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Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

obdev.at

111–118 of 118 posts

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#111
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have it installed on my main Mac. But honestly I don't use it/don't know if it's doing anything. Should I be doing something?

That probably depends on what you do with your computer. If you regularly clone git repos and run code you didn’t write or run unsigned apps from untrusted developers, it’s probably a good idea to scrutinize the connections that code is making.

oof I do. good point.

but even relatively established apps show connections to weird places.

Syncthing of all apps has made connections to 107 places.

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#112
But where is Little Snitch for iOS. At least Android has NetGuard.

Firewalling applications is relatively easy on a general purpose computer. Where it becomes excessivelky difficult is on a so-called "smartphone".

https://www.obdev.at/support/littlesnitch/bm3q8

"Will Little Snitch be available for iOS, tvOS and watchOS?

Unfortunately Apple's regulations and submission guidelines do not allow applications like Little Snitch that operate on the system level on the iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch), tvOS (Apple TV), or watchOS (Apple Watch) platforms."

It appears Apple's "regulations" prohibit owner control and increased transparency. No such thing as an option for "experts only" when it comes to Apple computer owners; one size fits all. Apple are the only experts and the only ones entitled to control and transparency, over and into _other peoples'_ computers. Remarkable.

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#113

Little Snitch is one of the best pieces of software out there. It’s essential for every macOS user, works very well, and is a one-time payment. I truly hope it stays that way and doesn’t go down the same path as 1Password. I’m very grateful to the developers for creating such an excellent product. I wish more software were like this.

> and is a one-time payment I feel like I’ve done many one-time payments to get the new version of Little Snitch through the years. I’m not currently using it, but for a long time it was on my list of Mac apps that I feared having to pay to upgrade with every new macOS release.

One time payment... per major version, and it may be required to pay again if you update your OS. Not as good sounding as 'one-time payment'...

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It’s essential for every macOS user Is it? I'm interested in hearing why. I've been using macOS for ~15 years, so very familiar with Little Snitch. I think I owned a version many years ago but haven't for a long time. I don't really see what I'd use it for. I don't run dodgy software, I don't want to partially break the software I do run by nit picking what connections it can make as that wouldn't improve my experi…

I caught a python ml library phoning home to a chinese server on a project that my company was building. My developer had no idea it was happening but I caught it first run thanks to lil snitch. If deployed this would've been a security escape that would need to be disclosed at a govt level. Also, Apple. Their junk phones home just about everything you do. 50+ services constantly pinging Cupertino.

“Junk phones”, lol. Gratuitous hate without any substance.

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#115

Little Snitch is one of the best pieces of software out there. It’s essential for every macOS user, works very well, and is a one-time payment. I truly hope it stays that way and doesn’t go down the same path as 1Password. I’m very grateful to the developers for creating such an excellent product. I wish more software were like this.

> It’s essential for every macOS user Is it? I'm interested in hearing why. I've been using macOS for ~15 years, so very familiar with Little Snitch. I think I owned a version many years ago but haven't for a long time. I don't really see what I'd use it for. I don't run dodgy software, I don't want to partially break the software I do run by nit picking what connections it can make as that wouldn't improve my experi…

I did exaggerate a bit. Many users don’t care about where their connections are going and many users have only limited set of apps.

I wouldn’t mind like to correct myself and say “essential for me”. So many times I caught up software going to places where it should not go. On top of that I often do local development without containers (guilty) and any random npm package can be compromised any time.

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#116

Little Snitch is one of the best pieces of software out there. It’s essential for every macOS user, works very well, and is a one-time payment. I truly hope it stays that way and doesn’t go down the same path as 1Password. I’m very grateful to the developers for creating such an excellent product. I wish more software were like this.

It's not a one-time payment. You pay for the current major version. You generally have to pay for the next major version.

In many cases, when a new macOS comes out, you must pay for the next major version if you want to continue running Little Snitch.

Not a gripe, just a clarification.

Nicety: If you buy a single user license, you can use it on multiple devices.

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#117
I love this product! It is a must-have app on macOS! pro: you can literally control all Application Networks on your computer (sometimes it is funny to see completely off-line apps that don't need to collect any data trying to sync a bunch of stuff). cons: it can be annoying when you install new apps and running it on with most secure options.

Re: Little Snitch: Network Monitor and Application Firewall for macOS

#118
post #28

[flagged]

Did you happen to stop at the gas station that same day? What does “that very transaction caused a fraud alert” mean? It’s not unusual for multiple transactions to be marked as fraud, even legitimate ones, when a credit card is stolen.

No, literally didn't use that card anywhere else. Without doubt I can attribute the fraud activity to the LittleSnitch purchase attempt. It was the second I clicked "pay" for LittleSnitch I got an automated fraud warning from my bank - which was odd because I really did make that purchase. As a result I approved it.. and yet that is what then allowed folks to create a fake physical copy of my card somehow for in-store purchases - and there were at the opposite end of the country. Not likely someone would have been even able to fly it drove from my physical location to where these purchases were made.

Nothing against LittleSnitch - I used it after all. But this was my experience buying it, especially as a poor recent college graduate at the time.

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