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This Free Mac cleaner is a multifunction utility tool that can help you clean up the browsing catch, system junk and optimize the speed of your Mac. It is also known as one of the best Mac cleaning tools for professionals as it has a little difficult UI than others. 1.磊 Avira Free Antivirus for Mac — Best for Overall macOS Protection in 2021. Avira Free Antivirus for Mac is my favorite free antivirus for Mac — it provides lightweight cloud-based malware scanning as well as more free features than any other brand on this list, including real-time protection, intuitive system tuneup tools, a surprisingly good password manager, and even a VPN! The best part about CCleaner is the fact that this Mac cleaner is completely free. Although, there is a pro version of the software, the free version doesn’t compromise on the major features.
How Does Antivirus Software Work?
Any time you open or download a new file, an antivirus program will scan the files for viruses and other harmful executables. Almost every free anti virus software today features multiple scanning detection processes. The most basic detection process is called “specific detection.” It works by scanning a file for various sets of characteristics and checking these characteristics against a list of already known malware. This process is an essential component of an antivirus software, and essential for every free PC antivirus, but it is also easy for cybercriminals to evade. All a cybercriminal must do is modify the malware code slightly to render it undetectable.
The top free antivirus, Comodo Antivirus, does not rely only on specific detection. Comodo also uses heuristic detection and containment to ensure that even unknown malware cannot compromise our users’ computers. Heuristic detection is a method of analyzing a file to determine if it contains suspicious code. If suspicious code is detected then the antivirus deletes the file or recommends it for containment. Files run in Comodo containment are kept in a sandbox environment, separate from your operating system. Heuristics is about detecting virus-like behavior or attributes rather than looking for a precise virus signature that matches a signature on the virus blacklist.
A common misconception that lingers to this day is that free antivirus protection is not adequate to deal with malware threats. Though this pay have been true in the past, today’s best free antivirus software have features that can keep you protected from even the most advanced malware. The best free antivirus on the market today, Comodo Antivirus offers features more advanced than most paid antiviruses. Comodo Antivirus gives users a major advantage over not only an antivirus-free environment, but also the best paid antivirus products on the market.
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Comodo's virus protection technology has proved its mettle for battling virus threats through tried-and-tested methods. Infection Defense+ barricades the access of any dubious programs at all critical checkpoints, while the Auto-Sandbox Techniques isolates the potentially harmful programs in a restricted environment without letting it affect your workflow.
Comodo antivirus 2021 also features the Default Deny Protection which, as opposed to other security software, denies access to a program if it's not in Comodo's comprehensive whitelist. The cloud-aware security features are light on the system and provide constant virus scanning and behavior analysis report.
macOS provides multiple methods to protect the data on a Mac: a user account password, encryption via FileVault, and optional low-level security measure that prevents starting up from storage devices other than the selected startup disk. That's known as the firmware password or EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) lock, which will also block the user's ability to use all startup key combinations, except the NVRAM or PRAM reset combinations. This command (Option + Command + P + R), however, will initiate the machine from macOS Recovery instead.
The Lost Mode feature of Find My Mac will remotely lock the Mac with a firmware password for one-time use. The user's Mac receives the lock instruction from iCloud, restarts, and asks for the system lock PIN code that they set up. After entering the passcode the Mac starts up from the designated startup disk and disables the passcode.
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A firmware password is not the same as the administrator password or login password. It's a separate password that appears immediately after boot and must be entered into the system lock screen, which appears as a lock symbol on either a black or a gray background.
Firmware Passcode Security
Low-level passwords are quite secure, which also means there is potentially a headache if the password is forgotten. If you or any of your users can't remember the firmware password or passcode, know that Apple doesn’t allow for any workarounds, but instead recommends scheduling a service appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. The process requires the original receipt or invoice as proof of purchase.
Earlier versions of macOS required manual installation of the firmware but, starting in 2015, Apple began bundling EFI updates with the macOS updates in order to deliver security patches to all users. But as security firm Duo Labs discovered in late 2017, some Macs aren't getting the right firmware, which makes them vulnerable to hackers. They recommend checking the firmware version and updating if needed.
Firmware Passcode Location
On Intel-based Macs shipped before 2011, the firmware password was stored in the PRAM and read by the system EFI firmware before other PRAM variables. That lead to a serious security issue, allowing the firmware to be revealed in a native macOS app and weakening the enhanced security Apple had hoped to introduce with the addition of the firmware password.
In 2011, however, Apple added an important change to the system: the firmware password was moved to a separate programmable controller from Atmel. This component contains lockable flash memory to store the password and requires special programming with identifier numbers for both the Mac's motherboard and the Atmel chip to access and reset it.
Since the controller is an independent component, the only way to bypass it is to manually remove it from the motherboard, but this requires highly precise reflow soldering tools and techniques.
Bypassing the Mac Firmware Password on MacBooks With Upgradeable RAM
Mackeeper
This hardware hack works on both Intel- and Motorola-based MacBooks and requires users to remove the RAM and reinstall it. You can check our guide on how to upgrade the RAM on Macs for further reading.
- Shut down your computer and remove the battery.
- Locate your RAM, remove one of the RAM modules and put it aside.
- Put the battery in, and boot your computer while holding the Command + Option + P + R keys to reset the parameter RAM.
- Wait for the chime to sound three times.
- Release the keys and shut down the computer.
- Remove the battery again, and reinsert the RAM module.
- Put the battery back in.
- Boot up your Mac, and you should not see the firmware lock again.
Disable the Password With Firmware Password Utility
- Restart your Mac while holding down the Command + R keys to enter Recovery Mode.
- When the Utilities screen appears, go the Utilities menu bar, and select “Firmware Password Utility”.
- Choose to turn the Firmware Password off.
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If none of the above methods worked, there are still two more options to try: either have Apple do it for you, so long as you have the original receipt or invoice, or alternatively use any of the EFI lock bypass hardware kits available for sale on various sites. In using one of these EFI lock hardware bypass methods you’ll almost certainly void your warranty, so it is down to you whether you want to risk the procedure.
Best Mac Optimization Software of 2021
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Apple Cleaner Free
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