Here's Why You Might Have Noticed an Automated Security Update on Your Mac

Mac computer users got an early Christmas surprise Monday when Apple released its first-ever automated update for several of its operating systems.

Apple has elected to prompt users to install available updates on their own up until now. However, Monday's update was reportedly so critical that Apple didn't feel it could wait until users clicked the prompt for the update to be installed, according to the Verge.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Apple spokesman Bill Evans said the update was intended to fix a security flaw in the network time protocol that is used for synchronizing clocks on computer systems. The bug could have potentially affected the Mountain Lion v10.8.5, Mavericks v10.9.5 and Yosemite v10.10.1 operating systems, according to Mashable.

Without the new fix, hackers could have been able to gain remote access to Apple computers, potentially putting users' personal information at risk of being stolen. Evans said the company is not aware of any situations in which any of its customers were actually targeted by hackers.

"The update is seamless ... It doesn't even require a restart," Evans told Reuters.

Knowledge of the loophole became public Friday when the Department of Homeland Security and the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute released a security bulletin naming Apple, among other technology companies, whose products might be vulnerable.

(H/T: The Verge)

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