The Checklist by SecureMac

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Episodes

462

Latest episode

Dec 2025

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About the show

SecureMac presents The Checklist, a weekly Mac security podcast focused on Apple hardware and ecosystems - that’s Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, as well as the apps and operating systems that run them. The Checklist offers cyber safety tips, online privacy advice, updates, and commentary on the week’s security news — all with a focus on Apple and Apple devices. Hosted by “Mac OS Ken’s” Ken Ray and featuring special guest appearances by cybersecurity experts, The Checklist is a fun, accessible approach to privacy and digital security.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

December 1, 202514 min

Huge Numbers and a Prediction for iPhone - MOSK: 12.01.2025

- Counterpoint: iPhone 17 Kept China's Singles' Day Smartphones Positive - Counterpoint: iPhone to Top Smartphones Through 2029 - TF International: Intel May Ship Apple Silicon in 2027 - Cook Pledges Apple's Support in Wake of Hong Kong Apartment Fires - Apple Pledges (RED) Donations Around World AIDS Day - iPhone Pocket Knockoff Pop Up on Amazon - Apple's Founding Documents Headed for Auction - Sponsored by OpenCase - MagSafe for iPhone Perfected. Build your own holiday bundle and save at TheOpenCase.com - Safe Holiday Shopping and Goodbye for Now on Checklist No. 451 - Find it today at checklist.libsyn.com - Catch Ken on Mastodon - @macosken@mastodon.social - Send Ken an email: info@macosken.com - Chat with us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Support the show at Patreon.com/macosken

November 26, 202519 min

Checklist 451 - Safe Holiday Shopping 2025

We're going a day early this week because Friday might be too late. The holiday shopping season kicks off in earnest this Friday. We're looking at tips for safe shopping both online and in lines this holiday season. Plus - a look back at nine years of this show. It's all ahead on Checklist No. 451, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

November 21, 202521 min

Checklist 450 - Weak Passwords and Deepfake Celebrities 2025

It is that time of year. Time to reflect… to look back… to realize how little we've learned, and shake our heads in sadness. 123456 is still the most used password according to a new study - and people still think that Taylor Swift is trying to sell them stuff on social media. We're looking at weak passwords and deepfake celebrities for 2025 on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

November 14, 202516 min

Checklist 449 - Background Improvements and a Meta Warning

Apple's brought back an old safety feature. We'll look at Background Security Improvements, what happened to the thing it replaced, and who should have it turned on. Plus - reasons to avoid shopping on Meta platforms on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

November 7, 202515 min

Checklist 448 - OS Updates and App Store Accountability

We're looking at a child safety feature and the over 400 security fixes in this week's 26.1 OS updates from Apple. Plus - Texas is exerting control over smartphone parental controls. We'll talk about Apple and the Texas App Store Accountability Act on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

October 31, 202522 min

Checklist 447 - iPhone Protections and Ghost Accounts

It's Halloween! There's a guy with an axe who wants to get into your iPhone! We'll talk about keeping him out. Plus - ghosts may not be real, but ghost accounts are. We'll tell you how to be a ghost account buster on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

October 24, 202515 min

Checklist 446 - Meta Warnings and Merit Badges

Meta’s WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are taking proactive steps to warn users of scammers on those services. We’ll tell you more. Plus - Scouting America has new merit badges for A.I. and cybersecurity. We’ll talk about those on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

October 17, 202518 min

Checklist 445 - Ransomware Revisited and a Bigger Bug Bounty

Apple is increasing bug bounties for good guys, in theory. We’ll talk about how much white hats might be able to get outta Cupertino. First though, Japan’s beer bungle was a ransomware attack. An update on that and the changing state of cyberattacks on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

October 10, 202515 min

Checklist 444 - Spoofing the FBI and Doctors without Manners

A bit of a boo-hiss story about a medical imaging group losing personally identifiable information on tens of thousands of patients. That’s not the boo-hiss part. We’ll tell you what is. First though - the FBI says someone’s impersonating the FBI. And you know it’s true because… it came from the FBI? Good advice from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com

October 3, 202516 min

Checklist 443 - Why Anti-Phishing Training Isn’t Working

We’re doing the ransomware thing again - checking on the folks at Jaguar Land Rover, plus what may be a ransomware attack at Japanese brewery Asahi. Then - why isn’t the anti-phishing training at your work working? UC San Diego has some thoughts. All of that plus tiny updates from Apple on this edition of The Checklist, brought to you by SecureMac. Check out our show notes: SecureMac.com/Checklist And get in touch with us: Checklist@Securemac.com