Recently, Apple has released a firmware to solve a problem which connects to the OpenSSL. It is commonly known by the nickname ‘Heartbleed’.
There is no fear for passwords but it enables the attacker to acquire facts about the login of a computer or an Apple AirPort Extreme Setup router.
The flaw is such that the attacker can extract data from the memory from the server which is targeted. It has also sent shockwaves via security community for both severity and extensiveness.
Apple stabs ‘Heartbleed’!
The update, Airport Base Station Firmware Update 7.7.3 repairs a flaw in the OpenSSL library. This allows an attacker to act as a middleman to interrupt data.
AirPort Extreme Setup and AirPort Time are the only base stations which are affected by this bug. Though the Heartbleed bug did not cause a negative impact on the core services of Apple.
You can use AirPort Utility to manage these AirPort base stations which offers you with advanced features such as change modes, wireless channels, chang base station & network settings, and many more.
The description of the update usually refers to the improvement of ‘SSL/TLS’ and not directly to Heartbleed. Further, the bug won’t allow you to read the passwords, as opposed to Heartbleed servers. But, it may allow an outsider to access the screen login of a router or a computer.
Procedure:
As per the update, you can automatically do it opening the AirPort utility. After updating your firmware you may have to enable again Back to My Mac on your airport stations. To do this, you need to click from the status bar of OS X, Go>Utility>AirtPort Utility. Then select your station from the list and then click on Modify.
If asked, you have to enter the system password. Next, reactivate the function which is mentioned above matching with your Apple ID.
Your operation will be confirmed by a green illuminated status marker, which will apply once you click on the Update button to save the made changes.
On any Mac PC using the function instead, go to System Preferences> iCloud and as per latter’s choices, deselect Back to My Mac and select it again.
OS X and iOS users are thus protected by Heartbleed. As Apple’s OS uses SSL/TLS which do not depend on the components of OpenSSL.
This does not imply that Apple users are protected from other SSL loopholes. Apple has other flaws like ‘goto fail’ and marked a separate security issue of ‘triple handshake’ for both iOS and OS X.
If still in mess, contact the Apple Customer Care Support
If you have performed all the stages to get the recent update by Apple but still not in a position to receive, then some other problem must be troubling you.
All you have to do is, contact Apple AirPort Extreme Tech Support Team to get the update in order to protect your device from the obstacles that go around the web.
