Apple posts security update for Safari and OS X

Apple has released security updates to protect users from remote code executions in the company's Safari and OS X platforms.

The company said that the Safari 6.0.3 update would include fixes to patch vulnerable components of the browser and its WebKit engine. The update includes fixes for flaws which, if targeted by an attacker, could allow for remote code execution attacks.

Additionally, the update addresses a pair of flaws in the browser which could be exploited by attackers to perform a cross-site scripting attack.

Apple is recommending that users running OS X Lion download the Safari update through the Apple Software Update application.

Users running Mountain Lion, meanwhile, will be able to obtain the Safari update as part of the larger OS X 10.8.3 patch release. In addition to the browser fixes, the patch will address a number of security flaws in Mountain Lion itself, including remote code execution flaws in the handling of PDF files and Java Web Start applications.

Other updates include multiple fixes for Mountain Lion and patches to address flaws in Quicktime, Ruby and the OS X kernel. The fixes address multiple flaws which could be used for privilege escalation and data theft attacks.

Apple is advising users to obtain and install the fixes through the Software Update component.

The release from Apple comes just days after Microsoft released its March monthly security update. The Patch Tuesday release included fixes for a number of flaws in Internet Explorer as well as vulnerabilities in the Silverlight platform.