One week after updating its Mac OS X operating system, Apple Inc. has patched a serious flaw it its QuickTime media player.
The security update to QuickTime 7.1.6, published Tuesday, fixes two issues in the way QuickTime works on the Java platform.
The most serious of these problems could give criminals a way of taking control of an unpatched computer, Apple said in a security alert. "By enticing a user to visit a Web page containing a maliciously crafted Java applet, an attacker can trigger the issue which may lead to arbitrary code execution," the alert states.
The second bug is considered to be less critical, but it could allow an attacker to have a look into the Web browser's memory and lead to the disclosure of sensitive information, Apple said.
This latest QuickTime update is available for both Mac OS and Windows users.
Apple's security team has been busy of late. Last week's Mac OS X patches fixed 17 flaws, several of which were considered to be critical.
Apple also fixed a similar QuickTime for Java bug on May 1, after this flaw was used to claim a US$10,000 Mac hacking prize at the April's CanSecWest security conference.
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