Apple Finally Patches Java Vulnerability

macs4all writes "Apple has finally addressed the Java vulnerability that nearly everyone else patched months ago. Available now for OS X 10.4 and 10.5, and through Apple's Software Update service, this update patches a flaw in the Java Virtual Machine that could potentially allow a malicious Java applet to execute arbitrary code on the machine. Apple had previously advised users to turn off Java temporarily in their Web browsers."

Comments

SAD :(

[Anonymous Coward]

It is truly sad that Apple still just don't "Get" security. Makes me a sad panda to think it is going to take some sort of devastating worm or virus for them to finally wake up and smell the shit they are pumping out.

Re:SAD :(

[QuantumG]

Yes, they believe their own press.

Re:SAD :(

[QuantumG]

Joke 1: That, and some non-Apple/Adobe applications eh?
Joke 2: Yeah, so are the Amiga users.

Re:SAD :(

[TinBromide]

I get the funniest looks when I say that Apple has had the benefit of security via obscurity and when it comes to security measures, Apple is now at the point where Microsoft was in 1998. Yes, mod me troll, but as you do so, you know that Apple hasn't had the same trial by fire that Microsoft has. If you look at the yearly exploit conferences, OS X doesn't fare much better than Windows, and that's only because apple has the benefit of running a bsd based kernel. Picking a more secure solution from the get-go doesn't mean that they can maintain and do the required preventative patching measures.

Re:SAD :(

[interactive_civilian]

Apple is now at the point where Microsoft was in 1998.

In 1998, there were tens of thousands of Windows viruses (I remember reading a number like over 40,000, but I can't find a source), while at the same time, MacOS 8 had 7 or so, all of which were protected from freely by the anti-virus program Disinfectant. While I can't find a direct source for my Windows numbers, here's an article that makes it look like 1998 was not a very good year for Windows viruses. Even if my memories are off by an order of magnitude or two, it still wasn't a good time for Windows and viruses.

Are you honestly saying that Apple is at that point right now? We have yet to see an actual MacOS X virus in the wild, and there have been how many Trojans in the wild so far? 4?

Re:SAD :(

[pauljlucas]

... [A]pple has the benefit of running a bsd based kernel.

It's a Mach-based kernel in a BSD-like environment.

Re:SAD :(

[pjt33]

The post I replied to said that Apple is *now* where Microsoft was in 1998.

In fairness, the post you replied to said that

when it comes to security measures, Apple is now at the point where Microsoft was in 1998

not, "when it comes to number of worms, viruses and trojans, ...".

Old versions.

[saintlupus]

...and this means that we can expect Vic20_love to come along any moment now and complain that his OS X 10.1 machine from 19-dickity-6 doesn't have a patch out yet, so Apple sucks.

Not that Apple doesn't suck, but you don't really need to troll for reasons.

(Bye, karma, nice knowing you...)

--saint

Re:Old versions.

[Anonymous Coward]

...and this means that we can expect Vic20_love to come along any moment now and complain that his OS X 10.1 machine from 19-dickity-6 doesn't have a patch out yet, so Apple sucks.

Apple sucks for different reasons:

Apple PREVENTS Sun (by contract) from releasing java patches. Mac users get their java patches whenever Apple feels like it and gets a round to it.

Re:Old versions.

[saintlupus]

Really? You couldn't read the next line in my post? The one where I say that Apple sucks? You sat there, in the basement, veins straining in your forehead, lips moving dumbly, willing your way to the end of that first sentence and just ran out of steam?

Well, good work on writing a reply, anyway.

--saint

Re:Old versions.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not trying to grief, and it is certainly consistent with reality, but is this documented anywhere?

Sure. Only Apple can release java for mac. Something about look & feel and/or quality assurance.

http://blog.cr0.org/2009/05/write-once-own-everyone.html
http://java.dzone.com/news/critical-mac-osx-java

Look at the "java downloads for all operating systems" webpage:

http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Notice that you can't download java for mac from Sun?

Re:Old versions.

[ThrowAwaySociety]

...Its not like Sun needs Apple in order to produce Java for the Mac.

Sun did a JVM for the Classic Mac OS, and by all accounts it sucked. As in, it was barely usable. This is why Apple (contractually) locked Sun out of delivering Java on OS X. At the time, Apple was bullish on Java, and invested some considerable resources making OS X's JVM integrated into the rest of the OS.

Unfortunately, Apple no longer gives a shit about Java, and it shows. But Sun is still locked out, as far as I know.

Or is this like the graphics drivers where only Apple has access to the "secret bits" necessary for a JVM to do all the things that the current Mac JVM does?
How hard would it be to just port OpenJDK/IceTea/whatever to Mac and be done with it?

There already is. It's the only way to get Java 6 on PowerPC and 32-bit Intel Macs, or on 10.4.x

Unfortunately, it relies on X11 for its GUI, which is generally a big non-starter on the Mac. Also, I don't believe it's possible to use it as the JVM for Java applets in a browser, probably for the same reason.

Re:Slashdot Bias

[Anonymous Coward]

That's because it does!

Just turn off Java

[Anonymous Coward]

Apple had previously advised users to turn off Java temporarily in their Web browsers

Even after updating, I've found that's advice I can live with.

Re:maybe

[QuantumG]

Do you work for Apple? Cause if your attitude is in any way related to theirs, I'll skip using their software thanks. "I can run anything on your harddrive" is trivial to leverage to "I can execute anything I want". Even the dumbest hacker can figure it out. Clearly you're dumber.

Re:Slashdot Bias

[node 3]

Had this been a post about Microsoft instead of Apple, I'd imagine there'd be a lot of "ha ha micro$0ft sucks" posts now.

Instead, there's a lot of "ha ha Apple sucks" posts, as one would expect since the story's about Apple and not MS.

Re:maybe

[ctmurray]

I agree with this post. As a Mac owner I am glad, for whatever reason, viruses are of no concern to me. On my work computer my employer can spend whatever they want to support XP (and it is a great deal of money). But at home I get to relax, and ignore the issue completely.

Re:Java is now Apple's problem?

[patman600]

They've been apple's problem since they took over porting java to the mac, and prevent sun from writing their own java for mac.

The Black Haxor

[EEPROMS]

Apple Guy "Halt who goes there"
Black Haxor "It is I the black haxor, I seek the finest computer coders to join me in my quest"
Apple Guy " You shall not pass"
Black Haxor "What ?"
Apple Guy "Non shall pass"
Black Haxor "I have no quarrel with you, good sir, but I must move on"
Apple Guy "Then you shall first install photoshop and make an offering at the alter of Steve and promise to buy hardware at twice the price from the lords of apple".
Black Haxor "I command you to stand aside! for I am the Black Haxor"
Apple Guy "I move for no man for I am impervious to all your tricks for I run OSX"
Black Haxor "So be it"
[Black Haxor pulls out his laptop and starts to type]
[HAH]
Apple Guy "What have you done ?"
Black Haxor "I have exploited a java script bug on your system and signed you up as the local leader for the "Pedo's Rights" association and then passed the details on to the the local parents and teachers group"
Apple Guy "what is this trickery, for such is impossible, you lie"
[a rabble of middle aged parents turn up]
Crowd "THERE HE IS, GET HIM!!"
Apple Guy "BAH! Tis but a lie"
Black Haxor "run man, they weld clubs and carry petrol containers and mean harm upon you"
Apple Guy "They do not wish me harm as my laptop colour matches my shoes, thus they come to tell me how great my karma is"
[15 minutes later the Black Haxor is staring at a smoldering pile on the ground]
Black Haxor "Sigh"
[Crosses bridge]

Re:maybe

[SpazmodeusG]

Normally I absolutely agree. Most vulnerabilities are overhyped. Not this one though. Read this article and click the link to a page that runs /usr/bin/say on your unpatched machine.
http://landonf.bikemonkey.org/code/macosx/CVE-2008-5353.20090519.html

Re:Apple is not a fan of Java

[konohitowa]

Yeah. Those losers should stop running their iTunes store with Java. Lame Java haters!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebObjects No, I didn't just edit it, but I suppose it's ripe for vandalism now.

Not like your conjecture is without merit. I mean, what can explain their slowness in Java porting? I wish I knew. It's a real annoyance.

To be mildly fair, us mere mortals aren't getting WebObjects updates anymore, but they don't seem to be slowing down their usage of it at iTunes & the Apple store and dev sites. Perhaps they're going to migrate more things to SproutCore once BitBurger et al gets released. Although that doesn't provide them with a back-end, and I'm not utterly convinced that RoR is up to the demand, inclusion in OS X notwithstanding. If only more Erlang/Mnesia would roll out.

Re:maybe

[jackspenn]

As a Mac owner I am glad, for whatever reason, viruses are of no concern to me.

...

But at home I get to relax, and ignore the issue completely.

Until the day you can't. I am sorry, but you make me want to troll the net for the next security issue that is resolved in Linux and/or Windows, but Apple drags their feet on (again). Then I can use it to F with people like you. Your confidence comes from your ignorance.

Here is the sad truth, Both the Linux/BSD communities and Microsoft take security more seriously than Apple.

Apply repeatedly leaves a lot of holes open longer then they should be. I am thinking iTunes may present a nice target vector, but there have been so many in the past and I am sure there will be more in the future.

I can see the HP/MS commercial now during the Superbowl next year:

PC - "Hi, I'm a PC"
MAC - "and I'm .... full of crap."
PC - "Oh, MAC. While your designers were working to change your outsides from white to aluminum they didn't have time to patch the latest security threats to your OS."
MAC - "All my music, all my pictures and all my home movies, gone, the worm even reformated my Time Machine drive and replaced restore points with pointers to an image of a piece of shit and a burning NEXT cube."
PC - "Well, MAC, you like to talk a big game, but you are not good at playing the big game. So let everyone go back to those who can; first with the guys in Superbowl 44 and then with Windows 7 on their next laptop."

Re:158MB and the Update will not install!

[bennomatic]

It worked for me after I quit my running browsers.