Microsoft has fixed a security vulnerability in the Remote Desktop app for Mac systems that could allow hackers to execute arbitrary code on the computer.
Specifically, Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac was affected by a remote code flaw present in version 8.0.36 and earlier which made it possible for any cybercriminal to send commands to a previously compromised machine with the help of a malicious link.
The connection can be submitted to the target system in a wide variety of ways, such as email and instant messaging, and once you click, it easily makes the system from Terminal Server capable of reading and writing any file in the home directory of the connected user's system.
The vulnerability was discovered by Italian security researcher Filippo Cavallarin, who said Microsoft needs a lot of time to fix the flaw. The report was sent to the company on July 13, 2016, but the vulnerability was patched on January 17 of this year.
Apple has also released a security update for its own Safari that prevents a successful exploit from occurring, explaining that "this update fixes an issue where a website could repeatedly try to launch other websites or applications."
Customers of Microsoft's Remote Desktop Client for Mac are advised to upgrade to the latest version (8.0.37) as soon as possible, but to install Apple's patch, they should use Safari and not a third-party browser on their own systems.
