back to article Apple's Mountain Lion to offer automatic security updates

Apple is building in automatic update checking into the next version of Mac OS X – Mountain Lion. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion can be configured to automatically poll for security updates every day instead of waiting for users to check for them, which describes the current set-up, AppleInsider reports. Alternatively, Mountain Lion …

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  1. Cave Dweller
    Trollface

    Holy Crap!

    Apple have invented Windows Update!

    1. LarsG

      Re: Holy Crap!

      I had to sit down in case I fainted!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Holy Crap!

      Yes, like Windows Update but without the nagging reboot reminders every X minutes. Always popular at presentations.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: Holy Crap!

        > like Windows Update but without the nagging reboot reminders every X minutes

        Yeah, the Vista implementation was marvellous- a forced restart that couldn't be prevented, resulting in some lost work; not a lot of work, but than I have ever lost to a virus.

        Win7 is better behaved.

        1. Hans 1
          Boffin

          Re: Holy Crap!

          Win7 better behaved? It asked me if I wanted to postpone reboot for 4 hours twice, then (4 hours after my second postpone) decided to reboot without asking me to save anything ... it did that to me twice in about 6 months - I since decided I was too stupid for Windows and put Linux on my work laptop, cannot afford to lose work.

    3. Chad H.

      Re: Holy Crap!

      Err, it already has that. This is apple inventing the Virus Definition update.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Holy Crap!

      @Cave Dweller: "Apple have invented Windows Update!"

      It may have done - the Mac OS Software Update mechanism preceded Windows Update by many years. In fact, I'm not sure what this article is supposed to be about because the existing mechanism already allows daily checks to be specified. Makes it sound as if the author doesn't know what they're writing about.

  2. banjomike
    FAIL

    Watch out, Microsoft

    Apple will have a patent on this and then they will sue you something rotten. And the braindead jurors will agree with them.

    1. dogged
      Pirate

      Re: Watch out, Microsoft

      incoming - iPatch Tuesday.

      Hmm. Possibly too piratical.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

    Seriously, did anyone check the facts before posting this? OSX already supports automatic update checking. From what I remember it's turned on by default and set to weekly checks, but daily is available as an option.

    I guess the actual story is something slightly different - maybe it'll now automatically install (the present system will download the update then tell you it's ready to install). If it's a security update that doesn't need a reboot (most don't) then auto-install is a welcome improvement. Or maybe security updates are now separate from OS or App updates.

    Maybe we need another mac update story with the actual facts? :D

    1. KroSha
      FAIL

      Re: Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

      +1 to that, Software Update will run automatically check for updates daily, weekly or monthly. It'll also pre-download them and then ask for permission to install. I doubt that'll change much, as most big software updates require an admin password.

      Additionally, OSX Server already has the option to act as a Software update hub, where the Server downloads updates and clients can then pull them locally instead of from Apple. The Server also lets you choose which updates get advertised locally. So, e.g. Camera RAW updates could be ignored.

      Once again, Sophos shows that it knows f**k-all about the current situation on the Mac OS

      1. Fred 4
        Facepalm

        Re: Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

        as has been said already - the update manager already does all of this -

        What I **hope** is meant is that the computer admin can authorize the update engine to INSTALL the update(s) without requiring an admin to actually touch the machine each time. Again, as already suggested, ala Windows update.

        As for Server push... this is nice feature IF :

        - you have extra $ for extra equipment (a server computer and OS)

        - you have a server (and the requisit hardware) for EACH version of the OS you want to push. I.E. OS X 10.6 server wont push OS x 10.7, and vise versa.

        where I am working currently, I have the following versions of Macintosh OSes running:

        - OS 9 - software to operate equipment, cant upgrade, vendor has not provided updated sotware

        - 10.3 - software to operate equipment, cant upgrade, vendor has not provided updated software

        - 10.4 - software to operate equipment, cant upgrade, vendor has not provided updated software

        - 10.6 - current machines

        - 10.7 - newest machines, have problems with software that wont run, see above re:vendors

      2. MD Rackham

        Re: Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

        Sophos gets all it's Mac information from Lewis Page.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

          Sounds more like it gets it from Barry Shitpeas

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

      Exactly - mine checks (automatically) and notifies me if any are available - do not think it auto-applies them though but think I would rather do it when i want.

    3. NightFox

      Re: Next week in the register: Apple to support colour monitors!

      @Chris 19 "Maybe we need another mac update story with the actual facts? :D"

      Please. Remember where you are.

  4. Ye Gads
    FAIL

    To paraphrase Prince....

    We're going to update like it's 1999...

    Wasn't Microsoft doing this in Windows 98?

  5. Chris 3
    FAIL

    Software Update was introduced in 1999 in OS 9 and supported automatic download

    Whatever this story is trying to report on, it's not that.

  6. Tim Parker

    Horseshit

    ..as noted by others. What Mountain Lion has started introducing, however, is the concept of forced updates - with a count-down reminder.

  7. Mike Flugennock
    Mushroom

    fast becoming my least favorite phrase in the English language...

    "Auto update"

  8. JDX Gold badge

    Apple's New Security Policy

    Every time a component or application is found to have vulnerabilities, just turn it off.

  9. R Cox

    already does?

    Not sure what is happening here, but OS X can already automatically checks for updates on a periodic basis as chosen by the user. This presumable includes security updates to the OS, as I see no reason to exclude those.

    <p>

    My understanding is the new OS X will install these during sleep time, so even if one is not actively using the computer, these updates will still be installed. The benefit, obviously, is that the security has already been updated when the user comes back to work on the computer. This is, in fact, an innovative feature as my other computer says it has security updates a couple times a week, and I must wait 10 minutes for the updates to install and reboot the machine before i can use it.

    1. dogged
      WTF?

      Re: already does?

      My understanding is the new OS X will install these during sleep time

      I don't think you mean the same thing by "sleep" as I do in the context of a computer if yours has stuff installing through it.

      1. KroSha

        Re: already does?

        This is Apple's new "Power Nap" feature, where the OS does stuff whilst asleep. Software Update, iCloud syncing, other currently unspecified stuff, all the while the Mac is "asleep" and drawing minimal power.

    2. Sandtitz Silver badge

      Re: already does?

      I fail to see the innovation.

      Since Windows Vista (=2007) you could configure Windows Update to do its thing even if the computer was asleep.

      Of course updates usually require a reboot (just like in OS X) thus the time savings are not necessarily there unless the user logged out before hibernation/sleep because a forced reboot while the user is logged on is a no-no in my book.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ooooh! You wicked, wicked things - naughty Reg!

    "Whether or not they remain secure will still depend on the timely publication of security updates from Apple"

    And you wonder why they don't invite you to any of their parties. XD

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

  12. Jaemon

    Some recent updates regarding java on mac os x...

    A ital not standard installed, and b did you motiver egen java 1.6.33 was released on Mac by Apple... Oh my the same time as All the other versions... And java 1.7 when i comes out of beta have autoupdate too...

    So yes that was a kafuffle but Apple have shown that Thats a ting of the past.

    Furthermore, try to go to Security settings on a 10.7 Mac and go to advanced settings and mousehover over the update Secure file list and you are in for a surprise... Cause apple alreaddy updates their trojan nukefile automatically TODAY.... Lite your hair on fire !!!

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ...prior art

    so.. Mountain Lion will finally have a feature that other OSes have had for years.

    How long until Apple start to sue any other company that implements such a method? (as its so obvious a method I doubt anyone bothered putting a patent on it - you can bet that Apple did!). from memory, ALL of my current devices can check for updates - thats my phone, tablet, desktops and laptop.. none of them are Apple devices. well, at least better late than never.

    ..I guess this is also proof that Apple devices are now commonly under threat from security attacks

  14. James 47

    Xerox did it

    I think you'll find they invented automatic updates

  15. Richard Cartledge
    Thumb Up

    I think the story should be...

    Increased SUS to client security.

    Silent updates.

    Updates without user intervention or requests to reboot.

    Updates during 'power sleep'.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "most days it is unlikely that Apple will have released a security update"

    Like with the Java exploit, they'll just sit on it and release it a few weeks later.

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