A Mission Viejo, Calif., security researcher has posted code that exploits a number of newly discovered and unpatched bugs in the Mac OS X platform.The software, posted Friday by independent researcher Tom Ferris, could be used to crash applications or even run unauthorized code on the Mac by taking advantage of bugs in the Safari browser and Mac OS X operating system. Ferris’s “proof of concept” code exploits a total of seven bugs. Apple Computer has already been made aware of the bugs and plans to fix them in “the next security release,” Ferris said in a posting to his Security-protocols.com blog.“There [seem] to be some problems with the claimed solid-as-a-rock Unix OS,” he wrote on his blog. “Getting Safari to crash in many different spots is trivial, as where Firefox is very tough.” Long considered to be more secure than Microsoft’s Windows operating system, Mac OS X has increasingly been the focus of security researchers like Ferris. In February, a number of malicious programs, including one called OSX/Leap, were released targeting the Macintosh.The SANS Institute’s Internet Storm Center rated Ferris’ bugs as “highly critical,” and warned that there are no patches or workarounds available for the majority of these vulnerabilities. Ferris made headlines earlier this year when he discovered a bug in the Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 preview browser within minutes of the product being released.Apple representatives were not immediately available to comment for this story.-Robert McMillan, IDG News ServiceCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost How an Indian real-estate juggernaut keeps growing by harnessing the power of zero A South Indian real-estate titan is known for the infinite variety and impressive scale of its projects, but one of its most towering achievements amounts to nothing literally. By Michael Kure, SAP Contributor May 31, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Hybrid working: the new workplace normal IT leaders discuss how a more broadly dispersed workforce impacts device deployment, connectivity, and the employee experience, even as more workers return to the office. By Michael Krieger May 31, 2023 5 mins Remote Work opinion Can you spot the hidden theme of CSO’s Future of Cybersecurity summit? By Beth Kormanik May 31, 2023 2 mins Events Cybercrime Artificial Intelligence case study How IT leaders use EV tech to fuel the transport revolution in Kenya Many African nations are starting to invest in electric vehicle (EV) transportation as a means to broaden access and help keep pace with global environmental initiatives. In Kenya, strides are being made despite industry and tech leaders grappling to By Vincent Matinde May 31, 2023 5 mins CIO CTO Emerging Technology Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe