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Apple Denies Wi-Fi Flaw, Researchers Confirm
Glenn Fleishman writes "Apple tells Macworld.com that the Wi-Fi exploit demonstrated at Black Hat 2006 in a video doesn't show a flaw in their hardware or software. A third-party USB adapter with different chips and drivers was used, and Apple says the two researchers haven't provided Apple with code or a demonstration showing a working exploit on Apple equipment. The researchers added a note at their Web site confirming that only an unnamed third-party adapter was used. This doesn't mean the researchers have no flaw to show, but rather that their nose-thumbing at Apple users who were too secure in their security was misplaced, at least at present. The researcher's claim that they were providing information to Apple now seems off-base, too."
So I can go back to being "smug" now about security on my mac?
Where there is the necessary technical skill to move mountains, there is no need for the faith that moves mountains.
Gad Zukes!
This is almost as good as the Debian exploit I found last year. I found that if you built a specially crafted PC, and then installed a specially crafted version of Debian, it would prompt you to set the root password during the install, leaving the system open to compramise by the person installing the OS.
Next year's Black Hat conference, here I come!
Luck favors the prepared, darling.
In other news today, a faulty air bag was blamed for the death of a driver in a recent accident. The auto manufacturer's safety claims for the car were obviously overblown, and their smugness is now revealed.
Update later that day: As a side note to this story, the owner of the vehicle replaced the OEM airbag with one from Orval Reddenbacker, so she could eat popcorn in case she was in an accident. We originally decided we would overlook this aspect, because we have an axe to grind with this manufacturer and to create buzz generating free advertising for our company.