Apple Plugs 25 Mac OS Security Holes

By the Betanews Staff | Published April 19, 2007, 5:55 PM

Apple on Thursday released its fourth security update of the year, patching 25 security holes in its operating system, 24 specifically affecting the latest version of Mac OS X version 10.4. Among the extensive list of fixes is a wireless network patch for older systems.

Three fixes were made to Mac's Kerberos authentication daemon, along with three for the system's Login Window application. A slew of patches affect Unix services such as ftpd, GNU Tar, fetchmail, WebDAV and SMB. Two fixes to Libinfo stop malicious Web sites from potentially running arbitrary code. Apple also updated services used in its iChat and System Configuration applications due to security flaws.

Comments

So much for "it just works" eh?

Score: 0

|

Which bit isn't working for you? ;)

Score: 0

|

The part that's not working. ;)

Score: 0

|

Wow CNET is so anti-MS its unnerving, they truly believe that Macs are bulletproof even with vulnerabilities....its scary...

Score: 0

|

I don't understand why people don't exploit Macs more often. One can charge at least 3x more to repair them and Mac users would be willing to pay that much for their beloved machines.

Score: 0

|

Exploits are usually used to make money. Hacker/evil corporations know that exploiting 5% market share is a waste of time when you can exploit 90% market share.

Score: 0

|

This update is a MacOSX performance-improving patch, because MacOSX does not have any security problems and anyone who says other wise will be blacklisted by apple.

Leading to harmful attempts to discredit the source of the vulnerability reports.

You have been warned

Score: 0

|

WHO ARE YOU TO SAY THAT BULLSH!T MAN?!!!!! W H O A R E Y O U???!!!! ok let me tell you... A DUMBAS$

Score: 0

|

/sigh/ why is it everytime i look at one of these threads ahhh nevermind

Score: 0

|

But Mac is so perfect, how could it have any security problems???

Score: 0

|

ZZZZZZZ... wake me for some real news, not just a single small 16mb update for unix services. LOL

Score: 0

|

lmao..

A 16MB patch for MacOSX isn't news...

...yet you jump all over every patch MS produces, regardless of size or market impact.

Huh. I think there's a word for people like you...

Score: 0

|

"Wanker", "Naive", "Retard"...

oh, wait... you mean "Hypocrite".

Score: 0

|

Or E) All of the Above

Score: 0

|

Kudos to Apple for patching the inevitable holes in any operating system. Since Apple keeps such a tight reign on their systems, they can produce patches faster than Microsoft.

I just wish they would stop touting themselves as superior to every other OS.

Score: 0

|

Wow.

Any idea how long those UNIX vulnerabilities have been around?

I'd hazard to guess it's been a while.

Score: 0

|

Mac's three users are thrilled.

Score: 0

|

What are you guys trying to brag about? This isn't about security holes in OS X that we're exploited, this is about vulnerabilities that were discovered and fixed BEFORE they were exploited. At least they responded to their vulnerabilites better than SOME companies that come out later and say they knew about it months back and didn't want to send out the patch until the issue becomes a public problem.

Score: 0

|

The point is they CAN be exploited. Apple acts all smug like they are bulletproof. I am sure if Apple ever gets a bigger marketshare where they are a real competition to Microsoft, they will share the same problems.

Operating Systems are built by humans, humans make mistakes:its inevitable

Score: 0

|

... but but its MAC! This is impossible!

Score: 0

|

HA HA and they say that mac its secure, of course because it doesnt have exploits but if it had then they would be f^cked up

Score: 0

|

no, no, no... It's secure by Design! Duh.

/Sarcasm

Score: 0

|

Bill Gates is currently smiling right now...

Score: 0

|

Dam, 35 in November 30~ in Jan and now 25. About 80 patches in 5-6 months. XP pro had 150 in 5 1/2 years (2001). Apple had 100 4 1/2 years (2001).

Score: 0

|

I'm no MS fanboy, but what is this!??! haha

Score: 0

|

24? That's more than Microsoft.

Score: 0

|

Apple is over priced elitist crapware.
Go linux.

Score: -1

|

lmao...

Please don't tell me you actually think Linux is invulnerable...

Score: 0

|

Are you aware that many of these patches are specifically FOR Linux/Unix services included with OS X?

Score: 0

|

Fourth patch? 4 Months into this year? Is Apple starting to have it's own 'Path Thursdays' now?

Score: 0

|

but hang on, I think MacOSX was bullet-proof...

Score: 0

|

No, it just has no exploits.
Vulnerabilities != exploits. Not sure how many times I've got the post that. :P

Score: 0

|

no...because nobody bothers to exploit a system used by 1% of the population...:)

Score: 0

|

Vulnerabilities != exploits.

Exactly.

But it really doesn't deter from the fact that when it *does* become a target for for the folks writing exploits, it will not matter. Perhaps that's why you have to keep posting it.

MacOS is beginning to lose it's "bullet-proof" aura. The question isn't whether vulnerabilities=exploits. The question isn't even when.

It will be interesting to see, once they start rolling in, how Apple handles it compared to Microsoft.

The question should be: How can Apple beat Microsoft at patching once the exploits show up.

Score: 0

|

By releasing The Iphone! er wait..

/come on, laugh!

Score: 0

|

the same amount of the population that listens to pctool and niro... 1% - and it's all the microshaft fanboi's lol

Score: 0

|

So then does that make you a Apple Cheerleader?

Score: 0

|

Oh God. When will this name changing stop? It was funny the first time, but not the 564th.

Is this one of the Sony lovers (Steve, Dave, Mark, etc)?

Score: 0

|

The iPhone has exploits.

Score: 0

|

Yeah, the user can forget where they put it down, and loose it. =)

Score: 0

|

Indeed. A true comparison would be to see how many exploits existed, or more importantly, were wild when it was 50/50 market share. I doubt that day is coming in the next 10 years, so Mac users are probably care-free until then. ;)

Truth be told though, Apple does generally patch products fairly quickly. We certainly don't see as many recurrent vulnerabilities as we do with Windows (like the recent cursor flaw).

Score: 0

|

Silverlight 3 goes live on Microsoft's servers

Microsoft's answer to Adobe's Flash is (unofficially) here, with prospects of higher-speed, higher-resolution video and for the first time, 3D.

Three Android phones on the way from T-Mobile in 2009

T-Mobile's myTouch 3G, launched Wednesday, will be followed by two more Android phones later this year, but neither of them will be HTC's Hero.

Best Buy-brand TVs to get TiVo

A new alliance will place the retailer's own brand alongide the manufacturers, and could also lead to future partnerships on services.

LTE still lacks a voice

The 4G Wireless standard that Verizon hopes to show off before this year is out is still at a loss for (spoken) words.

Data sharing among online advertisers: Is sanity in sight?

Lockdown with Angela Gunn In the middle of a 15-page plea not to get regulated, a spark of smart thinking.

T-Mobile's strategy to combat Apple's iPhone with Android

With a trio of Android phones now in the pipeline for 2009, T-Mobile hopes to break the iPhone's emerging stranglehold.

EC's Reding: Government should act as broker for media downloads

If Internet media services don't step up and build an attractive way for users to start paying for downloads, a commissioner says, government may do the job instead.

Sony TVs get Netflix, still no PS3

Though it's coming in behind LG, Samsung, and Microsoft, Sony will begin to offer Netflix streaming, too.

Google Chrome OS: Too little, too early

Carmi Levy: Wide Angle Zoom Don't start the revolution just yet, says Carmi, who isn't so certain Chrome OS will be the "Windows Killer."

GAO pen test brings the hammer down on federal rent-a-cops

But are the computers to blame for the contract-guard fiasco at FPS?

What's Next: Chrome OS will have at least some friends in high places

Also: South Korea takes another round of DDoS abuse, and Neelie Kroes and Steve Ballmer may shake hands before she exits stage left.

Report: Evidence of further creativity with Windows 7 upgrade prices

A ZDNet blogger did some serious digging for clues as to a reported price break on multiple Windows 7 Home Premium licenses, and may have found it.