Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Apple
    • Apple
    • Cybersecurity

    Apple Makes Security Improvements to iOS and OS X

    Written by

    Sean Michael Kerner
    Published May 17, 2016
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Apple updated its mobile and desktop operating systems on May 16, with the release of iOS 9.3.2 and Mac OS X 10.11.5 with patches to a number of security vulnerabilities.

      For Apple’s OS X desktop operating system, the new update follows the 10.11.4 release that debuted on March 21, while the iOS 9.3.1 mobile operating system update came out on March 31.

      As has been the case with prior Apple updates, Google’s Project Zero security researchers and Trend Micro researchers are the leading sources for vulnerability reports patched by Apple. Apple credits Google Project Zero researcher Ian Beer with reporting nine vulnerabilities that it patched in this cycle (CVE-2016-1793, CVE-2016-1794, CVE-2016-1803, CVE-2016-1807, CVE-2016-1813, CVE-2016-1819, CVE-2016-1821, CVE-2016-1823 and CVE 1846).

      Trend Micro, meanwhile, is credited with reporting 22 flaws, of which 13 were reported by researchers working through the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI). ZDI became part of Trend Micro by way of the $300 million acquisition of Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Tipping Point division. ZDI pays security researchers for vulnerabilities and then responsibly discloses the flaws to the impacted vendors.

      “Mac OS X and iOS are platforms that Trend Micro’s security researchers look at,” Christopher Budd, global threat communications manager at Trend Micro, told eWEEK. “As far as our Zero Day Initiative soliciting vulnerabilities from researchers for Mac OS X and iOS for possible vulnerabilities, Mac OS is one of the platforms of focus for Pwn2Own 2016.”

      At the Pwn2Own 2016 hacking challenge, which ran in March, security researchers were awarded a total of $460,000 in prizes for finding vulnerabilities in Apple, Microsoft, Google and Adobe technologies.

      Among the noteworthy vulnerabilities patched in iOS and OS X is CVE-2016-1801, which was reported by security researchers Alex Chapman and Paul Stone of Context Information Security. The CVE-2016-1801 flaw is in the CFNetwork Proxies component of both iOS and OS X, providing network protocol abstractions.

      “An information leak existed in the handling of HTTP and HTTPS requests,” Apple warned in its advisory. “This issue was addressed through improved URL handling.”

      Looking specifically at the iOS 9.3.2 update, Andrew Blaich, security researcher at Lookout, said Apple patched 39 vulnerabilities.

      “In this OS update, as has happened in previous updates, we’re continuing to see patches come out for iOS that are aimed at hardening the software used to process media such as images, XML documents and Web content,” Blaich told eWEEK. “These patches are critical, since enterprise and consumer users are constantly using their mobile devices to view this type of content on their devices.”

      Media processing libraries are particularly important on mobile operating systems and have been exploited by attackers, most notably on Android with the Stagefright mediaserver flaws.

      “We will continue to see further hardening in the libraries responsible for media processing as it’s an easy attack vector to get someone to view an image or open a document,” Blaich said. “As smartphones become even more essential to our everyday work and personal lives, in many cases serving as the access token for any number of sensitive or corporate accounts, cracking them will be increasingly attractive to the attackers.”

      Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner is an Internet consultant, strategist, and writer for several leading IT business web sites.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×