Updates: Mac OS X 2011-002, Safari 5.0.5, iOS 4.3.2
Apple has released several security updates which patch vulnerabilities in the way Mac OS X and iOS handle certificate trust. This comes off the back of the recent Comodo hack in which several fraudulent – yet valid – SSL certificates were created for a number of prominent websites, rendering users vulnerable to potential man-in-the-middle attacks. These updates (2011-002 and iOS 4.3.2/4.2.7) improve the way certificate verification is performed in OSX and iOS. The Safari 5.0.5 update patches two critical bugs which could result in remote code execution.
In other news: Updates to Safari in Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion” have shown that the browser will bring support for the new Do-Not-Track functionality, intended to give users the ability to opt-out from tracking by Third Party tracking and ad companies. Whether or not this functionality will be fully respected by third parties remains to be seen. Lastly, a tethered jailbreak for iOS 4.3.2 has already been released.
Mac OS X 10.6.7 and Security Update 2011-001
Apple has released 10.6.7 and its first security patch of the year, 2011-001, fixing a large number of bugs and vulnerabilities. In particular it fixes a known graphics bug in the 2011 MacBook Pros. It also improves Back To My Mac connectivity and SMB (windows file sharing). From a security perspective it fixes issues in a number of components including the Kernel, Airport, ImageIO, and QuickTime, many of which potentially lead to remote code execution. This update also adds detection for the OSX.OpinionSpy spyware to Mac OS X’s built-in file quarantine.
It’s a fairly big update, so users are naturally advised to patch soon. Hit the jump for the full list of security issues fixed. Read more
Apple Drops iOS 4.3 and Safari 5.0.4 Security Updates Ahead of Pwn2Own Contest
In awesome day-before-just-to-try-and-screw-with-your-exploits style, Apple has released significant security patches for iOS, Safari and Apple TV. Safari, which is one of the targets at CanSecWest’s Pwn2Own contest where hackers come to demonstrate 0day exploits, has received an update to 5.0.4, and fixes over 62 bugs including major vulnerabilities in WebKit (eg. Errorjacking) and the ImageIO and libxml libraries.
iOS 4.3 patches largely the same issues in MobileSafari, as well as a remote code execution vulnerability in CoreGraphics. iOS is expected to get a lot of attention at Pwn2Own, with at least four researchers having developed exploits. Charlie Miller and Dionysus Blazakis (@dionthegod) have one exploit which doesn’t work on update, although allegedly the vulnerability hasn’t been patched yet.
Whether or not these updates thwart some of the exploits developed for Pwn2Own remains to be seen. It’ll be cool if it prevents at least one. Either way, good job to Apple for trying.
Update: Just found out that target iPhones at Pwn2Own won’t be running the latest iOS 4.3 which does indeed prevent a number of exploits. Here’s a recap of the Pwn2Own action.
Lastly, Apple TV has been updated to 4.2 to patch a couple not-so-critical vulnerabilities in libfreetype and libtiff that could allow code execution if a malicious image were opened.
Hi the jump for the long list of issues fixed in iOS 4.3. Read more
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