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Most OS X users unaffected by Shellshock bash exploit says Apple

Most OS X users unaffected by Shellshock bash exploit says Apple
Jonathan Riggall

Jonathan Riggall

  • Updated:

Apple has made a statement about the Shellshock bash exploit, widely reported to be a threat to most Unix/Linux systems, which would include OS X.

“The vast majority of OS X users are not at risk to recently reported bash vulnerabilities”, according to Apple, which was speaking to iMore. Very advanced OS X users who have configured advanced UNIX services on their computers may be at risk, but the vast majority of users cannot be attacked through the Shellshock bash vulnerability.

While there could be attacks that use this exploit, for example, to spread worms, so far, this is all theoretical. People who run servers or manage networks should be aware of this risk, but regular users are very unlikely to be attacked by anyone using the Shellshock bash exploit.

If you are an advanced user, you can follow Lewis’ advice on how to check if you’re at risk here. But for most people, the message is don’t worry. As long as you keep your software and device firmware up to date, you should be okay. While some security experts are saying this could be ‘worse than Heartbleed’, most people will not be affected.

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Jonathan Riggall

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