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macOS Big Sur 11.6.4 and Security Update 2022-002 Catalina

Apple has released macOS Big Sur 11.6.4 and Security Update 2022-002 for macOS 10.15 Catalina to patch security vulnerabilities in Big Sur and Catalina. Unfortunately, we have no information about the content of these updates since the Apple Security Updates page says there are no published CVE entries for either download (perhaps implying that Apple has identified the vulnerabilities internally). You can download these updates using Software Update on Macs running either Big Sur or Catalina. If you notice any problems after updating, please let us know in the comments. (Free, various sizes, macOS 11 and 10.15)

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Comments About macOS Big Sur 11.6.4 and Security Update 2022-002 Catalina

Notable Replies

  1. Installation of Big Sur 11.6.4 without a hitch, but after the final reboot, the system decided to ask me to sync all of my documents to iCloud (which, it was kind enough to point out, would require paying monthly subscription fees in order to hold it all).

    The box to authorize this was checked by default. I had the presence of mind to uncheck it before clicking Continue, but this was an incredibly sleazy thing to do. Something I would have expected from Google or Facebook.

    I wonder how long before we start seeing reports from people who just click Continue without looking and ended up paying for an iCloud storage upgrade they didn’t want, or finding their storage space filled with files they didn’t intent to upload. I predict we’ll start reading stories before the end of the week.

  2. In case others are having this problem: When I use Software Update it just says “Checking for updates…” and never anything else. The command line tool softwareupdate does something similar.

    The solution is to do a safe reboot with the Shift key held. Then the update downloads and installs as usual.

  3. A somewhat easier solution that often works is to use this Terminal command to free things up:

    sudo /bin/launchctl kickstart -k system/com.apple.softwareupdated
    
  4. @alvarnell Thanks so much for that command line! Even after a successful 11.6.4 update softwareupdate was still hanging for me, but this command fixed it. The only addition I would make would be to prefix it with sudo.

  5. Thanks for catching that. I went ahead and added that.

  6. Same here.

    The system did not give me that opportunity (for which I am grateful).

    The system did ask me for my Apple ID password as part of the first login following the update. Of course, my password is saved in an encrypted file that was not available until after I completed the login, and the login apparently would not complete until I provided the password. Thank goodness I was able to guess my password. I’m not sure what I would have done if it was a complex password generated by a password manager (which also would not have been available until the login completed). (Actually, I do know what I would have done, now that the pressure is off and I have time to think about it. I would look at one of my off-line backups on a different Mac and find that encrypted file. But what if I didn’t have an extra Mac sitting around?)

  7. Apple did not ask me for my Apple ID password after the update, but if it had done so I keep a list of vital passwords in a paper file in my desk. You don’t need to list all your passwords, but you should have the most vital ones just in case something goes wrong. It’s no fun to prove your identity to some of the fussier organizations out there.

  8. Kinda-sorta relevant here: I have a late-'14 iMac 27" Retina, running Big Sur 11.6.3 (and I expect to update to .4 without further delay, as soon as I get ‘a round tuit’. ) The thing is, I keep getting this reminder notification from Apple that I should “UPGRADE TO MACOS MONTEREY”. Now, I have been operating for several many years already under the assumption that Apple sees-all, knows-all in regard to my computer. So why are they sending me these messages, when they’re the ones who designed Monterey such that it will not work on this 2014 iMac?!?

  9. Just be assured that you aren’t the only one asking that question. Yes, I’m sure they could have done a better job of limiting such messages using the same method they do in refusing to install Monterey on unsupported hardware, should you try to do so.

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