A feature that many people enjoy on OS X is the lock option, which lets users remotely set a PIN for their Mac. However, iCloud's Find My iPhone service requires a password to enter the system upon booting.
How safe is the PIN that iCloud offers? Enabling a feature like locking a Mac may sound like a great idea until one delves into it further. The PIN required is only four digits, which means that there are only a possible 10,000 options to cracking the PIN number. Apple does try to deter users or anyone from actually trying 10,000 times by locking users out of entering the PIN number through progressive wait times. Ways around this are by restarting the system and trying again.
While in theory this sounds like a safe and secure way to protect data and files, there are ways around it. The larger issue lies in the OS X lock option is a hardware based lock. If someone were to simply remove the hard drive from their Mac and place it into another successfully, the lock can no longer protect the data.
CNET author Topher Kessler gives three very useful options to users on what they can do to protect their data and files. According to Kessler, these three options joined together would secure your Mac as much as possible. The options are as follows:
For users wanting a little extra security on their Macs, Kessler advises to lock things up.
© Copyright 2020 Mobile & Apps, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.most read
more stories from OS / Software
Microsoft has reportedly started talks with HTC to add its Windows OS to the phone maker's Android smartphones and HTC is apparently considering to make a Windows Phone/Android dual-booting smartphone.
ernest hamiltonA bug in Chrome for iOS 7 has caused Google's mobile browser to leak private searches made in 'Incognito' mode.
ernest hamiltonHTC has announced that Sprint has already started to roll out the Android 4.3 update to the HTC One, AT&T and T-Mobile will follow in mid-October, while Verizon will release it by the end of the month.
ernest hamiltonThe new Windows 8.1 has gone up for pre-order on the Microsoft Store, ahead of the official launch on Oct. 18.
ernest hamiltonApple has acknowledged the iOS 7 iMessage issue and promised to provide a fix in an upcoming software update.
ernest hamiltonSamsung Canada and French carrier SFR have confirmed the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean rollout schedule for the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
ernest hamiltonThe unlocked, international HTC One is getting Android 4.3 Jelly Bean now, but the U.S. and Canadian versions will 'slightly miss' the end-September timeframe.
ernest hamiltonThe Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 are reportedly slated to get Android 4.3 Jelly Bean in the fourth quarter, by year-end.
ernest hamilton