“As Apple has increased its share of the computer market, hackers have become more interested in developing exploits for its software vulnerabilities. Like Microsoft, Apple must issue security patches from time to time, but the two companies have very different distribution approaches for their security fixes,” Jim Offner reports for MacNewsWorld.
“‘Software update’ is common parlance among regular computer users,” Offner reports. “More than likely, an ‘update’ is a ‘patch’ — a code modification designed to protect against the latest virus, worm or other security threat.”
Offner reports, “Patches are all in a day’s work for Microsoft and Apple engineers. Indeed, the second Tuesday of every month has become known in tech circles as ‘Patch Tuesday.’ That’s when Microsoft issues its latest updates for its operating systems and applications.”
“Apple disseminates patches on a less-predictable schedule,” Offner reports. “Does Apple need to adopt a more regular routine as its platform becomes more popular among consumers, or is Patch Tuesday more about enterprise users — an area in which Apple’s business has not grown as substantially? Or is a more flexible, whenever-it’s-needed strategy a better idea, regardless of who’s using the OS?”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Judge Bork” for the heads up.]
So, MicroSloth has updates ready, but they wait until a certain date? That’s stupid.
So Mac, the most virus, malware free system in the world should copy MicroSloth’s patch release schedule? Because . . . ? Just because the author thinks so?
I would look at the results. Whichever platform is more stable is the one that is doing it right, and the OTHER one should try to copy IT.
How is once a month, on the second Tuesday, a reasonable strategy? Do hackers release malware on a schedule?
Also, how is it any faster at getting releases to the public? Apple releases security updates as needed, which may or may not be more frequent than once a month. The frequency is “as needed.”
So Apple is supposed to release a security fix every second Tuesday of each month, regardless of whether or not a security fix is needed?
Both of you, just give us the security fixes as soon as you can, whenever you can. That’s enough for me. I don’t really care what day it is and “IT” shouldn’t either.
– Do hackers release malware on a schedule?
Yes, on the second Wednesday of the month.
Note how reasonable my comments are in this article.
— Principal Analist of da Enderle Group
Ah, you must be a member of the Party Of Tolerance.
Uh, just a second folks
Any exploit will CERTAINLY infest itself on a Time Machine drive, or anything else wirelessly or physically attached to a infected machine for that matter.
So in actuality the ‘c-boot from OS cd and restore from Time Machine drive’ is not nearly as good security wise as a ‘c-boot from OS cd, wipe the infected drive and reverse clone from pristine uninfected copy method’.
Plus when BlueRay drives/disks become more affordable, it will be possible to clone one’s entire boot drive onto a BDVD, allowing multiple time spaced copies of your complete boot drive. Just in case the exploit occured some time back and Apple dragged their knuckles in getting out a patch.