Kirk McElhearn

Black Friday; Securely Dispose of Your Old Mac; The HomePod mini

November 26th, 2020  |  33 mins 52 secs

With Black Friday coming up, we give some tips on buying older devices that may be insecure. We discuss how to audit your subscriptions with Apple, so you don't pay for what you're no longer using. We look at how to securely dispose of a Mac when you're selling or giving it away. And we talk about the new HomePod mini: is it the right smart speaker for you?

How To Prepare Your Mac for macOS Big Sur

November 19th, 2020  |  32 mins 56 secs

Apple released macOS Big Sur last week. On release day, there were a number of issues, including problems launching apps on Macs. We discuss what happened, and how Apple is changing its Gatekeeper security check. We also talk about when you should upgrade to Big Sur and how you should prepare your Mac for the big upgrade.

Apple Launches New Macs, and Big Sur Arrives

November 12th, 2020  |  34 mins 8 secs

Apple announced three new Macs with its own processors, the first of a transition of the complete line of Macs to Apple silicon that should be complete in about two years. At the same time, macOS Big Sur is released. We discuss the new Macs, Apple's M1 "system on a chip", and a two-year old Apple bug that still hasn't been fixed.

What to do if you think you have malware on your Mac

November 5th, 2020  |  30 mins 13 secs

Sometimes when things start going wrong on your Mac, you may think you have malware. In this episode, Josh and Kirk discuss the possible signs of a malware attack, and the steps to take if you think that you've been infection.

In the introduction, we said we didn't think there would be much Apple-related news this week, but we learned that Apple will be announcing new Macs, and the release date for macOS Big Sur, on November 10, so we'll be covering that in the next episode.

Will Quantum Computing Change Computer Security?

October 29th, 2020  |  27 mins 26 secs

Quantum computing is just around the corner, and it will affect the way computer security works. Strong passwords and encryption will be cracked, and we'll need new ways to secure our data and identity. We also discuss complaints against Apple's coming anti-tracking protection in iOS, and we revisit the suggestions that Apple may build its own search engine.

5G Is Here: What Does This Mean for You?

October 22nd, 2020  |  33 mins 45 secs

Josh and Kirk discuss 5G: what it is, how it works, and how fast it is. Is it worth getting a new iPhone 12 for 5G? Also, we look at another case of Apple notarizing malware, and a new RAT that started out on Windows and is now threatening the Mac.

Apple's New iPhone 12 and HomePod mini

October 15th, 2020  |  30 mins 41 secs

Josh and Kirk talk about Apple's announcement of the iPhone 12, and whether they plan to upgrade. They explain the point of the HomePod mini, and discuss what Siri can do with this new home device from Apple. We also look at the new MagSafe charging system on the iPhone 12.

Three Years! And What's Next for Apple?

October 8th, 2020  |  29 mins 20 secs

Josh and Kirk celebrate three years of the Intego Mac Podcast, and we discuss what Apple is likely to announce next week. We also look at a useful tip to keep thieves from using a stolen iPhone, a problematic macOS update that Apple had to pull, and serious, unmatchable issues with the T2 security chip in recent Macs. And yet another reminder that Flash is dead.

Who Is Tracking You?

October 1st, 2020  |  30 mins 6 secs

Apple's Safari web browser has a new feature that prevents trackers from profiling you; we discuss how this works to protect you on the Mac and on iOS. We also talk about the new Series 6 Apple watch, and the solo loop band. And we take a detour to look at how a security researcher put ransomware on a coffee machine.

Beware Drive-By Downloads in Safari

September 24th, 2020  |  26 mins 12 secs

The popular fitness tracking app Strava can assist stalkers; Facebook is irked about European regulators; a new Bluetooth vulnerability takes a new tack on attacks; and we look at some disturbing drive-by downloads that are coming from rogue Google ads.

New, New, New from Apple!

September 18th, 2020  |  31 mins 51 secs

Apple announced new Apple Watch models, updated iPads, a new fitness subscription service, and a subscription bundle, Apple One. While iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 were released this week, there's still no news on macOS. Josh and Kirk look at all the new stuff, and try to figure out what's best for most users.

What if Apple Built a Search Engine?

September 11th, 2020  |  31 mins 34 secs

With Apple holding a new product event next week, we discuss recent speculation that Apple might be building a search engine. The discuss the implications of this, especially if Apple's own search engine replaced Google as the default search engine on macOS and iOS.

Apple Authorized Mac Malware

September 4th, 2020  |  29 mins

iOS 13.7 is out, with support for COVID-19 exposure notifications. Apple's clever new privacy ad highlights the way people give up personal data. Criminals are using Ring doorbells to know when the cops are coming. And Apple approved, through their "notarization" system, dozens of malicious apps.

A Six-Digit Passcode Isn’t Strong Enough

August 28th, 2020  |  31 mins 56 secs

A Lightroom update has wiped user photos, and there's no way to get them back; malicious Chinese code in 1,200 iOS apps is collecting data and simulating clicks to make money; and a chilling story shows why a six-digit passcode isn't enough to protect your data on an iOS device.

Back That Mac Up

August 21st, 2020  |  29 mins 55 secs

New Mac malware targets the Xcode development environment, and Apple has know about it for more than a month, but didn't share the information with security specialists. Epic vs. Apple: who will win the Fortnite battle royale? And we discuss backing up your Mac using Time Machine, Intego Personal Backup, and using a NAS for backups and other file storage.

How to Send Files Securely, and Why You Shouldn’t Use Tor

August 14th, 2020  |  33 mins 55 secs

Apple is planning on offering a bundle of services called Apple One, and we discuss how useful it might be. We mention new iOS and macOS updates, talk about the Have I Been Pwned website going open source, look into an Amazon Alexa abomination, and explain why Tor isn't as safe as you might have thought. We then take a look at the many ways you can send files securely to someone; and explain how sending files by email can be secure.