permissions

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week people wrote in with questions about permissions errors after network file transfers, a system always booting to Verbose mode, the threat of the Flashback malware for iOS users and the potential for the removal tools to cause problems with Java installations, and Time Machine being stuck in a "Preparing Backup" mode after a crash. We welcome alternative approaches and views from readers, so if you have any suggestions, post them in the comments!

Question: Permissions errors after network file transfer MacFixIt … Read more

One last time to get Loaded

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Android app security flaw Google+ redesign gets mocked Sony launches SmartWatch And this is the final episode of Loaded! In just a few days, we will launch our new daily tech news show, CNET Update. We thank you for watching Loaded all these years, and we can't wait to show you what we have in store. Subscribe:  iTunes (MP3) |  iTunes (320x180) |  iTunes (HD) |  RSS (MP3) |  RSS (320x180) |  RSS HD

Android gives 'no permissions' apps access to sensitive info

Thanks in large part to Android's history of lax app policing, Google's mobile operating system has been criticized as insecure.

But now it appears that apps with no permissions pose a new threat, gaining access to sensitive personal information without authorization. Leviathan Security Group researcher Paul Brodeur explained in a blog post earlier this week that he created a proof-of-concept to demonstrate that "no permissions" apps still have access to the device's SD card, handset identification data, and files stored by other apps.

On the SD card, Brodeur's app yielded a list of all … Read more

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week people wrote in with questions about a Mac continuously booting to Safe Mode, an apparent missing option to ignore ownership on an external volume, where and how to look up Mac model information, and ways to prevent OS X from reopening programs and windows at startup. We welcome alternative approaches and views from readers, so if you have any suggestions then post them in the comments!

Question: Mac continuously booting to Safe Mode MacFixIt reader Andreas asks:

My iMac (late 2009 27", … Read more

What to do when the OS X Finder requires passwords for managing files

By default OS X is set up so you can access and edit files you create and only requires authentication to edit files in system directories or in other user accounts (provided you are an administrator). This allows for a fairly seamless workflow when working with the resources your account has access to, and notifies you when you are editing files that could affect other users or the system as a whole.

This setup is determined by the permissions settings in the system, which you can see if you select a file and get information on it. At the bottom … Read more

What do Path's privacy violations mean for Android?

The revelations about Path's contact list uploading, and the resulting mea culpa's first from Path and now from Apple, might have Path's Android users a bit spooked. In fact, they should have you worried--but over something much more important.

Could this happen on Android is a fairly cut-and-dry question. The answer is no, as in, a snowball's chance. No, nein, nyet, non. Why it can't happen on Android still only hints at the bigger problem.

The future possibility of the Path situation happening on Android can't occur because it already has happened. When you … Read more

Workarounds for quarantine bug in OS X Lion

Quarantining files has its benefits, but a current bug is causing some trouble.

When you first download a file in OS X the system considers it to be foreign and tags it with a quarantine flag. This flag prevents it from running if it contains executable code, at least until it is scanned and the user is notified that the file contains code and could potentially change files on the computer. If the file is an application, then when you open it the launch services will present a warning that the file was downloaded from the Internet. Once you confirm … Read more

Mobile security app from McAfee hits 2.0

The latest update to McAfee Mobile Security opens a window onto app permissions and gives you a filter to screen out annoying communiques.

McAfee Mobile Security 2.0 (download for Android) arrived in the Android Market three days ago, and brings two new features to its already-robust set of options for Android, BlackBerry, and Symbian users. The new App Protection interprets how apps handle your personal and private data, and tells you whether those app permissions are risky. What it doesn't do is advise you what to do about those risks, but to be fair, none of the other … Read more

Fix folder changes requiring authentication in the Finder

Creating files and folders in OS X can generally be done without requiring additional steps, but sometimes you may run into situations where the system either claims access is denied or that you first must authenticate to make modifications to the current folder.

This behavior happens because your account does not have proper write access to the folder in which you are working, which may be purposeful in some cases. By default, the permissions in OS X are set to allow you access to your account's resources, but will restrict you from modifying or even reading other resources, including … Read more