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Bonjour, also known as zero-configuration networking, enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. Bonjour uses industry standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically discover each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers.

Apple iChat Bonjour functionality is affected by several denial of service flaws. The most simple of them is the lack of throttling for discovery of available contacts (via mDNS queries). iChat will add any advertised _presence._tcp records, without even verifying if some of them already exist (ex. match first or last name, AIM handle, etc). A malicious user could advertise fake records and successfully block iChat users using Bonjour from discovering further peers in the network and having reliable communications.

The other issue can be used remotely to directly cause an exception in the iChat Agent when parsing a crafted TXT key hash. This will instantly cause a SIGTRAP signal to be sent to the process, causing a so-called ‘crash’. Further attempts to launch iChat Bonjour functionality again will fail as mDNSResponder keeps the crafted record (and restarting it will be necessary). These particular issues can’t be abused for arbitrary code execution.

Note: this should be considered an issue in mDNSResponder as well; iChat isn’t involved in the processing of any mDNS service advertisements (although it should definitely throttle presence queries). mDNSResponder stops responding shortly after abuse.

Workaround or temporary solution

For instance, either don’t use iChat with Bonjour or disable mDNSResponder all the way. You don’t want to be (another) nevaR reldA, seriously.

$ sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.mDNSResponder.plist
$ sudo mv /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.mDNSResponder.plist \
/Users/Shared/com.apple.mDNSResponder.plist.BACKUP

Full details
Note: Safari might crash visiting this site

Bill Gates argues Vista is not copying Mac OS X

- and I quote:

“Parental Control - that’s the first time that has been done”

- maybe they missed that when the Vista development team looked at the Mac OS X?

The other innovative features Bill talks about sounds a lot like something that can easily be done in iPhoto and iMovie. Just for the record I do not hate MS - I have a Windows box too and I have been using Windows for many years and in general I don’t usually spend my time bashing Windows - but I just think that Microsoft are taking credit for a lot of things that is not fair at all - and that should be highlighted.

According to AFP - US computer giant Apple, which launched its online video service in the United States 15 months ago, is about to take its first step into conquering the European market, Luxembourg’s economy minister said.

“Apple is going to extend its electronic retail activities in Luxembourg by launching this coming spring its iTunes video platform for the sale of videos in Europe,” Jeannot Krecke told AFP, confirming press reports.

This is great news - I am sure a lot of Mac users are happy to hear this.

A very interesting story by a reporter who trades in his PowerBook for a notebook with Microsoft’s new OS. I think this is actually a really good and rather objective story.

Reporter Joe Hutsko made the switch several weeks ago, from his 12” PowerBook to a 17” HP widescreen notebook in order to try out Microsoft’s new operating system Windows Vista.

In another article a reviewer is stating: Vista’s pretty, but it’s a shameless Mac OS X imitator

If you have a Mac with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor (except the 17-inch, 1.83GHz iMac) or a Mac Pro with AirPort Extreme, you can enable it to access an 802.11n wireless network using the AirPort Extreme 802.11n Enabler software. Available from the Apple Store now.

Price: $1.99 +tax

Important note:

The Enabler is included free with the new AirPort Extreme Base Station with 802.11n. If you purchase a new AirPort Extreme Base Station, you do not need to purchase the Enabler separately.

These Macs have the 802.11n hardware built-in:

MacBook Pro with Intel Core 2 Duo
MacBook with Intel Core 2 Duo
Mac Pro with AirPort Extreme option
iMac with Intel Core 2 Duo (except the 17-inch, 1.83GHz iMac)

Update
I have installed the 802.11n Enabler on my MacBook Pro and my iMac 24″ after I noticed a nice little surprise in the licensing part which allows you to upgrade all your machines with one license - as you can read below:

(click image to enlarge)

Apple has released new colours for its popular iPod Shuffle - they do look nice!

In five brilliant colors and just $79, the 1GB iPod shuffle lets you wear up to 240 songs1 on your sleeve. Or your lapel. Or your belt. Clip on iPod shuffle and wear it as a badge of musical devotion.

Check it out

The 28th bug has been posted in the series of “Month of Apple Bugs” published on the web every day in January 2007 - this time an Apple crashdump Privilege Escalation Vulnerability.

crashreporterd is the daemon responsible for detecting application crashes. crashreporterd listens for mach exceptions and when it detects a mach exception launches crashdump to investigate the crash and report it to the user.

crashdump is a helper tool used by the crashreporterd daemon to create crash reports and notify the user of application crashes. Users should not run crashdump manually.

crashdump will try to write reports at the user home directory first (/Users/[user]/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/), and if it’s not available (ex. permissions don’t allow it), it will try the system-wide log directory instead (ex. /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/).

The problem is that it will follow symlinks, and users in the admin group have write access to the directory. As crashreporterd runs under root privileges, any file can be modified by planting a symlink in the /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/ directory, named like the application that will cause the crash dump. We can influence the output by tampering with the Mach-O format. The provided proof of concept demonstrates this by using crafted library names within the binary that triggers the issue.

Exploitation of this issue allows admin-group users (contrary to MOAB-22-01-2007 which allows any user) to gain root privileges without interaction of any type.

Full details

The below cartoon was posted over at MacsimumNews and I thought I’d help get it out there.

The cartoon is made by Jean-Paul Buquet, a a free-lance illustrator based in Tokyo.

T3 - the UK based Gadget Magazine has released an online version of what it referes to as “The iPhone Bible - Apple’s almighty phone worshipped in detail…”

It is not quite a bible but probably the most comprehensive guide to the iPhone out there at the moment.

Welcome, dear apostles, to T3’s ultimate guide to the iPhone – everything you need to know about Apple’s most important device ever. Read on for the definitive low-down on iPhone’s myriad functions and ultra-cool secrets

Check it out for yourself

Localized versions of “Get a Mac” has been produced for the UK market featuring David Mitchell and Robert Webb of “Mitchell and Webb”, a British comedy double act.

The ads include Tentacle, Office at Home, Restarting, Virus, Trust Mac, and Pie Chart most of which are based on the same theme as the US versions just with a British accent. Tentacle and Office at Home are UK specific.

Japanese versions of “Get a Mac” ads were released by Apple in November. Voice-over localized versions include: German, French, Italian and Spanish.

- wonder what is next - a Chinese version or perhaps Arabic?

The story was spotted by Mac Rumors