macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 Beta 6 Fixes Root Password Vulnerability

Friday December 1, 2017 11:33 am PST by Juli Clover

The newest beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 fixes a major macOS High Sierra vulnerability that enabled the root superuser on a Mac with no password and no security check.

Apple on Wednesday released a security update to fix the problem on machines running the current release version of macOS High Sierra, 10.13.1, but the bug has remained in macOS 10.13.2 until today.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Developers and public beta testers who are running macOS 10.13.2 should update to beta 6 right away to protect their Macs. MacRumors has confirmed that the vulnerability, which involved entering the username "root" with no password in the Users & Groups section of System Preferences, is no longer functional.

Entering "root" without a password in lieu of an administrator's username and password no longer unlocks a Mac.

When releasing the fix for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, Apple apologized for the oversight and said it would audit its development processes to prevent something similar from happening in the future.

"We greatly regret this error and we apologize to all Mac users, both for releasing with this vulnerability and for the concern it has caused," read a statement from Apple provided to MacRumors.

Top Rated Comments

iShater

43 months ago

Apple, please go back to basic. Reduce number of models. Lower the prices. Work on Mac mini, $649 iPhone X1, iPad running macOS, ...

You remember back in the day when there were bazillion models and nobody could tell the difference between them? bad days.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Swift

43 months ago

Latest style at Apple sites: the anti-fanboy!

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

realeric

43 months ago

Apple, please go back to basic. Reduce number of models. Lower the prices. Work on Mac mini, $649 iPhone X1, iPad running macOS, ...

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

TsMkLg068426

43 months ago

Apple time to get into technology not what looks cool and overpriced for just fanboys.

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

amaze1499

43 months ago

What Mac are you running? I’ve never had an issue getting a beta installed.

That’s why it’s called beta testing. Thanks.

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Kaibelf

43 months ago

Not that heated, just disgusted. This has become an exercise in frustration. It appears that Apple doesn't care how frustrating they make it for the beta testers. And just checking the reports I have submitted, six (6) times the HS betas have failed to install going back to Oct. 26th, one for each beta step. That is how many bug reports I have submitted on the exact same issue.
I fully understand what beta testing is and I expect bugs. As a matter of act I have submitted 33 bug reports. But I also expect apple to make an attempt to fix them. So to me, it looks like apple doesn't care. Never had this issue with the Sierra, El Capitan or Yosemite betas. And yes, all on the same machine configured the same for all four betas.
As to the terminal install, I am not that savvy and have never heard of your method. Don't bother to explain though. If I cool off and stay as a beta tester, I'll continue on in apples program. That way at least I'm doing it the "official" way.

Fair enough, but just for the record the terminal method is far from a hack or anything unofficial. It’s just a basic single command line entry.

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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