A flaw on the High Sierra operating system puts Mac users' security at risk, here's how to defend yourself while waiting for Apple's security patch
A new flaw discovered on macOS High Sierra operating system puts millions of users at risk. The vulnerability allows hackers to easily enter the computer, rummage through our data, perform actions against our will and install programs. Luckily, we can defend ourselves.
According to Apple itself, Mac users are advised to take action. Cupertino has indicated to its users to perform a series of steps, quite simple and suitable even for those who do not have great computer knowledge, to avoid ending up in the hands of a cyber criminal. For those who are not familiar with the new vulnerability, it is a problem at the level of user access to the device. In High Sierra, it is enough to type "root" in the "user name" field (without entering a password) and then press Enter to take possession of the device even without knowing the password protection.
How to protect your Mac
This vulnerability exposes us not only to remote attacks but also to physical attacks. Let's think for example about when we leave our Mac unattended for a few minutes in an office or a library. At the moment Apple is working on a security patch but until it is ready we have to take precautions manually. Basically we have to set a password to the Root user. In this way, it will be impossible for an attacker to write root and access the Mac if he is not aware of the password. To do this, the first step is to go to the Apple Menu and from there select System Preferences and then click on the section Users and Groups (Account). Once the new page opens we have to click on Login Options and enable the changes by clicking on the lock in the lower left corner, entering the username and password we usually use on our PC. At this point we click on Login and then on Directory Utility. We will be asked to enter a specific password. Once we enter the access code our Mac will be safe.
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