Apple Closes iSight Security Hole

Gruber Duckie writes "Apple's security update 2006-008, posted yesterday, is a little more interesting than it sounds. According to information (and a demo!) posted at Macslash the "information leak" mentioned in Apple's advisory actually makes it possible for a web site to send whatever your (isight) web cam sees up to the server. I'm glad they fixed this quickly."

Security Hole?

[Billosaur]

Or cleverly disguised attempt to monitor people by the Department of Homeland Security? You be the judge!

And images of

[Timesprout]

A fat sweaty bearded geek sitting in his parents basement scoffing pizza and jolt while on a raid with his guild is a security issue how exactly?

Too late, Taco!

[elrous0]

They didn't update QUITE fast enough. I've already seen you in your underwear.

It's not a pretty sight, folks.

-Eric

I guess we won't be.....

[8127972]

..... Able to see cute college co-eds prancing around in their dorms half (of if we're lucky, totally) naked.

Nonsense

[CmdrGravy]

The internet is full of ladies and they all surf practically naked, I know this because this is what they tell me in chatrooms and other socialising sites.

As Someone Who Doesn't Own A Mac...

[sweatyboatman]

I personally am disappointed. Imagine the YouTube videos that would have been possible with just a month's worth of such video. I mean, yes, 90% of it would be unshowered nerds with bad posture, but that 10% would have been gold!

Re:And images of

[Rakshasa Taisab]

Uhm, the article said Apple, not Windows.

As is well known, we users of MacOSX are all tall with athletic bodies.

Darn.

[Grendel Drago]

And Mac users are lithe, sexy art types, too. I know, because the ads tell me so.

Don't believe it

[Anonymous Coward]

I refuse to believe this, it has to be a hoax. Everyone round here keeps saying that only 'Windoze' has security problems, and that Macs are immune. Besides, Mac users don't run with admin rights, so this can't be possible, right?

Re:Security Hole?

[D-Cypell]

You be the judge!

Can I be the clandestine military tribunal?

Re:And images of

[un1xl0ser]

Dude, this was on a Mac... no games. duh

Why didn't anybody tell me?

[UnknowingFool]

[Stops dancing wildly in front of computer]
Nobody saw that, right?

Re:And images of

[operagost]

Liar. There's Breakout, Super Breakout, and Photoshop!

Re:Am I the only one

[Orthodork]

Duct tape will manually close the shutter. And a tinfoil hat will keep those nasty thoughts out of your head a little better.

Nothing to iSight here...

[Rastignac]

...move along. ;)

Re:And images of

[hab136]

As is well known, we users of MacOSX are all tall with athletic bodies.

Speak for yourself.. I'm a fat sweaty geek sitting in a basement scoffing pizza and Pepsi while on a raid with his guild (WoW for OSX). No beard though, and it's my basement.

Re:Security Hole?

[forkazoo]

Or cleverly disguised attempt to monitor people by the Department of Homeland Security? You be the judge!

I dunno about DHS, but I do know that this report has made me cancel the Christmas orders I had placed for Mac Laptops to give to hot chicks...

Re:Security Hole?

[Billosaur]

In the year 2005, Apple Computers released the new iMac, a device with a display screen and integrated camera which allowed a remote viewer to monitor whatever was going on in front of it.

And in the year 2011, iMacs and iPods will join together in a cyber-network to battle the ultra-powerful PS3 collective. Oops... you weren't supposed to know about that...

Sun

[BenjyD]

I guess this kind of thing is why Sun put a mechanical lens cover on their webcams.

Shameful this hasn't shown up yet.

[0100010001010011]

In Soviet Russia, websites look at you!

Re:Am I the only one

[LittleBunny]

I've tried the tinfoil hat, believe me. Multiple layers, even. It seems to have no discernable effects on nasty thoughts. But then, maybe I just haven't given it enough time.

Closes iSight (security hole)

[ezzewezza]

Just makes me think:

It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

Re:Am I the only one

[geobeck]

...I have this nice little stuffed penguin, see...and when I place him atop my iMac...

So you're using a Linux patch for your Mac vulnerability?

Tape War

[bill_mcgonigle]

In the year 2005, Apple Computers released the new iMac, a device with a display screen and integrated camera which allowed a remote viewer to monitor whatever was going on in front of it.

Your Orwellian society is defeated by a piece of tape.

Amusing Anecdote

[99BottlesOfBeerInMyF]

One day I wandered into the closest Apple store and was playing with the latest version of OS X to see if I wanted to upgrade. They all had internet connections and isight cameras and I thought it would be fun to play with them. So I made up a new ichat account and added a few people I knew at the time with a camera on their system to the buddy list to see if they were online. The person available just happened to be a cute college co-ed dating one of my buddies. She's one of those skinny little redheads guys always seem to fall for. Anyway, after I got to try out the video chat feature I took off and thought no more about it.

The next time I talked to her she told me I had brought her a lot of entertainment and some embarrassment. It seems people in the store also wanted to try out the video chat, and since there was an account set up with her on the list, they kept sending her chat requests. This was the entertaining part. The embarrassing part was the first time someone did that, she assumed it was me again, and was not quite fully dressed at the time. She said the guy seemed pretty shocked, but nice enough after she jumped out of the camera's line of sight and pulled on a robe.

Re:Amusing Anecdote

[Woy]

... Looking back, most industry executives agreed that the singular moment that propelled Apple to its current 97% marketshare was a lone post on what was then just another Internet forum, and not the brain center for the world government it is today: "The post from '99 [99BottlesOfBeerInMyF] really just got things started," says Steve Jobs, "Up until then we were kind of sitting around wondering how to sell all those shiny computers. We knew about girls and cameras, but we didn't think of putting the two together." ninenine and autopr0n agree: "It wasn't so much what the girls said - we couldn't really hear them - but it was the surprised look on their faces and breasts. 'OMG! Pervert!' Man...still sends a shiver down my spine. 'Pervert!'. We weren't quite exploiting sex comercially before, and then, after that post it was like 'ok, we need to get to it and get this done.' And that's what we did." Coming up next on Behind the Games: 99's sex change operation, and '99's friend's battle with fame and amphetamines.

(a tribute)

Re:Security Hole?

[Anonymous Coward]

So are you ignorant, or are you lying?

Neither - the intelligence was bad.

Re:And images of

[havockla]

CRAP....YOU SAW ME...IT DOES WORK....now i HAVE to do that security upgrade.

Re:Tape War-what about the mic?

[Nefarious Wheel]

Seriously, how can anybody be sure that everything you have ever done on your computer, since the advent of the internet, hasn't been recorded and cached somewhere, for later analysis...

Golly! I have an audience to play to?

Shouldn't that read "iHole in iSecurity" or ....

[aix tom]

... something? Is the marketing department sleeping?