Please revoke any permits on self-steering cars until these amateurist bumbo's have performed a necessary reorg
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Ya luckily Windows and Linux have no exploits.
There appears to be a serious bug in macOS High Sierra that enables the root superuser on a Mac with a blank password and no security check.
The bug, discovered by developer Lemi Ergin, lets anyone log into an admin account using the username "root" with no password. This works when attempting to access an administrator's account on an unlocked Mac, and it also provides access at the login screen of a locked Mac.
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To replicate, follow these steps from any kind of Mac account, admin or guest:
1. Open System Preferences
2. Choose Users & Groups
3. Click the lock to make changes
4. Type "root" in the username field
5. Move the mouse to the Password field and click there, but leave it blank
6. Click unlock, and it should allow you full access to add a new administrator account.
At the login screen, you can also use the root trick to gain access to a Mac after the feature has been enabled in System Preferences. At the login screen, click "Other," and then enter "root" again with no password.
This allows for admin-level access directly from the locked login screen, with the account able to see everything on the computer.
It appears that this bug is present in the current version of macOS High Sierra, 10.13.1, and the macOS 10.13.2 beta that is in testing at the moment. It's not clear how such a significant bug got past Apple, but it's likely this is something that the company will immediately address.
Until the issue is fixed, you can enable a root account with a password to prevent the bug from working. We have a full how to with a complete rundown on the steps available here.
Update: An Apple spokesperson told MacRumors that a fix is in the works:
Article Link: Major macOS High Sierra Bug Allows Full Admin Access Without Password - How to Fix [Updated]
Nope -- the issue, it turns out, is that it re-enables automatically. Look back #347 where you see "/// WITHDRAW ///"
Or maybe because it has just been discovered, there isn't any previous reports to verify it. The next time I get access to an older Mac, I'll give it a go and report back.Not always true; there was a root escalation bug that could be exploited by a one-line shell script in Yosemite that was fixed in early El-Capitan betas.
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Oh, please... This news is everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! Try reading other sources other than MacRumors!
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From everything I've read, here and on multiple other sites, there have been non reports anywhere of this affecting Sierra or below.
That's usually a good start for making the statement that "This only affects High Sierra"
If accountability means anything then someone should be fired for such a stupid mistake.
At least we know Apple is concentrating on features that really appeal to Pro users
Emojis and Siri
As others have already said, this is being reported on mainstream news outlets all over the world, it isn’t just macrumours reporting it.Thanks, MacRumors. You've aided all those thieves who grabbed computers from stores as well as private citizens.
Thanks, MacRumors. You've aided all those thieves who grabbed computers from stores as well as private citizens.
Yes because the people who create emojis are the same people in charge of MacOS security.At least we know Apple is concentrating on features that really appeal to Pro users
Emojis and Siri
And it was posted on the Apple developer forum more than two weeks ago.As others have already said, this is being reported on mainstream news outlets all over the world, it isn’t just macrumours reporting it.
Plus the guy who discovered it posted it to Apple using a twitter post, it’s pretty much everywhere
Ya luckily Windows and Linux have no exploits.
What's the likelihood of this being exploited? I am assuming if you use a mac on public wifi and someone on the same network knows how to access? Just curious as I have no idea when it comes to stuff like this.
The Apple fix disabling root user doesn't work. Even if you disable it you'll be able to relogging with root and no password (enter a password then remove it using backspace) and you'll see that everytime the root access is re-enabled automatically in the directory utility.
There's no fix.
Yes there is. Set a password for the root user that's not blank.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204012
The Apple fix disabling root user doesn't work. Even if you disable it you'll be able to relogging with root and no password (enter a password then remove it using backspace) and you'll see that everytime the root access is re-enabled automatically in the directory utility.
There's no fix.
no it doesn't work. logout then re-login. Enter root (and no password) and it works even if you changed the password previously.
Unfortunately we'll not see heads roll ... too costly with stock options and such. It's like a union at the executive level. To be quite honest anyone with a PHD in Software or leads under and including Federighi should be checking security such as root on EVERY Alpha/Beta version of OSX / iOS prior to beta developer release and public releases.
Somebody should get a hurt, real bad!