Apple has released security updates for all versions of OS X that it currently supports, which are OS X Mavericks, Mountain Lion, and Lion, along with the server variants of these releases.
The update, which is the second released this year, is titled “2014-002″ and simply states that it “improves the security of OS X,” and the contents of the installation packages show a number of frameworks and extensions for image and Web handling have been updated. Apple has a full list of the changes and patches available in this knowledgebase document.
Most security updates apply patches to vulnerabilities in the handling of documents and data, which could lead to a hacker gaining control of a system, or executing code on the system without proper authority, so the application of these security updates is highly recommended. However, before applying them, be sure you have a full backup of your system.
The updates should be available through Apple’s Software Update service, so to apply them you can select “Software Update” in the Apple menu; however, you can also download and apply them manually from Apple’s Web site:
- Security Update 2014-002 (Mavericks)
- Security Update 2014-002 (Mountain Lion)
- Security Update 2014-002 (Lion)
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Topher Kessler
And Mac OS X 10.9.3 is just around the corner…
Includes Safari 7.0.3, but it’s exactly the same build number as the version released earlier.
Apple updates usually break permissions… Why?
In this case:
Repairing permissions for “Macintosh HD”
Permissions differ on “usr/lib/libruby.2.0.dylib”; should be lrwxrwxrwx ; they are lrwxr-xr-x .
Repaired “usr/lib/libruby.2.0.dylib”
Permissions differ on “usr/lib/libruby.dylib”; should be lrwxrwxrwx ; they are lrwxr-xr-x .
Repaired “usr/lib/libruby.dylib”
Permissions differ on “Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Resources/Safari.help/Contents/Resources/index.html”; should be lrwxr-xr-x ; they are -rwxr-xr-x .
Repaired “Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Resources/Safari.help/Contents/Resources/index.html”
Group differs on “Library/Printers/InstalledPrinters.plist”; should be 80; group is 0.
Permissions differ on “Library/Printers/InstalledPrinters.plist”; should be -rw-rw-rw- ; they are -rw-r–r– .
Repaired “Library/Printers/InstalledPrinters.plist”
Permissions repair complete
Updates may change permissions, but not necessarily break them. There are a number of permissions settings for files that will maintain security while giving the system and required services the access needed to use them properly. The ones in the permissions database are just one of these. A broken permissions setting is one that denies access to services that require this access, be it read, write, or both.
Overall, while permissions errors may show up when you check them in Disk Utility, they usually do not mean anything. The only time they should be heeded is if you are experiencing problems with configuring your system.
I got the same notifications when I repaired permissions. It’s nothing compared with the screenfuls you used to get after updating Flash.
BTW, some of the Mac sites still haven’t reported on this update yet. Odd, given all the recent concerns about security.