Apple has released updates to insulate Mac OS X systems from the dangerous “Shellshock” bug, a pervasive vulnerability that is already being exploited in active attacks.
Patches are available via Software Update, or from the following links for OS X Mavericks, Mountain Lion, and Lion.
After installing the updates, Mac users can check to see whether the flaw has been truly fixed by taking the following steps:
* Open Terminal, which you can find in the Applications folder (under the Utilities subfolder on Mavericks) or via Spotlight search.
* Execute this command:
bash –version [author’s note: my WordPress install is combining these two dashes; it should read the word “bash” followed by a space, then two dashes, and the word “version”].
* The version after applying this update will be:
OS X Mavericks: GNU bash, version 3.2.53(1)-release (x86_64-apple-darwin13)
OS X Mountain Lion: GNU bash, version 3.2.53(1)-release (x86_64-apple-darwin12)
OS X Lion: GNU bash, version 3.2.53(1)-release (x86_64-apple-darwin11)
Thank you for this information; it worked for me; wouldn’t have known had I not received your emails.
Just installed the update…worked great. I feel better knowing another
vulnerability has been taken care of. Thanks for all of your efforts to keep
users ahead of these problems.
I’m running Mac OS X Version 10.6.8 on a MacBook Pro laptop. Do I need a patch for the Shellshock Bug, and if so, how do I go about getting it installed? I’m not computer savvy at all. Thank you for any advice you can provide.
Tim,
Apple has not released a patch for 10.6.8, but you can upgrade to Mavericks for free via the app store, if your hardware is supported. Then install the Mavericks patch.