TBD
TBD
- Pre interstellar travel era (by most species at least)
Darth Revan pvraj
pvraj
/ gist:9645cdd98520a0dedc0a5ad4c6a63831
Created
September 3, 2025 17:14
Information security tips for online accounts (credit bureas, etc.)
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| TBD |
An old Apple Watch Series 4 no longer receives security updates; the last I can see here was 10.6.1. Over time this leaves the watch open to more unpatched vulnerabilities that later models are patched for. But we can still make use of the unique hardware (heart rate, EKG) and fitness tracking features to get utility out of the device. This post describes how I reduced security risks on my watch to give it new life.
The TLDR:
- remove the apple watch from your current/personal Apple ID, unpair it from your personal iPhone, and factory erase it
- create a dummy Apple ID; use an old throwaway iPhone that has been factory erased; pair it to the watch; do the 1 time setup for EKG
- Keep wifi/bluetooth/location services off; keep the watch in airplane mode
The 2016 MacBook Pro no longer receives the latest OS and Apple officially restricts it to Monterey. My primary concern is security, and this end of support means the end of OS security updates (and the more rare firmware updates from Apple). There are plenty of unpatched zero days over the years and even browsers like Chrome no longer support their latest versions on Monterrey.
I have a newer mac that is supported, butthe 2016 MBP is still more than capable for basic use and a supported OS receiving security support (Ubuntu) can both improve security and significantly extend the lifespan of the device, which is not upgradeable and would otherwise end up as e-waste. This also gives you 'throwaway' machine to carry around in public (library, etc.) that doesn't have sensitive data and has less risk if lost/damaged/stolen. If you also have a battery that's new or with a low cycle count, it's a nice way to make use of it and reduce battery usage on your primary Mac.
TB