TechKnowledge

TechKnowledge

Safari vulnerability exposed

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It’s Sat, Aug 20, 2022, and it’s time to update your devices.

This week (third week of Aug 2022) Apple has issued a critical update for most of its’ operating system softwares. This includes iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. An exploit was discovered in the system software connected to the Safari web browser, the default browser on all of Apples’ devices. The exploit could enable a hacker to take control of an affected device. Apple believes the exploit has already been actively used and so has issued these critical updates to address the vulnerability.

The update for both iPhone and iPad will bring the system software up to version 15.6.1. For Mac computers, the update brings the system software up to 12.5.1 (Monterey). For older Macs that can’t update to Monterey, there is a software patch exclusively for Safari on the Big Sur and Catalina operating systems.

Apple recommends this update for all devices capable of updating to the current software. It’s not clear if older devices that operate below iOS 15 or Macs that operate below Catalina (Mojave, High Sierra) are affected by the exploit, but it would be a good idea to run whatever updates are available to your device.

To check for updates on your mobile devices (iPhones and iPads), open Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, you’ll see a button that says ‘Download and Install’, or perhaps just the word ‘Install.’ Tap that button and your device will begin the update process, which can take some time depending on the speed of your internet connection.

To check for updates on your Mac computer, open System Preferences > Software Update. If an update is available, you’ll see a button that says ‘Update Now.’ Give that button a click and your Mac will begin the update process, which can also take a little time.

A few tips for updating (on any occasion);

  • Keep your device plugged in and charging during an update so it doesn’t run out of juice in the middle of an important update. Some devices won’t even allow you to run updates until the battery is charged enough.
  • Less critical, but it’s never a bad idea to run a backup just before an update, on the slim chance that something goes wrong.
  • Be ready with passwords – Your device may ask for your mobile device unlock passcode, your Apple ID password, or your Mac administrator password. Have these all ready just in case.
  • If you don’t currently use an unlock passcode on your iPhone/iPad, your device may prompt you to create one after an update. If you don’t want to create a passcode, when you reach the screen that prompts to create one, tap Passcode Options > Don’t Use Passcode.

HP will damage your computer…

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Have you seen a message like this on your computer?

 

 

If you are a Mac user, and an HP printer owner, you might see a message like this eventually. First and foremost, the good news: No, this actually isn’t malware, and it won’t damage your computer. The bad news: You still have a problem that needs a solution. Recently I’ve been getting a lot of calls about messages like the two displayed above, but there are many variants of this scary message, and they all have in common the notion that an HP (Hewlett Packard) device will damage my computer. All of these messages also happened to have appeared on Apple Mac computers. I think it’s possible that these messages could affect Windows computers as well, but I don’t work with Windows very much, so I just don’t know. In case the pictures above are hard to read, here’s a couple examples of this message;

HPDeviceMonitoring.framework will damage your computer

HP Scanner 3 will damage your computer

HPDM.framework will damage your computer

So is this some kind of new malware? No, it does not appear to be malware, even though the computer appears to think so. My initial research when this issue first arose in the Fall of 2020 was that this message was related to some kind of expired certificate or support file for HP printer/scanner units. Apparently, when these support files expire, the computer flags them as malware and presents a pop-up message like the examples above. I’d like to share how I resolved this issue for most of my clients, but I should warn you that I have encountered two very different outcomes. At best, this can be resolved by deleting the file in question, and then reinstalling the print drivers, a task which many could do on their own, and instructions are below. At worst, you may need to replace your printer.

Here’s how I resolved this issue for most of my clients. Take another quick look at the images above that display the error message, as I’ll be referring to them in my instructions.  Click the button on the error message that says Show in Finder. This will open a window and display a system folder where the expired support file resides. Delete the file in question, but don’t touch anything else in this folder. Generally speaking, deleting files you don’t recognize in your system folder can, actually, damage your computer, so it’s safer to just let it alone unless you know it’s creating a problem, as it is in this scenario. Once you’ve deleted the file, close the window. This solves the first problem, but it creates a new one… you can’t print anything.

Now we need to reinstall the printer driver for your HP printer. Open the System Preferences app, which may appear on the Dock at the bottom of your screen as a box of silver gears. In the window that appears, click Printers & Scanners. Any printer drivers you’ve installed appear in a list on the left side of this window. You may only see one printer listed, and that makes sense if you only ever print to a single printer in your own home. Select your HP printer in that list, and then click the – symbol at the bottom of that list, and then click Delete Printer to confirm. The printer will disappear from the list.

Now let’s install a new printer driver. Make sure your HP printer is turned on, and connected either to WiFi, or via USB cable to your computer if that’s how you usually print. Now click + at the bottom of the printer list, and another window appears, which is the computer searching for a connected printer. If the computer ‘sees’ a printer, it will display it in this window in a list, and again, there could be only one device that appears. By the way, if it says USB multifunction next to your printer brand and model, that means the computer sees that the printer is connected via cable. If it says Bonjour, that means the computer sees the printer on the wireless network. Select your printer, and then click Add at bottom right. Wait a few seconds, and that should be it. The second window will close automatically, and your printer should now be displayed in the printer list. You can now close this window too.

That’s it. Hopefully, you should be able to print or scan again at this point, and the computer should be happy and not bother you anymore with the same error message. Happy printing :0)

If these instructions seem like too much, or you have difficulty, please contact me and I’ll be happy to help. There’s a big Contact button on my website at the top you can use to reach me if you don’t already have my contact information. Thanks.