Apple fixes security flaws

Apple's newest QuickTime software and iPhone/iPod touch v1.1.3 updates bring a number of security enhancements, fixing three security concerns in the software for mobile devices and four security flaws in QuickTime, Apple's underlying music and video technology. The iPod/iPhone 1.1.3 update fixes an issue with Passcode Lock, Safari, and its operating system ("Foundation"). The company notes that, before the patch, accessing a maliciously crafted URL could have lead to an application termination or arbitrary code execution. In addition, it fixes an implementation issue with Passcode lock whereby users could launch an application without entering a pass code: "An implementation issue in the handling of emergency calls allows users with physical access to an iPhone to launch an application without the passcode," Apple wrote. "This update addresses the issue through an improved check on the state of the Passcode Lock."

Finally, version 1.1.3 of the mobile device software addresses an issue with a cross-site scripting attack, which could lead to the disclosure of sensitive information.

Version 7.4 of QuickTime fixes a bug in both Tiger and Leopard (as well as Windows) where viewing a maliciously crafted movie file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. The company said that a memory corruption issue exists in QuickTime's handling of Sorenson 3 video files and that the update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of Sorenson 3 video files. In addition, the update fixed similar flaws in QuickTime's handling of Macintosh Resource records in movie files and in QuickTime's parsing of Image Descriptor (IDSC) atoms. Finally, it addressed a fourth cross-platform QuickTime flaw, which was patched in the current update; it could have caused by a buffer overflow may occur while processing a compressed PICT image.

by MacNN Staff