Anybody want root access to a Mac running high sierra, without a password?

I'm sure people with Macs keep telling me they don't have security problems like PCs running Windows, and that is a good reason to get one.
 
onomatopoeia said:
I'm sure people with Macs keep telling me they don't have security problems like PCs running Windows, and that is a good reason to get one.
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It's true.

They have far more serious problems lol
 
Apple has frequently marketed itself as providing a superior, more secure operating environment than you find in Windows, so thats quite embarrassing for them.
 
It'll be sorted within weeks.

Fingers crossed.
 
Update to fix this has been available since yesterday. Without this fix, Macs are as secure as Windows machines always are. Every domestic Windows user has Root access at all times as do the majority of business users. That is why Windows is so susceptible to viruses.
 
john.margetts said:
Every domestic Windows user has Root access at all times as do the majority of business users.
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They don't, you either got your information from 1998 or are making it up.

Logging on to the "Administrator" account (if you have the password) in Windows is not like root access.
"Elevating", by opting to run a program as Administrator is not like root access either, though it gives greater priviliges than just running it while logged on to the Administrator account.
Even doing some major kludging to allow you to open a shell under the "local system" account, which grants a lot more priviliges still doesn't give you the equivalent of root access on a BSD port like OSX.

EDIT - I'm not saying the Administrator account having restricted privileges is a good thing - I want the option to have full root privileges when I'm using Windows.
 
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That was quick.
Update now in.
 
soupdragon said:
That was quick.
Update now in.
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Apparently Apple were aware of this earlier in the month, good to know it’s being handled though.... not that it affects me, as we have a no-mac/iOS policy in my new place of work
 
My Mac/s are for home use so I'm quite pleased with that.
 
onomatopoeia said:
I'm sure people with Macs keep telling me they don't have security problems like PCs running Windows, and that is a good reason to get one.
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I'm going to be honest, I don't get all the kerfuffle about this one.

Surely to get root access to my Mac, first of all you have to get physical access to my house. And at that point I have bigger problems than you changing my password. For one thing, there's a decent Honda in the garage. Plus, you know, a Mac.

FWIW it's been pretty easy to bypass the password on a Mac for years. And by "pretty easy" I mean, well you Google it..... :)
 
I think the scare was if someone had remote access to the console, ie with a program like Bomgar or TeamViewer.

The weakest part of most security systems is the person
 
So they've fixed one problem, and caused another.... Pretty sure Apple have no Quality Assurance anymore, not exactly reassuring for enterprise
 
Neilc28 said:
So they've fixed one problem, and caused another.... Pretty sure Apple have no Quality Assurance anymore, not exactly reassuring for enterprise
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Nope, you've lost me.......

I mean, I don't particularly care, I'm on Yosemite and it's behind a locked door :D
 
john.margetts said:
Update to fix this has been available since yesterday. Without this fix, Macs are as secure as Windows machines always are. Every domestic Windows user has Root access at all times as do the majority of business users. That is why Windows is so susceptible to viruses.
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LOL, so wrong about Windows it's unbelievable.

ancient_mariner said:
As pointed out, it's all fixed now, but as someone who previously used a Mac as their main computer, I find the idea of NOT setting a root password bizarre. It suspect this says as much about *typical* Mac owners (it just works/don't make me have to manage my computer) as it does about Apple.
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This. It's users security thats always the weak link.
 
Neilc28 said:
I was referring to the fix for this problem breaking file sharing on High Sierra, and the reintroduction of the root access bug

https://www.wired.com/story/macos-update-undoes-apple-root-bug-patch/

http://mashable.com/2017/11/30/apple-security-fix-bug/#25l4nDzljiq6

The sharing issue can be fixed by the user as per Apple support pages, but surely the point is that they shouldn’t have to...
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Ah right. I Googled that and failed to find it.

Typical of people rushing to patch stuff - it looks like the patch gets undone by another one.

Apple's QC team have been asleep at the wheel for a few years. The Keychain thing with High Sierra was shocking - but not as bad as that OS a few years ago that basically erased any NAS you had attached....

It's a good answer for when people ask me why I don't "upgrade" - I mean, it's free so why wouldn't I? :)
 
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