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Your Mac's connection to Harry Potter
The next time you wish to hack into a Mac, it may help to grab your wand and book of spells. At the NoSuchCon security conference this week, security architect Alex Ionescu presented a talk where he revealed that special undocumented code on a Mac's SMC (system management controller) can be invoked by entering a secret spell used in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. That spell is "SpecialisRevelio," the words used by a wizard to "reveal charms and hexes that have been cast onto a target" or "reveal the ingredients of a potion." In an Ars Technica post about the secret spell, blogger Dan Goodin notes, "While most details are far too technical for this article, the gist of the research is that the SMC is a chip that very few people can read, but just about anyone with rudimentary technical skills can 'flash' update." One of the possible attacks that Ionescu pointed out is infecting the SMC with code to pull out the FileVault key used to encrypt a Mac drive, although to implement this, an attacker would have to know details of the Mac like the model, year and screen size in advance. Much more likely attacks provided by the spell backdoor include marking targets. The SMC could be programmed to emit audible or visual alerts through the fans or LED displays, which could point out a specific Mac to an attacker. A Mac could even be programmed to turn off at a certain time and refuse to boot again. There's good news in all of this scary talk: to reflash the firmware an attacker has to have physical access to the Mac. Ionescu also reported that many of the SMC security holes were plugged in OS X Mountain Lion. A full copy of the presentation can be downloaded here (PDF file).
Apple issues SMC update to MacBook Pro with Retina display, fixes fan issue
In addition to the OS X 10.8.3 update, Apple has also issued an update for the Retina MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro Retina SMC Update v1.1 update addresses two major issues owners have been complaining about, including a rare issue where users may experience slow frame rates when playing graphics-intensive games on the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. Perhaps most importantly Apple says the update addresses the fan speed issue we reported on earlier this week. It also includes bug fixes for Power Nap and wake from sleep. MacBook Pro users can access the update via Software Update.
Apple releases SMC updates to enable Power Nap in Mountain Lion
If you have a Mountain Lion machine eligible for Power Nap, one of OS X's new marquee features, you should check Software Update (via the Mac App Store) to make sure you've got the latest firmware. The enablers for the 2011 MacBook Air machines and the 2012 models were released on July 25, and the SMC update for the Retina MacBook Pro arrived on Friday. Apple has posted all three enablers on a single page.
SMC firmware update for 2007-2008 MacBooks now available
When my wife got a new 2009 MacBook to replace her dead 2007 model, one minor irritation I had with the new MacBook was that its wall charger no longer worked with my Early 2008 MacBook Pro. That's no longer an issue; today, Apple issued an SMC firmware update for 2007-2008 MacBooks and MacBook Pros which allows them to charge using the newer MagSafe adapters. MacBook SMC Firmware Update 1.4 is available either through Software Update or via direct download, and is applicable to the following models: MacBook (13-inch Late 2007) MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2008) MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008) MacBook (13-inch, Early 2008) MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008) The update weighs in at a paltry 178 KB, but it does require a restart. I can confirm the update works as advertised, because my MacBook Pro is merrily whirring along while plugged into my wife's MacBook's MagSafe port. Hooray for unexpected fixes! [via Mac|Life]
CSIRO's patent lawsuits conclude with the final 13 companies settling
Looks like CSIRO's legal days are over -- for the moment, at least. Having already reached an agreement with HP, the Australian government-funded research firm announced this week that it's settled with the remaining 13 companies it sued for patent infringement, claiming it owned the rights to 802.11a/g. For those who haven't been keeping track at home, that includes Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Nintendo, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Netgear, Buffalo, D-Link, Belkin, SMC, Accton, and 3Com. The details of any of the settlements are undisclosed, but as iTnews reports, it's expected CSIRO ended up with some substantial monies now that the dust has settled. Chief Executive Dr. Megan Clark noted that it'll continue to "defend its intellectual property," so if you're a high profile tech company who creates WiFi-equipped gadgets and hasn't been served a lawsuit yet, we don't blame you for being a little nervous right now.
MacBook Pro tip: resetting SMC saved my day
Here's a timely tip if the battery on your Intel based Mac laptop seems to be operating at less than optimum performance.The other day I took my MacBook Pro off the charger and was surprised to see only an hour and 40 minutes of run time, even though the battery was fully charged and only a few months old. It didn't seem right, and I went immediately on the web to make a Genius appointment at our local Apple Store. Then I did a little digging around Apple support documents and found one that seemed promising. Was it possible I needed to reset the SMC (System Management Controller)? Well, dutifully following the instructions, I shut down my laptop, removed the power cord and unhooked the battery. I held down the power button for 5 seconds, put the power cord back on, and inserted the battery. Surprise surprise, my computer started up and showed about 4 hours of time left on the battery when I went back off the charger. Better still, it really did hold up for that amount of time, so things were back to normal. I canceled my Genius appointment and spent the day congratulating myself for finding the tip, and getting my battery back in shape.The SMC is a chip on the motherboard that can lose its way, and in my case it needed a little kick to get itself sorted out. This chip has been the focus of some controversy in the past, and Apple has updated the SMC firmware repeatedly. Anyway, this fix worked for me -- might work for you. Here's the link to the Apple Support Document. There are instructions for the Intel MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and the new MacBook Air. Be there or be square.
Apple issues SMC and Firmware update for all unibody MacBooks
Today, Apple issued both SMC and Firmware updates for their entire line of unibody MacBook computers, and the MacBook Air. Read on to discover what was changed for each system, and how you can get the updates. MacBookSMC Firmware Update 1.2 (Download Page)This update "improves the sensing and accuracy of the MagSafe Power Adapter indicator light, and the battery charge indicator lights on the MacBook (late 2008) model."EFI Firmware Update 1.3 (Download Page)This update "fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook (Late 2008) model."MacBook Pro 15"SMC Firmware Update 1.2 (Download Page)This update "improves the sensing and accuracy of the MagSafe Power Adapter indicator light, and the battery charge indicator lights on the MacBook Pro (late 2008) model."EFI Firmware Update 1.6 (Download Page)This update "fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook Pro (Late 2008) model."MacBook AirSMC Firmware Update 1.1 (Download Page)This update "improves the sensing and accuracy of the MagSafe Power Adapter indicator light, and the battery charge indicator lights on the MacBook Air (late 2008) model."EFI Firmware Update 1.1 (Download Page)This update "fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook Air (Late 2008) model."To download these updates, you can either launch Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update), or download the appropriate installer packages from the Apple Support Download website. There are additional installation instructions that you will need to follow after the download completes.Has this update improved your MacBook/Pro/Air's performance? After you install, come back here and let us know! Update: As our commenters have pointed out, older MacBook and MacBook Pro models do not require these updates. Our apologies to everyone who has been frantically clicking Software Update. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
SMC ships trio of draft-spec 802.11n networking gear
It looks the barrage of draft-spec 802.11n gear being released isn't slowing down anytime soon, and helping the yet-to-be-ratified protocol gain more ground is SMC. Making good on its promise to ship draft-N gear, the networking company has reportedly launched the Barricade N, which utilizes "multi-antenna MIMO support" to connect at rates of "up to 300Mbps," sports a four-port Ethernet switch, and can automatically prioritize duties such as music / video streaming to keep things skip-free. Complementing the new router are pre-N versions of the company's EZ Connect CardBus and PCI wireless adapters, which will give your lappie or desktop the ability to take advantage of the ultra-speedy 802.11n standard. All three devices are purportedly available right now, with the Barricade N selling for $120, the PCMCIA adapter demanding $80, and the PCI card costing $90.
Skype readies four WiFi phones for VoIPing public
We've been waiting on Netgear's WiFi Skype phone for quite a while now, but what we didn't know is that it won't be only one of its kind for long. Skype now has four WiFi phones in the wings, the F1PP000GN-SK from Belkin (pictured), Edge-Core's WM4201, SMC's WSKP100, and of course Netgear's SPH101. From the looks of things, Netgear's entrant, which is due this month, will be the priciest at $300, but Belkin should follow in August with a quite similar offering for a much more acceptable $189. We're pretty short on details for the rest, but we should know more soon. Like the SPH101, all of the phones will allow you to manage a buddy list, and make calls from a WiFi connection without a need for a PC in between.
