You won’t believe how easy it is.
There’s a bug in the latest version of MacOS that lets anyone log in to change settings with the username “root” and no password.
Apple hasn’t commented yet, but in the meantime, don’t let anyone physically use your Mac computer if you’re not there until Apple issues a fix.
People are upset with Apple over a nasty security flaw apparently discovered on Tuesday in the latest version of MacOS, called High Sierra.
On an up-to-date Mac, users can apparently gain access to change protected settings in certain circumstances by telling the system their username is “root” and a blank password.
Business Insider was able to replicate the bug on Tuesday. After plugging in “root” as our username and no password, it took two clicks to gain access to Users & Groups settings on a High Sierra system. The bug didn’t work on Mac with older software.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tech: There’s an embarrassing and dangerous security hole in the latest Mac software (AAPL)
[tdn_block_newsletter_subscribe title_text="Stay in touch" description="VG8gYmUgdXBkYXRlZCB3aXRoIGFsbCB0aGUgbGF0ZXN0IG5ld3MsIG9mZmVycyBhbmQgc3BlY2lhbCBhbm5vdW5jZW1lbnRzLg==" input_placeholder="Email address" tds_newsletter2-image="5" tds_newsletter2-image_bg_color="#c3ecff" tds_newsletter3-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter4-image="6" tds_newsletter4-image_bg_color="#fffbcf" tds_newsletter4-btn_bg_color="#f3b700" tds_newsletter4-check_accent="#f3b700" tds_newsletter5-tdicon="tdc-font-fa tdc-font-fa-envelope-o" tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color="#000000" tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color_hover="#4db2ec" tds_newsletter5-check_accent="#000000" tds_newsletter6-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter6-btn_bg_color="#da1414" tds_newsletter6-check_accent="#da1414" tds_newsletter7-image="7" tds_newsletter7-btn_bg_color="#1c69ad" tds_newsletter7-check_accent="#1c69ad" tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_size="20" tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_line_height="28px" tds_newsletter8-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color="#00649e" tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color_hover="#21709e" tds_newsletter8-check_accent="#00649e" embedded_form_code="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" descr_space="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE1In0=" tds_newsletter="tds_newsletter3" tds_newsletter3-all_border_width="0" btn_text="Sign up" tds_newsletter3-btn_bg_color="#ea1717" tds_newsletter3-btn_bg_color_hover="#000000" tds_newsletter3-btn_border_size="0" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjAiLCJiYWNrZ3JvdW5kLWNvbG9yIjoiI2E3ZTBlNSIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicG9ydHJhaXQiOnsiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdF9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjEwMTgsInBvcnRyYWl0X21pbl93aWR0aCI6NzY4fQ==" tds_newsletter3-input_border_size="0" tds_newsletter3-f_title_font_family="445" tds_newsletter3-f_title_font_transform="uppercase" tds_newsletter3-f_descr_font_family="394" tds_newsletter3-f_descr_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMiIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" tds_newsletter3-f_descr_font_line_height="eyJhbGwiOiIxLjYiLCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6IjEuNCJ9" tds_newsletter3-title_color="#000000" tds_newsletter3-description_color="#000000" tds_newsletter3-f_title_font_weight="600" tds_newsletter3-f_title_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE4IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNiJ9" tds_newsletter3-f_input_font_family="394" tds_newsletter3-f_btn_font_family="" tds_newsletter3-f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" tds_newsletter3-f_title_font_line_height="1" title_space="eyJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxMCJ9"]



