Apple hires former OLPC security director
updated 05:55 pm EDT, Wed May 13, 2009
Apple gets security expert
Apple has hired the former director of security architecture at One Laptop per Child, Ivan Krstic, according to ZDNet. Krstic developed the Bitfrost security specification for the OLPC project, which he considers a foolproof system to protect against malware attacks. With the new position at Apple, Krstic will be working on core OS security.
The Bitfrost system diverges from typical protection methods by sequestering each program in separate virtual operating systems, instead of reacting to specific viruses. Each program is prevented from causing harm to the computer or accessing protected and sensitive data. “This defeats the entire purpose of writing a virus,” Krstic claims.
Despite Apple's ongoing marketing campaigns that suggest the Mac platform is far more secure than Windows systems, the claims have been met with criticism. Pwn2own winner Charlie Miller, who hacked a MacBook in less than a minute, suggested Macs are less secure than PCs. He still recommends Macs for typical users, however, because of the comparatively smaller range of malware that targets the operating system.
Charlie Miller
05/13, 07:00pm reply
He's a cheat who is in it for the money. He had all kinds of help in his setup and no doubt if he wanted to and knew the Vista OS, he could've done the same thing with them.
Let these guys try it from scratch, no hidden passwords, protocols, friends, etc. and put them on a par with everyone else. Glad to see Apple IS concerned about beefing up security. So far I still pay no attention to Apple "viruses" because I have a lot of work to do. Those reminder messages I get, every morning on my XP OS drive me crazy... I don't know how PC people can stand it.
Bobfozz
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2008
Re: Charlie miller
05/14, 11:15am reply
Seriously? You're still pissed over some two-bit security contest? And he had help? OMG, no! Because we know in the 'real world', hackers are loners and never get outside help.
Get over it man.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
love it...
05/14, 11:17am reply
Krstic developed the Bitfrost security specification for the OLPC project, which he considers a foolproof system to protect against malware attacks.
Amazing! The developer of a security specification claims its foolproof!
Isn't that what everyone says, up until the point it is broken?
And if every program is sequestered from sensitive data, how does any program access sensitive data? Or share data? Or anything?
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001