Mac OS X Hacked in Less Than 30 Minutes

According to ZDNet Australia, hacker "gwerdna" got root on a Mac mini in under 30 minutes allowing him to "take charge of the computer and delete files and folders or install applications." According to the article, "Gwerdna concluded that OS X contains 'easy pickings' when it comes to vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to break into Apple's operating system." The whole thing came about from a contest in which a Sweden-based Mac enthusiast set up his Mac Mini as a server and invited people to try to break into it. In all fairness, though, this could've happened to any computer running any OS. And hey, at least the whole family can look stylish while getting "pwn3d". (Sources: ZDNet Australia, CNet News.com)

UPDATE (3/8/05) Dave Schroeder of the University of Wisconsin conducted his own 38-hour hacking contest to see if his Mac Mini running Mac OS X could be penetrated by outside intruders. The test concluded with no successful attempts. (http://test.doit.wisc.edu/)