Apple Updates Mountain Lion Developer Preview With New Security Features

[MacRumors]

Apple has issued a new update for Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4 via the Mac App Store. It was first noticed by Twitter user @Lhunar and introduces the new Mountain Lion Security Update system.

The new system does daily checks for security updates as Apple ramps up its security protocols in the next-generation operating system. Earlier this month, it was noticed that Apple had changed the language on its OS X marketing pages following the Flashback malware attack earlier this year.

The new security system in Mountain Lion -- including Gatekeeper and other features -- appears to be a significant expansion of the XProtect system that Apple has used in the past to try to thwart OS X malware.

OS X Security Update Test 1.0 -- Restart Required

This update tests the new Mountain Lion Security Updates system. The new system includes:

- Daily Checks for required security updates
- The ability to install required security updates automatically or after restarting your Mac
- A more secure connection to Apple's update servers.

This update includes general updates and improvements to Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4.

The update weighs in at 1.16GB and is available to developers with Mountain Lion DP4 installed via the Mac App Store.

Article Link: Apple Updates Mountain Lion Developer Preview With New Security Features

 

[bushido]

already installed, lets see if they also fixed the last remaining bugs i had

so far the dev 4 seems almost perfect!

 

[Peace]

Pretty cool. It pops up as a notification.

 

[Mad-B-One]

Nice!

That means they try to stay ahead of the game this time. Malware will have it harder if a non-tech-savvy user uses a default protection built in.

 

[jayhawk11]

Good to see them taking this seriously. I think Flashback was an eye opener for them. Obviously it wasn't a huge deal overall, and the damage was reversible, but it certainly woke them (and users) up to reality.

 

[Alfred.Woodden]

Good. I like that it installs security updates in the background, so we can focus on just using the Mac, and not those horrible "Security Update available. Download now" messages.

 

[Aidan5806]

I assume this is the first active version of gatekeeper.

 

[cmChimera]

This is awesome. What to do when your operating system is already way more secure than Windows? Double down on security. Props to Apple.

 

[NAG]

*Waits for someone to post Artie MacStrawman talking points.*

 

[AR999]

Why the heck is this thing over 1gb?

 

[mbh]

Please stop saying "weighs in at".

 

[Peace]

Why the heck is this thing over 1gb?

Because its not just a security update test. It's also includes bug fixes.

It's a new build.

Previous build was 12A248 and the new build is 12A256

 

[bushido]

This is awesome. What to do when your operating system is already way more secure than Windows? Double down on security. Props to Apple.

to be honest, the OS hasnt been secure before AT ALL. no one just seemed to have bothered because OS X was barely a target to those virus makers

edit: apparently 7 people have no clue

 

[leman]

Good to see them taking this seriously. I think Flashback was an eye opener for them. Obviously it wasn't a huge deal overall, and the damage was reversible, but it certainly woke them (and users) up to reality.

Second this.

 

[Comeagain?]

Please stop saying "weighs in at".

Do you have weight issues?

 

[marcusj0015]

I hope it's background updated, Microsoft's problem is with their constant having to load the app or WU, it's like, if I'm connected to the Internet, download the ****ing thing already.

 

[cmChimera]

to be honest, the OS hasnt been secure before AT ALL. no one just seemed to have bothered because OS X was barely a target to those virus dev idiots

I disagree that the OS wasn't relatively secure, and definitely better than Windows. It obviously wasn't perfect, but working with Windows and Mac OS X really showed me the difference in levels of security. I also don't really believe in the idea that Mac OS X has been safer from malware simply because no one cared to attack it.

 

[marcusj0015]

Why the heck is this thing over 1gb?

Ikr?! That's what I'm wondering too.

 

[Peace]

Ikr?! That's what I'm wondering too.

Read my post..

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15122934/

 

[marcusj0015]

Read my post..

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15122934/

I did, right after I posted that. lol.

 

[mbh]

Do you have weight issues?

No, but that phrase is overused and nonsensical. It's about as hackneyed as "we reached out to X for a comment".

How about "The update is 1.2GB." and "We contacted X for a comment."

 

[Winni]

This is awesome. What to do when your operating system is already way more secure than Windows? Double down on security. Props to Apple.

OS X NEVER was more secure than Windows - that's just a stupid myth. It just has an insignificant market share and only recently began to appear on the radar screen of malware authors. But in every hacker contest, OS X usually is the first system that gets hacked.

Since Vista, Windows has an architecture that provides much more security out of the box than most other operating systems on the market.

But that's the amazing thing here: Apple is playing catchup with Microsoft's security features and all of a sudden everything you people have bashed Microsoft for in the past becomes an awesome new feature in OS X.

 

[marcusj0015]

No, but that phrase is overused and nonsensical. It's about as hackneyed as "we reached out to X for a comment".

How about "The update is 1.2GB." and "We contacted X for a comment."

Who cares man?!

 

[doobybiggs]

so with the security stuff ... will virus / malware devs have to create new programs for Snow Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion?

Just curious if they all tie together pretty closely or if they will be a lot different on the backend forcing those devs to create all new bad programs ...

 

[Can't Stop]

OS X NEVER was more secure than Windows - that's just a stupid myth. It just has an insignificant market share and only recently began to appear on the radar screen of malware authors. But in every hacker contest, OS X usually is the first system that gets hacked.

Since Vista, Windows has an architecture that provides much more security out of the box than most other operating systems on the market.

But that's the amazing thing here: Apple is playing catchup with Microsoft's security features and all of a sudden everything you people have bashed Microsoft for in the past becomes an awesome new feature in OS X.

Winni was never smart, it’s just a myth.