Apple Issues Patch For OS X SSL Security Vulnerability

Apple faced a considerable security threat with its SSL flaw, present in both iOS and OS X devices over the past few days. The iOS bug was plugged late Friday via the iOS 7.0.6 update made available to iPhones, iPads and iPod touches, but Macs with 10.9 went unpatched until now. The fix is out, however, so grab it and get your Macs updated to v10.9.2 as soon as possible.

The SSL bug was caused by an extra “goto” command in Apple’s SSL/TLS authentication protocols, which meant that some transmitted data to and from iOS and OS X devices that was meant to be encrypted simply wasn’t. Hackers exploiting this vulnerability could easily stage “man in the middle” attacks, allowing them to intercept things like passwords and logins.

Hackers and security experts quickly noted that the security flaw as indeed “seriously exploitable,” and in place since before October 2013, making this no minor issue. For those who haven’t updated, it’s recommended that you avoid using Safari (stick to Chrome and Firefox) for any secure tasks, and/or avoid connecting to any large, public networks (especially those that lack encryption) as these are more likely to be targeted by hackers.

Now that the fix is out, however, the best course of action is to get all your 10.9 Macs updated (open the App Store, navigate to the ‘Updates’ tab) as quickly as possible. Seriously, this isn’t the time to play wait-and-see.

About the update

The OS X Mavericks v10.9.2 Update is recommended for all OS X Mavericks users. It improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac. This update:

Adds the ability to make and receive FaceTime audio calls

Adds call waiting support for FaceTime audio and video calls

Adds the ability to block incoming iMessages from individual senders

Includes general improvements to the stability and compatibility of Mail

Improves the accuracy of unread counts in Mail

Resolves an issue that prevented Mail from receiving new messages from certain providers

Improves AutoFill compatibility in Safari

Fixes an issue that may cause audio distortion on certain Macs

Improves reliability when connecting to a file server using SMB2

Fixes an issue that may cause VPN connections to disconnect

Improves VoiceOver navigation in Mail and Finder

Improves VoiceOver reliability when navigating websites

Improves compatibility with Gmail Archive mailboxes

Includes improvements to Gmail labels

Improves Safari browsing and Software Update installation when using an authenticated web proxy

Fixes an issue that could cause the Mac App Store to offer updates for apps that are already up to date

Improves the reliability of diskless NetBoot service in OS X Server

Fixes braille driver support for specific HandyTech displays

Resolves an issue when using Safe Boot with some systems

Improves ExpressCard compatibility for some MacBook Pro 2010 models

Resolves an issue which prevented printing to printers shared by Windows XP

Resolves an issue with Keychain that could cause repeated prompts to unlock the Local Items keychain

Fixes an issue that could prevent certain preference panes from opening in System Preferences

Fixes an issue that may prevent migration from completing while in Setup Assistant