Apple recently started rolling out the macOS 11 Big Sur update to all its users. The update is the first version of macOS to natively support the new M1-powered Apple laptops and PC. macOS Big Sur brings a new design, enhancements to Safari, Messages, Maps, and privacy and it has been optimised for Apple’s M1 chip. The new mac update is compatible with MacBooks dating back to 2013. However, days after the update's rollout, some older MacBook Pro model owners said the updated bricked their laptop.
Owners of late 2013 and mid-2014 13-inch MacBook Pro models said that the macOS Big Sur update is bricking their machines, according to a MacRumors update. Similar issues have also been reported across Reddit and the Apple Support Communities, suggesting the problem is widespread.
"Users are reporting that during the course of updating to macOS Big Sur, their machines are stuck displaying a black screen. Key reset combinations, including NVRAM, SMC, safe mode, and internet recovery, are all reportedly inaccessible after attempting to install the update, leaving no way to bypass the static black screen," MacRumors updates.
Some MacBook users have also found that since updated macOS Big Sur, Apple apps were bypassing firewalls and virtual private networks (VPNs). Reportedly, this issue also existed in one of the macOS 11 beta updates.
Some Apple apps bypass some network extensions and VPN Apps. Maps for example can directly access the internet bypassing any NEFilterDataProvider or NEAppProxyProviders you have running
— Maxwell (@mxswd) October 19, 2020
Security researcher Patrick Wardle found that the Mac App Store on was bypassing firewalls after the Big Sur update. It was presumed that Apple would fix this issue when releasing the final version of the update. However, in a tweet on Sunday, Wardle revealed that the issue of bypassing firewalls and VPNs still persisted in the stable release and could be abused by malware and impact user security on the latest macOS version.
In Big Sur Apple decided to exempt many of its apps from being routed thru the frameworks they now require 3rd-party firewalls to use (LuLu, Little Snitch, etc.)
Q: Could this be (ab)used by malware to also bypass such firewalls?
A: Apparently yes, and trivially so pic.twitter.com/CCNcnGPFIB
— patrick wardle (@patrickwardle) November 14, 2020
The (now confirmed?) security & privacy risks of this design decision, were of course communicated clearly to Apple prior to Big Sur's release @AppleSupport / FB8817119 ♂️ pic.twitter.com/FSDfxveTzn
— patrick wardle (@patrickwardle) November 14, 2020
Apple is yet to acknowledge or comment on the issue.
source https://www.firstpost.com/tech/news-analysis/apple-macos-big-sur-update-is-bricking-some-older-macbook-pro-models-report-9020621.html
