HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR MAC HAS BEEN HACKED

MACS ARE GENERALLY SECURE FROM HACKERS, BUT MACS HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED. HERE'S HOW TO TELL IF YOUR MAC'S BEEN HACKED AND WHAT TO DO

- KAREN HASLAM

It's a long-held belief of Mac users that their computers are immune to the kind of malware and viruses that plague Windows PCs. While there is some credibility in this idea, we shouldn't get overconfident when it comes to Mac security, as there are exploits criminals can use to hack your Mac and leave it like a wide-open door through which they can steal your data or worse.

In this article we take a look at whether Macs can be hacked, how to tell if your Mac has been hacked or if someone is spying on your Mac, and what you can do if your Mac is being remotely accessed. Here's what you need to know-and what you need to do.

CAN MACS GET HACKED?

Apple has gone to great lengths to make it difficult for hackers to gain access to Macs. With the protections offered by Gatekeeper, the Secure Enclave features of the M1- and M2-series of chips and the T1 or T2 chip, and Apple's built in antivirus XProtect, hackers may consider targeting Macs too much effort. We discuss this in more detail here: "How secure is a Mac?" (fave.co/3qflqix) and "Do Macs need antivirus software?" (fave.co/42Xt7bS).

However, from time to time security vulnerabilities are detected that hackers could use to exploit Macs. These vulnerabilities are sometimes referred to as back doors or as a zero-day vulnerability. When these are identified by security researchers (or friendly hackers), they usually alert Apple to them in the hope that the company will close the vulnerability quickly-or within zero daysbefore it is exploited. Such vulnerabilities, though rare, could allow an attacker root access to your Mac.

Apple is usually quick to fix these issues, but there have been occasions where Apple has been criticized for being slow to respond to the threat once it has been identified.