Apple updates raise eyebrows

Posted by Maxim Weinstein Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:32:00 GMT

Bloggers have recently reported that the current version of the Apple Software Update tool for Windows, which is bundled with some of Apple’s current products, such as QuickTime and iTunes, offers the user “updates” for applications (e.g., the Safari web browser) that are not currently installed on the machine. Choosing to install the offered updates, all of which are selected by default, reportedly results in the additional applications being downloaded and installed. This differs from many automatic update applications, which offer only to update software that is already installed on the user’s machine.

Gizmodo reported the practice on Friday:

If you pop open Apple software Update in Windows, you’ll see a fresh item in there today: Safari 3.1. Even if you don’t already have it installed. This is the first time they’ve used Software Update to push Safari on Windows users that didn’t already have it. What’s up with the new, more aggressive thrust?

John Lilly, CEO of the Mozilla Foundation, which oversees the development of open source web browser Firefox, also reported and commented on the behavior:

What Apple is doing now with their Apple Software Update on Windows is wrong. It undermines the trust relationship great companies have with their customers, and that’s bad — not just for Apple, but for the security of the whole Web. What they did yesterday was to use their updater for iTunes to also install their Safari Web browser…

StopBadware.org has not at this time evaluated the products in question. As we are committed to consistently and fairly applying our badware guidelines, we have added the current Windows versions of Apple Software Update tool, QuickTime player, and iTunes to our testing queue. When we have completed our evaluation, we will post our findings.