Because of the way they are designed, a simple software patch for one could disrupt others.
Millions of computer systems appeared well prepared, because of a free software patch from Microsoft.
Microsoft first patched this security hole on Aug. 10, and issued a security bulletin on Oct. 17 pointing customers to the same software patch.
Perhaps, but the risk can be reduced by open-sourcing code, requiring software patch downloads, and notifying gun makers or law enforcement if software is disabled.
Apple representatives confirmed to Engadget that enabling AWS is done at the hardware level and is not something that can be attained via a software patch or download.
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Whatever specific code snafu that is causing this particular bug appears to have been deemed too minor to issue a full software patch over and Apple has elected to let it run its course instead.
Another thing making that easier is an incoming software patch for the cars that will let drivers route directly to the nearest Supercharger -- perhaps Tesla can get John Broder to give it a shot first.
The majority of security testers agree that the ethical thing to do when they discover a flaw in a computer programme is to give the manufacturer sufficient warning for it to prepare a software patch before going public with the finding.
Sadly, we've yet to experience Nintendo TVii in our homes, as the Wii U we've got won't have any media functionality (Nintendo TVii, Amazon Instant, Netflix, Hulu Plus, etc.) until it receives a software patch shortly before retail launch on November 18.
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Whilst Apple have added another sumptuous design to their immaculate portfolio, the iPhone has been the subject of personal security fears as researchers at Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) based in Baltimore, successfully hacked an iPhone remotely - although a straightforward software patch looks likely to solve this problem.
He points to data gathered by software security firm Secunia, which showed that Apple had to patch nearly five times as many security flaws in its software over the past year as Microsoft had to patch in Windows.
He points to data gathered by software security firm Secunia, which showed that Apple had to patch nearly five times as many security flaws in its software over the past year as Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) had to patch in Windows.
Microsoft developed a patch for its Outlook software that helped companies fight off the variants of the virus, but some corporations simply failed to install the patch, leaving their systems vulnerable, Gullatto said.
Even Nintendo's speeding up its Wii U software issues in an upcoming patch, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see OUYA correcting the lag issue before June's retail launch.
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But two months would give malicious hackers plenty of a time to use the publicly known flaw, far longer than companies typically take to patch critical bugs in their software.
When IBM filtered those unpatched security flaws by severity, however, Google came out as the least likely to patch critical security bugs in its software that would allow a hacker to completely hijack a target system, leaving 33% of those high severity flaws unpatched over the first half of the year.
The software giant took the unusual step of issuing the patch well before the usual date for security updates.
As he sees it, malicious hackers can break into corporate and government networks using a single software vulnerability, while the good guys must painstakingly check and patch every one of thousands of potentially hackable holes in their systems.
Oracle, the makers of the Java software, have yet to respond to the vulnerability, and as yet there is no patch.
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