![]() ![]() If anyone has any questions, let me know! Those are the main firewall solutions for the Mac. ![]() If you’re using Intego VirusBarrier for your Mac antivirus solution, it makes sense to use Intego NetBarrier instead, since it’s included with Intego VirusBarrier. Little Snitch has added more features, plus Little Snitch doesn’t require a subscription, so if you’re using another antivirus solution for Mac, Little Snitch is a great addition to the built-in macOS firewall and your network router’s firewall for solid firewall protection. Intego NetBarrier works similar to Little Snitch (it offers support for outbound firewall alerting at the app level, as well as with granular control such as allowing certain apps to certain domains). The research assistant in the app also can lookup additional information on the app prompting the connection message in case the app’s name isn’t familar.įor those who use Intego VirusBarrier, Intego NetBarrier is also included. ![]() The network monitor is also a neat feature that allows you to see how much data apps are using, as well as where the servers are located where the apps are connecting to. You can also choose to receive alerts immediate or silently allow/deny them then manually review the rules later with silent mode. It’s a small cost, but it does allow for granular control over outbound connections from apps and even what specific domains specific apps can use. It reminds me of when I used ZoneAlarm on Windows years ago. For those wishing for control over outbound connections, I recommend Little Snitch. The built-in firewall on macOS does not allow for outbound connections. I also recommend enabling Stealth Mode under Options, as Apple has always recommended enabling that. If you need to manually add an app to the firewall, clicking the plus button under Options allows you to easily allow or deny apps to the firewall.Īny sharing services you enabled under the Sharing section of System Preferences are automatically added to the firewall as allowed. You should seldom see any prompts to allow or deny apps through the firewall (I haven’t seen one in years), although in the past, I did see prompts from certain apps like Microsoft Office. I recommend checking “automatically allow signed software to receive incoming connections” under Options, as it allows the majoirty of the apps on your Mac to automatically allow through the firewall. The firewall does have the ability to handle application-level connections. It is enabled under the Firewall section of Security and Privacy in System Preferences. Macs have their own built-in firewall which offers solid inbound network firewall protection (but not outbound). If you’re not sure, ask your router manufacturer or ISP to ensure this is enabled correctly for your network. In this segment of Mac Security, I’ll be covering firewall protection for Macs.įirst of all, for your home Internet, your router should automatically have network-level firewall protection on the router (pretty much every home router should automatically have it and have it enabled).
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