Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.2

Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.2 to improve the operating system's stability, compatibility and security. The update addresses 58 security holes, many of which can be exploited to hijack a user's system. Depending on the original system (server or client, Mac OS X 10.6.x or 10.6.1), the update weighs in at about 500 MB in size.

The update reportedly improves the reliability and stability of Safari, iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio, MobileMe, iDisk and VPN connections. A problem that can cause data loss when using a guest account after upgrading from Mac OS 10.5 to 10.6 has also been fixed in the release. According to Apple, the update should eliminate sluggish or slow frame rates while watching videos on some systems.

The majority of security issues are critical holes that allow arbitrary code to be injected and executed, for instance, in QuickTime, CoreMedia, ImageIO, Apache, the kernel and various network applications. The holes in QuickTime have been known since mid September and were closed with version 7.6.4 in Mac OS X v10.4.11, Mac OS X v10.5.8, Windows 7, Vista and XP SP3. Why Apple has waited this long to release the update for Snow Leopard, however, is an open question.

A separate security update is available for Mac OS X 10.5.8. Sun's recently released Java update was not included, but will probably be supplied by Apple in the near future.

See also:

• Java 6 Update 17 fixes multiple security vulnerabilities, a report from The H.
• Four Critical Holes in QuickTime Closed, a report from The H.

(crve)