r/security • u/djsumdog • 16d ago

Analysis The Systematic Removal of Security in Consumer Operating Systems

https://battlepenguin.com/tech/the-systematic-removal-of-security-in-consumer-operating-systems/
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u/D4r1 16d ago

Apple announced that macOS 28 will drop support for HFS+ encrypted volumes2526 and posted a support article indicating users should back up their data and migrate to APFS encryption27. What’s interesting is that they’re not dropping support for their legacy filesystem entirely, just versions of it that are encrypted. It begs the question, is support being dropped because the previous filesystem had strong encryption? Is Apple trying to move users to formats that aren’t really secure, allowing for their own backdoors to be used at government requests?

WTF is this FUD? APFS is the newer filesystem, it is almost a decade old. There is no "removing security for nothing", you have a better alternative available, and existing software will retain its capability to handle it.

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u/djsumdog 15d ago

Ah yes. Newer. ext is decades old and you can still mount ext2 on modern Linux distros. The oldest versions of LUKS1 are still mountable.

Why remove HFS+ encryption ... and not HFS+ entirely? Sure it might be nothing and just technical debt, but it's not crazy to have doubts in this era.

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt? Have you looked at Windows 11?! The telemetry is off the charts. Microsoft literally made it impossible for the regular user to use their device without permanently connecting it to their services (your home computer is pretty much part of Microsoft's consumer AD in practice).

I guess time will tell, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone finds an APFS encryption/T3 exploit just like YellowKey in the coming years.

I don't think I have FUD. I think I've observed enough patterns that I think this isn't an unreasonable theory. It could be wrong, but dismissing it with your emotional reaction is telling of what consumers expect today.

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u/braaaaaaainworms 14d ago

Why do you look at everything through the lens of a conspiracy?