Network Security, Vulnerability Management

Apple upgrade brings bug fixes along with new emojis

Apple upgraded its operating system and a few devices to offer stability improvements, more than a hundred new emojis, as well as addressing 15 security bugs.

Four of the updates patch code execution vulnerabilities which, if left unpatched, could enable an attacker to commandeer an affected device.

As well as updates for iOS 10.2, tvOS 10.1 and watchOS 3.11, the updates also include a fix for a new TV app.

The updates also fix a number of vulnerabilities that could enable an attacker to gain access to a targeted phone, including unlocking the device and viewing photos on the phone

Name and information link

Available for

Release date

watchOS 3.11

All Apple Watch models

Dec 12

tvOS 10.1

Apple TV (4th generation)

Dec 12

iOS 10.2

iPhone 5 and later, iPad 4th generation and later, iPod touch 6th generation and later

Dec 12

Users are urged to update as soon as possible.

In other Apple bug news, Trustwave just discovered a vulnerability in Skype for Mac OS X that allows nearly complete access to Skype on OS X without direct authentication, including access to send messages, access contact info and record calls.

An authentication by-pass was detected in the API so a local program could by-pass authentication if the interloper "identified themselves as the program responsible for interfacing with the Desktop API on behalf of the Skype Dashboard widget program."

This backdoor has been in existence since at least 2010, with an estimated 30 million-plus Apple users at risk.

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