Pareto Security macOS App REVIEW The Perfect, #1 Add-on to Keep Your System Safe

Take advantage of Apple Security with Pareto Security for macOS

Many years ago, I did computer repair primarily on Windows machines. Because of that, I was big on security since I saw all the damage malware and other hazards did to unsecured systems. When I made the switch to Apple computers, I was actually at a loss since there were far fewer exploits of Mac systems at that point in time. I found myself slipping up and enjoying the ease of everything Mac Operating Systems brought me.

I focused on designing and creating things rather than worrying about security. That’s not to say Apple’s Mac OS X never had any security risks; it did, but they were few and far between. Nowadays there are more and more security risks in play for macOS and because of this, finding the correct tools to help make sure you are protected is a must.

This is why I am really digging Pareto Security. It’s an application designed to check all of the built-in security features from macOS and make sure you are taking advantage of them to the fullest.

DETAILS

Pareto Security is designed to help users avoid common security mistakes on their macOS computers. The app is a utility that resides in the menu bar of your Mac. It regularly checks the system’s security configuration and helps to take care of tasks that prevent problems later on down the road. Pareto Security completes 19 different checks and it runs automatically in the background. The app’s code is fully open-sourced and available for download on GitHub.

Pareto Security was created by founder, Neyts Zupan, after he discovered that FileVault on his MacBook Air was turned off. He traveled a lot and this discovery was cause for concern since he carried important corporate documents on the computer. Zupan trusted macOS security as it stands out-of-the-box, but was shocked when he found some features disabled without his knowledge. This is what led Pareto Security to be developed.

There are three different options for licensing – Personal, Teams, or Enterprise. The Personal version can be purchased with a one-time $17 fee. It can also be licensed through Setapp under their subscription model ($9.99/month). The Teams version of the app provides a variety of integrations as well as a web dashboard. Pareto Security does offer a 7-day free trial for Teams users and yearly plans are available. In addition to the Teams version, there is also an Enterprise option that allows multiple admin users and an account manager. Pricing for that option starts at $150 per month and is customized for individual organizations. The table below shows the features of each plan.

USER EXPERIENCE

Getting the app set up is very easy. You simply visit the Pareto Security website and select the licensing option you want. I typically prefer to get my apps directly through the Apple App Store. The main reason for this is that it makes it easier to download apps when I update systems or switch computers completely. Based on the way that Pareto Security is designed, it cannot be offered in the App Store. Here is the explanation as it is written on Pareto Security’s website.

Apps on the App Store are sandboxed and cannot read system files, preventing the majority of the checks. That said, we are a registered developer with Apple, and the app is notarized. The app code is also open source, so you can be sure there are no hidden surprises.

I selected the personal license for my use. The website asks for your email address and then you are instructed to pay for the app using a valid form of payment. Once you have completed that step, you are provided a DMG file as a download. Installation is easy as you simply drag the app icon onto your application folder, then you go through the setting up of the app’s preferences. Some of the preferences you can select include automatically launching the app on startup and update checks for recently used apps only.

There is a lengthy list of checks you can select or deselect depending on your needs. I recommend selecting everything. The other three tabs in the preference pane show information about your license (what email you used), the current version of the app, and Teams info if you got that license.

Once all of your settings are selected, you can then review your checks in the menu bar. I was happy to discover that most of my macOS security settings were active. The only one I really had to work on was having a TimeMachine backup running. I just recently renovated my office and I hadn’t set that feature back up yet. Thanks to Pareto Security, I realized that was something I needed to still do. So, I got it set up using my Drobo B810N. Once I did, the monitor was showing all green checks.

My fiance’s MacBook Air was a different story. She found that there were about 50% of the checks inactive on her computer. Since she works from home now and doesn’t go to public places with her computer much, this wasn’t as big of a concern as it would have been in the past. Still, we are working on getting her system secured as soon as possible.

CONCLUSION

Pareto Security is a powerful utility application that can ensure your Mac’s safety in any environment. Is it 100% protection? No – but it does give users peace of mind and an added layer of security. Protect your vulnerable systems by adding Pareto Security to your macOS machine today.

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