News - Security Issues

Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.3

Apple released Mac OS X 10.6.3, the latest update to Mac OS X Snow Leopard. The update is recommended for all users of Snow Leopard, and brings a number of fixes, improvements, and security patches.

Included in this latest update are many fixes and improvements, for issues as far-ranging as updated Daylight Savings Time rules for Antarctica to improved reliability of iDisk syncing. Apple also specifically calls out one larger change: Mac OS X 10.6.3 can automatically collect diagnostic and usage information from your Mac and send it to Apple for analysis, with the end goal of improving Apple’s products and services. The data submission—which is prompted by actions like force quitting applications, kernel panics, and system errors—is sent anonymously to Apple and is only collected with the user's explicit consent. This seems to be an extension of Apple's current system for submitting information upon program crashes.

The Mac OS X 10.6.3 update is available from Apple's download site or via Software Update.