Apple addresses 'FREAK' attack in latest OS X, Apple TV and iOS security updates

Highlighted in a report last week, "FREAK," or "Factoring RSA Export Keys," is a flaw recently discovered in certain embodiments of cryptographic protocols SSL and TLS.

Since Apple's Safari, as well as other Web browsers, rely on these secure connections to transfer data, FREAK leaves systems open to so-called man-in-the-middle attacks that force clients to use a weaker form of encryption than requested during communication sessions. According to Apple, the flaw only affected connections to servers that run certain RSA cipher suites. To rectify the issue, Apple removed support for ephemeral RSA keys, the basis of the vulnerability.

According to Apple's dedicated security updates webpage, FREAK affected not only OS X, but iOS and Apple TV as well. Apple addressed the issue with iOS 8.2 earlier today, while the most recent Apple TV 7.1 update takes care of Apple's set-top streamer.

Alongside the FREAK patch are fixes that affect iCloud Keychain, IOAcceleratorFamily, IOSurface and OS X Kernel Apple said.

Apple's latest OS X Security Update 2015-002 can be downloaded and installed via Software Update.