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Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure?
Daniel Hanson, 2004-07-21

Apple's OS X is not safer or less susceptible to vulnerabilities and viruses than other OSes, and Apple's secretive culture is bad for the security world.

Comments Mode:
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (3 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous (2 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-24
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-25
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-29
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (2 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (3 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
With no open ports, who needs a firewall? 2004-07-23
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-24
jammer-b
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Kev (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (3 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Kev (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-28
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Eric Aitala
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Daniel Hanson
Hi you misinterpreted my comments regarding buffer overflow protection. I wasn't implying that Apple leaves vulnerabilities open, nor was I implying that there are more of them than other operating systems. What I was saying is that kernel level, or hardware level stack and heap protection is within the realm of possibility for most operating systems. x86 now has a No-Execute flag that can be used to help control these problems. By employing these protections, even if a buffer overflow occurs, it can not be exploited to execute code.

My criticism wasn't that Apple is any worse than other Operating Systems, I think that in many ways it is heads and tails better. My concern is that in the security arena, there are some areas of concern, which I highlighted.

Part of the job of every security practitioner is to openly and aggressively question everything, never take anything at face value. While I love the latest version of the Macintosh (enough to actually pay the premium on my next laptop purchase), and I am certainly no fan of Windows (souless does adequately describe my feelings on it's use), I can't let these preferences guide my questioning.



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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/256/27594#27594
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Scrutiny
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Peter (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Dbl07
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-26
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Chris (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (2 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (3 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
PecosBill
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Chris (3 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Phillip J. (MacPhilly)
Chris is making me tingly! 2004-07-23
Doug T.
*Yawn* 2004-07-22
Steve (2 replies)
*Yawn* at *Yawn* 2004-07-22
Chris (1 replies)
*Yawn* at *Yawn* 2004-07-22
PecosBill
*Yawn* 2004-07-23
Anonymous (1 replies)
*Yawn* 2004-07-23
Anonymous (2 replies)
*Yawn* 2004-07-24
Anonymous
*Yawn* 2004-07-26
Big Mac
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Dan P (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Phillip J. (MacPhilly) (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-26
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
PecosBill
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
chris holland
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (2 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Daniel Hanson (9 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Chris Holland
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
chris holland
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-26
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Tech. Points Not Researched? 2004-07-23
Doug T.
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Jeff Brown
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Mac viruses vs. Windows viruses 2004-07-23
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous (1 replies)
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-22
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-23
Anonymous
On Apple Culture 2004-07-23
Steve (1 replies)
On Apple Culture 2004-07-24
Anonymous
Research? 2004-07-24
jammer-b
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure- Yes 2004-07-27
John G (1 replies)
What can we learn from the comments? 2004-07-27
Anonymous (1 replies)
Some comments... 2004-07-28
Aaron
FUD 2004-07-28
Anonymous
Mac OS X ? Unix? Secure? 2004-07-30
Shirkdog
Comments 2004-07-31
Anonymous (1 replies)
Re: Comments 2006-05-16
Not so anonymous







 

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