Automatic Security Updates on a Mac Do Not Cover Most Security Fixes
Most fixes arrive in numbered macOS updates that need separate approval.
Stratechery · Apple and a Hacker’s Future | Stratechery by Ben ThompsonTurning on automatic security updates on a Mac does not automatically install most security fixes.
Ben Thompson, a blogger writing about his own Mac mini, had his machine hacked through its screen-sharing feature.
Thompson says fixes for tracked security flaws “almost always arrive in point releases,” the larger numbered macOS updates. Those updates need separate approval and installation.
He had set his computers to install security updates automatically for years and assumed he was covered. He says he was slow to install the point release that contained the patch.
He calls the delay his own fault, but says it was an honest mistake and blames the labeling.
Questions people ask
How do I make sure point releases get installed automatically?
Also turn on automatic macOS updates, not just security responses. On a current Mac, open System Settings, go to General, then Software Update, then Automatic Updates, and enable Install macOS updates. That allows numbered updates to install without waiting for manual approval.