The Checklist by SecureMac

By SecureMac

What's The Checklist by SecureMac about?

SecureMac presents The Checklist. Hosted by Ken Ray, each week The Checklist hits security topics for your Mac and iOS devices. From how-to's and safety tips, to security news of the day, The Checklist by SecureMac takes a conversational, solutions oriented approach to security for the average user. Check in each Thursday for a new Checklist!

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The Checklist by SecureMac episodes:

05.03.2024
Checklist 374 - 2FA Minus One
The dating app Tinder is taking steps to protect its users. We’ll tell you what those are. First though: The world now knows how bad guys were able to steal the medical info of millions from Change Healthcare… and you...
04.26.2024
Checklist 373 - Change We Can’t Believe In
We are looking at the recent Change Healthcare hack that may have exposed info on half of the people in the U.S. HALF! Then - an iPhone scam that is notable for its simplicity and brazenness. Don’t try THAT at...
04.19.2024
Checklist 372 - A Roku Breach and a Doubtful Exploit
Over half-a-million Roku accounts were compromised recently. We’ll look at what’s being done, and ways to keep your accounts safe. Plus - talk of a scary iPhone exploit that probably doesn’t exits. That’s all on Checklist No. 372, brought to...
04.12.2024
Checklist 371 - AI and (Probably) Pegasus Re-Revisited
More news of AI tools and shenanigans powered by AI tools. It is an election year, after all. Also - Apple’s let people in 92 countries know that somebody’s trying to take over their iPhones. It is an election year,...
04.05.2024
Checklist 370 - The New Old AT&T Data Disaster
After months of romance scams and AI worries - there is something refreshing about a simple data breach story. Not comforting, just understandable. Somehow sensitive info on over 70-million past and current customers of AT&T; has ended up floating around...
03.29.2024
Checklist 369 - Tax Scams and Password Attacks
It’s tax season and, unlike the Valentine’s Day shows, we thought we’d do this year’s tax show before taxes are due. On today’s episode, several tax scams of which the IRS wants you to beware. Plus - have you heard...
03.22.2024
Checklist 368 - Love 2.0 Hurts
Remember those organized crime driven romance scams we talked about last week? The organized crime part is no joke - we’ll tell you more. Plus a story that shows ANYONE could fall victim to a romance scam, and the bugs...
03.15.2024
Checklist 367 - Love 2.0 Stinks
The world of online dating has scammers using A.I. to steal your heart - so they can steal your money and personal info. We’ll talk about ways to avoid those scams. Think a digital dalliance with a chatbot is safer?...
03.08.2024
Checklist 366 - Don’t Be THAT Guy
A look at the security side of Apple’s latest OS updates, inexpensive and insecure video doorbells, and the security dangers of being THAT guy: That’s all on Checklist No. 366 - brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show...
03.01.2024
Checklist 365 - There’s a Camera in My Candy
Apple is taking a stand against detecting CSAM in the cloud. Yes - that Apple. We’ll tell you their argument. Plus - Apple fights bad guys from the future, and the tale of a seriously creepy, privacy invading candy machine....
02.23.2024
Checklist 364 - Tech Tackles Technical Difficulties
We are experiencing technical difficulties - like… the planet is. It’s not AI run amok yet. More - people running amok with AI. Good news though - parties somewhat responsible for the mess are making noise about mitigation. We’ll tell...
02.09.2024
Checklist 363 - The Imaginary Toothbrush Botnet
On this edition of The Checklist, we’re following up on the real call from a fake President Biden to voters in New Hampshire. First though - while a DDoS attack from a toothbrush powered botnet did not actually happen, there’s...
02.02.2024
Checklist 362 - Voices, Lords, and Passkeys
On Checklist No. 362: We know which tech was used for the presidential deepfakes - you'll never guess what they get The UK may stop everyone from getting software updates… And a couple of communications apps get added login...
01.26.2024
Checklist 361 - OS Updates and A.I. Presidents
On this week’s episode: Turning on Stollen Device Protection in iOS 17.3 A slew of security fixes from Apple Warnings and calls from AI synthesized US presidents That’s all on Checklist No. 361, brought to you by SecureMac. ...
01.19.2024
Checklist 360 - A.I. and 23andMe Follow Ups
On this week’s episode: A game to see whether you can tell who’s a bot or not An A.I. tool to fight A.I. synthesized voices in deepfakes The Weaksauce Play of the Week (It might be a thing!) ...
01.12.2024
Checklist 359 - In an Election Year?!?
2024 is an election year - in the U.S. and around the world. Some say it will also be the first A.I. election. We’ll look at concerns around A.I.-generated misinformation and ways to avoid falling victim on Checklist No. 359,...
01.05.2024
Checklist 358 - New Year, New Stuff!
On this New Year’s edition of The Checklist by SecureMac: Using new tech safely Disposing of old tech safely Resolutions to make for a cyber-safe 2024 Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us:...
12.21.2023
Checklist 357 - The Hacky Holidays Special
An 11 year-old wreaks havoc, a game that is not worth playing, and putting a blind guy behind the wheel - Voices of Checklists passed tell us about their favorite hacker movies, including Hackers, WarGames, Sneakers, and Superman III. What...
12.14.2023
Checklist 356 - Security Updates in Apple’s Latest OS Updates
Apple dropped a slew of OS updates this week - nearly all of which came with security tweaks and fixes. We’ll take a look at some of those. Then - there’s a big set of security protections planned for a...
12.07.2023
Checklist 355 - 23andMe and 7 Million Others
A bad story gets worse - We’ll talk about the growing number of victims in the 23andMe breach. First though - an interesting story about what might happen when one goes into Lockdown Mode late. That’s all on Checklist No....
11.30.2023
Checklist 354 - Safe Holiday Shopping in the Metaverse and Meatspace
It’s the holiday season, and The Checklist by SecureMac wants to make sure you’re shopping safely - online and in physical stores. Beware the Grinch Bots and Juggers! And find out what those things are on Checklist No. 354, brought...
11.21.2023
Checklist 353 - A Letter on Passkeys from Allison Sheridan
As you gather with friends and family this holiday season, consider letting them know about the safety, security, and ease of use of passkeys. Allison Sheridan, host of NosillaCast Podcast - online at Podfeet.com, has written an email to friends...
11.16.2023
Checklist 352 - AI: The "A" is for "Anxious"
On Checklist No. 352 by SecureMac - Why the “A” in A.I. is for both "artificial" and "anxious," some A.I. news that might make you more anxious, and safety measures you can employ to help allay that anxiety. Check out...
11.09.2023
Checklist 351 - DNA, Heavy Hacks, and Knock-Offs
Revisiting a few past stories this week, including: - A look at knock-off AirPods - A possible Pegasus sighting in Armenia - Genealogy sites start requiring 2FA That’s all on Checklist No. 351, brought to you by SecureMac. Check...
11.02.2023
Checklist 350 - Spyware and Celebrities
- Apple moves to fight iMessage eavesdroppers - An apparent spying operation in India - Famous people used as phishing lures That’s all on Checklist No. 350, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And...
10.26.2023
Checklist 349 - iPhone Scams, Passkeys, and OS Updates
Checklist 349 - iPhone Scams, Passkeys, and OS Updates Turning overheating iPhones into a scam Learning from Amazon's Passkey implementation The security side of this week's OS updates from Apple That’s all on Checklist No. 349, brought to...
10.19.2023
Checklist 348 - 23andMe and You and Everyone We Know
- Catching Up on the 23andMe Hack - Avoiding Social Media Scams with the FTC - California Passes the Delete Act That’s all on Checklist No. 348, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And...
10.13.2023
Checklist 347 - Passkeys and Past Advice
Apple and Google are pushing us toward a passkey future. We'll talk about how and why. Plus - why do people KEEP falling for scams? We'll look at a few reasons on Checklist No. 347, brought to you by SecureMac. ...
10.05.2023
Checklist 346 - Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023
It's National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This week, we’ll pay a visit to the good folks at CISA.gov for a list of tips to keep businesses safe and a list to keep individuals safe. Tell a friend! It’s Checklist No. 346,...
09.28.2023
Checklist 345 - Privacy, Security, and Sonoma
This week - we’ll look at privacy and security features built into macOS Sonoma as well as some small but mighty important updates for all Apple hardware. Plus - stopping unsavory and unsolicited pics in messaging apps. That’s all on...
09.21.2023
Checklist 344 - iOS 17, Pegasus, and Sportsball!
Privacy and security features in iOS 17! News on some recent Pegasus targets! Getting cyber-ready for the big game! That’s all on Checklist No. 344, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch...
09.14.2023
Checklist 343 - Pegasus and Wonderlust
Pegasus is still flying, and Apple is still trying to bring it down. We’ll catch up with the latest on NSO Group’s spyware. Plus - Privacy and security aspects of Apple’s latest iPhone and Apple Watch event on Checklist No....
09.07.2023
Checklist 342 - Cyberattacks, Moonshots, and HIPAA
BlackBerry has bad news about cyberattacks on three key sectors. We will focus on one - healthcare, what some people are doing to protect that sector, and what we can do to protect ourselves on Checklist No. 342, brought to...
08.31.2023
Checklist 341 - Fake Goods and Student Loan Scams
The Feds recently seized $400K in counterfeit Apple kit. We’ll talk about avoiding the fakes, and what to do if you think your headphones are phony. Plus - Student loan payments are restarting soon. We’ll talk about some of the...
08.24.2023
Checklist 340 - QR Codes and Magic Doors
On Checklist No. 340 by SecureMac - A look at a seemingly serious phishing campaign that hinges on malicious QR codes. Plus, the UK plans the impossible - a backdoor in encryption that only work for good guys. That folly...
08.17.2023
Checklist 339 - Common Sense Security Steps
What do a new issue for Intel-based Macs, confusion around Bluetooth on iOS, and ATM skimmers and scammers have in common? They can all be thwarted by common sense security steps. We’ll talk about all of it on Checklist No....
08.10.2023
Checklist 338 - Macs and Keyboards and Required Reasons
On Checklist 338 - Exploits targeting macOS are on the rise on the dark web. We’ll check that, plus stealing keystrokes via sound and new API rules for Apple developers on this edition of The Checklist brought to you by...
07.20.2023
Checklist 337 - I, Charger
On Checklist 337 - We’ll look at scammy online ads, the dangers they pose, and how to avoid them. First though - Like “juice jacking” on steroids, EV Chargers pose a potentially huge security risk. We’ll look at why, what...
07.13.2023
Checklist 336 - Rapid Security Response (and Retreat)
You’ve heard of Apple's Rapid Security Response - but how much do you know about it? We’ll examine it through the lens of this week’s two RSR releases. Plus - one school’s password reset fail. That’s all on Checklist No....
07.06.2023
Checklist 335 - The Annual Summer Blockbuster Special
In the movies, bad guys are often taken down by a tech vulnerability. This week, we revisit our look at how best practices could make bad guys better at being bad. Where Khan went wrong Some of the Empire’s...
06.29.2023
Checklist 334 - Summertime, and the Scamming’s Easy
Summer’s here and bad guys are on phishing trips. We’ll talk about some seasonal scams making the rounds, plus common text scams and how to avoid them on Checklist No. 334 brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our...
06.22.2023
Checklist 333 - Passkeys and Security Updates
Apple released a lot of small but mighty updates on Wednesday - patching vulnerabilities on devices new and old… we’ll go over what was released and what got fixed. First though - the password is dying: Long live the passkey....
06.15.2023
Checklist 332 - Privacy, Security, and WWDC23 Part II
Fighting A.I. hazards, improving app privacy labels, and another safeguard for Apple Vision Pro - We'll hit more privacy and security news from WWDC23 on Checklist No. 332 brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist...
06.09.2023
Checklist 331 - Privacy, Security, and WWDC23
WWDC23 is (or was) this week. While the last one seemed short on privacy and security talk, such talk runs deep this year. We’ll look at safety features coming to iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and the operating system...
06.01.2023
Checklist 330 - CAPTCHA, Pegasus, and Mr. Softy’s Migraine
Microsoft has found a Ventura vulnerability. We’ll tell you what it is and what to do about it. Bad guys have found a decidedly low-tech way through CAPTCHA, and Apple’s Pegasus spotting is spot-on. We’ll hit it all on Checklist...
05.25.2023
Checklist 329 - Voice Clones and OS Updates
Motherboard has run a proof-of-concept exercise using a cloned A.I. to break into a bank account. We’ll tell you what the U.S. Senate wants to know, and how you can protect your account from such attacks. Plus a look at...
05.18.2023
Checklist 328 - Talking with Grandpa and ChatGPT
Scammers are targeting everybody, though the elderly are among the most vulnerable. We’ll look at ways to help protect them. Plus - have you told ChatGPT stuff you wish you hadn’t? We’ll tell you how to take it all back...
05.11.2023
Checklist 327 - A.I. Dangers and Working Remote Securely
ZDNet has shared eight tips for working securely away from the office. We’ll share those with you. First though - A.I. Voice Scams are on the rise. We’ll talk about what they are and how to avoid them on Checklist...
05.04.2023
Checklist 326 - Schrödinger's Vulnerability
Suddenly juice jacking doesn’t exist? We’ll talk about that argument and what you can do to fight it (whether it’s real or not). Plus - AirTag gets a vote of confidence, a word of warning, and a coalition. We’ll hit...
04.27.2023
Checklist 325 - Alerts on Alerts!
Extortion fraud emails are on the rise, your HomePod has picked up a safety feature, and there’s a more prevalent computing threat than juice jacking. We’ll hit it all on Checklist 325 brought to you by SecureMac. Check out...

What's The Checklist by SecureMac about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Checklist by SecureMac episodes:

Checklist 374 - 2FA Minus One

Checklist 373 - Change We Can’t Believe In

Checklist 372 - A Roku Breach and a Doubtful Exploit

Checklist 371 - AI and (Probably) Pegasus Re-Revisited

Checklist 370 - The New Old AT&T Data Disaster

Checklist 369 - Tax Scams and Password Attacks

Checklist 368 - Love 2.0 Hurts

Checklist 367 - Love 2.0 Stinks

Checklist 366 - Don’t Be THAT Guy

Checklist 365 - There’s a Camera in My Candy

Checklist 364 - Tech Tackles Technical Difficulties

Checklist 363 - The Imaginary Toothbrush Botnet

Checklist 362 - Voices, Lords, and Passkeys

Checklist 361 - OS Updates and A.I. Presidents

Checklist 360 - A.I. and 23andMe Follow Ups

Checklist 359 - In an Election Year?!?

Checklist 358 - New Year, New Stuff!

Checklist 357 - The Hacky Holidays Special

Checklist 356 - Security Updates in Apple’s Latest OS Updates

Checklist 355 - 23andMe and 7 Million Others

Checklist 354 - Safe Holiday Shopping in the Metaverse and Meatspace

Checklist 353 - A Letter on Passkeys from Allison Sheridan

Checklist 352 - AI: The "A" is for "Anxious"

Checklist 351 - DNA, Heavy Hacks, and Knock-Offs

Checklist 350 - Spyware and Celebrities

Checklist 349 - iPhone Scams, Passkeys, and OS Updates

Checklist 348 - 23andMe and You and Everyone We Know

Checklist 347 - Passkeys and Past Advice

Checklist 346 - Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023

Checklist 345 - Privacy, Security, and Sonoma

Checklist 344 - iOS 17, Pegasus, and Sportsball!

Checklist 343 - Pegasus and Wonderlust

Checklist 342 - Cyberattacks, Moonshots, and HIPAA

Checklist 341 - Fake Goods and Student Loan Scams

Checklist 340 - QR Codes and Magic Doors

Checklist 339 - Common Sense Security Steps

Checklist 338 - Macs and Keyboards and Required Reasons

Checklist 337 - I, Charger

Checklist 336 - Rapid Security Response (and Retreat)

Checklist 335 - The Annual Summer Blockbuster Special

Checklist 334 - Summertime, and the Scamming’s Easy

Checklist 333 - Passkeys and Security Updates

Checklist 332 - Privacy, Security, and WWDC23 Part II

Checklist 331 - Privacy, Security, and WWDC23

Checklist 330 - CAPTCHA, Pegasus, and Mr. Softy’s Migraine

Checklist 329 - Voice Clones and OS Updates

Checklist 328 - Talking with Grandpa and ChatGPT

Checklist 327 - A.I. Dangers and Working Remote Securely

Checklist 326 - Schrödinger's Vulnerability

Checklist 325 - Alerts on Alerts!