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Apple TV Bites Back: Modder Lockdown
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I'd think by now there'd be dozens of "me needz HELP!" posts here in this section of MR by now, if this were really widespread...
That is still on the box itself....you never know what apple has done
Yeah. Maybe the reason why you can't buy iSight cameras now is really because Apple secretly installed them on all the Apple TVs and Big Brother Apple is watching right now!
I'd think by now there'd be dozens of "me needz HELP!" posts here in this section of MR by now, if this were really widespread...
Give it time, it's early days. Or hours.
Give it time, it's early days. Or hours.
Relax. If your Apple TV suddenly starts running amok, wildly shoot its deadly laser beams around the room and trying to destroy the earth, just firmly tell it "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!", and everything will be ok...
I just went to Settings > Update and tried to force an update and it didn't find anything.
Then I rebooted, thinking it might do an auto-update then. Nothing. I can still SSH in. I wonder if they roll out their updates based on something unique (mac addr?), like DirecTV does with their DVR updates. I can't imagine Apple has the balls to update (read: potentially brick) every single AppleTV at one time.
This whole "report" sounds like it could be one of those the old dog ate my homework kind of stories...
OMG11111!!!!1111 My Appel tV sterted dun wat its supposed to. OMG1111!!!!! Call teh RIAA!!!!!!11111
After finding out what at least one person did during their "modding" procedure, I see what probably has happened...
PPL: Every Mac OS X computer makes an effort avoid possible security problems that might occur with "startup items"... and Apple TV likely does it's "cleanup job" without prompting.
So... if we want to install something in /Library/StartupItems/ ourselves, something to turn a firewall off for example, we'll want to make sure and use the "correct security settings" for that startup item.
On a "regular" Mac OS X: Directories and executable files (in /StartupItems) should have permissions of "0755," with the owner set to "root" and group set to "wheel." Other (non-executable) files should have permissions of "0644," with the owner set to "root" and group set to "wheel."
On Apple TV: It's likely the same. Someone clue us in if they know otherwise. (But will someone tell me why exactly you'd need to shutdown the firewall when the default is said to have no rules anyway?)
Otherwise, if permissions aren't set correctly -- there's going to be a hella-lot of chmod 000'ing going on during startup or quite possible when cron runs, etc.
PPL: Every Mac OS X computer makes an effort avoid possible security problems that might occur with "startup items"... and Apple TV likely does it's "cleanup job" without prompting.
So... if we want to install something in /Library/StartupItems/ ourselves, something to turn a firewall off for example, we'll want to make sure and use the "correct security settings" for that startup item.
On a "regular" Mac OS X: Directories and executable files (in /StartupItems) should have permissions of "0755," with the owner set to "root" and group set to "wheel." Other (non-executable) files should have permissions of "0644," with the owner set to "root" and group set to "wheel."
On Apple TV: It's likely the same. Someone clue us in if they know otherwise. (But will someone tell me why exactly you'd need to shutdown the firewall when the default is said to have no rules anyway?)
Otherwise, if permissions aren't set correctly -- there's going to be a hella-lot of chmod 000'ing going on during startup or quite possible when cron runs, etc.
Side effect.
I'm sure this is just a side effect of normal operations... I really doubt that Apple is getting into people's
TVs and fighting back at mods like these
As mentioned, it's probably just some cron job checking to see if somebody managed to break into your machine to brick it. If the various system folders and files don't reflect what they should (file sizes, mod dates, etc), then run the repair script. Remember, in normal operations there should be no changes to any of these without SW Update doing it.
Unfortunately, these same cron jobs can't tell the difference between a wanted hack, and an attack hack.
There's always the chance that Software Update comes into play here, too... It uses port 80 (to make requests for updates, not listen for update notifications) and most external firewalls allow port 80 to send requests out (and allow replies to come in)... Otherwise nobody else on the network would be able to use a web browser.
Jeez I wish I had one of these things to play along with the modding. But, I suffer from LOCS (Lack Of Cash Syndrome), so I can't even get one at the moment (let alone get an HDTV to watch it on (properly)).
I'm sure this is just a side effect of normal operations... I really doubt that Apple is getting into people's
TVs and fighting back at mods like these
As mentioned, it's probably just some cron job checking to see if somebody managed to break into your machine to brick it. If the various system folders and files don't reflect what they should (file sizes, mod dates, etc), then run the repair script. Remember, in normal operations there should be no changes to any of these without SW Update doing it.Unfortunately, these same cron jobs can't tell the difference between a wanted hack, and an attack hack.
There's always the chance that Software Update comes into play here, too... It uses port 80 (to make requests for updates, not listen for update notifications) and most external firewalls allow port 80 to send requests out (and allow replies to come in)... Otherwise nobody else on the network would be able to use a web browser.
Jeez I wish I had one of these things to play along with the modding. But, I suffer from LOCS (Lack Of Cash Syndrome), so I can't even get one at the moment (let alone get an HDTV to watch it on (properly)).
The reset-to-default is a "side effect" alright... a chmod 000 side effect caused from lack of knowledge regarding the *nix permissions required for files and dirs in OS X in the /StartupItems dir.
man chmod
man chown
man chgrp
Ain't that the truth!
I doubt there is any maliciousness in the latest "hiccup" in modding the ATV. Just regular maintenance on this "appliance".