The company has actually had a method to automatically update computers for two years but is only now using it for the first time. Previously, Apple's security updates have required a computer user to accept the update. In this case the update may have been so minor the risk of affecting other applications and processes was minimal.' 'However, the use of Apple's automatic deployment tool is not without risks, as even the simplest update can cause problems for some systems. 'Apple's proactive steps to automatically remediate this particular vulnerability shows the need to quickly patch remotely exploitable vulnerabilities,' says security analyst Ken Westin of Tripwire. Researchers warn that vulnerabilities in a computer's network time protocol (NTP), which sync a computer's clocks, could allow hackers to take control of a computer remotely. Speaking to Reuters, Apple spokesperson Bill Evans described Monday's update as 'seamless' and noted that Mac users don't even need to restart their computers.Īpple isn't the only company that could be vulnerable to the security bug, which was revealed Friday by the US Department of Homeland Security and the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute.

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