Apple Updates Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard with Flashback Removal Tool, Flash Player Disabler
While Apple moved fairly quickly to release software tools for OS X Lion and Snow Leopard to remove the Flashback malware from infected systems and patch the Java vulnerability it exploited, users of earlier operating system versions have remained vulnerable.
Apple addressed that issue today for users of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, releasing Leopard Flashback Removal Security Update to clean infected systems and disable the Java plug-in in Safari.
This update removes the most common variants of the Flashback malware. If the Flashback malware is found, a dialog will notify you that malware was removed. In some cases, the update may need to restart your computer in order to completely remove the Flashback malware.
To improve the security of your Mac, this update also disables the Java plug-in in Safari. For instructions on how to re-enable it, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5241.
The update weighs in at 1.23 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8.
On a separate note, Apple also released Leopard Security Update 2012-003, which automatically disables out-of-date versions of Adobe Flash Player for security reasons. The update weighs in at 1.11 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8.
This update disables versions of Adobe Flash Player that do not include the latest security updates and provides the option to get the current version from Adobe's website.
Apple included similar functionality for Lion and Snow Leopard systems in Safari 5.1.7 released last week alongside OS X 10.7.4.
Today's software releases for Mac OS X Leopard mark the first significant software updates for the operating system since the debut of OS X Lion in mid-2011.
Popular Stories
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
While Apple moved fairly quickly to release software tools for OS X Lion and Snow Leopard to remove the Flashback malware from infected systems and patch the Java vulnerability it exploited, users of earlier operating system versions have remained vulnerable.
