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Topic: Operating Systems

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Silent security updates coming to Apple's OS X Mountain Lion

Summary: The latest update to the Mountain Lion Developer Preview, includes the "OS X Security Update Test 1.0" feature which silently downloads and installs the latest security updates.

Dancho Danchev

By for Zero Day |

According to AppleInsider, in the latest update to the Mountain Lion Developer Preview, includes the "OS X Security Update Test 1.0" feature, which will run daily or whenever a Mac restarts in an attempt to silently download and install the latest security updates.

In June, 2012, Apple also introduced silent patching for Adobe Flash Player running on Mac OS X.

Although for the time being we're not seeing an epidemic growth in Mac OS X malware, due to what I believe is lack of mature monetization models offered by affiliate networks, this will inevitably change in the long term with cybercriminals looking to compromise more users with high purchasing power.

Mountain Lion Developer Preview users are advised to apply the update immediately in order to take advantage of the new feature.

Find out more about Dancho Danchev at his LinkedIn profile, or follow him on Twitter.

Topic: Operating Systems

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19 comments
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  • Well folks, let's hear it

    Let's hear why this is good when Apple does it but bad when MS does it.
    toddbottom3
    Reply Vote

    • Microsoft does do this

      Windows updates run in the background, it installs updates in the background.. It also installs when you shut down windows or start up windows depending on the update..

      Unless you tell windows to not install windows updates, but then you'll be here to let people know thats why they have problems with that platform when it happens.
      Anthony E
      Reply Vote

      • And we've heard for ages that this is horrible

        Silent updates are always bad.

        Until today.

        Suddenly silent updates are fantastic, innovative, fast, and fluid.
        toddbottom3
        Reply Vote

      • @toddybottom

        Wow really trying to find something to troll about today..

        Your the only one that said "Suddenly silent updates are fantastic, innovative, fast, and fluid." wasn't in the article..

        But Windows updates have hosed the OS..
        Example. XP SP3 Would bsod with 0x7E if you had a AMD cpu/chipset cause of the intelppm.sys
        Windows Vista: SP2 Ran some systems into a update loop because of a malformed xml file.
        Windows 7: haven't seen to many problems unless a user updates a driver that causes issues..

        Apple updates hosing the OS are rare.. I seen more mess ups from OS upgrades Tiger -> Leopard -> Snow Leopard than
        Anthony E
        Reply Vote

      • True and false

        [i]But Windows updates have hosed the OS.. [/i]

        True.

        [i]Apple updates hosing the OS are rare[/i]

        False. They are no more rare than Windows. I know the Apple marketing machine has sold you on this RDF that OS X is perfect but in actuality, OS X is far less reliable than Windows.
        toddbottom3
        Reply Vote

      • Ignore the Microsoft troll

        @Anthony E

        William "toddbottom3" Farrel, has several screen names (upwards of 10 to 20), and will always disparage Apple, while proclaiming Microsoft is wonderful.
        Jumpin Jack Flash
        Reply 2 Votes

      • Never had that happen

        @Anthony E

        My last machine, which ran Windows XP on an AMD system, [b]never[/b] had a BSOD issue when I went to SP3. My BSOD issues only showed up when a) I had a malware infection (which happened maybe twice over the 7+ year period), or b) when a hard drive would physically fail. But Windows Updates causing BSOD errors? Never happened to me.
        spdragoo@...
        Reply Vote

    • Well, seeing as you asked

      Microsoft is evil incarnate, or at least a bad incarnation of a cross between the Easter bunny and a platypus. That's why.

      Apple however, are not as Microsoft. They are everything you should look up to and emulate. Everything that is good, right and perfect with the world.

      Having said that, you appear to resemble a half-pint of bad mild and bitter combined with a squashed packet of crisps. Get a grip man.
      ego.sum.stig
      Reply Vote

      • Most honest thing you've ever written

        [i]Microsoft is evil incarnate, or at least a bad incarnation of a cross between the Easter bunny and a platypus. That's why.

        Apple however, are not as Microsoft. They are everything you should look up to and emulate. Everything that is good, right and perfect with the world.[/i]

        That was the best, most logical, well thought out post you've ever made here.

        And no, that isn't a compliment.
        toddbottom3
        Reply Vote

      • If you have a day job

        Give it up, take on stand up comedy.
        ego.sum.stig
        Reply Vote

    • @toddy

      Really the apple marketing machine..
      Sorry i'm primarily a linux user. I do have a macbook yes.. And a Windows 7 / XP Desktop.. Personal pref.. I spend more money on my linux desktop than my win7/xp desktop..

      But i don't buy into there marketing machine, Just like how you will call flack back or mac defender a virus and call on the statement regarding macs are immune to viruses.. When they are classified as a Trojan & Ransomware which the original statement holds.. (this part is off topic from the original subject i know)

      If you wish to defend microsoft, so be it but please get your information in order.. But if you wish to call me a fanboy because i know what i'm talking about so be it.. I'll rather be fanboy (even though i'm not) than a payed company shill
      Anthony E
      Reply Vote

    • Why waste your time and ours

      with your constant trolling?
      Champ_Kind
      Reply Vote

  • Enough of this FUD

    Apple products do not get viruses, and are not hackable. This author really needs to stop trying so hard to spread these false images and FUD
    dsa791
    Reply Vote

    • ^^^

      I can't tell if this guy is being sarcastic, or just ignorant.
      Joe_Raby
      Reply Vote

      • I'll go for ignorant

        although "delusionally out of touch with reality" gives it a run for the money.
        spdragoo@...
        Reply Vote

      • Just sarcastic

        Even Apple users need to start taking security seriously. With their market share increasing, they need to be aware that malware exists at the very least.

        What nobody seems to realize is that most Viruses that people experience are independent of the OS. They're social engineered, and people willingly allow them to run. If the user is going to click "run" or "install", the OS itself can only do so much to stop it.
        dsa791
        Reply 1 Vote

  • What?!

    OS X never had this before? Hm, guess this is a proof of the fact that [b]"Apple is 10 years behind Microsoft in terms of Security"[/b]. It just works :)
    MrElectrifyer
    Reply Vote

  • correction

    > ?????In June, 2012, Apple also introduced silent patching for Adobe Flash Player ???

    That was introduced by Adobe, not Apple.
    grahamperrin
    Reply Vote

  • There comes the worst part?

    now OSX mountain lion is in GM.we can see that the silent security update feature working over and over again? still can't make the update.what's wrong with apple? ok mac goes to windows way.right? not so great.and most importantly this version of OSX is not much better than OSX lion.still i love OSX SL. Bcoz that's more like it.
    spajos2020
    Reply Vote
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