Apple + Security & Privacy

Computerworld reports that Sun has patched at least 14 bugs in Java, yet wonders when Apple will get around to it. With Apple having released a security update and a major OS update yesterday, it is unlikely that Mac users will see these Java fixes soon.

The Computerworld article points out that, “Mac OS X users must wait for Apple Inc. to craft its own Java update. Unlike rivals such as Microsoft Corp., Apple maintains its own version of Java and is responsible for delivering patches to Sun’s software.” And says that, “If the past is an accurate indicator, Apple’s customers may not receive yesterday’s Java fixes for months. When Apple refreshed Java in late September, for instance, it fixed more than two-dozen vulnerabilities, some of which had been patched in updates for Java for Windows, Linux and Solaris as far back as March 2008.”

We have reported several times about Apple’s slowness in issuing security updates for third-party software that is part of Mac OS X. It seems that the broader press is questioning this more and more, and these delays greatly irritate enterprise customers who run Macs in environments where security is crucial. As they see their Windows computers being patched quickly, they find that Apple drags its feet for months to bring Macs up to the same level of security.