Keeping your digital workspace secure and protecting our shared data is a top priority. To stay ahead of evolving security threats, the IT Division regularly reviews our systems against current industry best practices. Based on recent recommendations from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, we will soon roll out several security updates to SU-managed macOS devices. These updates are designed to strengthen your device's security and protect you and the institution against modern cyber threats.

What is changing?

Four security settings will be updated to align with current best practices.

1. Stronger password requirements

To help protect against brute-force attacks, three password requirements will be updated:

Longer passwords are significantly more difficult for attackers to guess. Requiring unique passwords helps prevent potentially compromised passwords from being reused, while a maximum password age limits the period during which a leaked password could be exploited.

2. Improved protection against repeated login attempts

The number of failed login attempts allowed before the device is locked will be reduced:

Unlimited attempts → 5 attempts

This helps prevent malicious software from repeatedly attempting to guess your password.

3. More secure Home Folder access

macOS can, by default, allow other users on the same network to view the top-level contents of a personal Home Folder.

This setting will be updated so that your Home Folder is accessible only to you.

Network-visible → You only

4. FileVault disk encryption

FileVault encrypts the entire hard drive of your Mac. This helps protect the data stored on your device if it is lost or stolen.

With FileVault enabled, the data on the device cannot be read, copied or altered without the appropriate login credentials.

Disk encryption not guaranteed → FileVault enabled

What do you need to do?

For most users, nothing is required right now. The updates will be deployed automatically through SU’s mobile device management system.

You may be prompted to change your Mac device password

Once the new password policy has been applied, you may see a notification prompting you to update your password to meet the new requirements.

At your next login, you may be prompted to change your password.

Important: This is your Mac device password

The password you may be asked to update is your Mac device password, not your SU password.

Your Mac device password is separate from the SU password you use to access services such as email. Changing one does not change or affect the other.

You may be prompted to log out or restart

If FileVault is not already enabled on your Mac, you may be prompted to log out or restart your device so that encryption can be securely enabled in the background.

What will not change?

These updates are focused on strengthening your device's security and protecting the data stored on it. They will not change the way you use your Mac on a daily basis, and they do not give IT access to your personal files. The updates simply add additional layers of protection to help keep your device and data secure.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a secure digital environment.