Chapter 6
Staying Secure Online
In This Chapter
Understanding the dangers of going online
Using a firewall
Avoiding trouble online
I know you’ve heard horror stories about hacking: Big corporations and big government installations seem to be as open to hackers as a public library. Often, you read that even entire identities are stolen online. When you consider that your Mac can contain sensitive and private information about your life — such as your Social Security number and financial information — it’s enough to make you nervous about turning on your computer long enough to check your eBay auctions.
But how much of that is Hollywood? How truly real is the danger, especially to Mac owners? And how can you protect yourself? The good news is that you can easily secure your data from all but the most determined hacker. Depending on the hardware you’re using to connect to the Internet, you might be well guarded right now without even knowing it.
In this chapter, I continue a quest that I’ve pursued for over two decades now — to make my readers feel comfortable and secure in the online world by explaining the truth about what can happen and by telling you how you can protect your system ...
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