“You don’t know how much you appreciate your privacy until you don’t have it.” Morgan Freeman.
If you read the posts on Windows, you’ll note that I’m repeating some text I had there, modified for macOS. If you have a Mac and not a Windows PC, you may have skipped those posts. So here goes.
It’s essential to control access to your Mac. Modern versions of macOS require a password to login. Some Macs support login with a fingerprint. I recommend using a password. And you might consider using a passphrase instead. It’s easier to type and you’ll be typing it a lot.
But what about a fingerprint? Some Macs support Touch ID to login with a fingerprint.
Opinions vary.
I prefer using a passphrase for three reasons. First, I can change it if it’s compromised. I can’t change my fingerprints in any way I wish to contemplate. Second, my fingerprints exist in several places. I’ve had security clearances. I’ve used CLEAR at the airport. A skilled hacker could lift my fingerprints from anything that I’ve touched. Since my fingerprints are stored in multiple places that could be breached, there’s the possibility that my fingerprints could be compromised. Third, while the law is evolving, law enforcement generally can’t compel me to provide something I know, like a password, but they can compel me to provide a fingerprint to unlock a device. Use your own judgment.
I recommend you configure your Mac to go to “Sleep” if it’s been idle for a period of time. Perhaps you went to make a cup of coffee, or to enjoy a walk in the countryside, and left your Mac unattended. And make sure you require a login when your computer wakes up. This is easy to do:
- Click the Apple icon on the top left and select “System Settings >Lock Screen.” Set the following four options: “Start Screen Saver when inactive,” “Turn display off on battery when inactive,”
- “Turn display off on power adapter when inactive,” and “Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off.”
Note that your Mac will go to sleep if you close the lid.
You should always control access to your Mac by requiring password to login and after it wakes up from sleep. This is basic computer hygiene, much like brushing your teeth.
On to user account management.
Information provided in this post is subject to the disclaimer in the first post of this series.