Apple issues security update for 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station
Apple on Monday released AirPort Extreme Base Station with 802.11n Firmware 7.1, which includes general fixes, compatibility updates, and security improvements for the recently introduced AirPort Extreme Base Station with 802.11n.
Apple's fix is to change the standard policy, which automatically blocks inbound IPv6 traffic from all computers but those on the local network.
Less glaring but still important was a correction in the station's approach to USB hard drives shared through the AirPort Disk feature. Computers with access to the local network could previously view the names of files in password-protected volumes without first entering said password, potentially exposing any sensitive information that the file name might hold.
An extra layer of validation now prevents this from happening, authenticating a user before they can see the data in a secured volume. None of the files' contents were accessible before the update, Apple said.
The Mac maker recommends that all owners of the 802.11n device first install AirPort Base Station Update 2007-001 before attempting to update to the latest firmware.