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Mac security expert Charlie Miller has said that Apple failed to take advantage of an opportunity to improve the security of its hardware with the latest version of Mac OS.
According to Computer World, Miller said that Apple should have implemented the latest version of address space layout randomisation (ASLR) software, which randomly assigns data to memory, making it harder for hackers to create reliable exploits, and was included in Windows Vista.
He went on to criticise Apple for simply using the same ASLR as used in previous versions of its OS, and claimed that Macs are easier to compromise than both Windows Vista and Windows 7.
“Apple didn’t change anything,” stated Miller. “It’s the exact same ASLR as in Leopard, which means it’s not very good.
“Snow Leopard’s more secure than Leopard, but it’s not as secure as Vista or Windows 7,” he continued. “When Apple has both ASLR and data execution prevention in place, that’s when I’ll stop complaining about Apple’s security.”
