Patches solve issues with Flash, Flashback

Apple has posted two separate security updates for OS X Leopard. The first, Leopard Security Update 2012-003, disables versions of Flash without the most recent security updates, and instead provides a method of getting the latest release from Adobe. Apple's update is 1.11MB and requires at least OS X 10.5.8.

The other new patch is the Flashback Removal Security Update. The tool removes "the most common variants" of the Flashback trojan, according to Apple. A window will pop up to tell a person that malware has been removed; Apple notes that in some cases, a Mac may need a reboot to completely eliminate the infection. The utility is a 1.23MB download, and like the Security Update runs only on OS X 10.5.8.

Apple now rarely releases any updates for Leopard. The company typically maintains an unspoken policy of only supporting the latest and second-to-latest editions of OS X. Critical threats can, however, sometimes force the company to support older software.

by MacNN Staff