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August 3, 2006

security

MacBook hack isn’t all Apple’s fault

Posted Aug. 3, ’06, 2:02 PM PT by Scott Silverman
Category | Security

whitemacbookfrontYesterday Dan posted on the big news about hacking a MacBook in 60 seconds at the Black Hat security convention. Well, MacBook users everywhere can rest a little easier today, knowing that the hack was not a fault of the MacBook or Apple. Sci-Tech Today ran an article this morning in which experts on wireless security discuss the infamous 60-second hack. Here are some rather informative excerpts:

“The problem itself isn’t really an Apple problem,” said Maynor, a researcher at SecureWorks Inc., a network-monitoring company. “This is a systemic problem across the industry.”

The MacBook used in the demonstration was not using the wireless gear that shipped with the computer. Instead, they used a third-party wireless card that they declined to name.

A computer need not be connected to the Internet to be infected. All that’s required is that it have certain wireless devices installed and that those devices be turned on.

Apparently the two hackers were simply trying to make a point that they could hack a “virus free, secure” Apple computer. It seems like cheating to me if the hack was done using a modified Wi-Fi card. So at least for now, MacBook users can rest easy(ier) and Apple users can have their integrity restored.


1 Comments

Liak said:

Vulnerabilities in the wireless devices may not be all Apple's faults. But leading the hackers to demo the exploits on a Mac is entirely thanks to Apple's baiting with "I'm a PC and I'm a Mac" ads. And I believe that the exploits can be used on Mac's, but Apple marketing probably has leaned on these hackers so hard that they agreed not to demo it on an Airport. Still as pissed-off hackers, they exploited a loophole in their agreement with Apple by going through all the trouble of using a wireless card connected to a Mac to make their point. And just days before WWDC. Ouch.

August 4, 2006 9:53 PM

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