, which started decades ago with the competitive relationship between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in the 1970s.  While the early years may have been all about how Microsoft could support Apple’s vision, the current reality is quite different. While Apple now has the power to encourage users to move in different directions for their office productivity software, the prevalence of Microsoft Office and Excel dictates that many Mac users still require access to a version of the platforms for their OS.  This makes it particularly challenging when Microsoft decides to deprecate support for a particular version, as they are with Office 2011 for Mac for users who update to the new Mac OS 10.13, codenamed High Sierra.

Preparing Your Mac for an OS Upgrade

The recently-released High Sierra OS has been in beta testing for several months now, giving users plenty of time to preview the new functionality.  The majority of Macs that are newer than 2010 are fully compatible with the new OS, making the free upgrade very attractive to users. However, there are still a few steps you’ll want to take before you make the jump, including:

• Upgrade your apps to ensure compatibility with the new OS
• Check your available space, as you will need several GB’s of free space for the download
• Create a clean backup of your entire system “just in case”

If you’re already test-driving a beta version of High Sierra in a partition or otherwise, downloading the update is a snap.  If there are files behind your partition, you’ll want to transition those back to your core before removing the partition, too.  Many users prefer to run a clean version of a new operating system and install from scratch, while others simply run the upgrade and hope for the best.  The popularity of cloud-based software and storage solutions makes this decision easier than ever — a clean install clears out any lingering after effects from previous software.

Staying Supported

If you’ve purchased a perpetual license version of Microsoft Office for Mac in the past, it may be time for an upgrade.  While these perpetual licenses are technically yours to use “forever”, there is a functional lifespan for each release.  With the Microsoft team dropping support for Office 2011, you do have several options for office productivity software such as upgrading to Office 365, moving to a new perpetual license version of Office 2016 or migrating to a new productivity platform completely.  Making a shift can be a jarring transition, as users get used to keyboard shortcuts and the ability to collaborate with other Office users.  Not only is Microsoft ending support for Office 2011 for Mac, the new macOS High Sierra will not support 32-bit apps like Office 2011 “without compromises”, as their developers say.  Taken together, these two facts mean it could be nearly impossible to run High Sierra with Office 2011 without significant problems — if it works at all.  While neither set of developers are saying that Office 2011 for Mac and High Sierra are completely incompatible, they are stating that users are on their own and completely unsupported if they choose to go in this direction.

Available Options

While perhaps the simplest option for Office for Mac aficionados is to delay upgrading their OS to High Sierra, this is a short-term solution at best.  Anytime you avoid updates you’re opening your systems up to the potential for security vulnerabilities such as malware and ransomware.  If you do wish to continue using both your Mac and Microsoft Office, the upgrade options are relatively straightforward.  You can purchase a single-Mac perpetual license of Office 2016 for Mac for a reasonable one-time price, which will get you back up and running.  However, there are challenges with this setup as well, as the upcoming Office 2019 will be rolling out new functionality and will require you to make an upgrade again in less than 18 months.  Alternatively, you could begin a subscription with Office 365, which provides you with expanded access to productivity tools and even covers a tablet, phone and other devices for each individual subscription.  The low monthly rate for the cloud-based software may be attractive for many users and businesses.  Finally, you could take a different route entirely and decide to transfer to Apple’s iWork suite, Google Docs or Office Online — the completely free (but feature light) version of the most popular Office platforms.

Determining which version is right for your business needs can be challenging, so let the professionals at {company} work with your team to define the right solution.  Contact us today at {phone} or via email to {email} for your free initial consultation.