Amid rumors that Apple has ceased development of new Wi-Fi routers, the company on Tuesday pushed out an update for existing AirPort devices that patches a critical "KRACK Attack" vulnerability made public earlier this year.
AppleInsider has learned that Apple has rectified the "KRACK Attack" Wi-Fi WPA-2 exploit in "recent" macOS, iOS, tvOS, and watchOS betas — but was unable to confirm that a patch is coming for the AirPort series of routers.
A set of six collegiate researchers are set to unveil details on a Key Reinstallation Attack (KRACK Attack) for WPA-2 Wi-Fi security, which if legitimate can allow attackers to undermine encryption on any wi-fi connection utilizing the security method — including Apple hardware connecting to Airport Extreme and Airport Express routers. AppleInsider explains what it is, and how to cut down on the potential for attack until patches are rolled out.
Everyone seems to have their own way to fix poor Wi-Fi, from signal boosters to antennas, but mesh systems have risen to the top as one of the better solutions available. Google, being the internet-centric company that it is, entered the fray with a self-branded mesh product last year, and we put it to the test.
The latest dump of "leaked" documents from WikiLeaks reportedly from the CIA details the "Cherry Blossom" firmware modification program, which allowed intelligence agencies to change firmware in a networking company's factories — but Apple AirPort hardware appears to be unaffected by the effort.
With the rumor that Apple is discontinuing Airport and Time Machine Wi-Fi products, it leaves some users looking for new solutions. One new option might be Eero, one of the latest entrants in the field.
Most of Netgear's home and small business router and modem models are affected by a vulnerability in their password recovery system, which could potentially let a hacker assume control or install a botnet, according to a security firm.
Home networking giants Linksys and Netgear have unveiled next-gen routers, with Linksys opting for mesh networking, and Netgear relying on traditional hardware. Norton is also throwing its hat into the ring with a router that claims to block all security threats before the enter the home's network.
Apple updated its AirPort router software with a patch to fix a "Back to my Mac" problem in conjunction with the AirPort Utility, but the update portends nothing for the future of the hardware.
Nearly all recent Netgear home routers have a serious flaw, allowing nefarious hackers to take control of a router and use it for denial of service attacks after the router's owner simply visits a malicious website.
A recent customer satisfaction survey of home router technologies places Apple comfortably on top of the heap, despite recent reports of the division closing down, and engineers re-assigned to other projects.
Some fear has erupted at the news that Apple may be shutting down development of its own AirPort wireless routers. However, picking a router isn't as complicated as it used to be, and AppleInsider has some suggestions that work well with other Apple hardware.
Apple has apparently disbanded its internal wireless router development team, assigning engineers to other, more lucrative projects within the company, and bringing to an end the development of Apple-branded routers, a new report has revealed.
Although the products are still available online, Apple no longer appears to be selling the AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule in its U.S. retail stores, according to a Friday report and checks by AppleInsider.
Enjoy — the white-glove delivery service launched by former Apple retail head Ron Johnson — on Tuesday began sales of two more Apple products, including AirPort routers and the fourth-generation Apple TV.
In response to the Heartbleed kerfuffle, Apple on Tuesday rolled out a firmware update for all 2013 AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule models that protects affected units from the OpenSSL vulnerability.
In a firmware update issued on Thursday, Apple addressed a few minor problems with its newest 802.11ac AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations, including a problem with USB hard drive connectivity.
Apple on Tuesday released a firmware update for all 802.11n-capable AirPort base stations, fixing a number of problems including an issue that prompted some iOS device users to see intermittent Wi-Fi dropouts.
Apple has released a new update for the AirPort Utility for Macs, fixing an issue that occurred with 802.11n and 802.11ac-capable Macs.
Coming hours after Apple's AirPort Extreme received the teardown treatment, the same was done to the 802.11ac Wi-Fi router's HDD-packing sibling Time Capsule, with results expectedly showing no difference between the two aside from the hard drive and corresponding port.
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Mikey Campbell
Mike Wuerthele
Victor Marks
Roger Fingas
Neil Hughes
AppleInsider Staff
Kevin Bostic
