Kirk McElhearn
Co-Host of Intego Mac Podcast
Kirk McElhearn writes about Macs, iPods, iTunes, books, music and more on his blog Kirkville. He is a regular contributor to The Mac Security Blog, TidBITS, and several other websites and publications. Kirk has written more than twenty books, including Take Control books about iTunes, LaunchBar, and Scrivener.
Kirk McElhearn has hosted 371 Episodes.
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Google, iOS Security Updates, and the End of the Original HomePod
March 18th, 2021 | 29 mins 42 secs
Google is sued for its incognito browsing mode. iOS security updates may be delivered more frequently. We look at how easy it is to take over someone's SMS messages. And we discuss the demise of the original HomePod.
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Everything You Need to Know About Batteries
March 11th, 2021 | 35 mins 18 secs
The iMac Pro is at the end of its life, and we discuss future iMacs. We look at a change in terminology Apple will be introducing in podcasting. And we look at everything you need to know about the batteries in your Apple devices.
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All About Cookies
March 4th, 2021 | 30 mins 4 secs
Could Apple's Rosetta emulation environment not be available in every country? We examine claims that it will be deleted in certain regions. Chrome changes the way it works to try HTTPS by default. And we discuss cookies: how Google will stop using them to track users, and how you can manage and delete them on your Mac or iOS device.
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Silver Sparrow Malware Targets Apple’s New M1 Macs
February 25th, 2021 | 31 mins 17 secs
Silver Sparrow malware has been found targeting Macs, including Apple's new M1 models, but we don't know what the malware is trying to do. Apple has started going after App Store subscription scams, patches an iCloud website vulnerability, will make "zero-click" attacks harder to carry out in iOS. And, yes, we have some good news for Android users.
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A New Amazon Phishing Scam, Malvertizing, and Apple Activation Lock Removal
February 18th, 2021 | 32 mins 5 secs
A new Amazon phishing scam doesn't include links to click, but rather a telephone number to call: beware! Malvertizing takes advantage of a zero-day WebKit vulnerability to display deceptive ads, and serve malware. And Apple has set up a website for people to request the removal of activation lock on devices they own.
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Software Updates, Scam iPhone Apps, and Using Safari Browser Extensions
February 11th, 2021 | 35 mins 7 secs
There were a number of important security updates to key software this week: macOS, Chrome, Edge, and even Plex. We discuss how upgrading a Mac to Big Sur without enough space can cause data loss, we look at scam apps on the iOS app store, and we talk about using Safari browser extensions on the Mac
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Face ID with Masks, a sudo vulnerability, and Apple's Privacy Labels
February 4th, 2021 | 31 mins 24 secs
Apple is testing a new feature allowing users with Face ID iPhones to unlock them with their Apple Watch, if they're wearing masks. There's a vulnerability with the sudo command in various Unix distributions, including macOS. And we discuss how Apple's privacy labels have been abused already by developers.
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Apple Updates, Web Browsers, and Ergonomics
January 28th, 2021 | 34 mins 42 secs
Apple updated most of its operating system, and these updates are important because they patch vulnerabilities that are exploited in the wild. We talk about some web browsers and Flash, and we discuss ergonomics and how you can make your workstation healthier.
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DNS, Lost Bitcoin, and the new Big Sur Control Center
January 21st, 2021 | 32 mins 33 secs
DNS is in the news, following a warning from the NSA and new malware. We discuss how common it is for law enforcement to crack smartphones, and how this should prompt you to choose a more secure passcode for your device. We look another bitcoin owner who's lost millions. And we discuss the new Control Center in macOS Big Sur.
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How iTunes Changed Apple
January 14th, 2021 | 33 mins 11 secs
iTunes is 20 years old. Even if, on the Mac, that name has been eclipsed, the iTunes brand still exists, and iTunes is one of the reasons that Apple is such a strong services company. We also look at some new AppleScript malware, how some millionaires are losing Bitcoin because they forgot their passwords, and discuss "brushing," a new semi-scam where people received Amazon deliveries they never ordered.
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New Year’s Resolution: Cull Your Notifications
January 7th, 2021 | 32 mins 3 secs
There's new malware attacking cryptocurrency apps, WhatsApp warns users about data it is sharing with Facebook, and Apple loses a copyright fight with a company that virtualizes iOS so security researchers can look for vulnerabilities. We also look at how you can manage and secure notifications on your devices, so you don't get too distracted, and also so personal information isn't visible when your devices are locks.
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A Brief History of Adobe Flash Player: From Multimedia to Malware
December 31st, 2020 | 31 mins 13 secs
On December 31, 2020, Adobe Flash Player is officially dead. This browser plugin, which provided multimedia content for the early internet, has been plagued by security issues, and became the most exploited vector for malware on the Mac. We look back on 25 years of Flash.
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Looking Back on the Year in Apple Security
December 24th, 2020 | 32 mins 32 secs
As the year ends, we look back on the security issues that arose in 2020, including malware that bypassed Apple's checks, Flash Player malware, and malware that specifically targeted Mac developers.
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Understanding Apple’s App Privacy Information
December 17th, 2020 | 35 mins 7 secs
Apple has introduced new app privacy information on its app stores, explaining how developers collect data. We also look at this week's Apple updates, including one for iOS 12, and even iCloud for Windows. And we discuss how Google is manipulating links in emails, ostensibly to protect users.
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What Do You Want for Christmas?
December 10th, 2020 | 35 mins 16 secs
Apple announces new over-the-ear headphones, AirPods Max, and we discuss whether these meet the needs of our hosts. Apple doubles down on anti-tracking rules, and WhatsApps complains about Apple's coming "nutrition labels" about data collection in apps. And Apple and Cloudflare have come up with a new way of sending DNS requests that protects privacy.
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A Week with the New MacBook Air
December 3rd, 2020 | 36 mins 50 secs
We discuss how new security features in macOS Big Sur can make it difficult to install certain apps. We talk about Amazon Sidewalk, a feature that will share your bandwidth from Amazon devices. We look at an astounding remote wi-fi exploit that could have let hackers access your iPhone. And Kirk discusses his first week with the new MacBook Air, which has surprised him.