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This afternoon, Apple released updates for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. The update addresses a number of issues, including glitches on the 27-inch iMac and security problems in the OS.

The updates for the 27-inch iMac resolve an issue concerning high processor utilization and a problem with the display backlight coming on when the iMac is powered on. Both updates are relatively small (2.1 MB and 397 KB, respectively) and require Mac OS X 10.6.3 or later.

The update for Snow Leopard, Leopard Client, and Leopard Server addresses a vulnerability concerning documents with maliciously crafted embedded fonts. The exploit was discovered by Charlie Miller, who worked with TippingPoint’s Zero Day Initiative.

Apple also released Server Admin Tools 10.6.3, which includes the latest versions of some Apple applications like iCal Server Utility and Server Preferences. This update is recommended for the remote administration of Snow Leopard Server.

If you are using a Mac right now, be sure to get Apple’s latest security update. The update, released today, patches a whopping 92 vulnerabilities, a third of them critical. This security update actually breaks a record established in March 2008—that update patched a mere 90 vulnerabilities.

The latest update fixed flaws in 42 aspects of the operating system, from QuickTime to AppKit. 18 of the vulnerabilities were Leopard-specific, 29 were Snow Leopard-specific, and the remaining 45 affected both Leopard and Snow Leopard (thanks a lot, Apple, for just leaving us Tiger users out all alone with no security updates).

More than 40% of the vulnerabilities were critical and could have been used by attackers to hijack a Mac.

The update did not come as a surprise to many analysts. Apple typically releases updates to iTunes and QuickTime before it releases new products that rely on iTunes. Analysts have also predicted that an iPhone update will be released this week, too.

An update to Apple’s latest operating system, Snow Leopard, is probably going to be released to the public in the near future. The private beta, Mac OS X 10.6.3, available to developers, has been undergoing testing. According to sources familiar with the beta versions, Apple is asking developers to focus on certain applications, such as Mail and QuickTime. In an earlier beta version, developers focused on iCal and fonts.

When Mac OS X 10.6.3 is released, there will be a QuickTime update that provides enhanced security and compatibility. There are still some other issues that will hopefully be solved, including a problem with copying files to a shared Windows volume.

Apple has given developers two betas of this update in very quick succession. It normally only does this if the update is due to be released soon or if there is a dangerous glitch in the system. No dangerous glitches have been reported about this update.

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Warpia’s newly released “Easy Dock” further continues the convenience trend. The Easy Dock enables the user to connect and transfer information to the monitor, speaker, keyboard, and mouse on a netbook or laptop to a conventional desktop setting.

Computers have evolved into more powerful and efficient processing systems, laptops and netbooks were designed for portability over the traditional desktop, and even cell phones are beginning to display computer-like qualities. As technology advances, the desire for convenience has successfully sustained itself.

Furthermore, through technology from Wisair, the process is done completely wirelessly. With the Easy Dock, any consumer can utilize both the portability of a netbook and the processing power of a desktop.

Warpia’s new product will be compatible with Windows 7, XP, Vista, Apple’s Leopard and Snow Leopard, and is currently on sale for $149.99.

According to the organizer of the Pwn2Own hacking challenge, Apple’s Safari will be the first browser to fall to hacking. However, a researcher who won at Pwn2Own the previous two years is not so sure. Aaron Portnoy, the organizer of the contest, said that Safari is on Snow Leopard, which “isn’t on the same level as Windows 7.” But researcher Charlie Miller says Safari is not significantly easier to hack than other browsers.

The Pwn2Own contest has made headlines for hacking Mac OS X, Safari, Microsoft Windows, and Internet Explorer. There are cash prizes and laptops for those who successfully hack the browsers and operating systems. Last year, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Firefox all fell to attack. Google Chrome did not.

There won’t only be operating systems to hack—there is a mobile component to the competition as well. Competitors will have the opportunity to hack an iPhone 3G S, a Blackberry Bold 9700, a Nokia smartphone, and a Motorola that will most likely be running Android. Portnoy said he expects the iPhone to be the easiest to attack. Miller said he does not expect any of the phones to be successfully hacked because there is not common knowledge about attacking phones.

Pwn2Own will be from March 24 to March 26 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The vulnerabilities and bugs discovered are used to help computer security.

Via Computerworld, image via Apple.