New Mac OS X Security Vulnerability Found - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

New Mac OS X Security Vulnerability Found

by

Security company Secunia reports that a new vulnerability in the way Mac OS X handles the "fpathconf()" system call has been discovered.

The vulnerability exists due to an error in the "fpathconf()" syscall when it is called with an unsupported file type and can be exploited to cause a system panic.

The vulnerability was initially found in FreeBSD and was discovered in the latest version of 10.4.8 (with all patches applied) by Ilja Van Sprundel. The severity of the vulnerability is rated as "not critical," although a patch from Apple is not yet available. It is not currently known whether other systems (10.3.x, etc) are effected.

Recently, another Mac OS X concept virus was developed, code named OSX.Macarena. Similarly deemed "not critical", the virus is not known to be in the wild on more than 50 computers worldwide or at more than 2 sites (according to Symantec).

Popular Stories

iphone 18 pro blue%402x

iPhone 18 Pro: Dark Cherry, Light Blue, and Dark Gray Chassis Leaked [Update]

Thursday June 4, 2026 5:18 am PDT by
Update: Since publication, new information has come to light suggesting the images have been AI-manipulated and are not in fact iPhone 18 Pro chassis parts. The original article follows. The color options Apple is reportedly planning for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max have appeared online today in the form of images of chassis parts of unknown authenticity....
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple Says CarPlay Ultra is Coming to These Vehicle Brands

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:53 am PDT by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. CarPlay Ultra...
iOS 27 All the New App Features

iOS 27: All the Rumored App Features

Wednesday June 3, 2026 3:48 pm PDT by
Siri is getting a major overhaul in iOS 27, but Apple also has some big updates planned for apps like Camera, Photos, and Wallet. There are multiple new AI features in the works, plus some non-AI upgrades. Camera Apple is moving Visual Intelligence from the Camera Control button to the Camera app in iOS 27, according to Bloomberg. There will be a Siri mode that will be available alongside...