The problem is the password protects your computer from malicious software and/or web sites that would like to install some type of malware on your computer. If your computer is at your house AND you NEVER connect it to the internet and NEVER install any software that you do not receive on a CD from a known reliable source then you probably do not need a password. So, unless you are using an iPhone, iPad, or similar device, your presence on these forums indicates you are regularly connecting to the internet and thus vulnerable to intrusion.
However, once you have a connection to the world outside not having a password dramatically increases your risk from malware. Even if you have antivirus software and your virus signatures are up to date there is no reason to be sanguine. Much of todays malware is…
- undetectable by antivirus programs
- indistinguishable from "good" software you are downloading
- the malware disables your a/v protection before it can be reported
- able to trick you into installing it without your realizing what you are doing
- all of the above
I am not a conspiracy theorist, I refuse to live in fear of "the bad guys" on the internet, and my security precautions are no where near as stringent as some on these forums, but I do try to be prudent. That includes protecting my computers, iDevices, and networks with reasonably strong passwords. I also try to use reasonably "strong" and unique passwords on all sites I visit that require them. I store my passwords in password protected database files on my iMac, iPhone, and iPad.
I am not alone in touting the need for better computer security. There has been a plethora of recent news articles bemoaning the relatively lax security precautions in government, business, and personal computing systems. Congress has announced they will be conducting hearings on the subject but by the time they figure out what they want to do, it will be ancient history to the bad guys. The DoD has declared internet security one of the greatest threats to our nation's security and they are not talking just about their own computers but how our personal machines can be used by the bad guys for their nefarious purposes.
Because BSD Unix, OS X, and Apple computers are relatively secure in comparison to Windows boxes many Apple users have become sanguine and feel invulnerable, but that can change overnight. Doing what we can to make our Macs a harder target — like using password protection — will hopefully make us a less tempting target for future exploits.
