Apple has released the macOS 14.4.1 Sonoma update. It fixes some problems that users were facing with USB Hubs, and Java apps.
Apple fixes USB Hub and Java issues in macOS 14.4.1
The changelog for the update is rather compact, and does not come with any new features, that's not surprising as it is a minor version bump, but it contains some very important fixes. When macOS 14.4 was released earlier this month, it surprised many users, as it had shipped with over 50 security fixes. However, it also introduced a few problems of its own. Several users had claimed that the update had caused their USB Hubs to malfunction, i.e. keep disconnecting automatically, or stop working entirely. The problem was widely reported to affect Ethernet connections, monitors, external hard drives, etc.
Apple says that it has addressed the problem in the latest software update. The release notes mention that macOS 14.4.1 fixes a problem with external displays that are connected via USB hubs not working properly. You may want to power cycle the accessories that are plugged in to your Mac, if they are not working after installing the update.
Users had previously reported that their Java apps were crashing after installing macOS 14.4. Apple has fixed this problem in the macOS 14.4.1 update. Now, users say that apps like JetBrain are working correctly after they updated their machine, so that is good news.
Another major issue that had plagued users in macOS 14.4 was that it broke audio plugins, they were failing to open or validate, which meant that users could not use professional music software on their Macs. This frustrated users who had complained to the developers such as Kilohearts, MixWave, who in turn not only confirmed the problem, but also had to warn their users about Audio Unit (AU) issues in macOS 14.4, and asked them to not update to the latest version until a solution was available. Apple says that it has solved the issue with copy protected Audio Unit plugins in macOS 14.4.1, and that the music apps will now work correctly.
Security fixes in macOS 14.4.1 Sonoma
The build number for macOS 14.4.1 Sonoma is 23E224. The update for the operating system comes with patches for 2 security vulnerabilities. The first issue, which is tracked as CVE-2024-1580, is related to the CoreMedia framework that is used with audio/video devices. The second vulnerability is related to WebRTC, and is identified as CVE-2024-1580.
Both bugs are similar in nature in that they have allowed processing an image to lead to arbitrary code execution. The exploits were patched by addressing an out-of-bounds write issue with improved input validation. Nick Galloway of Google Project Zero has been credited for discovering and reporting both vulnerabilities to Apple.
Apple has also released macOS Ventura 13.6.6 and the update contains the same security fixes as above. Safari 17.4.1 is available via an update for macOS Monterey and macOS Ventura, with the patch for the WebRTC vulnerability. Apple released iOS 17.4.1 last week, and it already patched the above-mentioned security issues.
On a sidenote, the US Government has sued Apple for monopolizing the smartphone industry, read our previous coverage to learn more about it.
Are your USB Hubs and accessories working fine after the update?
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