What are the Most Dangerous Apps?

[Brian K. Mitchell]

Another question here.....

 

What are the:

(a) most dangerous apps?

(b) the apps that should never be downloaded?

(c) apps on Mac OS that should be immediately deleted?

(e) apps that you highly regret?

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

If you're downloading apps through the Mac App Store or Identified Developers, 99% of the time, you'll be OK.

 

Apple verifies developers and can pull their certificate if they do anything nefarious.

 

If you need to run an app from a non-Identified Developer, just think before you install it.

 

I'd stay away from most "cleaner" apps such as "Clean My Mac". I've found Apple's built-in system optimization is good enough. I do personally use "AppCleaner" to remove apps since it trashes most leftover files from apps I remove.

 

I still run antivirus since I have to connect my Mac to a work environment that also interacts with government clients. I work part-time for a cybersecurity company, so I use what they provide me. I can DM info.

[Kristin]

Hi @Brian K. Mitchell,

Off the top of my head I would respond as such:

 

What are the:

(a) most dangerous apps? TikTok, Facebook (anything Meta), GoogleChrome

(b) the apps that should never be downloaded? TikTok, anything Meta, Snapchat

(c) apps on Mac OS that should be immediately deleted? The answers to questions A and B, GoogleChrome

(e) apps that you highly regret? I don't really "highly" regret anything, since like @Dr. Nathan Parker said, Mac is really secure about their store, so there really isn't much of a risk at all. Apps I regret enough that I deleted them are Zoom and Chrome. I ultimately deleted Zoom since I found it creepy that they required monthly updates and it is buggier than FaceTime and Skype. I really don't feel like Zoom works well on Macs. I got rid of Chrome because the platform didn't let me block Facebook cookies. I am not entirely sure what the connection is, but Facebook and Twitter are basically unblockable on Chrome. You can block them enough to make them unusable, but they still place tracking cookies. Google is also sort of just creepy. It is not realistic to live a Google-free life in the modern world, but limiting Google to a small degree seems prudent. 

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

I'm stuck with using Zoom for meetings across different organizations, but like @Kristin, I'm not a fan of it. If I could drop it, I would.

 

I don't use Google Chrome either. I currently use Brave since it's still based on the Chromium engine, but with less bloat. Google Chrome and Accordance's installer don't mix either, so we recommend not using Google Chrome to download our installer.

 

For search engine, I bounce back and forth to different ones. Right now testing Swisscows.

 

I left all social media a long time ago and haven't looked back (and I never had TikTok). I've replaced that time with additional Bible study or biblical book reading. Look at how much more Bible study I've been able to accomplish without having the "noise" of social media in my life.