Apple Patches Mac OS Security Bug

PHOTO: APPLE

Apple Patches Mac OS Security Bug

Apple has patched a macOS High Sierra flaw that would allow intruders to gain full administrator access on your system.

Apple has patched a macOS High Sierra flaw that would allow intruders to gain full administrator access on your system. Security Update 2017-001 should be installed by Mac users running High Sierra as soon as possible.

The company released Security Update 2017-001 Wednesday to fix a bug that would allow people to gain control over a Mac simply by putting “root” as the username and hitting the Return key a few times.

The bug was made public Tuesday on Twitter by Turkish software designer Lemi Orhan Ergin. Ergin has been criticized for not following responsible guidelines by notifying Apple of the security flaw with reasonable time to fix it before going public.

Luckily, the threat of an attack to your system’s security using this flaw is fairly low in practice. Anyone wanting to exploit the bug would have to have physical access to your Mac, and you could also avoid it by following instructions issued by Apple to set up a root password.

In a statement issued by Apple, the company apologized for the error and said that starting late Wednesday the patch would be “automatically installed on all systems running the latest version (10.13.1) of macOS High Sierra.”

Some security experts remain critical of Apple’s security.

“Recent years have not been good for anyone relying on OS X for security,” Tripwire computer security researcher Craig Young said. “Apple needs to seriously re-evaluate how they perform quality assurance testing, as there is really no excuse for releasing macOS with some of these blatant security failings.”

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities