How to configure macOS for privacy

[@Leopard589]

this channel is pure gold.

[@mckinsleyapollon3873]

Cybersecurty is severly underrated. People like you is what we need in order to help us protect ourselves in this age of information. Keep up the good work. You've just gained one new subscriber!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push!

[@shed185]

Really enjoying the privacy guides! It's really helping me be far more aware of my digital footprint. It would be great to hear your thoughts on privacy vs convenience as it seems like there is a contradiction between the two. Keep up the great work!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push... have you watched kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmXWdH-erpKlrZo

[@sophiegadoury830]

Looking forward to your upcoming videos!

[@dylansauers]

Been going through your videos one at a time & have to say it's some of the best stuff re: privacy I've found on youtube yet! Great work!

[@housebee1]

7:56 xD FU Siri! You're OG Sun, good to have you, keep doing what you're doing. A lot of people need this.

[@johnmknox]

Great video and very useful advice! 20:47 It looks like your notifications were also set to display on a locked screen for the messages as the box above was ticked. I went through each one and unticked that option to display on a locked screen.

[@thetruthcellar-channel1038]

Best Channel for any Mac user, Love your content Sun !!! I did the spoof my mac and it worked, but between that and my iphone it went nuts on me..lol

[@Psychiatry.321]

macOS (Stable, Beautiful and just works) Windows (High compatibility , widely used and support more features) Linux (Works Great but not suitable for everyone)

[@hughdingos9710]

I’ve stumbled into a security function at work and need to up my game. This channel is great!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push Hugh. 🤓

[@VincentTamer]

Thanks for taking the time to show us this!

[@yushamoto6043]

Love how your obsessed with privacy and security as well as i am even tho im very new

[@bambangkurniawan5634]

The contents of this channel is awesome! You are awesome, dude!!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push!

[@marcelodecarvalho6030]

I'm switching to an Apple computer for the first time ever and this video was marvelous. Thank you.

[@nicolasalibert]

Hi, thanks for all of this content! I'd like to apply all these advices but I'm currently using my mac (M1 pro) with a some cracked software, do you think I should start a new session ? or even wipe all data on the disk? What do you think about the risk of using cracked software ?

[@daphmaier]

Just found your Channel, big thanks for the privacy series it´s great !! That has been a big topic on my to do list. Will keep your stuff in mind with my new Laptop coming soon :-)

[@aldenmoreton99]

Hey Sun I’ve been poking around your channel for a while now and have recently subscribed. Just wanted to send some encouraging words and let you know your content has been extremely helpful. Please keep these videos coming!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push Alden. More content coming!

[@floridahummer]

looking at a new MBP as my 17" 2010 MBP is still good but can't run these new OS, will try what you are saying.

[@Sormad]

Thx for all of this. I tried to degooglize myself, but ended up spending a lot of time messing around with KZbin restricted mode getting locked - ha ha. 😄 I learned a lot. I don’t think my life and business are ready for the complete James Bond mode yet, but I definitely recognize all you are saying. 🙏

[@FinancewithXibaobao]

Awesome! Will you make a new one of these privacy/ cyber security videos for your newer Mac or is it the same? I have been watching for a while.

[@tigermerman416]

this is awesome, please keep it up!

[@JemShrewd]

Just stumbled upon your playlist - Thank you for your work!

[@yummysoup]

this channel is gold for a paranoid like me about privacy . Iam binge watching your content, great work thank you for the videos.

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure! Glad this research is helpful to others. 🤓

[@waltermontoya1508]

Great content. Question: Should I enable “find my mac” located in the system preferences details section of location services? If so, is there other part of this section I should enable? Thanks :)

[@sunknudsen]

Great question... I tend to keep location services disabled which includes "Find My Mac".

[@GuillermoBaezaAres]

​@@sunknudsen Do you use an alternative to FInd My Mac then? Or do you just go live your life without it?

[@mohammedkabloowi3683]

HOLY SHIT its sun Knudsen. Ive been using your randomize computername /mac adress stuff for years and years

[@MichaelSharpTechniSmart]

Looking forward to your series. My Mac is installed on Big Sur. You skipped past Complete Disk Access, which I see so much checked. Any advice?

[@sunknudsen]

Great question... I would avoid granting complete disk access unless absolutely necessary. On my computer, I only allow iTerm and Alfred 3.

[@jacmorales5314]

Just subscribed. Love your content and I am learning a lot from you.

[@HarleyBob957]

I’m glad I found this channel..info I’ve been looking for..thanks for the vids

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure!

[@joelwarne8165]

I'lkl probably post this to your other vid on macos security too, but while expensive ($450 for gold), I found Firewalla to be incredibly successful for securing my home network. At one point I jokingly named my Wifi SSID "FBIVan202". That drew unwanted attention, and I was subject to Man in the Middle Attacks. Took two steps: Got rid of Xfinity so I could actually control my modem's configuration, and purchased Firewalla, using it as my primary router. (Required an access point.) The M-I-T-M attacks stopped immediately. What I really love is that it has a powerful processor and it runs on linux. So, you can use a third-party VPN by running VPN in client mode from the router, apply it to your entire network, so everything, including tvOS, is covered encrypted and re-encrypted.

[@GrayChasee]

hey! i got here because i just watch netflix's documentary called 'social dilemma' lmao. now i am binge watching your videos and try to gain knowledge on how to be more secure online, thank you so much

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure, thanks for caring about privacy!

[@ZenonFrankster]

Thank You for such a great and content. I have question - is it ok, to just run your procedure or shall I rather reset my mac (as I would like to cofigure new mac) and then change settings as You have showed.

[@sunknudsen]

Hey, clean installs are great to makes things snappy again. That being said most settings in this episode can be configured post-install.

[@tthetechnician3912]

hey great channel very helpful..is there a reason you did not check "block all incoming connections except those required for Mac OS" option??

[@ankiiths3274]

i get a notification that . . . other devices is using my IP . . . why is it s0 because i am using my phones/mac/laptop on the same network . . . how can I remedy this . . . TQ can you plz . . . post some . . .basic to advance tips to prevent hacking / ethical hacking . . . on social media platform/network . . . ONLY using MAC it would be very helpful thank you . . . plz explain things like Richard Feynman . . . so I can relate tech into my daily life . . . sometimes tech language not easy to understand . . . like what does a new company/privacy/setting policy means for us . . . as a customer . . . what these security checkboxes actually entail. . . (even though you explained it in a very intriguing way I am thrilled and looking forward to it ) . . . as I am a very basic user . . . but want to learn . . . eg. without falling into the trap of updating device every time and buying new apple product every year :( P.S - I like to know more and what I can do with my mac . . . glad I found your channel. . . . like the 2160p *) love from India

[@АнтонКоршенко-л8л]

Thank you for what you’re doing, subscribed. Gonna watch all your videos.

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure, thanks for caring about privacy!

[@gamegamesoumic]

I've recently stumbled upon your channel, and really enjoying your content. I'd love to see a video on linux (perhaps fedora/debian) on a windows laptop. What are your thoughts on that?

[@dannykitzen3907]

Hi Sun, During the setup you mentioned you would get back to the Apple-ID part later, but I don't think you did. I'd like to know if it's safe to sign in to this (I reinstalled MacOS from scratch), or only with limitations, or rather not at all? Personally I only used it to sync my contacts (however I can see why that is not a great idea) and to use Find My Mac (although if that is location-bound, I guess that's also not a great idea). However I also have a Final Cut Pro X subscription tied to this that I want to use and reinstall, for which I have to log in to the App Store. What are your thoughts on this? Hoping you can help.

[@sunknudsen]

I am personally comfortable signing in using my Apple ID, but use iCloud as little as possible and disable location services (including Find My Mac).

[@Elder650]

Can you make such stuff for iPhones pls

[@PM-cq8vr]

Thanks Sun! Grateful for your guidance.

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure! Thanks for caring about privacy. 😊

[@LurichMichaelLee]

Nice video! Absolutely loved the "F*ck you, Siri!" comment! hahaha!

[@ZY-cr7yg]

5:20 “I need to blur it out somehow. “ Blurred it with his head

[@ashishpatel350]

step one: download and install a linux distro. osx isnt for privacy. they mine data just as much as google.

[@edwardcharles990]

Switched over to Linux after being on Mac for thirty years, and have not looked back. Love the Penguin.

[@PSKuddel]

Very interesting, where can I find the video about why you should stick with Apple Mail and not use third-party mail clients, that is being mentioned in the video?

[@samhobo2586]

Just found your channel! Thank you for putting out the great content.

Thank you for your privacy tips, Sun Knudsen. A question: Is Spotlight not too a privacy hole?

[@monduli]

Thank you for all the great info subscribed ... I've been using Macs since 1988 (Mac II) and I realise now that I know absolutely nothing!

[@sunknudsen]

Glad this content is helpful.

[@lm6157]

Mr. Knudsen is there a way I can contact you privately because I do not want the harsh comments about my lack of knowledge on how to secure my Mac M-1 operating system. I am so grateful that I just found your videos yesterday but I am still having a hard time in understanding how to secure my Mac system. I am trying to guess if I need to download the script programs that you mention in some of the videos. I am new to trying to figure out ways to secure my system but as I mentioned I need baby steps when it comes to tutorials. Thanks. Also, how do I get to your blog the privacy guide where I can possibly find out more in-depth information.

[@eointhomas2914]

Working as linux and windows admin for years, think I will begin my mac journey after this :)

[@thomasipad7719]

Maybe update this for M1 Macs? They add some problems....

[@1Tymel]

Keep it going... Subscribed!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push Ty!

[@rolando7613]

Hi Sun I'm enjoying your videos as I'm also Canadian (Ontario) and a MacBook Pro / iPhone 7 user. I have macOS 11.4 (Big Sur). Would you be updating your video as Mojave is old now. Do you have text guides for the videos you make that are up-to-date? Thanks and have a nice safe day.

[@isabeloisa]

Hi Sun , bonjour 👋🏾. I loved your tutorial on the iPhone so thank you for that sadly I do not ha e a Mac anymore but a ASUS Vivobook witch is run by window edge 😩 and I am asking you if by any chance you could do a tutorial for it 🙏🏼 I have been looking to find a guy like you on KZbin that could do a such simple straight forward tutorial on the topic but in vain . Can you help Isabelle

[@THETRUTHOR]

I’m also now having trouble witch certain websites. I have t found your “De-Google” video yet, open to suggestions. Perhaps I have to restart factory and reinstall? Appreciate the advice friend.

[@XAL-t9q]

Thanks for all!

[@user-un4jp6bt6u]

h1 i am a big fan of you, regards - but when video for MacOS Ventura (M1,2 pro chips) ??

[@inspiringalchemy]

What are your thoughts on on the new iPhone 16 and its emphasis on AI?

[@sbeckas]

Future consideration for accessibility needs-if u would please zoom in on what u display it can be viewed by all-seeing background desert is not as important as seeing the screen. thanks!

[@PasoGirl7]

Hey Sun, I'm looking for the iPhone video that detailed certain settings to turn off for privacy and security reasons. Please point me in the right direction. Thank you for all you do for us tech noobs.

[@SiriPod597]

This is a great guide. Thank you from Hongkong.

[@gglreallysucks5512]

Respect to Hong Kong and I hope you’re doing alright - never give in to the tyrannous, disgusting CCP!!!!

[@ogkev663]

Hey! Quick question. On the privacy section in security & privacy, there's supposed to be a an option that says "Screen Recording" I noticed it didn't pop up for you but it's an option, so I'm assuming there's a way to add that. Thanks!

[@sunknudsen]

Can you please ask your question on github.com/sunknudsen/privacy-guides/discussions?

[@ogkev663]

@@sunknudsen Alright.

[@helloak90]

Do you recommend additional anti virus software for Mac like bitdefender?

[@sunknudsen]

For most use cases, I recommend mindfulness (being careful… proactive) rather than relying on an antivirus (offensive). Perhaps other can pitch in, but feels antiviruses are more of a Windows thing of the past.

[@jaythermo6937]

I knew some or most of the things you pointed out but I have an advanced question. on security > firewall do you check block all incoming connections ? if not do you select certain connection to be allowed or blocked? I have done this which limits my airdrop which I used a lot but I have to do this every time I want to transfer.what is a good solution while blocking all connections to my computer

[@peachhh7024]

Hi Sun if you recommend turning Bluetooth off, do you also recommend not using AirPods?

[@sunknudsen]

I have mixed feelings about Bluetooth. At home, I consider it OK... but I recommend disabling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when on the go... but as always, depends on the threat model and how much convenience we are ready to trade against increased privacy.

[@beefvalve]

Love Your videos. This is such an enrichment. Please bring us more content :-)

[@Intryx]

Hey Sun, is there a way for me to enable location so that I can still find my device when it is lost but still restrict access for location to everything else?

[@sunknudsen]

I would not suggest enabling location services, but I guess you could hand pick what is allowed to track your locating in "Security & Privacy" / "Privacy" / "Location services".

[@oldkid6]

Is it worth getting antivirus software like Bitdefender for Mac? It seems like based on what Mac OS offers already it could possibly be overkill.

[@raphaelzamora7974]

learning to be more security and privacy conscious in 2020 and found your channel! also is that a Uniqlo crewneck?

[@sunknudsen]

Hey Raphael, it’s an H&M. Thanks for caring about privacy!

[@pete5482]

Hi Sun, I just discovered your channel and it's amazing! I'm a new mac os owner and I want to format the OS but I just can't seem to find an image to burn to a usb or external disk. I usually use windows and linux mint and I usually do it every year o so. Why it's so difficult to find an image to burn off an official site? Anyway, keep up the good work!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push! Did you stumble upon support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372?

[@pete5482]

@@sunknudsen Yeah, I finally did it, but I wish it was more straight forward, safari was mandatory for some reason. Gonna keep watching the series, cheers

[@muuroccanmama3234]

TY for this channel, Sun! 👍🏾 Peace 🇲🇦

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure! Glad this content is helpful. 🤓

[@harder2bgood10]

Hi thank you for sharing your knowledge . Do you know if i can reset up my families laptop ,to be secure? Thank you in advance.

[@superxbert]

the actual video starts at 9:07

[@florinsoltan]

Awesome, great done! Superb Channel!

[@jensbjorkqvist6634]

very nice! just reseting my mac for this

[@george4549]

Hi, what is your opinion of Brave browser? Thanks!

[@froekenur]

Hey Sun, How does turning on file vault effect the speed on the computer, for example video editing, will it slow down the mac?

[@sunknudsen]

There is little to no overhead when turning on FileVault given the encryption is done at the hardware level. FYI encryption is factory enabled on T2-equipped Macs.

[@froekenur]

@@sunknudsen Sorry what does hardware level mean? And i use an 2019 imac with no T2-chip, but fileVault should still not be a problem for final cut?

[@sunknudsen]

@@froekenur Intel CPUs have been optimized to compute AES encryption very efficiently.

[@crsm9824]

how to remove siri and other unwanted mac apps? or why to just leave them in place, but turned off

[@sunknudsen]

Unfortunately, we can’t uninstall built-in apps. Disabling them should be enough. Have you watched kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZXSmZalqrmInrM I also recommend using an application-layer firewall like Little Snitch to manually allow or block outbound connections. This is a great way to see what is going on under the hood and block unwanted apps from accessing the internet.

[@Me-DevPatel]

Does it improves privacy if you create your own internet(ISP) provider

[@johnstephenson8087]

Excellent. Some of your MacOS security setting recommendations seem to be more applicable to portable Macs than desktop systems. True?

[@saumya942]

Regarding the recovery process - "what if I lose my password" - I'm unable to find a video on the same. Is it in the pipeline? If it is, then is there any guide you would recommend in the meantime?

[@rolando7613]

Do we enable (tick box) or disable (untick box) Personalized Ads in Privacy / Apple Advertising - Big Sur?

[@MyDogSteppedOnaBeee]

Hey quick question. Since I configured my Mac and the firewall settings as you suggested now airdrop from an ios device to my mac does not work unless I turn off my firewall every time I airdrop something. This is kind of annoying. Do you know or anyone else reading this another way I can get this to work without having to turn off firewall all the time if I want to airdrop from iPad/iPhone to a mac computer? I have done a lot of trouble shooting and this was the last resort. It is happening in ios 14.3 and BigSur..Thank You. Your Channel is really great!

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push and feel the pain... to be honest, I have forgone the convenience of AirDrop a long time ago so I cannot help. Perhaps others have workarounds?

[@ananamusly]

Hey Sun what do you think of that xkcd cartoon on password security where he shows 4 random English words have more entropy than something people typically use like l337h4x0r15@

[@lastatarist]

Excellent vidéo but what about touchID? Surely better than a good password?

[@bufahnakanesa3688]

Can I do it with Macbook pro M1 the same way all you're videos working

[@js_programmer8423]

So, im a software developer & as a dev, we tend to use the terminal alot (which accesses hidden files & files deep on my hard drive) .. will fileFault mess anything up for me as for as using the terminal now that the mac will be encrypted .. there is a section that says (secure & erase all decrytped data) im paranoid about this..can you elaborate or make a seprate video about this.

[@sunknudsen]

Hey Jackie, enabling FileVaut doesn't affect the terminal... or any other aspect of your Mac. The encryption is handled seamlessly. That being said, I would recommend backing up your data (on an encrypted external hard drive) before enabling FileVaut to be safe.

[@cashtracka]

yes I appreciate this channel. I spoofed my Mac thanks man

[@sunknudsen]

Good work!

[@evanboye8898]

Bro thank you so much for this. Im A beginner that's an adult and this has helped me understand so much.

[@sunknudsen]

Pleasure! Happy to see this content is helpful.

[@sheliaclanton7392]

I think I did something wrong. I can’t find my privacy setting tab under system preferences. It’s no longer there. How do I get it back? It only shows general, firewall, fire vault no privacy tab. Help

[@thetruthcellar-channel1038]

Hey Sun, I have a quick question if that's ok? I guess I need to know what my expectations should after I config some of your privacy stuff, that I love by the way. The reason I ask is because I still like when all things make since like syncing, hand-off ect.... between my iPhone X, Macbook Pro, and my home wi-fi newtork. So when Im going for more privacy and my mac starts acting weird, iPhone acts like it's the Macbook, my network starts asking me for a 64 character hex password, or it say I need to contact my network admin, which is me?..lol Thank you

[@david2284180]

New M1 MacBook Air had AEServer checked in Security & Privacy > Accessibility. I unchecked it. Is that ok? This is my first Mac computer.

[@joelwarne8165]

Another question. I asked on the Firefox video whether your preference for Firefox has changed, given private relay encrypting all Safari traffic in a way that goes beyond any other VPN. That is, it bifurcates the actual IP address from the website you're seeking to resolve, sending them through different servers/nodes, so that they meet up in the end. They claim that, as a result, no one organization, including Apple, should they be subpoenaed, has the ability to provide both your IP address and the IP address/domain of the sites you browsed. That is, assuming Apple and the other orgnization was compelled to decrypt your information. What they could provide would be useless. There are some critics. It only encrypts Safari information. To those critics, it appears to also encrypt all otherwise unencrypted information from the system. So, if you're running a VPN, the only thing that will be sent through Private Relay is Safari information. If you're not using a VPN, it seems that all information from macOS or iOS is encrypted through private relay. The question I have here, however, has to do with Hide My Email. It seems nice not giving companies your actual email address. However, unless Apple is decrypting your email, scanning it for spam server-side, etc., which would be bad, the only difference is you're using enumerable email addresses to represent your actual email address. Is this significant?

[@arangulanathans7859]

I like the way you narrate

[@MayankChaba]

Keep making these videos. Amazing content.

[@sunknudsen]

Thanks for the push!

[@alitanwir3372]

Doesn't Apple also have backdoors ? Love the content by the way, subbed. :)

[@tirivaenim]

I’ve locked my router to accept only specific Mac Address so anyone even getting Wi-Fi password can’t have access, yet always spoofing MAC address is also recommended, so which is better?

[@onlyhazel9041]

finally .someone actually knows ......thank you so much

[@smgt412]

I've read that FileVault might affect speed/performance if you do a lot of heavy video and audio editing. Have you noticed any impact by having it enabled?

[@sunknudsen]

I had started shooting 4K and, on my mid-2015 MacBook Pro, the editing process was depressing to say the least. That being said, I don’t think the bottleneck was FileVault. Modern CPUs are optimized for this kind of encryption/decryption work.

[@smgt412]

@@sunknudsen I just checked out your T2 chip video and also found out that the chip is already encrypting the drive on the fly, whether or not FileVault is enabled. So I'm assuming with a T2 based Mac there shouldn't really be a difference anyways. I think it just password encrypts the hardware key, which explains why turning FileVault on was immediate.

[@pabstube1]

i notice your duet interface. What music do you make?

[@sunknudsen]

I used to create electroacoustic and electronic music years ago. I now use Duet and Genelec monitors for editing and listening to music.

[@scottrussell6873]

I've just discovered your videos; thank you very much, they are really helpful! (we say mow-haw-vee)

[@gman76utube]

Mow-ha-vee

[@louishurr393]

19:02 Wouldn’t this be the same for location services? ie. turn on and off for specific apps?

[@TheDreadwolfMetal]

It was nice, but what about those who are not installing everuything from zero?