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Beginner · Lessons: 4

Your operating system, your first line of defence

What an operating system does, how permissions and sandboxing protect you, and why updates matter.

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  1. 1 What an operating system does

    The kernel, processes, files and user accounts: four ideas behind everything your Mac does.

    7 min
  2. 2 Permissions and sandboxing on macOS

    How the app sandbox, the privacy permission prompts, and your account type each limit what software can do.

    8 min
  3. 3 How macOS checks the apps you open

    Code signing, Gatekeeper, notarization and XProtect: four checks that run before and after you open an app.

    8 min
  4. 4 Why updates matter

    What a vulnerability is, how a patch fixes it, and how to keep macOS and your apps current.

    6 min

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