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Apple Issues Patches For 25 Security Holes

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the it's-much-better-now-trust-me dept.

TheCybernator writes "Apple today released software updates to plug more than two dozen security holes in its Mac OS X operating system and other software. The free patches are available via the Mac's built-in Software Update feature or directly from Apple's Web site. All told, today's batch fixes some 25 distinct security vulnerabilities, including a dangerous flaw present in the AirPort wireless devices built into a number of Apple computers, including the eMac, the iBook, iMac, Powerbook G3 and G4, and the Power Mac G4. Apple said computers with its AirPort Extreme wireless cards are not affected. Earlier this month, Apple released a software update to fix a vulnerability in its wireless router, the AirPort Extreme Base Station. That update and instructions on how to apply it are available at the link."

5 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Quick summary to avoid reading TFA by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 5, Informative
    10 of the 25 are local privilege escalations. A few more require physical access to the machine like loading a malformed disk. Some require authenticated access to the machine. (disk access, clear text password exchange, ftp user privilege escalation, untaring a malformed tar file, opening a malformed help file, etc).

    The remote attacks seem to be coming out of the Kerebros admin daemon distributed by MIT 3 holes. One hole each in libinfo, portmap, ichat.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  2. Why is this news? by reality-bytes · · Score: 5, Informative

    As an Apple 'outsider' I'm not certain why this is news.

    Is it because these issues/vulnerabilities have been outstanding for a long time? Or perhaps Apple does not patch things often?

    It's an honest question, my Ubuntu systems at home have frequent patches rolled out and the staff at work are always talking about another update on their Windows desktops.

    Isn't Apple the same?

    --
    Ripping an new rectum in the fabric of spacetime.
    1. Re:Why is this news? by 644bd346996 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Did you really mean to say that Apple releases patches more often than Microsoft? Because that is just plain wrong. I get pestered by Windows update at least twice as often as by OS X Software Update, and I use both operating systems regularly.

  3. 10.3.9 also patched by kybred · · Score: 5, Informative

    Apple is providing some patches for 10.3.9 as well. Good to see that they are still providing security related updates for the previous system.

  4. Re:Just the facts by larkost · · Score: 4, Informative

    One thing to note: the one bug that Secunia is rating as "moderately critical" is on FTP, and it is not enabled by default.