Apple Inc. on Thursday released a security update to patch a hole in the wireless Internet software built into many of its computers running Mac OS X.

The update applies to Core Duo versions of the Mac mini, MacBook and MacBook Pro computers equipped with wireless. Affected Mac users can download the patch via OS X's Software Update feature, or directly from Apple Downloads.

The vulnerability was the last flaw documented in November as part of the Month of Kernel Bugs project, which sought to showcase 30 previously unnoticed security holes in the deepest recesses of various operating systems software (the "kernel" describes a vital component of all computer operating systems that is responsible for handling communication between system software and hardware). Apple credits the discovery to Lance M. Havok (aka LMH), the researcher who is co-curator of the the highly polarizing Month of Apple Bugs, which wraps up at the end of January.

This is the second vulnerability from the Kernel Bugs project that Apple has patched. The first was released in late November to fix another wireless flaw detailed by researchers HD Moore as the first of the Kernel Bugs. At least nine other Apple-specific kernel bugs remain unpatched from the project.

Earlier this week, Apple also released a patch to plug a serious security hole in its QuickTime media player, which was the first flaw highlighted in the Month of Apple Bugs project. Nineteen OS X-specific flaws detailed in this project remain unpatched. At least one of the vulnerabilities recently released in the MoAB project deserves some extra scrutiny: a bug identified on Wednesday resides in Apple's Software Update tool, the very tool used to deliver security updates.

By Brian Krebs  |  January 26, 2007; 1:26 PM ET
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