Many software companies have rushed to release patches for their server operating systems to fix the DNS vulnerability that was observed by security expert Dan Kaminsky over three weeks ago. Apple, however, has been one of the few that decided to do nothing about it for the time being, leaving some people wondering what is going on with the company.

The DNS vulnerability is related to the way alphanumerical web addresses are translated into numerical ones so that the server which hosts the site can be accessed by the user's browser. Mr. Kaminsky discovered that the mechanism that makes the conversion can be tricked into generating a false numerical address that points to the site that the person who initiated the attack wanted people to visit.

This vulnerability is of extreme importance because hackers who want to steal people identities or valuable personal information can exploit it quite easily. It seems that some people have already taken benefit of the vulnerability.

Among the companies that have taken steps at resolving this issue there are Microsoft, Cisco Systems and ISC. Even though the patches that these companies have released seem to create problems and slow down the DNS mechanism, they represent a step forward in solving the problem.

On the other hand Apple, a company that used to have an extremely good image until recently, hasn't done a thing to patch the its Mac OS X Server for the vulnerability.

According to the ComputerWorld Magazine, Rich Mogull, a security expert said regarding Apple's approach to the problem that “It's not sending a real good message. If they don't patch this in a reasonable time, they're putting their customers at risk.”