Latest news with #macOSVentura
Mid East Info
24-06-2025
- Mid East Info
Apple thanks Positive Technologies for discovering a vulnerability in its Shortcuts app - Middle East Business News and Information
PT SWARM expert Egor Filatov found a critical vulnerability in Shortcuts, a built-in macOS app that streamlines device management by automating repetitive user actions. If successfully exploited, the security flaw could allow an attacker to gain full control over the device, including the ability to read, edit, and delete any data. If the compromised device happens to be a laptop connected to a corporate network, the attacker could also infiltrate the internal company infrastructure. The vulnerability, tracked as BDU:2025-02497 and rated 8.6 out of 10 on the CVSS 3.0 scale, affects Shortcuts 7.0 (2607.1.3). The vendor was notified of the threat in line with the responsible disclosure policy and has already released a software patch . Users are advised to upgrade to macOS Sequoia 15.5 or later. If updating the OS is currently not possible, Positive Technologies recommends users to pay close attention to the downloaded shortcuts before running them or avoid using them altogether. The Shortcuts app was introduced with macOS Monterey back in 2021 and has been supported in macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia versions over the past four years. With the app, users can create shortcuts to automate various tasks, such as starting a timer, playing music, or converting text to audio. Users also have access to macros that provide ready-made shortcuts. A threat actor could leverage this functionality by uploading infected templates to the library. For the security flaw to be exploited, it would be enough for the victim to inadvertently run a malicious macro on their device. 'An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to target any Shortcuts user,' said Egor Filatov, Junior Mobile Application Security Researcher at Positive Technologies. 'Before remediation, the vulnerability allowed an attacker to bypass macOS security mechanisms and execute arbitrary code on the victim's system.' According to the expert, the potential consequences of successful attacks include the following: Theft of confidential data or deletion of valuable information Malware execution Installation of backdoors aimed at maintaining access to the system even after vulnerability patching Ransomware infection Disruption to the organization's business processes (if a corporate device is compromised) Positive Technologies experts have been studying Apple products for over a decade. In 2018, Maxim Goryachy and Mark Ermolov, while looking for security flaws in Intel Management Engine, found a firmware vulnerability ( CVE-2018-4251 ) affecting personal computers made by Apple and other manufacturers. In 2017, Timur Yunusov warned the community about multiple security gaps he discovered in Apple Pay: by exploiting the vulnerabilities, attackers could compromise users' bank cards and make unauthorized payments on external resources. Before that, another Positive Technologies researcher found and helped eliminate a critical vulnerability in the website, which could allow an adversary to conduct a directory traversal attack and gain access to private data. In addition to the macOS version of Shortcuts, there is also an iOS version of the app for mobile devices. To prevent threat actors from infiltrating the corporate network via vulnerable mobile apps, companies should protect their apps against reverse engineering. This can be done with solutions such as PT MAZE , which turns the application into an impenetrable maze, making attacks too resource-intensive for adversaries. Positive Technologies is an industry leader in result-driven cybersecurity and a major global provider of information security solutions. Our mission is to safeguard businesses and entire industries against cyberattacks and non-tolerable damage. Positive Technologies is the first and only cybersecurity company in Russia on the Moscow Exchange (MOEX: POSI), with 220,000 shareholders and counting. Follow us on X , LinkedIn , and in the News section at
Fox News
29-03-2025
- Fox News
How to free up space on your Mac
Are you tired of scrolling through your Mac's photo library only to find multiple copies of the same photo? Duplicate photos can clutter your storage and make it harder to find the memories you want to cherish. Fortunately, if you're using macOS Ventura or later, Apple has made it easier than ever to find and merge these duplicates right within the Photos app. We'll walk you through how to use the built-in Duplicates finder, as well as some alternative methods for those who need more advanced features. Plus, we'll also offer some other tips to help you easily free up space on your Mac. If you're using macOS Ventura or newer, Apple has added a Duplicates finder inside the Photos app. Here are the steps to find and merge duplicates in the Photos App on a Mac: Just like that, you've cleared out all your duplicate photos. Now, you've just freed up some valuable space on your Mac, and your photo library is duplicate-free. Third-party apps are a great option for more advanced duplicate detection (including photos stored outside the Photos app). If you have antivirus software, some offer a duplicate file finder that detects duplicate images, videos, and files stored on your Mac. Once installed, you can scan your folders, review the detected duplicate files, select the ones you want to delete and click "Remove" to free up space. (We always encourage you to back up your system before doing this if you ever need to restore any files.) Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. If your Mac syncs with iCloud Photos, any duplicates removed from the Mac will also be deleted from iCloud. However, if you keep a lot of photos outside the Photos app, running a strong antivirus software on your Mac storage can help clear space efficiently. When you delete something on your Mac, it remains in the Trash folder and continues to occupy storage space until you empty the Trash. The Trash does not automatically hold files for a specific number of days unless you have enabled the "Empty Trash Automatically" feature, which can be set to remove items after 30 days. If you need to free up space immediately, emptying the Trash is a good first step. After clearing the Trash, the next step is to delete unnecessary apps. Unused applications take up valuable storage space and can slow down your system. Removing them will free up space and improve performance. Take some time to go through your files and delete anything you no longer need. Old documents, large video files, duplicate photos, and outdated downloads can take up a surprising amount of space. If you are unsure about deleting certain files, move them to an external drive or cloud storage before permanently removing them. Always exercise caution when deleting files and ensure you have a backup before making significant changes to your data. Use services like Google Drive, Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive to store large files and free up local storage. These services offer automatic syncing and backup features. Managing duplicate photos on your Mac is easier than you think, especially with the built-in features in the Photos app. By clearing out duplicates and organizing your storage, you'll not only free up space but also make it easier to find your favorite memories. Plus, combining this with other simple tips like emptying the Trash and transferring files to external storage can really help keep your Mac running smoothly. What features or tools do you wish were available in the Photos app or other storage management software? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
