Security and Privacy Resources

System

OS X & IOS

Submitted by:  Robert Frazier

Tip

We are all concerned about security and privacy of our Apple devices. Here are a couple of resources you can use to check privacy and security settings on your Apple devices.

Apple has produced a PDF entitled “Device and data access when Personal Safety is at Risk”. The intro to the guide reads as follows:

“Apple makes it easy to connect and share your life with the people closest to you. What you share, and whom you share it with, is up to you — including the decision to make changes to better protect your information or personal safety.If you’d like to revisit what you share with other people, or restore your device’s original settings for any reason, this guide can help you understand what information you are sharing via your Apple devices, and how to make changes to protect your safety. It includes step-by-step instructions on how to remove someone’s access to information you’ve previously granted: from location data on the Find My app, to meetings you’ve scheduled via Calendar.If you’re concerned that someone is accessing information you did not share from your Apple device, this guide will also help you identify risks, and walk you through the steps to help make the technology you rely on as private and secure as you want it to be.”

Another resource that can be helpful comes from 9to5mac.com. The following link is to their article “App privacy labels show stark contrasts among messaging apps”. The intro to the article reads:

“Apple’s new app privacy labels went live in the App Store last month, giving users the chance to see what data is collected by each. We then explained how to view them.

All apps are required to show what data is used to track you, and what data is linked to your identity. Looking at that more comprehensive category reveals some stark differences between four popular messaging apps… “