Apple has fixed OS X’s vulnerability to the Shellshock bug.
Prior to the weekend it was revealed that a bug named Shellshock had been discovered in a Unix command shell known as Bash. If exploited, it could grant remote access to a vulnerable computer system.
It was estimated that some 500 million Apple Mac and Linux computer systems could be affected by the exploit, though the main issue would be the number of web servers susceptible to the glitch.
The issue is thought to be far more extensive than the Heartbleed bug, though, and it’s also easier for hackers to exploit.
Apple quickly issued a statement claiming the the vast majority of Mac OS X users were safe from the Shellshock exploit, and that only those who had tinkered with the operating system’s advanced settings would be at risk.
“With OS X, systems are safe by default and not exposed to remote exploits of bash unless users configure advanced UNIX services,” Apple said.
Still, a bug is a bug, and Apple has moved to close the Shellshock loophole. It has issued separate patches for Mavericks (here), Mountain Lion (here), and Lion (here).
These are only available direct from the Apple support pages linked above at present, so searching for a software update through the usual means won’t yield anything.
And yes, that means there’s no patch for those using the Yosemite beta just yet. But hey, you beta users are used to living on the edge, right?
Read More: Heartbleed – a simple guide to staying safe
Via: TechCrunch
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
