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macOS Security and Privacy Guide

A community guide with step-by-step techniques for hardening and improving privacy on Apple silicon Macs.

GitHub Download source
Stars
22.6k
Forks
1.5k
Licence
MIT
Language
Shell
Last update
4 days ago
Type
Learning resource

What it is

This is a long, community-written guide that lists practical settings and habits for making a Mac more secure and private. It covers topics such as disk encryption with FileVault, the firewall, DNS and browser privacy, backups, and monitoring. It is written for experienced users but says it is also suitable for beginners interested in security.

  • Work through the Basics and FileVault sections to encrypt your disk and set up backups
  • Review the firewall and DNS sections to decide which network controls fit your situation
  • Build a simple threat model using the example table in the README
  • Look up browser privacy options for Firefox, Chrome, or Safari

Great for

  • Mac owners who want a checklist of security and privacy settings to work through
  • Experienced users who want practices commonly used by organizations
  • People who want to build a threat model before choosing which controls to apply
  • Users with Apple silicon Macs, which the guide specifically targets

Not ideal for

  • Organization-managed Macs, because the README points to the NIST macOS Security Compliance Project for those instead
  • People who want a one-click tool; this is a set of manual techniques, and the guide says you are solely responsible for consequences of following it
  • Anyone who needs guidance for older Intel Macs, since the README frames its scope around Apple silicon
Step-by-step guide: how to use macOS Security and Privacy GuideInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

How to get it

  1. 1

    Read it online

    Clone the repository

    git clone https://github.com/drduh/macOS-Security-and-Privacy-Guide
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Open the guide at https://drduh.github.io/macOS-Security-and-Privacy-Guide/ or the GitHub repository
    • Read the Basics and Threat model sections first
    • Write down your assets, adversaries, and the mitigations you are willing to accept
    • Work through the sections that match your model, such as FileVault, Firewall, or Backup
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the Threat model section before applying any settings, so each change addresses a specific risk
    • Use the Example model table as a starting template for your own assessment
    • Check the Related software and Additional resources sections for complementary tools
    • Keep macOS and apps updated, as the Basics section recommends

Downloads

Source code (.zip)main branch · straight from GitHubOfficial website & docsdrduh.github.io/macOS-Security-and-Privacy-Guide/

Strengths

  • Organized as a checklist with a table of contents covering many areas of macOS
  • Starts with threat modeling, which helps you choose controls that match your real risks
  • Free, MIT-licensed, and maintained in public with a large community following

Trade-offs

  • Provided 'as is' without warranties, and the author takes no responsibility for outcomes
  • Many steps involve terminal commands and system settings that can affect how your Mac behaves, so careful reading is needed
  • Some recommendations involve trade-offs in convenience that the guide itself says you should weigh

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
macOS-Security-and-Privacy-Guide (this)22.6kLearning resourceintermediate4 days agoMac owners who want a checklist of security and privacy settings to work through
the-practical-linux-hardening-guide10.9kLearning resourceintermediate2.0 years agoSystem administrators hardening a Linux server who want a readable checklist
ipatool12.1kCLIintermediate12 days agoDevelopers who want to script App Store searches or downloads from the terminal
RemoveWindowsAI13.6kDev toolbeginner8 days agoWindows 11 users who want Copilot and Recall removed
YubiKey-Guide13.1kLearning resourceadvanced4 days agoDevelopers who want to sign commits and log in over SSH with a hardware-backed key
user.js13kDev toolintermediate6 days agoDesktop Firefox users who want stronger privacy defaults

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.