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0 pointsmrmondo8y ago0 comments

1. Ensure you always have FileVault enabled (you should regardless) and shutdown after work until the bug is fixed.

2. Add a complex root passphrase and clean this up after the fix is released.

3. Reflect on how irresponsibly this serious security bug was ‘reported’, he didn’t just potentially miss out on $200,000, he put an enormous number of people at risk of local intrusions when instead if it was properly reported there’s a good chance Apple would have released a bug fix for this quicker thus reducing the potential impact and spread of misinformation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_disclosure

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201220 (See ‘Security and privacy researchers’)

0 comments

thomastjeffery8y ago

It's not irresponsible to make a bug public.

He did not put people at risk, he showed people they are already at risk, so they would know to set a root password, and thereby not be at risk.

Security by obscurity does not work!

mrmondoOP8y ago

It’s not an example of security by obscurity, it’s a straight out security flaw and bug.

If it’s not publicly known and is a security risk it is far more effective to directly contact the developers / companies security team so they can immediately work on actually protecting people by developing a patch. If they don’t respond quickly (subjective, I’d call it within 12 hours) or fail to issue a fix in a timely manor (subjective, I’d say 24 hours) then yes - go public, start by logging a bug report and link to that bug report or if you can’t - the bug number / reference.

thomastjeffery8y ago

The fact is that the devs certainly do know about it by now, yet users do not have a fix yet. Users do, however, have a workaround, and knowledge that the security flaw exists in the first place.

Waiting for a fix before disclosing a security flaw is security by obscurity, even if it is to be replaced soon.

It is best for users to know that their system is vulnerable, and how to fix that without waiting for a system update.

1 more reply

sdmadf28348y ago

This is the most idiotic thing I've heard in a long time. Yes, they were already at risk, but with the way he disclosed the information, the risk increased exponentially. This guy's actions were either stupid or malicious.

thomastjeffery8y ago

Obviously this isn't the best way to disclose a security flaw.

That does not make it malicious.

Sure, there are more malicious people aware of this security flaw, but there are also more users aware of this security flaw, and the simple steps they can take to mitigate it.

1 more reply

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0 pointsmrmondo8y ago0 comments

1. Ensure you always have FileVault enabled (you should regardless) and shutdown after work until the bug is fixed.

2. Add a complex root passphrase and clean this up after the fix is released.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_disclosure

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201220 (See ‘Security and privacy researchers’)

0 comments

thomastjeffery8y ago

It's not irresponsible to make a bug public.

He did not put people at risk, he showed people they are already at risk, so they would know to set a root password, and thereby not be at risk.

Security by obscurity does not work!

mrmondoOP8y ago

It’s not an example of security by obscurity, it’s a straight out security flaw and bug.

thomastjeffery8y ago

The fact is that the devs certainly do know about it by now, yet users do not have a fix yet. Users do, however, have a workaround, and knowledge that the security flaw exists in the first place.

Waiting for a fix before disclosing a security flaw is security by obscurity, even if it is to be replaced soon.

It is best for users to know that their system is vulnerable, and how to fix that without waiting for a system update.

1 more reply

sdmadf28348y ago

thomastjeffery8y ago

Obviously this isn't the best way to disclose a security flaw.

That does not make it malicious.

Sure, there are more malicious people aware of this security flaw, but there are also more users aware of this security flaw, and the simple steps they can take to mitigate it.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse