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 370 Episodes.
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The Year in Mac Security, and Tips for Backing Up Your Mac
February 14th, 2018 | 34 mins 34 secs
We look at the year in Mac security 2017, and discuss the rise in malware. And we discuss the best strategies for backing up your Mac. But first, Kirk tells about how his website was (sort of) hacked.
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Ad Blocking: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Ethics
February 7th, 2018 | 31 mins 8 secs
An overuse of ads has made it hard to read websites. In order to read easily, and safely, it's useful to use an ad blocker. We discuss why you may want to use an ad blocker, how they work, and how to use them in macOS and iOS.
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Malware and Security Lingo: What Do Those Words Mean?
January 31st, 2018 | 32 mins 50 secs
We use lots of strange words to describe malware and security issues. We look at malware and security lingo, explain who gets to name new malware, and also talk about Apple's latest updates to all their operating systems.
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What's a VPN, and Why Should You Use One?
January 24th, 2018 | 27 mins 40 secs
After a brief discussion of the week's news, we look at VPNs, virtual private networks. We explain how they work, and when and why you might want to use one.
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What's Up with My iPhone's Battery?
January 17th, 2018 | 33 mins 51 secs
We discuss and explain the issue around iPhone batteries, and tell you what to do if your iPhone's battery isn't lasting all day. We also look at a new, dumb password bug in macOS High Sierra, new Wi-Fi security standards, and new Mac malware.
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Is My Computer's CPU Secure?
January 10th, 2018 | 31 mins 4 secs
Meltdown and Spectre; two vulnerabilities that affect the majority of computers and portable devices in circulation, need software and perhaps hardware fixes to be secure. Josh discuss an interview he conducted with a security researcher on some particularly malicious adware/malware. We also answer some reader email, and explain what "hashing" is.
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What to Do if You've Been Hacked
January 3rd, 2018 | 30 mins 55 secs
The producer of our podcast, Doug Adams, had his iCloud account hacked, and he joins us to explain what happened, and how he resolved the issue. We talk about what to do if this happens to you. And we tell you everything you need to know to not be a victim of phishing.
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Handcuffs Made of Tissue Paper
December 27th, 2017 | 28 mins 12 secs
Search engines collect and harvest lots of data about you, what you look for, where you are, and what you buy. We explain how you can tell Google to store less of their data, and how to change to a more privacy-friendly search engine. And we explain what Apple's "differential privacy" is all about.
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Tom Cruise Is in Every Starbucks
December 20th, 2017 | 30 mins 16 secs
With just a few days before Christmas, we discuss how to safely shop online in the holiday season and all year round. We also talk about a recent Apple firmware update for AirPort base stations, one that patches the KRACK exploit.
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This Is Potemkin Security
December 13th, 2017 | 28 mins 14 secs
Apple discovered an embarrassing bug on December 2, and had to rush out a hurried update to fix it. We discuss this, look at the best way to back up iOS devices, and explain a change that Apple has made to iOS that trades security for convenience.
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I Have Root
December 6th, 2017 | 27 mins 7 secs
We discuss the recent serious vulnerability that affects macOS High Sierra, which prompted Apple to rush out a security update. We explain what this means, and how important it is to keep your Mac up to date.
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Tom Cruise Is in the Row Behind You
November 29th, 2017 | 29 mins 47 secs
We look at a fake antivirus blog that's distributing malware, and we discuss why you need to protect your Mac when you're at the coffee machine. Because Tom Cruise might be lurking near your Mac.
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Episode 6: Passwords Are Hard (correcthorsebatterystaple)
November 22nd, 2017 | 32 mins 29 secs
passwords, security
Kirk and Josh take a close look at passwords, how to create secure passwords, and what types of passwords to avoid.
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Two-Factor Authentication; Should You Be Worried about Bitcoin?
November 15th, 2017 | 32 mins 49 secs
security
Kirk and Josh talk explain what two-factor authentication is and why you should use it, then discuss Bitcoin, and explain how some apps and websites hijack your processor to make (virtual) money.
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iOS Apps and Privacy; Amazon Wants to Open Your Front Door
November 8th, 2017 | 28 mins 4 secs
security
Kirk and Josh talk discuss recent issues around apps having access to your iPhone's or iPad's camera all the time. They then wonder if they'd let Amazon go into their homes when no one's there to drop off packages.
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New Mac Malware, and Apple's New APFS File System
November 1st, 2017 | 25 mins 25 secs
intego, macs, malware, security