New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple to Present at Black Hat Security Conference for First Time

Tuesday July 24, 2012 8:35 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Bloomberg reports that Apple is taking an interesting step into security research publicity, agreeing to present at this week's Black Hat conference in Las Vegas for the first time in the conference's 15-year history.
While many major technology vendors have overcome their reluctance to making a public showing at the conference, Apple, now the world’s most valuable company, has had no problem snubbing a community whose aim is to unearth its vulnerabilities.

That will change Thursday when Dallas De Atley, manager of Apple’s platform security team, is scheduled to give a presentation on key security technologies within iOS, the operating system for iPhones and iPads.

The report notes that Apple's security researchers have attended the conference in past years, but the company has kept a low profile with its presence. Apple researchers were reportedly scheduled to give a panel presentation back in 2008, but the session was canceled once Apple's marketing team learned of the plans.
“Bottom line — no one at Apple speaks without marketing approval,” [Black Hat general manager Trey] Ford wrote in an e-mail. “Apple will be at Black Hat 2012, and marketing is on board.”
The annual Black Hat conference has been a popular venue for security researchers to release their findings on vulnerabilities in OS X, iOS and other platforms. Apple has sometimes moved very quickly to patch holes disclosed at the conference, such as in 2009 when Apple released iPhone OS 3.0.1 to address an SMS security vulnerability revealed at the conference just one day earlier, although the researchers had previously been in contact with Apple about the issue.

[ 62 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
Kaibelf
86 months ago

No company that operates without a Roadmap is going to be a defense contractor.


They have a roadmap, haven't you seen?

Rating: 15 Votes
Avatar
dru`
86 months ago

Maybe we'll finally see some timely security updates and a little transparency? Or perhaps they're finally recognizing that OS X isn't as secure as they thought :rolleyes:


In your enthusiasm to attack Apple, did you miss that the presentation is on iOS, not OS X? Yes, yes you did.
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
KnightWRX
86 months ago

Perhaps they're finally recognizing that OS X isn't as secure as they thought :rolleyes:


They've always pretty much known the security level of OS X. How they chose to spin this in their marketing material as no bearing on their level of knowledge of the actual system.
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
lifeinhd
86 months ago
Maybe we'll finally see some timely security updates and a little transparency? Or perhaps they're finally recognizing that OS X isn't as secure as they thought :rolleyes:
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
Kaibelf
86 months ago

Maybe we'll finally see some timely security updates and a little transparency? Or perhaps they're finally recognizing that OS X isn't as secure as they thought :rolleyes:


Frankly, they are pretty timely with their updates and do a good job addressing problems quickly. I would rather have them working on fixes than stroking a bunch of whiners who cry about "transparency" all the time. Their focus SHOULD be on the products at all times, not making you feel fuzzy with a series of empty "we apologize for the inconvenience" statements.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
rhett7660
86 months ago

No company that operates without a Roadmap is going to be a defense contractor.


I am sure they operate on a pretty good road map, just not a public one or one they are going to share with a client.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
Stridder44
86 months ago

Maybe we'll finally see some timely security updates and a little transparency? Or perhaps they're finally recognizing that OS X isn't as secure as they thought :rolleyes:



Crap like this is the reason we need a down-vote button.

Anyway, this is good to hear. Marketing or not, it's good to see Apple step up its game in this area
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
DisMyMac
86 months ago
BH = intelligence shills for the military-industrial complex. Watch Apple turn into the world's biggest defense contractor...
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
hobo.hopkins
86 months ago

Maybe we'll finally see some timely security updates and a little transparency? Or perhaps they're finally recognizing that OS X isn't as secure as they thought :rolleyes:


Despite it being on iOS (which I presume you read), have you at all seen Mountain Lion? Gatekeeper isn't enough to assuage your ire? Jesus Christ; I can't imagine anything much more secure.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
commander.data
86 months ago
I can sometimes understand Apple being slow to patch vulnerabilities, particularly if it's low risk or isn't being actively exploited, if it's because they want to fully investigate the vulnerability and the impact of the fix before pushing it to customers. However, while they are working to fix things, they shouldn't be denying that there is a vulnerability. They should acknowledge it and provide mitigation steps (like disable x or avoid y, etc.) until the fix is out. That would go a long way toward assuring everyone, consumers and security professionals, that Apple is on top of security.
Rating: 4 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]