What's the risk in using older versions of macOS?

[ian87w]

What's the risk in using older versions of macOS like High Sierra or older? I know that Apple tend to keep support for the current and minus 1 version, but is there a huge risk on older versions?

The only thing I can think of is probably Safari not being in the latest version, and that is easily mitigated by using an alternative browser.

 

[cmaier]

What's the risk in using older versions of macOS like High Sierra or older? I know that Apple tend to keep support for the current and minus 1 version, but is there a huge risk on older versions?

The only thing I can think of is probably Safari not being in the latest version, and that is easily mitigated by using an alternative browser.

1) security - once older versions no longer receive security updates, then they can have flaws that make it easy game for attackers
2) features - over time interoperability may suffer, like inability to access data on iCloud, inability to airdrop from new devices to old, etc.

 

[ian87w]

1) security - once older versions no longer receive security updates, then they can have flaws that make it easy game for attackers
2) features - over time interoperability may suffer, like inability to access data on iCloud, inability to airdrop from new devices to old, etc.

Make sense. Don't care about number 2, but number 1 is a concern. But how is the real risk in real life? I'm seeing people here running even older macOSes (and no choice for some on older Macs when Apple dropped it from support).

Trying to see this logically, the most common vector nowadays would be the browser since that is the window to the internet. That is easily mitigated by using alternative up-to-date browser. As long as the firewall is on, are there other security risks?

 

[cmaier]

Make sense. Don't care about number 2, but number 1 is a concern. But how is the real risk in real life? I'm seeing people here running even older macOSes (and no choice for some on older Macs when Apple dropped it from support).

Trying to see this logically, the most common vector nowadays would be the browser since that is the window to the internet. That is easily mitigated by using alternative up-to-date browser. As long as the firewall is on, are there other security risks?

Turn off file sharing, screen sharing, and every other kind of sharing, keep the machine on your own home wifi and not on public wifi, and use an up to date browser and you should probably be ok, but even a current browser may cause problems running on an older OS.

 

[avz]

Make sense. Don't care about number 2, but number 1 is a concern. But how is the real risk in real life? I'm seeing people here running even older macOSes (and no choice for some on older Macs when Apple dropped it from support).

Trying to see this logically, the most common vector nowadays would be the browser since that is the window to the internet. That is easily mitigated by using alternative up-to-date browser. As long as the firewall is on, are there other security risks?

I am still using Mavericks. I would say that in real life air travel is more dangerous than using older Mac OS X.

 

[ian87w]

I am still using Mavericks. I would say that in real life air travel is more dangerous than using older Mac OS X.

Thanks for the assurance.

 

[Fishrrman]

I suppose there might be "risks" somewhere, but I don't worry about them.
I use what I use, and that's it.
Still booting my 2010 MacBook Pro with 10.6.8. It will even run AppleWorks! (remember that??)

 

[serpico007]

I'm still on 10.11.6 and miss some iCloud interoperability such as Safari bookmarking syncing and a couple of others. I use Firefox and Thunderbird as it works fine and I can sync bookmarks across devices. The truth is I am not on the desktop much these days and iOS does most of my day to day needs. I go back for a bigger screen and typing experience more than anything.

I really don't want to spend any money until I see some dramatic new hardware from Apple. I'm curious what new designs we will see now that they don't need to design around Intel.