When it comes to Apple, one thing that is rarely a topic of discussion is security concerns. However, over the weekend the company quietly released an upgrade for its mobile operating system that plugged a flaw that was described by Johns Hopkins University cryptography professor Matthew Green as "it's as bad as you could imagine."
So what was going on? According to Gizmodo, the problem is a form of SSL or Secure Sockets Layer. This is the process that runs in the background when you are on Safari and log into your favorite websites. While doing this, the SSL helps keep this operation private and secure. It is the key that lets the browser and server know they are talking to the right thing. So if you are making a purchase on Amazon, the SSL confirms that there is a secure connection to the website.
The bug here is called the "Man in the Middle" and it happens when a criminal is on the same network as the user and is able to intercept the communication between the browser and the website. Attackers are also able to monitor, record and see everything that happens between you and the website you are on.
Apple has already released a security patch for iOS and and for Mac OS X is in the works. This shows how important it is for any company that has started a Mac integration to make sure it stays on top of the latest upgrades, which an IT consulting company can help with.
