Not Again! On May 11, 2006 Apple Computer announced 43 Mac OS X and QuickTime security patches (Security Update 2006-003). This included 31 flaws in the Mac OS X, most of them serious enough to cause arbitrary code execution attacks. In addition, Apple also released QuickTime 7.1 as a major security overhaul to fix 12 code execution and denial-of-service flaws.
Less than three months later, Apple announced patches for yet another 26 security holes. 17 of these 26 security holes could expose the user to an arbitrary code execution. Four of them could lead to disclosure of confidential information and two could cause an application to crash. A local user in three cases could exploit a flaw to gain additional user rights.
That’s a whopping 69 security holes discovered in less than three months…..and you thought Microsoft’s operating systems were full of security holes. These numbers are incredibly high for an OS that was supposed to be secure…..or at least that’s what the perception was.
While Microsoft operating systems such as Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP are becoming increasingly secure, Microsoft’s competitors have had some serious problems with their products. Macs have experienced an unusually high number of security problems as of late. Same is true for Mozilla’s Firefox browser (which happens to be my primary browser). It has been steadily gaining popularity because of the ongoing problems with Internet Explorer, but has its share of security holes lately. As software products become more popular, they tend to attract a lot of attention from the bad guys and become more vulnerable to attacks.
As a Mac user I am hoping this trend won’t continue. As a Windows user I am glad the OS is becoming more secure and stable. Unfortunately, I can’t say that about Internet Explorer (IE).
CodeWeavers’ latest Windows-compatibility product is on its way. Intended for Intel Mac OS X machines, CrossOver Mac will allow Mac users to run their favorite Windows applications seamlessly on their Mac, without the need for a Windows OS license of any kind.
The product is currently in its beta and is expected to be released in late July or early August. CrossOver Mac will be priced at $59.95 for a single copy. Volume and Educational discounts will apply. CrossOver Mac will come with 1 year of both Level 2 support and free product upgrades from CodeWeavers.
If you are hoping to get a beta copy, good luck. There is a huge backlog of testers and chancing of getting in at this time are rather slim. Keep in mind that CrossOver Mac will only run on Intel OS X Macs. Click here for more information.
Parallels has launched a new beta program, the first virtualization solution specifically designed to work with Intel-powered Apple computers. Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta2 for Mac OS X is NOT simply a “dual-boot” solution; rather, it empowers users the ability to use Windows, Linux and any other operating system at the same time as Mac OS X, enabling users to enjoy the comfort of their Mac OS X desktop while still being able to use critical applications from other OSes.
Here are some of the main features of the product, as listed by the vendor.
1. Use any version of Windows (3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, Me, 2000, NT, XP, 2003), any Linux distribution, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2, eComStation, or MS-DOS in secure virtual machines running alongside Mac OS X.
2. Driven by full support for dual-core processors and Intel Virtualization Technology (included in almost every new Intel-powered Mac), virtual machines created using Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta2 offer near-native performance and rock-solid stability.
3. Download the program and install it with a single click. Build a virtual machine in seconds using helpful wizards. Configure virtual machines using a simple web-inspired interface.
4. Any Intel Powered Macintosh running OS X 10.4.4 or higher is compatible with Parallels Workstation 2.1.
You can download a free, fully functional copy of Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta2 for Mac OS X here. The company also gives you a choice to pre-order Parallels Workstation 2.1 for Mac OS X now for a discounted price of $39.99 and save $10 off the regular retail price. More info…
A video, published online by Narf, shows an iMac booting into various stages of the WindowsXP installation and directly to the desktop. The video is somewhat edited in that you don’t have to sit through the entire 30 minutes Windows XP install, but it does seem to show the machine going directly from boot to various points in the Windows XP installation process and finally directly to the desktop.
Another day, another Macintosh security scare. Or so it seems. In the past week, users of Apple’s Mac computers - rarely touched by viruses, worms and other nasty stuff - have been warned of at least three security threats. This week, security experts detected a flaw in the way Apple software handles downloaded files. The flaw could give attackers back-door access to Macs if their owners open malicious files from bogus Web sites and e-mail.
Windows-based PCs have felt the brunt of attacks for years because those machines command more than 95% of the worldwide market. Macs mostly have escaped the attention of hackers, until now.
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