Apple releases patch for 13 security flaws

[IGBT]

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Security experts say Apple's security practices have improved but are still at pains to make it clear that Mac OS X isn't as secure as people might think. The SANS Institute last week highlighted Mac security flaws in its list of top 20 security issues, partly in order to give users a wake-up call, according to the organization.

"Although Mac OS X has security features implemented out of the box, such as a built-in personal firewall, unnecessary services turned off by default and easy ways to increase the OS security, the user still faces many vulnerabilities," SANS said in the report.

SANS noted that vulnerabilities continue to crop up regularly in Safari. "In certain cases, exploit code has also been posted publicly," the group said.

Apple's way of releasing updates cumulatively doesn't make things easier for systems administrators, SANS said. "Apple frequently issues Mac OS X cumulative security updates that tend to include fixes for a large number of vulnerabilities with risk ratings ranging from critical to low. This complicates the tracking of vulnerabilities for this OS," SANS's report said.

 

[nweaver]

since Mac users are lower then Linux users, the risks of a critical exploit being used are much lower then windows. It's like having an unsafe road that only a few people drive on, versus an unsafe major freeway....

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: nweaver
since Mac users are lower then Linux users, the risks of a critical exploit being used are much lower then windows. It's like having an unsafe road that only a few people drive on, versus an unsafe major freeway....

On the desktop?

 

[stash]

Yummy security by obscurity goodness, there.

 

[TGS]

Doesn't microsoft do the same thing, only rather than less users they rely on closing the code off and hoping nobody finds the flaws?

 

[ValuedCustomer]

Originally posted by: nweaver
since Mac users are lower then Linux users, the risks of a critical exploit being used are much lower then windows. It's like having an unsafe road that only a few people drive on, versus an unsafe major freeway....

"Interesting" analogy(?).. anywho, much to the chagrin Team Jobs, the more popular Macs get the more security flaws will be found/exploited. Like I?ve said countless times over the years, it?s not so much of the Mac OS being secure/airtight (I'll admit it is pretty darn good), it?s more the lack of ?incentive? for hackers to search for vulnerabilities and create malicious code.. I don?t think Macs will ever catch up to Windows in terms of vulnerabilities but the days of risk-free Apples are coming to a close. :clock:

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: nweaver
since Mac users are lower then Linux users, the risks of a critical exploit being used are much lower then windows. It's like having an unsafe road that only a few people drive on, versus an unsafe major freeway....

I would still propose that Mac users are more vulnerable because they are typically not as computer-savvy as typical Linux users. The number of vulnerabilities may not be as high, but I would wager the percentage of people infected would be much much higher.

 

[Nothinman]

Yummy security by obscurity goodness, there.

I don't think I'd go quite that far, it's more than likely just poor patch management.

How's the saying go? Never attribute to maliciousness that which can adequately be explained by mere stupidity?