Security - Outdated Mac use

I have a late 2013 iMac that I use for an old 32 bit game (using the OS before Catalina). I also use it for web browsing but I don’t log into any accounts.


it is not logged into my iCloud/Apple ID. I do not have any sensitive documents on the hard drive.


Am I at any risk of accounts being compromised by using this Mac? Again I don’t plan on logging into anything other than this old game. But I am unsure if accounts I logged into previously are at risk.


Happy to provide more info if I didn’t provide enough context for an answer.

Posted on Apr 1, 2024 8:42 AM

Reply
9 replies

Apr 1, 2024 12:29 PM in response to _Sco_

I wouldn't worry about it, I'm running Mojave, the OS before Catalina, if you do browse the Internet then...


Mostly you just need a more modern Browser than Safari on Catalina, Mojave, or High Sierra like Firefox or Brave.

https://brave.com/

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/83.0/system-requirements/


Details about recent download Brave, for 10.13.6/10.14.6 are here:

<https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/releases/tag/v1.57.64>


Firefox 83.0 System Requirements (mozilla.org)


Opera…Thanks

https://www.opera.com/download/requirements

Opera system requirements | Opera


Thanks to dialabrain…

Firefox 115 is now the current version. runs in High Sierra.

119.0.1 is now the current version and requires 10.15 or later.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/


Thanks to A Brody, Browsers by Mac operating system

Browsers by Mac operating system - Apple Community


Apr 2, 2024 7:13 PM in response to _Sco_

Even currently supported systems are at risk, probably more so because attackers will assume most people will be running the most recent version of macOS, plus many of them will likely be using the newer systems. Same thing even applies to Windows systems and has been known as security through obscurity since most current attack vectors target things in the current OS that did not exist in older outdated & unsupported versions.


If you follow the advice in the article @John Galt linked (and even wrote), then you will be doing the best to minimize encountering any issues. Make sure to read all the linked articles within that article as well.


As @John Galt has already mentioned, phishing attacks are much more likely to cause you problems than encountering any random issues from using your current system.


If you are still concerned, then clear out the Keychain and each web browsers' stored data (or any other app such as Mail). Or perform a clean install of macOS and only reinstall your game(s) and the game's stored data. Then you have nothing on the system except your game credentials to worry about. However, sometimes people do have issues reinstalling macOS so be careful. I would highly recommend first creating a bootable macOS USB installer just to be safe so you may have more options available if something goes wrong.


Personally I would not worry about it.

Apr 1, 2024 10:20 AM in response to _Sco_

Sure, I understand, but the problem with hypothetical questions such as "lets say my Mac is infected with malware" is that they can only be answered hypothetically. Specific answers require specific questions, such as identifying the specific malware that concerns you — a question you understandably can't answer.


Mac malware is simply too broad a concept to easily dismiss with a few brief words. For example there are plenty of garbage products that should never be installed on any Mac. Their developers would object to them being characterized as "malware", but if you are concerned about exposing passwords or related sensitive data the only way that's going to happen is if you deliberately installed something or allowed someone or some thing to remotely access that Mac. Those products might be garbage, or they might be perfectly legitimate, but the point is neither one of those possibilities happens by accident. It can occur through deception though.


Lacking any additional information I suggest using EtreCheck and posting its report in a reply to this Discussion. How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting Large Amounts of Text, i.e. an Etrecheck Report - Apple Community describes how to do that. Is it possible that some kind of obscure malware has deeply embedded itself in an area EtreCheck won't find? The answer is yes — hypothetically — but it's unlikely.

Apr 1, 2024 9:51 AM in response to John Galt

Perhaps I didn’t ask my question in the right way… this answer sort of dodges the meat of my question.


lets say my Mac is infected with malware (which is more likely or at least more likely of going undetected since security is outdated) what am I at risk of exposing to the malware or other threat if I am currently not logged into an Apple ID and have no sensitive documents on the hard drive?


my guess is that if I don’t log into anything I’m not at risk of exposing any of my passwords… is this correct? Or is there some lingering data on my Mac that would allow a third party to gain access to accounts I historically used before it was infected with malware.


— I’m using malware as a general term since I’m no security expert and don’t know the different names of threats

Apr 1, 2024 10:34 AM in response to John Galt

My question is answerable but you seem to be focusing on the Mac being compromised by a security threat. My question is not about preventing that eventuality.


im simply trying to understand what sort of sensitive information or passwords someone would be able to get their hands on if I don’t log into any accounts going forward. Is there lingering password information on my Mac? Can someone access my Apple ID or keychain even if I was logged out of it prior to any intrusion and do not log in again? Focus man this is answerable.

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Security - Outdated Mac use

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