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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1277879
expected for ARM Macs is something called “pointer authentication”. To understand why this is a security protection, you first need to know a little bit about how computer memory works, and how it impacts security. Underneath the hood of your computer, when the CPU receives instructions to execute code, it’s always being told exactly where in memory it needs to go (e.g. go to this memory address and execute the instruction you find there; go to that memory address and retrieve the value stored there). And the way a CPU knows where to go in memory is by using a “memory pointer”, which is just a sequence of bits that references a specific memory address. The reason that this can become a security issue is that there are certain kinds of vulnerability that allow bad actors to craft malicious pointers and feed them to the computer, essentially telling it to go to the wrong place in memory. This can result in crashes, or, even worse, in the computer executing arbitrary instructions or malicious code. In a truly worst-case scenario, an attacker might be able to gain remote admin access to a compromised machine. The most recent versions of the ARM architecture have introduced a protection designed to prevent this from happening (a protection which is already in place on the iPhone). The 64-bit memory pointers used by modern ARM architectures don’t actually use all 64 bits to reference a memory address — there are always some extra, leftover bits. So ARM decided to put those surplus bits to good use! The previously unused bits are now used to store a “pointer authentication code” (PAC), which is basically a cryptographically generated digital signature for pointers. PACs allow the system to use cryptography to verify that the pointer came from a trusted source. Before it uses a memory pointer, it can check to make sure it’s validly signed. If it isn’t signed, or if the signature is invalid, the computer knows that something is wrong — and refuses to use the pointer. This means that although bad actors may try to send malicious pointers to an ARM Mac, they won’t be able to provide the digital signature required to get the computer to actually use their pointer. The end result should be a Mac that is hardened against these kinds of attacks. Apple Silicon Macs will be good for Apple, and good for users in terms of performance and security. But that leaves one final question: Should prospective Mac buyers wait for the Apple Silicon Macs to come out before investing in a new computer? As with so many things, it’s going to come down to each individual user’s needs and concerns, but we can offer a bit of guidance — especially for those who are worried that an Intel Mac purchased today will soon become obsolete. First, it’s important to keep in mind that the transition to ARM Macs is supposed to be gradual, not instantaneous. Apple isn’t even releasing the new Apple Silicon machines until the end of the year, and they still have unreleased Intel Macs in their product pipeline. The full move away from Intel is expected to take around 2 years to complete. So it’s safe to say that Intel Macs are not going anywhere for the time being. Secondly, Apple has announced that it will support Intel Macs with new versions of macOS for the foreseeable future — pretty much indefinitely. In addition, their developer tools will make it reasonably easy for devs to maintain versions of their apps that work on both the x86 and the ARM architecture, which means that it’s very unlikely that you have to worry about your favorite apps suddenly disappearing. The bottom line is this: If you want to wait six months, or a year, to purchase a Mac, then go ahead and wait for the Apple Silicon versions to come out. But if you need to buy a new Mac right away for whatever reason — your old machine is giving out, you’re starting a new job or heading off to college — then you shouldn’t be put off by concerns about support and compatibility. Most people who buy an Intel Mac today won’t have to worry about these issues for a long time to come…and by the time it does start to become a problem, they’ll probably be ready to purchase a new Mac anyway. About SecureMac Founded in 1999, SecureMac (www.securemac.com) has been a leading contributor to Apple security since the 2005 release of the original MacScan anti-malware tool. In the years since, SecureMac has continued to play an essential role in providing macOS users with straightforward options for better security. From the development of the faster and more powerful MacScan 3 to the company’s ongoing development of online privacy tool PrivacyScan, users can easily equip themselves for protection. With the addition of The Checklist, SecureMac continues to showcase a deep commitment to accessible security and the importance of digital awareness for all Mac users. For more info visit https://www.securemac.com/