Apple patches critical iTunes bug

Buffer overflow risk neutered

In all the hoopla surrounding Apple's announcement of its revamped line of iPods on Wednesday, many users might have missed the company's update to iTunes, which includes a fix for a serious security flaw.

The update, which brings the consumer technology company's iTunes music software to version 7.4, adds the ability to turn previously bought music into ringtones and the ability to buy songs wirelessly using the iPhone and network-capable iPods. The update also patches a serious security vulnerability that could allow a specially-crafted music file to crash or take control of a victim's Windows PC or Mac, the company stated in an advisory.

"A buffer overflow exists in iTunes when processing album cover art," the company stated. "By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted music file, an attacker may trigger the overflow which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution."

Apple has patched more than 100 vulnerabilities in its Mac OS X operating system and applications this year. Many security researchers and hackers have begun to focus on the consumer technology company's latest mobile device, the iPhone, which received it first patch in July.

Apple credited iSEC Partners with the discovery of the vulnerability.

A nod to ZDNet's Zero Day blog.

This article originally appeared in Security Focus.

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