macOS Finder Bug Lets Certain Files Run Arbitrary Commands

Researcher Park Minchan reported a bug within macOS Finder that lets certain files execute commands. It affects all versions of macOS up to Big Sur.

A vulnerability in the way macOS processes inetloc files causes it to run commands embedded inside, the commands it runs can be local to the macOS allowing the execution of arbitrary commands by the user without any warning / prompts.

Originally, inetloc files are shortcuts to an Internet location, such as an RSS feed or a telnet location; and contain the server address and possibly a username and password for SSH and telnet connections; can be created by typing a URL in a text editor and dragging the text to the Desktop.

Drawing, Backing Up, and Being a Screenshot Ninja – Mac Geek Gab 816

Did you know you could move your screenshot selection window around after you create it? How about rearranging columns in the Finder and having it remember? What about Profiles on your Mac, and how they can be used to hijack your browser?

If you listen to this week’s Mac Geek Gab with Dave Hamilton and John F. Braun, not only will you know how to do these three things, we guarantee you’ll learn at least two more (and probably a lot more than that!). Press play and enjoy learning all these things with your two favorite geeks.

File Speeds Using iOS Files are Terrible Compared to Finder

Redditor u/j1ggl did a test to compare Finder and Files using a folder of 2048 texture files. The folder was only 1MB, but iOS Files still handled different tasks way worse than Finder. For example, using the app’s built-in zip function, zipping the folder took 3 seconds with Finder and 38 seconds with Files. Unzipping took 7 seconds versus 42 seconds, respectively.

Conclusion: The Files app for iPhone/iPad is badly optimized and not ready to handle a larger amount of files, even though they take up just 1MB in total. It is also worth noting that the iPad required several reboots to even achieve the zipping and unzipping of the folder.

What Finder Sync on macOS Catalina Looks Like

In macOS Catalina, you won’t sync your iDevices in iTunes. Instead, you’ll have Finder sync. Stephen Hackett gives us an idea of what it will look like and how it works.

When you plug in an iPod to a Mac running Catalina, the device appears in the Finder sidebar,and clicking it reveals a wide range of syncing options, organized in a much nicer fashion that what is found in iTunes 12…

As you would imagine, each section in this interface surfaces content across various apps on the system. For example, Finder sees the local files I have in the new Music app…

Critically, most of the UI is pretty much the same.

macOS: How to Merge Folders

The Finder’s “Merge” command—useful for combining the contents of folders that have the same name—is a handy way to clean up the files on your Mac. However, it’s got some important caveats, which we’ll explain in today’s Quick Tip!

macOS: Check Your LaunchAgents for Malicious Software

Your Mac’s root-level LaunchAgents folder is a common location for adware to store files. Why is this bad? Well, it could mean that malicious software launches automatically when you log in to any user account on your Mac, which is certainly not great. In today’s Quick Tip, we’ll talk about how to get there and what to look for!

macOS: How to See Where a Download Came From

So you’ve downloaded files to your Mac. What’s an easy way to see where they came from if you forget? Or how can you tell where your dad got that pirated copy of Microsoft Office? In today’s Quick Tip, we’ll tell you how to see that info…and maybe help you call out your dad’s terrible computing habits.

macOS: How to Disable Relative Dates

Finder’s “Relative Dates” feature will use words like “Today” and “Yesterday” on the modification or creation dates for your files and folders. If you don’t like this, though, it’s a piece of cake to turn off, and we’ve got the details in today’s Quick Tip!