Apple GarageBand strikes a sour note - security update released

Filed Under: Apple, Data loss, Vulnerability

GarageBand
Apple's GarageBand is a program that comes bundled with all Mac computers, allowing users to create their own music and podcasts.

It's a pretty neat program, and the latest version even includes video tutorials from the likes of Sting, Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles to help you learn how to play different songs.

So far, so safe. But now a security issue has popped its head up.

If you go to the GarageBand support download page you'll see that there's a new version of GarageBand out, version 5.1. Apple says that GarageBand 5.1 "addresses general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and fixes a number of other minor issues."

GarageBand update page fails to mention security issue

What they have been a little shy about mentioning on that page, however, is that a security update has been sneaked in alongside the other improvements to the product.

It appears that GarageBand could change the security preferences on the Safari web browser to allow cookies to be accepted from all sites rather than "Only from sites I visit". That could mean that you were no longer blocking third-party cookies that advertisers can use to track your activity online.

Apple GarageBand security advisory

If you're a user of GarageBand I would recommend you update to version 5.1 either directly from Apple's website or via Software Update.

Make sure, if you have run previous versions of GarageBand in the past, that you confirm Safari's settings are now set as you want them - not how earlier versions of GarageBand thought they should be.

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About the author

Graham Cluley is senior technology consultant at Sophos. The readers of Computer Weekly voted him security blogger of the year in 2009 and 2010, and he pipped Stephen Fry to the title of "Twitter user of the year" too. Which was nice. He was also named "Best Security Blogger" by the readers of SC Magazine in 2011. You can subscribe to Graham's updates on Facebook, follow him on Twitter and circle him on Google Plus for regular updates.