Brief Hands-On Report--Apple Released Mac OS X 10.4.5 Update

Barely a month after releasing the Mac OS X 10.4.4 update, Apple has released Mac OS X 10.4.5 update. The update is a relatively small one, weighing in at 6.4MB via the Software Update application. It's available in client and server editions and as a client for MacIntels. The Power PC version comes as a small delta updater and a much larger combo updater that allows one to completely update from any version of Mac OS X 10.4.x. We recommend that people use the combo updater if they have a high speed internet connection and download a stand-alone updater. Apple also released what appears to be a combo MacIntel updater, since its size is close to the Power PC combo updater. Apple also released a Power PC version delta server updater--no combo updater is available for the server edition.

According to the Read Me file,

The 10.4.5 Update is recommended for all users and includes general operating system fixes, as well as specific fixes for the following applications and technologies:

- iChat video conferencing
- Safari rendering of web pages
- usability of Dashboard and widgets
- viewing of QuickTime streaming media behind a firewall
- printing to some Epson printer models
- iDisk and Portable Home Directory syncing
- time zone and daylight savings for 2006 and 2007
- VPN connections to Cisco servers when using NAT
- compatibility with third party applications and devices
- previous standalone security updates

The details of this update include:

- Internet, iDisk, and networking

• Safari no longer quits unexpectedly when deleting AOL mail messages via AOL webmail.
• Apple's IPSec VPN client now works with Cisco servers whether or not NAT is used.
• Addresses an issue in which you could not sync with an iDisk larger than 4 GB.
• Files copied across a network via Portable Home Directories are now copied as temporary files until the transfer is complete, in case the network connection is interrupted before the transfer finished.
• Addresses an issue in which some Epson printers could not successfully print via AirPort Extreme.

- Other

• Allows the rotating cube effect to appear as expected on both a primary and a mirrored display, when switching users via Fast User switching.
• Addresses an issue for Mac OS X 10.4.4 in which background columns of text within the RSS Visualizer screen saver are sometimes superimposed over one another.
• Dragging a widget out of the widget bar while the desktop picture is changing (automatically, for example) no longer stops the animation on an Intel-based Mac.
• On an Intel-based Mac, Telestream Flip4Mac now installs correctly.
• Prevents the Setup Assistant from unexpectedly quitting if Kotoeri is selected as the keyboard type following an English language installation of Mac OS X.
• Allows applications that run using Rosetta on an Intel-based Mac to successfully open files that are located via an Open window's "search" field.
• Addresses an issue in which Rosetta-translated applications running on Intel-based Macs would not correctly receive Keychain notifications.
• Console no longer reports a series of "Quartz Composer QuickTime Component" messages for iMovie '06 when applying a Ken Burns clip or image.
• Addresses an issue for iMovie HD and Mac OS X 10.4.4 in which iMovie could unexpectedly quit when switching themes.
• Eliminates some potential video redraw issues when using Front Row on Intel-based Macs.
• Updated the rules for time zones and Daylight Savings Time to conform to changes in the law for the United States, Australia, and other locations, for 2006 and later.
• Addresses a potential issue that could cause the system process "configd" to unexpectedly stall.
• Addresses an issue when viewing streaming media behind a firewall on Intel Macs.
  

The details on the security enhancement are:

Kernel
CVE-ID: CVE-2006-0382
Available for: Mac OS X v10.4.5, Mac OS X Server v10.4.5
Impact: A malicious local user can cause a system crash
Description: A malicious local user may trigger a system crash by
invoking an undocumented system call. This update addresses the
issue by removing the system call from the kernel. Credit to David
Goldsmith of Matasano for reporting this issue.

We downloaded and installed the version of 10.4.5 offered by Mac OS X's System Preferences Software Update application on several Macs: Power Mac G5, iMac G5, Mac mini, G4 Cube and PowerBook G4 with no problems. Several hours use has also not turned up any problems that we have noticed. All of our external FireWire drives, which we did not disconnect before the update, mount perfectly. Before and after installing Mac OS X 10.4.5 we used Disk Utility to repair the the startup disk and the permissions. [Bill Fox]