Having a password on your device is the first line of defense in keeping others from having access to your data, your email and potentially the ability to gain access to various accounts through resetting passwords through email.

[or anywhere for that matter] Example: It was recently disclosed that Yahoo had over 1 billion accounts hacked. If you are a Yahoo user (which includes AT&T & Bellsouth) and you use the same password with other important accounts, the bad guys now have your other passwords too.

Old unsupported OS’s have known security issues that are vulnerable to being exploited. Also, newer OS’s that do not have the latest security updates installed. When you see the Red number 1 on the Settings App (iOS), or the Blue App Store (Mac). AND OF COURSE… update your Adobe Flash Player. But BEWARE the fake Adobe Flash Player pop-ups. (more on that later)

[2015 & iOS 9] (not to be confused with 2-STEP Verification [2013]) :-: Two Factor Authentication is REQUIRED for Apple Watch Auto-Unlock and HomeKit Device Control. You can add trusted numbers to be able to get into your account if you lose your devices. This leads to the next point…

If you do NOT have Two Factor Authentication turned on, then you should know your Security Questions including how they are Capitalized. Update the email address that Apple has on file for ID if you don’t use the email address itself anymore. Having the same icloud.com email address as your Apple ID may not be the best idea since email resets will not work if the password for your email isn’t correct.

This will keep others from possibly getting into your data if they somehow get access your Mac. – – Caution! : This can keep YOU from getting your own data if you don’t know your recovery key. – – – BACKUP! BACKUP! BACKUP!

(That’s the real question).  – – Some companies have a business model is based on tracking your steps and delivering more relevant ads based on what it sees. Especially when you are logged into their account, that data is being accumulated. In contrast, Apple has made it very clear that they do not want to associate any date regarding your usage to you.

This is a complex subject and can be very difficult to keep your interests private.

Give yourself a fighting chance of recovering your device by turning on this feature. We demonstrated this in the iCloud presentation.

This program is free and second to none that we’ve found for removing malware, which is becoming increasingly common on Mac. Also be sure to check browser extensions and home page settings, as these are modifications that are often targeted to redirect your browser to the dubious search engines and services.

Easily THE most devastating problem we are running into in the last year is the tech help scam. No reputable company makes their 800-number pop up on your screen to offer help for a problem that doesn’t exist. Apple’s number is 1-800-MY-APPLE. CSC’s number is 828-225-6600. Call someone you TRUST, not the number on the pop-up. They are lying to you, and further scams probably await if you fall for the first one.