You Should Use a Firewall on Your Mac (but Not on Apple)
A firewall is an important security tool for your Mac. Not only does this help protect your Mac from online security threats, but it also improves your privacy by allowing you to keep an eye on the data you send and receive from the Internet. In some cases, data exchange is necessary, such as when updating software for your Mac. In other cases, a malicious app may use it to send your personal data to servers on the other side of the world. With a firewall you can prevent this from happening.
What is a firewall?
A firewall is a tool that allows you to monitor the network traffic sent and received by your computer. You can think of it as a gateway between your computer and the Internet. Without a firewall, all apps have unrestricted access to the Internet, but when you use a firewall, those apps will have to ask for your permission before they can call home.
A firewall can be a hardware tool or a software utility. Most of us have already used hardware firewalls as modern routers have built-in firewall features. By default, they can block incoming connections, and some of the more expensive routers even allow you to block outgoing connections.
Hardware firewalls can protect all devices on your network, and unlike software firewalls, they cannot be easily disabled by malware on any one computer. A software firewall, on the other hand, is a gatekeeper between your computer and the Internet, which means it is better suited for controlling the connections of individual applications on your computer.
Should I use a software firewall?
While software firewalls are great for privacy and security, they are not for everyone. I think everyone should use a firewall, but the reality is that some people will find firewalls a little restrictive because you have to approve every connection in and out. However, you can set up rules to keep the firewall out of the way.
How does a firewall work?
By default, your Mac will allow all network traffic to reach your computer, and it will allow almost all applications to send data. When you enable a strong firewall, you will have to approve almost every request for incoming and outgoing traffic. This includes checking the app for software updates, downloading, uploading data, and much more that requires an Internet connection.
Firewalls support a stealth mode that follows the instructions you give without any prompts, but even this is restrictive because you won’t be able to surf the Internet as freely as you’d like. The downside is that you are much more protected from cybersecurity threats, or at least you are very aware of every connection your Mac makes to the Internet.
How can I use Mac firewall?
Your Mac comes with a firewall, but it is disabled by default and can only monitor incoming connections to the computer. It does not allow you to control outgoing traffic. You can try using your Mac’s firewall to see if you like it, but I have recommendations for third-party apps from well-known developers that make using a firewall much easier and provide security and privacy benefits. On a Mac, click the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen and go to System Preferences . Now go to Network > Firewall and turn on Firewall .
You can click the Options button on this page to configure the firewall to your liking: you’ll see an option to allow firmware to receive incoming connections (i.e. Apple’s own software), as well as any signed software you use . downloaded. These apps are usually quite safe because Apple verifies the developers who have “signed” their apps. You can also choose whether or not to allow incoming connections to various apps and services, but you’ll quickly notice that you can’t control outgoing connections, meaning that if a shady app wants to send your data to an unknown server, you can’t use the built-in firewall to stop this.
Which firewall applications should I use?
Luckily, there are some great third-party firewall apps for Mac. Little Snitch is my favorite: it has a solid set of features, such as the ability to monitor and block any kind of traffic on your Mac; blacklists that automatically keep trackers at bay; and a great interface that provides useful information and makes it easy to understand. As much as I love this app, it costs $59, which means it’s not for everyone.
You can also try a cheaper alternative like Radio Silence , which Lifehacker recommended previously . It may not have the polished interface and all the features of Little Snitch, but it will do the job that a firewall is supposed to do: let you stop apps from calling home. The app does its job well and costs $9, making it a great option for those who need a firewall on a budget.
Finally, there’s a completely free firewall app for Mac called LuLu . I’m usually wary of recommending free apps that serve such an important security purpose, but LuLu has earned the trust of the community. It is a free and open source application and you can check out its GitHub page to learn more about the application. At the time of writing, it is under active development, which is also a plus, since sometimes such applications are closed and never updated again. The interface isn’t as polished as the paid apps I’ve recommended, but it works well and you can use it to see if a firewall app is right for you.