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Ancient Flaws May Leave Mac OS X Vulnerable

mdeb writes "ZDNet Australia is running a story that claims Mac OS X 'contains unpatched security flaws of a type that were fixed on alternative operating systems more than a decade ago.' As an example, in August of last year, Apple patched the 'dsidentity' bug, which could easily have been exploited to grant a non-privileged user with admin rights the capability to create and remove 'root' user accounts."

11 of 388 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah, okay... by daeley · · Score: 5, Funny

    ZDNet Australia is running a story that claims OS X 'contains unpatched security flaws of a type that were fixed on alternative operating systems more than a decade ago.'

    Only in the Southern Hemisphere. Up here, trolls rotate counterclockwise.

    --
    I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
  2. OSX is a security nightmare by QCompson · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good thing I use Windows ME.

    1. Re:OSX is a security nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yup, good thing I'm using your Windows ME as well.

  3. Ancient? by Shadow+Wrought · · Score: 5, Funny

    It must have happened when they translated the binary off of the stone tablets, likely because they were limited to only bronze tools.

    --
    If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
    1. Re:Ancient? by BorgCopyeditor · · Score: 5, Funny
      It must have happened when they translated the binary off of the stone tablets

      Rosetta will remedy all that.

      --
      Shop as usual. And avoid panic buying.
  4. Requires User to Authenticat by ta+ma+de · · Score: 5, Funny

    Considering the user must be priviliged is it safe to say that the user has already authenticated and in the system. I always use passwords like "asldkfje983r0u!56@#987$%^rnYA(*U()*U&0u" for standard users. If they can crack that they deserve to gain admin rights too. You should see my admin key: it is a 10^12 digit mersenne prime.

    1. Re:Requires User to Authenticat by AutopsyReport · · Score: 5, Funny
      You should see my admin key: it is a 10^12 digit mersenne prime.

      Also known as the number of days you'll be spending as a virgin.

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  5. Re:Stop the Presses by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
    Or does somehow the magic Apple logo protect you from all harm - and Bill Gates?

    It protects you from everything up to the Triassic period. After that, you're on your own. These were ancient flaws, vulerable to ancient threats. Don't boot up in a museum of natural history or you're toast.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  6. I'm switching! by Anonymous+Poodle · · Score: 5, Funny

    That does it! I'm swiching back to Micorosoft Bob!

  7. Ancient Flaws by robertjw · · Score: 5, Funny

    When I saw the headlines I thought someone had found Egyptian Hieroglyphs from aliens explaining how to break into OSX.

    Guess my definition of Ancient isn't the same as the posters.

  8. Top ten reasons why OS X has no viruses yet by SuperKendall · · Score: 5, Funny


    10) Ten million+ active boxes still "too small a number" to target.

    9) Worlds virus writers all work at Valve; have no idea what the hell OS X is.

    8) OS X originally scheduled to have virus this year; pushed back till Q2 next year to add Intel support and a Universal Binary.

    7) Russian Mafia all actually use Macs, tell underlings to keep macs virus free so they don't have to run virus scanners.

    6) Forget buffer overflows; real mechanism viruses use to spread is actually second mouse button.

    5) No viruses released for sale on ITMS yet.

    4) Actually viruses everywhere but Jobs Reality Distorition Field keeps Mac users thinking they are not there.

    3) XCode secretly detects and transforms viruses into RSS readers instead at compile time; explains glut on Macs.

    2) Virus writers accientally drug virus into one of several hundred "Untitled Folders" on Desktop, now have no idea where it is.

    1) Mac owners just too damn pretty for God to let them get viruses.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley