If a device is connected to a network, it's vulnerable - and it doesn't matter if you're using Linux, macOS, or a toaster running custom firmware. That's the security reality we all live in, and for macOS users, a free app called Firewally (available on the Apple App Store) now makes it painless to see exactly which apps are chatting with the internet and shut them down fast.

Firewally lives in your top menu bar as a small shield icon. Click it, and you get a real-time view of internet traffic per app, plus the ability to set a default firewall policy (Pass, Ask, or Deny) and toggle individual app access on or off. The app even throws in AI summaries for apps - because apparently every piece of software needs an AI feature now - to explain why an app might need internet access.

The onboarding is straightforward: download from the App Store, permit network access, enable launch at boot, and you're done. The default view shows hourly traffic, but the smart first move is to switch the default policy from Pass to Ask, so new apps must beg for internet permission rather than just helping themselves.

For example, locally installed Ollama AI only needs internet to download or update LLMs; with Firewally, you can kill its internet access until you actually need to fetch something, ensuring the privacy you expect. Just be careful not to disable your browser's internet - unless you enjoy staring at a blank page.

Firewally is free, simple, and surprisingly effective for anyone who wants to know exactly what their Mac is whispering to the cloud.