Mountain Lion OS X Server app updated to version 2.21
updated 08:15 pm EST, Mon February 4, 2013
Corrects bugs, enhances features, adds speed, Retina support
Apple has issued a minor update to its OS X Server app for Mountain Lion, now at version 2.21. The $20 program allows anyone with a Mountain Lion install to turn the OS into a server OS utilizing a suite of utilities included in the application. The update improves the speed of downloading Mac App Store software through improved caching, adds Time Machine service monitoring, brings Retina display support for the Wiki Server, adds the ability to use Active Directory groups in Profile Manager and more.
The update, the first since early December, also addresses a pair of issues. Version 2.21 fixes a problem where apps uploaded to Profile Manager may be inadvertently deleted, and also fixes setup failures that were caused by an SSL error, along with improving the upgrade process for users coming to the Mountain Lion version of OS X Server from Lion Server.
A pair of security issues were also addressed in the update, including closing a Ruby on Rails XML vulnerability that could have allowed attackers to cause arbitrary code execution. The issue was fixed by disabling XML parameters in the Rails implementation used by Profile Manager and Wiki Server. In the other instance, Ruby on Rails' handling of JSON data caused a type casting issue, which was fixed by switching to using the JSONGem backend for JSON parsing.
The Time Machine service monitoring now informs admins of which computers on a network have been backed up and when, along with information on the size of the backup. The update also updates certificate management with a new, centralized interface. The update is available now through Software Update, and the new version is also listed for purchase in the Mac App Store.
