Amidst the hoopla of the new iPhone and iPod touch Applications Store, the release of new iPhone software, and the coming of the 3G iPhone, Apple has released an update for the Apple TV which contains a number of security fixes. This update a half-dozen patches for things like viewing maliciously crafted images and videos, which can lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple provides the following installation note:
The Apple TV device will automatically check Apple’s update server on its weekly schedule. When an update is detected, it will download it, verify its signature, and install it.
This process may take up to a week depending on the day that the Apple TV device checks for updates. Alternatively, you may manually update your Apple TV using the TV interface by selecting Settings Update Software.
This update is only available directly to the Apple TV, and will not appear in your computer’s Software Update application, or in the Apple Downloads site.
It’s probably a good idea to check manually for this update, not only for the security fixes, but for the other new features it includes (access to MobileMe galleries, and the ability to pilot an Apple TV with an iPhone or iPod touch using the free Apple Remote application).
