Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.6.1 With Security Fixes

[coolfactor]

If you don't have Screen Sharing enabled is this update necessary?

No, not necessary with Screen Sharing disabled.

 

[Populus]

I really hope that Apple now spends the next 12 months hardening its platforms and putting spurious features on the back burner, because all signs point to AI attacks quickening & getting even more effective.

Yeah, specifically on iOS/macOS 27. It’s good enough that they have implemented so many fixes and patches to the last iterations of iOS/macOS 26, but they should use the 27 cycle to definitely strengthen the system security at a much deeper level… I’m not sure if it’s already a bit late for this and we’ll have to wait until iOS/macOS 28 to see that level of deep security enhancement. But iOS/macOS 27 looks quite promising.

 

[bluecoast]

Yeah, specifically on iOS/macOS 27. It’s good enough that they have implemented so many fixes and patches to the last iterations of iOS/macOS 26, but they should use the 27 cycle to definitely strengthen the system security at a much deeper level… I’m not sure if it’s already a bit late for this and we’ll have to wait until iOS/macOS 28 to see that level of deep security enhancement. But iOS/macOS 27 looks quite promising.

I hope also that Apple increases its hotfixing functionality.

I’d like to be see Apple 100% split feature updates from security updates

Security updates should then invisibly hotfix themselves (with an option to turn this off) with intelligently scheduled automatic rebooting (if required).

 

[Konrad]

Just did an update (26.6.1) on MacBook Pro m2...another disappointment of yet another new look, have to look how to get rid of weather, clock, etc windows on a screen...and the rounded corners of the boxes...why can't they leave the graphics, skins alone?

 

[ikramerica]

No, not necessary with Screen Sharing disabled.

Or on a home network with people you trust I assume. It’s not a remote exploit as “Back to my Mac” isn’t a thing anymore.

 

[ikramerica]

I hope also that Apple increases its hotfixing functionality.

I’d like to be see Apple 100% split feature updates from security updates

Security updates should then invisibly hotfix themselves (with an option to turn this off) with intelligently scheduled automatic rebooting (if required).

No. I don’t think that’s going to work on a desktop OS.

 

[bluecoast]

No. I don’t think that’s going to work on a desktop OS.

I think it’s important that Apple does try and make something like this work on all of its platforms.

Because from now on, ai aided attacks - and ai’s / agents working alone - are going to only increase.

By next year (if not now) I think the below is perfectly possible:

A serious security bug is found on Apple’s platforms, which enables attacks at a huge scale on hundreds of millions of unpatched devices from ai agents running in the cloud, necessitates an automatic rapid patch update being applied by Apple to all of its live devices, with every hour counting.

As I said above, I think tech savvy people & orgs should be able to opt out of this.

However, the vast majority of consumers - who have bought Apple devices for their security & privacy and who just want their devices to work - shouldn’t have to worry about security patch updates & should have the reasonable expectation that Apple is keeping them safe.

 

[Bokito]

Apple did. 15.7.9 and 14.8.9 were released today as well.

I meant further back, those releases are still supported, so they just do that, but I would suggest 10.14 (Mojave) and up.