Only 58 Security Vulnerabilities this time around

[SurfaceUnits]

November 9th, 2009
Mac OS X mega patch covers 58 security vulnerabilities

Apple has dropped another mega-patch to cover a total of 58 documented vulnerabilities affecting the Mac OS X ecosystem.

The majority of the flaws could allow a remote attacker to gain complete control of an unpatched system, meaning that this update carries an “extremely critical rating.”

It includes patches for open-source components like Apache and PHP and security holes in the QuickTime media player.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=4870&tag=nl.e019

The first two patches for the cute and cuddly two & a half month old Snow Leopard are over 470MB


Apple - Mac OS X Snow Leopard - The world's most advanced OS
To advance Mac OS X Leopard, Apple engineers went deep into the code to streamline, secure, and add new core technologies.

[JLMannin]

November 9th, 2009
Mac OS X mega patch covers 58 security vulnerabilities

Apple has dropped another mega-patch to cover a total of 58 documented vulnerabilities affecting the Mac OS X ecosystem.

The majority of the flaws could allow a remote attacker to gain complete control of an unpatched system, meaning that this update carries an “extremely critical rating.”

It includes patches for open-source components like Apache and PHP and security holes in the QuickTime media player.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=4870&tag=nl.e019

The first two patches for the cute and cuddly two & a half month old Snow Leopard are over 470MB

Is Apple charging for the upgrade? My son had to drop $10 to upgrade his i-pod touch to to the version 3 software

[dando]

Is Apple charging for the upgrade? My son had to drop $10 to upgrade his i-pod touch to to the version 3 software

There's a cost to upgrade to Snow Leopard, but not for the patch (more or less a service pack in Windoze terms).

-Kevin

[opinionated ow]

So let me get this straight...Apple who always claim there products have no security issues, have security issues :rofl:

[Rogue Leader]

So let me get this straight...Apple who always claim there products have no security issues, have security issues :rofl:

And the reason they don't is because nobody gives a **** enough about their 1% market share to bother hacking them....

Those 58 holes were probably exploited by one lone mac hacker... who probably was too self righteous to do anything and probably called apple and reported all of them for free.

[indyfan31]

And the reason they don't is because nobody gives a **** enough about their 1% market share to bother hacking them....

Those 58 holes were probably exploited by one lone mac hacker... who probably was too self righteous to do anything and probably called apple and reported all of them for free.

You hang on to that dream. (http://www.tuaw.com/2009/02/02/apple-market-share-continues-to-climb-windows-drops/) ;)

[indyfan31]

So let me get this straight...Apple who always claim there products have no security issues, have security issues :rofl:

Both sides claim to be "more secure" with every new release. How quickly and efficiently they respond to the real world of security holes is more important than the marketing-speak in their commercials.

[cameraman]

Okay folks that was the ninth security update for OS 10.5 this year. Apple puts them out at about one every eight weeks. They have been doing that for years. My machine is running 10.5.8 which means that there have been eight general updates on top of this year's 9 security updates.

OS updates are a way of life for everyone so get over yourselves.

I will say that I have been running Macintoshes continuously in my labs (between 4 to 20 machines at any given time) since 1984 (always with anti-virus software) and I have never had any kind of virus, trojan, malware or adware problems over those 25 years. Never.

Show me someone who has run Windows since 1984 who can say the same.

Back in the day the anti-virus software did routinely catch Microsoft Excel & Word macro worms but none ever got past the anti-virus software.

[miatanut]

We got a virus from a bootleg game once in '89. Didn't lose any data.

I thought I had a virus once under 9 point something, but the virus software didn't find anything and I've concluded something just went south on the OS. The hard drive would grind away for 20 minutes trying to open Word or Excel and never get them launched. Forgot to get the accounting system on the back-up system after a Quickbooks up-grade, so I got to re-construct about four months worth of accounting when I wiped the disk and started over. :gomer:

Nothing under OSX. Four machines here. It will be a while before I upgrade anything to 10.6 though. I don't like to be on the bleeding edge. :D

[Indy]

Bleeding edge. :laugh:

[Rogue Leader]

You hang on to that dream. (http://www.tuaw.com/2009/02/02/apple-market-share-continues-to-climb-windows-drops/) ;)

ohh zing....

My comment was directed at noone in particular, just the stereotypical self righteous Apple user who still has the belief they will take over the world and are better because there are never any viruses. Think about it, if you were making a virus to steal peoples info or whatnot would you work to make one that nails 90% of the market, or 10%?? I do realize most mac users aren't like that, unfortunately the few are VERY vocal. (Like this guy who I used to work with who feels the need to plaster facebook with links like what you just posted and talk about how the end is nigh! You want to take over the world, do something for me WAY better than what my PC does for me, allow me to use my existing programs and files, and at a lower price, I'm in. )

[miatanut]

You want to take over the world, do something for me WAY better than what my PC does for me, allow me to use my existing programs and files, and at a lower price, I'm in. )
I've gone the Apple route for my business because after I've spent twice as much money on the machine, I'm done. I don't have to pay for a geek to keep things running for me. The architect downstairs (who I used to work for), spends a bundle on that stuff. CAD systems are pretty finicky, not like just running Word, Excel, and web browsers. If you use software that's less demanding on a computer, maybe the trade-off comes out differently.

[Boatdesigner]

If all I used were word processing, spreadsheets and email, I'd run Linux. But, since my CAD programs don't run in Linux, I'll have to stick with Windows. They do make Mac versions, but Macs are so expensive I can't justify the cost. I build my own computers and do my own upgrades, something that probably isn't as easy with a Mac. The only original part of my current computer is the case, a case fan and the keyboard. Everything else has changed, some things as many as 5 times!

[Indy]

I do realize most mac users aren't like that, unfortunately the few are VERY vocal.

:gomer:

[SurfaceUnits]

these people sound like irl fans who complain but still support the visions. I guess every cult has them. maybe one day they will all gather in a compound in west texas and be done with it.

LGH @ Sep 10th 2009 6:30PM
At least Apple recognized that there were problems and rushed out an update. Now I would have preferred they got it right from the start, but these days, nobody seems to get it right from the start.

Vagrant @ Sep 10th 2009 6:37PM
wahoo indeed. I'm still waiting to add snow to my leopard, until things get sorted out. It was a pain to deal with leopards problems immediately after it was released and regardless of updating my programs, I'm just not in the mood for delta releases.

My new philosophy: No more cutting edge = No more bleeding


Burpethead @ Sep 14th 2009 12:28AM

Apple historically releases a quick X.X.1 update shortly after release to fix immediate issues. Mac IT guys generally believe a OS X version is fully stable and supported by X.X.3 or X.X.4.

bondsbw @ Sep 11th 2009 12:55AM

@Vagrant

I don't disagree with you in general, but Snow Leopard is a far cry more stable than the original release of Leopard. Really, the only thing unstable about it are programs that are no longer completely compatible (which are few).

Kelmon @ Sep 11th 2009 7:53AM

@bondsbw

To be honest, I have not been impressed with Snow Leopard. It is more stable than Leopard was on Day 1 but that's hardly something to crow about since I had kernel panics back then. While a lot of the issues are indeed caused by 3rd party applications I continue to have problems with Apple's own Mail application, which crashes frequently when you attempt to add an attachment, for example. I wouldn't mind so much but the issues I have been having were on a clean install so everything should be perfect.

Overall, Snow Leopard has failed to deliver improved performance, improved stability and improved security. The only way is up at this point but I am honestly stunned that Apple didn't get this one right on Day 1 given its remit. I have installed the update and hope that this does indeed tackle my issues but I'm not holding my breath.

Lisa Sieverts2009-11-10 02:57
I'm reading between the lines and figuring I shouldn't upgrade from 10.5 yet. I use my 2007 MacBook for work and can't afford a day of troubleshooting after an upgrade. Let me know when "it just works."

Jim Gagne2009-11-10 17:54
WARNING: A POSSIBLE MAJOR BUG. IF CONFIRMED HOLD OFF ON UPDATING TO 10.2.6

One of the benefits of 10.6.2 is it "fixes" the problem with Postscript Type 1 fonts. I'm not sure what the problem was, but now NONE of my Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, etc.) can find any Type 1 fonts. They've completely disappeared.

I found exactly the same problem in Adobe Creative Suite 3: Indesign and Photoshop. No Type 1 fonts at all. Gone.

If I open a native Apple program (e.g., Font Book, Pages or Mail), they're all there.

[oddlycalm]

these people sound like irl fans who complain but still support the visions. I guess every cult has them.

Looks about like every other user group I've seen. Try browsing the SCSI newsgroup on the usenet if you want to see what a cult looks like...:D

I own and use both and there are some real functional differences. From where I sit they are tools and which one is dictated by the task. Since our enterprise suite runs on a single flavor of SQL and our CAD software is Windows base I'm captive for the duration. If I'm working with images, video, music or most things fun I prefer the Mac.

As for the relative magnitude of the security challenge goes, they are different by orders of magnitude as anyone with experience with both systems can tell you.

oc

[indyfan31]

Like I said ....

Microsoft Investigating Zero-Day Windows 7 Flaw (http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221601573&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News)

[SurfaceUnits]

only fitty seven more to go and it will be just like a Mac

[datachicane]

Macs are cool, but between the zillion Windows-only geek apps I run and the steep price, well...

Until someone else foots the bill, I'll be running PCs, even if MS does walk around with a huge target painted on their back. BTW, I've been running PCs since '83 or so, ran a few BBSs, etc., etc., and have never had a virus or malware incident. I haven't run any virus protection since '89 or so, but I run a tight firewall and am judicious about what does and does not happen on my boxes. Frankly, I'm of the opinion that the current subscription-based anti-virus industry is more than a bit of a scam, but that's a separate rant...

[JLMannin]

Reading the snippets from the Apple forum reminds me of the Maytag Calypso forum. People were writing about how the machine and it's space-age agitator was tearing their clothes, leaving grease smudges and detergent residue on their clothes, and yet extolling just how great their new, nifty machine was and how these were just minor inconveniences.

[Don Quixote]

Reading the snippets from the Apple forum reminds me of the Maytag Calypso forum. People were writing about how the machine and it's space-age agitator was tearing their clothes, leaving grease smudges and detergent residue on their clothes, and yet extolling just how great their new, nifty machine was and how these were just minor inconveniences. Sounds like my wife and Volvos! :yuck: