Apple Releases OS X 10.10.5 With DYLD Vulnerability Patch, Bug Fixes

Apple today released OS X Yosemite 10.10.5, an under-the-hood update that introduces bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance improvements. OS X 10.10.5 is being released to the public after two developer betas and one month of testing.

The OS X 10.10.5 update can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

Today’s update notably includes a fix for the DYLD_PRINT_TO_FILE privilege escalation vulnerability that could allow malware to gain root access to a Mac. Earlier this month, a DYLD_PRINT_TO_FILE exploit was found to be in use in the wild, so this is an update that all Mac users running Yosemite will want to install as soon as possible.

This update:

– Improves compatibility with certain email servers when using Mail
– Fixes an issue in Photos that prevents importing videos from GoPro cameras
– Fixes an issue in QuickTime Player that prevented playback of Windows Media files.

OS X 10.10.5 is likely to be one of the last updates to OS X Yosemite, which will soon be retired in favor of its successor, OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Currently in testing, OS X El Capitan builds on the features introduced with Yosemite, focusing on improving performance and user experience.

Once OS X El Capitan is available for download, OS X Yosemite will see only minor maintenance updates designed to fix security flaws and other major bugs. OS X El Capitan is expected to be released to the public in the fall.