Security is a key focus in macOS Catalina

Security is a key focus in macOS Catalina

Sarah Brown by Sarah Brown on

macOS Catalina launched earlier this month, and it’s chock full of fantastic new features. We’re thrilled to see the emphasis Apple has placed on user privacy and security in this latest release. I installed it on launch day and have been exploring the ins and outs ever since. Here’s what I was most excited to see – and what the 1Password team thinks you’ll love too.

Lock it up tight

Losing my laptop is one of my worst nightmares – all my photos, music, and writing gone in a flash. Sure, I keep backups of everything, but I don’t want anyone else getting their hands on my important information. Or my high school photos that prove I had no sense of style. That’s why the new Activation Lock feature is so incredible.

With the new security feature in place, no one can access your account even if they physically have your computer. So, if your laptop is stolen from a coffee shop, the only person who can erase and reactivate it is you. It gives you peace of mind and adds an additional layer of security to your data. Even if someone got their hands on your laptop, they’d still be completely locked out of everything.

Exploring Safari

I’ve always flip-flopped between browsers. But, no matter what, I’ve always gone back to Safari. It’s like an old reliable friend. And with new intuitive features like directing me to the right tab when I start typing an address of a website I already have open, I may never look back.

There’s a lot to love in the latest version of Apple’s web browser. The new start page makes it easy to jump right to my bookmarks and frequently visited websites. It even pulls in and displays links from iMessage, so I don’t have to scroll through weeks of messages just to find the chocolate bourbon cake recipe my sister shared with me.

Protection for macOS

To keep your Mac running smoothly, Catalina also introduces a new dedicated, read-only system volume to keep your operating system files safe and sound. It’s completely separate from all your other data, which means it can’t be accidentally overwritten.

Apple has also made it easier to use and develop hardware peripherals and sophisticated features without compromising on security. With DriverKit and user space system extensions, code for these programs runs separately from the operating system, just like any other app, so they won’t affect macOS if something goes wrong.

All of this means extra layers of protection for your critical operating system files – improving reliability and reducing the risk of unwelcome system failures.

Enhanced Gatekeeper

Even with the plethora of apps available from the Mac App Store, there are still some that need to be downloaded directly from the developer’s site. And if you’re anything like me, you may sometimes forget to verify how safe and secure it is.

Enhanced Gatekeeper checks every new app you install for any security issues before you run it for the first time. It will also periodically check that the app remains safe to use, for as long as it’s installed on your machine.

It was no small feat for our developers to get 1Password working seamlessly with Apple’s new operating system, but I’m so glad they did. With all of the impressive upgrades to 1Password 7 and the new exciting features of macOS Catalina, this combination is now my favorite way to browse the web safely.

1Password 7 is included with every 1Password membership, and has everything you need to organize and secure your digital life. Upgrade today to enjoy the best compatibility with macOS Catalina and all of our new features.

Have you downloaded macOS Catalina yet? Drop us a line on Twitter, we’d love to hear your what your favorite features are!

Sarah Brown

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