Owners Of MacBook Pros Will Be Disappointed By Apple's MacOS Decision

Apple rolls out updates for its MacBooks and iPhones periodically. Patching any vulnerabilities and addressing any security concerns are all part of updating macOS or any operating system for that matter. This weekend's focus has been on a macOS 'watering hole' assault and Apple's response across the platform.

Apple’s Decision Regarding MacOS

According to recent reports, a privilege escalation problem in macOS Catalina was being leveraged to target users to pro-democracy websites in Hong Kong by "a well-resourced" and "possibly state-backed" outfit. Leaving aside the political ramifications of the vulnerability, it is necessary to discuss Apple's response to the problem.

The standard recommendation is to maintain your operating system up to date to prevent unethical data transfers, and Apple continues to send out "update now" reminders to Mac users. Unfortunately, considering Apple's stance on security patches, this viewpoint is problematic.

The most recent version of macOS is not available to everyone. Apple continues to deliver security updates for older gear, and the widespread consensus is that after the hardware is unable to upgrade to the new OS, two more years of security upgrades are provided.

This is where Apple appears to have made a mistake. On February 1st of this year, the aforementioned vulnerability was corrected in macOS Big Sur, although it was not patched in macOS Catalina at the same time. We're not sure how Apple can justify such a long delay in safeguarding its customers' machines when it claims to provide the most secure platforms available.

Moreover, security researchers will undoubtedly investigate to determine if this is an isolated incident or the start of a trend, but Apple can take proactive measures in the meantime. It has the ability to speak openly and provide specific details about how it handles security upgrades.

First and foremost, make extremely clear about the support that is being provided for previous versions of macOS, as well as how long this support will persist at the very least. Apple, too, can offer this as a standard feature if Android makers can. Silicon Valley can also be more precise about what changes are made with a new update, there showed to be a detailed document containing all the changes to be expected with the new update.

Most importantly, don't put off updating older macOS versions. Everything should be updated at the same time. Supporting earlier versions of macOS means there are more hardware and software combinations to consider, but this is still a fraction of what Windows has to deal with, and I'm confident Apple's developer teams are on a level with Microsoft's.

Wrapping Up

All of this is happening as Apple transitions its macOS platform from Intel to its ARM-based technology. Naturally, Apple will focus its efforts on the new architecture, but the Intel range still has a lot of life left in it, a digital life that will require the security of macOS in the coming years.

It's as much about appearances as it is about implementation when it comes to security. Apple's aura says that everything will be OK and that everyone will be safe. However, its recent acts may cast doubt on that.

  

Author

Zainab is a content creator & a passionate blogger. She is a professional tech blogger & an avid reader by soul. She loves to explore topics related to news/technology, particularly SMS backup & restore. In her free time, she enjoys penning down her thoughts with a cup of coffee.