Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report

The following software vulnerabilities and updates were announced last week. Citadel Information Group strongly recommends that readers update their computers and take other action as indicated.

Important Security Updates

Dropbox: Dropbox has released version 2.10.3 for its file hosting program. Updates are available at Dropbox’s website. [See Citadel’s warning below]

Mozilla Firefox: Mozilla has released version 31 to fix at least 11 highly critical unpatched vulnerabilities. Updates are available within the browser or from Mozilla’s website.

Opera: Opera has released version 23.0.1522.60 to fix moderately critical vulnerabilities. Updates are available from within the browser or from Opera’s website.

Piriform CCleaner: Piriform has released version 4.16.4736 for CCleaner. Updates are available from Piriform’s website.

Current Software Versions

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 7: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 7: Firefox, Mozilla]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 8: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Macintosh OS X: Firefox, Opera, Safari]

Adobe Reader 11.0.07

Dropbox 2.10.3 [Citadel warns against relying on Dropbox security. We recommend files containing sensitive information be independently encrypted with a program like Axcrypt; encryption keys be at least 15 characters long; and the Dropbox password be at least 15 characters long and different from other passwords.]

Firefox 31.0

Google Chrome 36.0.1985.125

Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17126

Java SE 7 Update 65 [Citadel recommends removing or disabling Java from your browser. Java is a major source of cyber criminal exploits. It is not needed for most internet browsing. If you have a particular web site that requires Java, Citadel recommends using a two-browser approach to minimize risk. If you normally browse the Web with Firefox, for example, disable the Java plugin in Firefox and use an alternative browser — such as Chrome, IE9, Safari, etc — with Java enabled to browse only the sites that require it.]

QuickTime 7.7.5

Safari 5.1.7

Safari 7.0.4 [Mac OS X]

Skype 6.18.0.105

Newly Announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities

None

For an updated list of previously announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities, please see the resources section of Citadel’s website.

For Your IT Department

Cisco Multiple Products: Secunia reports that Cisco has released updates for its Unified Attendant Console, Unified Attendant Console Advanced, Unified Communications Manager, Desktop Collaboration Experience DX650, Expressway Series and TelePresence Video Communication Server, Prime Data Center Network Manager, and others. Apply updates.

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If you are responsible for the security of your computer, Citadel’s Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report is for you. We strongly urge you to take action to keep your workstation patched and updated.

If someone else is responsible for the security of your computer, forward our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to them and follow up to make sure your computer has been patched and updated.

Vulnerability management is a key element of cyber security management. Cyber criminals take over user computers by writing computer programs that “exploit” vulnerabilities in operating systems (Windows, Apple OS, etc) and application programs (Adobe Acrobat, Office, Flash, Java, etc). When software companies find a vulnerability, they usually issue an update patch to fix the code running in their customer’s computers.

 

Citadel Information Group publishes our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to alert readers to some of the week’s important updates and vulnerabilities. Our focus is on software typically found in the small or home office (SOHO) or that users are likely to have on their home computer. The report is not intended to be a thorough listing of updates and vulnerabilities.

Citadel Information Group … Delivering Information Peace of Mind ® to Business and the Not-for-Profit Community

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Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report, July 27, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Cyber Crime

Hackers steal user data from the European Central Bank website, ask for money: Hackers have stolen user contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers, from the website of the European Central Bank and attempted to extort money from the institution. PCWorld, July 24, 2014

Feds: Hackers Ran Concert Ticket Racket: A Russian man detained in Spain is facing extradition to the United States on charges of running an international cyber crime ring that allegedly stole more than $10 million in electronic tickets from e-tickets vendor StubHub. KrebsOnSecurity, July 23, 2014

Banks: Card Breach at Goodwill Industries: Heads up, bargain shoppers: Financial institutions across the country report that they are tracking what appears to be a series of credit card breaches involving Goodwill locations nationwide. For its part, Goodwill Industries International Inc. says it is working with the U.S. Secret Service on an investigation into these reports. KrebsOnSecurity, July 21, 2014

Financial Cyber Security

Hackers Find Way to Outwit Tough Security at Banking Sites: Researchers at the computer security company Trend Micro have named a new attack on online banking Emmental. Why? Like the Swiss cheese, the researchers said, online banking protections may be “full of holes.” The New York Times, July 22, 2014

Cyber Warning

50,000 sites hacked through WordPress plug-in vulnerability: A critical vulnerability found recently in a popular newsletter plug-in for WordPress is actively being targeted by hackers and was used to compromise an estimated 50,000 sites so far. PCWorld, July 24, 2014

Nigerian 419 Scammers Evolving Into Malware Pushers (But Not Very Good Ones): “Silver Spaniel” attacks use commodity malware to damage others’ security, but they aren’t very good at protecting their own. DarkReading, July 22, 2014

Forensic scientist identifies suspicious ‘back doors’ running on every iOS device: Forensic scientist and author Jonathan Zdziarski has posted the slides (PDF) from his talk at the Hackers On Planet Earth (HOPE/X) conference in New York called Identifying Backdoors, Attack Points, and Surveillance Mechanisms in iOS Devices. ZDNet, July 21, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Update

FIREFOX 31 PATCHES 11 SECURITY FLAWS: Mozilla has released a new version of Firefox, which includes patches for 11 security vulnerabilities. Three of the bugs fixed in Firefox 31 are critical, including a use-after-free vulnerability and a handful of memory safety issues. ThreatPost, July 23, 2014

Cyber Underworld

Even Script Kids Have a Right to Be Forgotten: Indexeus, a new search engine that indexes user account information acquired from more than 100 recent data breaches, has caught many in the hacker underground off-guard. That’s because the breached databases crawled by this search engine are mostly sites frequented by young ne’er-do-wells who are just getting their feet wet in the cybercrime business. KrebsOnSecuriy, July 18, 2014

Cyber Research

How Hackers Hid a Money-Mining Botnet in the Clouds of Amazon and Others: Hackers have long used malware to enslave armies of unwitting PCs, but security researchers Rob Ragan and Oscar Salazar had a different thought: Why steal computing resources from innocent victims when there’s so much free processing power out there for the taking? Wired, July 24, 2014

7 Black Hat Sessions Sure To Cause A Stir: At Black Hat, researchers will point out the weaknesses in everything from the satellites in outer space to the thermostat in your home. DarkReading, July 22, 2014

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Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Cyber Security News of the Week, July 27, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report

The following software vulnerabilities and updates were announced last week. Citadel Information Group strongly recommends that readers update their computers and take other action as indicated.

Important Security Updates

AVG Free Edition: AVG has released version 2014.0.4744 of its 32 bit Free Edition. Updates are available on AVG’s website.

Dropbox: Dropbox has released version 2.10.2 for its file hosting program. Updates are available at Dropbox’s website. [See Citadel’s warning below]

Google Chrome: Google has released Google Chrome 36.0.1985.125 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome Frame to fix at least 2 moderately critical unpatched vulnerabilities in previous versions. Updates are available from within the browser or from Google Chrome’s website.

Google Chrome for Android: Google has released version 36.0.1985.122 of Chrome for Android to fix at least 2 unpatched vulnerabilities in previous versions. Updates are available through the program or device.

Oracle Java: Oracle has released Java SE 7 Update 65 to fix at least 20 vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical. The update is available through Windows Control Panel or Java’s website. [See Citadel’s recommendation below]

Current Software Versions

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 7: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 7: Firefox, Mozilla]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 8: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Macintosh OS X: Firefox, Opera, Safari]

Adobe Reader 11.0.07

Dropbox 2.10.2 [Citadel warns against relying on Dropbox security. We recommend files containing sensitive information be independently encrypted with a program like Axcrypt; encryption keys be at least 15 characters long; and the Dropbox password be at least 15 characters long and different from other passwords.]

Firefox 30

Google Chrome 36.0.1985.125

Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17126

Java SE 7 Update 65 [Citadel recommends removing or disabling Java from your browser. Java is a major source of cyber criminal exploits. It is not needed for most internet browsing. If you have a particular web site that requires Java, Citadel recommends using a two-browser approach to minimize risk. If you normally browse the Web with Firefox, for example, disable the Java plugin in Firefox and use an alternative browser — such as Chrome, IE9, Safari, etc — with Java enabled to browse only the sites that require it.]

QuickTime 7.7.5

Safari 5.1.7

Safari 7.0.4 [Mac OS X]

Skype 6.18.0.105

Newly Announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities

None

For an updated list of previously announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities, please see the resources section of Citadel’s website.

For Your IT Department

Cisco Multiple Products: Secunia reports that Cisco has released updates for its SPA300 / SPA500 Series, WebEx Meetings Server and Meeting Center, Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA), Unified Contact Center Express, Unified Communications Manager, Wireless Residential Gateway, Identity Services Engine (ISE), Unified Contact Center Enterprise, multiple Wireless Residential Gateway products, and others. Apply updates. Secunia report several unpatched vulnerabilities in Cisco Unified Communications Domain Manager (CUCDM), Business Edition 3000 and others. No official solution is available.

Citrix NetScaler: Secunia reports that Citrix has released updates for its NetScaler and NetScaler Gateway to fix 2 vulnerabilities. Update to version 10.1-126.12.

Citrix XenDesktop: Secunia reports that Citrix has released updates for it’s XenDesktop to fix a vulnerability reported in the following products and versions: Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 Common Criteria, Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 x32, Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 x64, Citrix XenDesktop 7, Citrix XenDesktop 7.1, Citrix XenDesktop 7.5. Apply updates.

Citrix XenServer: Secunia reports that Citrix has released updates for it’s XenServer to fix 2 moderately critical vulnerabilities and a security issues.  Apply updates.

Oracle Multiple Products: Both Secunia and US-Cert report that Oracle has released updates to fix more than 100 vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical, for Oracle Linux for java-1.7.0-openjdk, Solaris, Hyperion Provider Services, Hyperion Common Admin, Hyperion Business Intelligence Plus, Hyperion Essbase, Siebel CRM, Communications Messaging Server, Secure Global Desktop, Agile Product Collaboration, E-Business Suite, BI Publisher, BI Publisher, PeopleSoft Enterprise Supply Chain Management (SCM), Retail Returns Management, PeopleSoft Enterprise Financial Management Solutions (FMS), PeopleSoft PeopleTools, PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management, Glassfish Communications Server, Glassfish Server, Retail Back Office and Oracle Retail Central Office, JDeveloper, WebLogic Server, WebCenter Portal, iPlanet Web Server, iPlanet Web Proxy Server, Traffic Director, Hyperion Enterprise Performance Management Architect, Database, MySQL Server, Transportation Management, VM VirtualBox, JRockit, ISC BIND included in Solaris, and others. Apply updates.

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If you are responsible for the security of your computer, Citadel’s Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report is for you. We strongly urge you to take action to keep your workstation patched and updated.

If someone else is responsible for the security of your computer, forward our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to them and follow up to make sure your computer has been patched and updated.

Vulnerability management is a key element of cyber security management. Cyber criminals take over user computers by writing computer programs that “exploit” vulnerabilities in operating systems (Windows, Apple OS, etc) and application programs (Adobe Acrobat, Office, Flash, Java, etc). When software companies find a vulnerability, they usually issue an update patch to fix the code running in their customer’s computers.

 

Citadel Information Group publishes our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to alert readers to some of the week’s important updates and vulnerabilities. Our focus is on software typically found in the small or home office (SOHO) or that users are likely to have on their home computer. The report is not intended to be a thorough listing of updates and vulnerabilities.

Citadel Information Group … Delivering Information Peace of Mind ® to Business and the Not-for-Profit Community

---

Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report, July 13, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Cyber Attack

Chinese Hackers Extending Reach to Smaller U.S. Agencies, Officials Say: WASHINGTON — After years of cyberattacks on the networks of high-profile government targets like the Pentagon, Chinese hackers appear to have turned their attention to far more obscure federal agencies. The New York Times, July 15, 2014

Why were this company’s computers attacked millions of times this year? Algae: About 16 months ago, a Florida-based biofuel company called Algenol noticed that its Internet service was slowing down. In checking that out, Jack Voth, Algenol’s information technology chief, stumbled on something odd: a telnet connection to its videoconference camera from an Internet Protocol address in China, a country where Algenol has never sought to do business. The Washington Post, July 12, 2014

Attack Campaign Targets Facebook, Dropbox User Credentials: The goal of the attackers is not fully clear but the credential theft could set up sophisticated targeted attackers. DarkReading, July 11, 2014

Financial Cyber Security

New banking malware ‘Kronos’ advertised on underground forums: A new Trojan program designed to steal log-in credentials and other financial information from online banking websites is being advertised to cybercriminal groups on the underground market. PCWorld, July 14, 2014

Cyber Warning

Vulnerability exposes some Cisco home wireless devices to hacking: Nine of Cisco’s home and small office cable modems with router and wireless access point functionality need software updates to fix a critical vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to completely compromise them. PCWorld, July 17, 2014

Beware Keyloggers at Hotel Business Centers: The U.S. Secret Service is advising the hospitality industry to inspect computers made available to guests in hotel business centers, warning that crooks have been compromising hotel business center PCs with keystroke-logging malware in a bid to steal personal and financial data from guests. KrebsOnSecurity, July 14, 2014

DropCam Vulnerable To Hijacking: Researchers at DEF CON to demonstrate flaws in a popular WiFi video monitoring system. DarkReading, July 14, 2014

Cyber Security Management

SEC Playing Bigger Role in Cybersecurity: Besides clarifying disclosure requirements, the agency is prompting companies to take proactive steps. JDSUPRA, July 14, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Defense

GOOGLE SET TO CHANGE MALWARE, PHISHING WARNINGS FOLLOWING STUDY: In the not too distant future, Google will change the way it displays malware and phishing warnings in its Chrome browser. ThreatPost, July 15, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Update

Java Update: Patch It or Pitch It: Oracle today released a security update for its Java platform that addresses at least 20 vulnerabilities in the software. Collectively, the bugs fixed in this update earned Oracle’s “critical” rating, meaning they can be exploited over a network without the need for a username and password. In short, if you have Java installed it is time to patch it or pitch it. KrebsOnSecurity, July 15, 2014

Securing the Village

Meet ‘Project Zero,’ Google’s Secret Team of Bug-Hunting Hackers: When 17-year-old George Hotz became the world’s first hacker to crack AT&T’s lock on the iPhone in 2007, the companies officially ignored him while scrambling to fix the bugs his work exposed. When he later reverse engineered the Playstation 3, Sony sued him and settled only after he agreed to never hack another Sony product. Wired, July 15, 2014

National Cyber Security

Justice Department’s New Crime Chief Targets Cyber Cases: WASHINGTON—International organized crime groups, lured by the prospect of thefts that can net hundreds of millions of dollars, increasingly are turning to cybercrime, said the new head of the Justice Department’s criminal division. The Wall Street Journal, July 14, 2014

Cyber Misc

How Russian Hackers Stole the Nasdaq: In October 2010, a Federal Bureau of Investigation system monitoring U.S. Internet traffic picked up an alert. The signal was coming from Nasdaq (NDAQ). It looked like malware had snuck into the company’s central servers. There were indications that the intruder was not a kid somewhere, but the intelligence agency of another country. More troubling still: When the U.S. experts got a better look at the malware, they realized it was attack code, designed to cause damage. Bloomberg, July 17, 2014

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Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Cyber Security News of the Week, July 20, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report

The following software vulnerabilities and updates were announced last week. Citadel Information Group strongly recommends that readers update their computers and take other action as indicated.

Important Security Updates

Adobe Flash Player: Adobe has released version 14.0.0.145 to fix at least 3 moderately critical vulnerabilities in its Flash Player for the Windows and Mac versions. Updates are available from Adobe’s website. Updates are also available for Adobe AIR.

Apple iTunes: Apple has released version 11.3 of iTunes for Windows (32-bit). Updates are available from Apple’s website.

Avira Antivirus: Avira has released version 14.0.5.464 of its free Antivirus. Updates are available from Avira’s website.

Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit: Malwarebytes has released version 1.03.1.1220 of its free Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit. Updates are available from Malwarebytes’ website.

Microsoft Patch Tuesday: Microsoft released several updates addressing at least 29 security vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical, in Windows, Office, Internet Explorer, and more. This release of updates specifically fixes at least 24 highly critical vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. Updates are available via Windows Update or from Automatic Update.

Skype: Skype has released Skype 6.18.0.105. Updates are available from the program or Skype’s website.

TechSmith Corporation SnagIt: TechSmith has released version 12.1.0.1322 for SnagIt. Updates are available from TechSmith’s website.

Current Software Versions

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 7: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 7: Firefox, Mozilla]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Windows 8: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.145 [Macintosh OS X: Firefox, Opera, Safari]

Adobe Reader 11.0.07

Dropbox 2.8.4 [Citadel warns against relying on Dropbox security. We recommend files containing sensitive information be independently encrypted with a program like Axcrypt; encryption keys be at least 15 characters long; and the Dropbox password be at least 15 characters long and different from other passwords.]

Firefox 30

Google Chrome 35.0.1916.153

Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17126

Java SE 7 Update 60 [Citadel recommends removing or disabling Java from your browser. Java is a major source of cyber criminal exploits. It is not needed for most internet browsing. If you have a particular web site that requires Java, Citadel recommends using a two-browser approach to minimize risk. If you normally browse the Web with Firefox, for example, disable the Java plugin in Firefox and use an alternative browser — such as Chrome, IE9, Safari, etc — with Java enabled to browse only the sites that require it.]

QuickTime 7.7.5

Safari 5.1.7

Safari 7.0.4 [Mac OS X]

Skype 6.16.0.105

Newly Announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities

None

For an updated list of previously announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities, please see the resources section of Citadel’s website.

For Your IT Department

Cisco IOS XR: Secunia reports that Cisco has released updates for its IOS XR to fix a vulnerability. Update to version 5.1.3.9i.BASE or 5.2.2.11i.BASE.

Novell iManager: Secunia reports that Novell has released updates for its iManager to fix reported vulnerabilities in previous versions.

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If you are responsible for the security of your computer, Citadel’s Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report is for you. We strongly urge you to take action to keep your workstation patched and updated.

If someone else is responsible for the security of your computer, forward our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to them and follow up to make sure your computer has been patched and updated.

Vulnerability management is a key element of cyber security management. Cyber criminals take over user computers by writing computer programs that “exploit” vulnerabilities in operating systems (Windows, Apple OS, etc) and application programs (Adobe Acrobat, Office, Flash, Java, etc). When software companies find a vulnerability, they usually issue an update patch to fix the code running in their customer’s computers.

 

Citadel Information Group publishes our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to alert readers to some of the week’s important updates and vulnerabilities. Our focus is on software typically found in the small or home office (SOHO) or that users are likely to have on their home computer. The report is not intended to be a thorough listing of updates and vulnerabilities.

Citadel Information Group … Delivering Information Peace of Mind ® to Business and the Not-for-Profit Community

---

Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report, July 13, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Cyber Crime

BitBeat: Phishing Scam Tries to Lure In Bitcoin Bidders: – A scam artist tried to swindle a group of potential bidders in the June auction of 30,000 bitcoins by the U.S. Marshals Service, and appears to have scored a small win with at least one of them. The Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2014

Cyber Privacy

Controversial Cybersecurity Bill Known As CISA Advances Out Of Senate Committee: The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted Tuesday to approve a controversial cybersecurity bill known as the Cyber Information Sharing Act (CISA). The bill is intended to help companies and the government thwart hackers and other cyber-intrusions. The bill passed by a 12-3 vote, moving it one step closer to a floor debate. Forbes, July 9, 2014

Financial Cyber Security

Why Information Sharing Isn’t Working: Tim Pawlenty, CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, says the only way to ensure adequate cyberthreat information sharing is through federal legislation that would furnish liability protection and other incentives. BankInfoSecurity, June 25, 2014

FFIEC Launches Cybersecurity Web Page, Promotes Awareness of Cybersecurity Activities: WASHINGTON –The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) today launched a Web page on cybersecurity (www.ffiec.gov/cybersecurity.htm).The Web page is a central repository for current and future FFIEC-related materials on cybersecurity. FFIEC, June 24, 2014

Cyber Warning

Crooks Seek Revival of ‘Gameover Zeus’ Botnet: Cybercrooks today began taking steps to resurrect the Gameover ZeuS botnet, a complex crime machine that has been blamed for the theft more than $100 million from banks, businesses and consumers worldwide. The revival attempt comes roughly five weeks after the FBI joined several nations, researchers and security firms in a global and thus far successful effort to eradicate it. KrebsOnSecurity, July 10, 2014

HARD-CODED PASSWORD VULNERABILITY PLAGUES SOME NETGEAR SWITCHES: A vulnerability in Netgear-branded ethernet switches could give an attacker full access to the hardware, including the ability to log into the device and execute arbitrary code. ThreatPost, July 7, 2014

The Rise of Thin, Mini and Insert Skimmers: Like most electronic gadgets these days, ATM skimmers are getting smaller and thinner, with extended battery life. Here’s a look at several miniaturized fraud devices that were pulled from compromised cash machines at various ATMs in Europe so far this year. KrebsOnSecurity, July 7, 2014

Funeral Announcement: Origins: In January 2014, Internet users began receiving e-mails from various funeral homes with attention-getting subject lines such as “Passing of your friend,” messages that informed recipients a “dear friend” had passed away and invited them to attend that person’s upcoming funeral or memorial service. The messages provided a hyperlink (on the word “here”) for readers to click in order to obtain detailed information about the date and location of the service. Snopes, January 24, 2014

Cyber Security Management

Strategic Security: Begin With The End In Mind: The trouble with traditional infosec methodology is that it doesn’t show us how to implement a strategic security plan in the real world. DarkReading, July 11, 2014

The CISO-centric Information Security Triad: What is the information security triad? Just about everyone knows the answer to this question is CIA – Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Security professionals, service providers, and technology vendors are responsible for these three infosec pillars in one way or another. NetworkWorld, July 10, 2014

Managing Cyber Risk: Job #1 for Directors and General Counsel: Each year, FTI Consulting and NYSE Governance Services survey public company directors and general counsel about the legal and governance issues that concern them the most. FTI Journal, July 2014

Rogers: Cybersecurity is the ‘ultimate team sport’: Thank you very much for taking the time from your very busy days to focus on a topic that I think is of critical importance to us as a nation: this idea of how do we maintain security in a cyber arena in a world where cyber continues to grow in importance and, at the same time, the level of vulnerability that is present within our cyber systems has probably never been greater. So that’s quite a challenge for anybody. Federal Times, July 8, 2014

Ponemon: Data Breach Costs Rising: On the day Target’s CEO resigned in the aftermath of a massive data breach, the Ponemon Institute issued its 2014 Cost of Data Breach Study, which Chairman Larry Ponemon says helps explain why CEOs should be more involved in breach preparedness and response. BankInfoSecurity, May 5, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Defense

Black Hat USA 2014: Third-Party Vulns Spread Like Diseases: Understanding the impact of vulnerabilities in libraries and other components. DarkReading, July 7, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Update

APPLE UPDATES OSX BLACKLIST FOLLOWING FLASH VULNERABILITY: Apple acknowledged on Thursday that it has updated its OSX plugin blacklist to reflect a critical vulnerability in Adobe Flash made public earlier this week. ThreatPost, July 11, 2014

Microsoft, Adobe Push Critical Fixes: If you use Microsoft products or Adobe Flash Player, please take a moment to read this post and update your software. Adobe today issued a critical update that plugs at least three security holes in the program. Separately, Microsoft released six security updates that address 29 vulnerabilities in Windows and Internet Explorer. KrebsOnSecuriy, July 8, 2014

Cyber Underworld

The Hazards Of Probing The Internet’s Dark Side: Late last year, hackers breached Target’s data security and stole information from millions of credit cards. Brian Krebs, who writes about cybercrime and computer security for his blog, Krebs on Security, broke the story. A few days later, he broke the story of a credit card breach at Neiman Marcus. NPR, July 8, 2014

Cyber Espionage

Chinese Hackers Pursue Key Data on U.S. Workers: WASHINGTON — Chinese hackers in March broke into the computer networks of the United States government agency that houses the personal information of all federal employees, according to senior American officials. They appeared to be targeting the files on tens of thousands of employees who have applied for top-secret security clearances. The New York Times, July 9, 2014

Chinese Attackers Targeting U.S. Think Tanks, Researchers Say: Government-backed group “Deep Panda” compromised “several” nonprofit national security policy research organizations, CrowdStrike says. DarkReading, July 7, 2014

Critical Infrastructure

Study: Most Critical Infrastructure Firms Have Been Breached: A new Ponemon Institute study finds 70% of critical infrastructure companies have been hit by security breaches in the last year, but cyber security programs are still a low priority. DarkReading, July 10, 2014

Cyber Misc

Scammers, hackers and spies hit campaign trail: Political campaigns are hotbeds of criminal activity and mischief — just not in the way you think. Politico, July 7, 2014

Cyber Sunshine

Global Law Enforcement, Security Firms Team Up, Take Down Shylock: A la GOZeuS, an international, public-private collaboration seizes a banking Trojan’s command and control servers. DarkReading, July 10, 2014

Feds Charge Carding Kingpin in Retail Hacks: The U.S. Justice Department on Monday announced the arrest of a Russian hacker accused of running a network of online crime shops that sold credit and debit card data stolen in breaches at restaurants and retailers throughout the United States. KrebsOnSecurity, July 8, 2014

Cyber Calender

ISSA-LA July Lunch Meeting: Attack Trends, the Need for Intelligence. Integration and a Prevent-Based Security Posture: This presentation will review recent trends associated with malware, advanced threats and risky applications. It will also highlight security administrator views toward their ability to identify, analyze and prevent security breaches. The data points associated with these findings identify a clear need for information security intelligence that is rich in content and also actionable. Security administrators must be able to integrate intelligence into their security controls in near real-time to prevent evolving attacks. The session will also raise the need for security practitioners to consider switching their security postures from detect to prevent. ISSA-LA, Event Date: July 16, 2014

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Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Cyber Security News of the Week, July 13, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report

The following software vulnerabilities and updates were announced last week. Citadel Information Group strongly recommends that readers update their computers and take other action as indicated.

Important Security Updates

Adobe Shockwave Player: Adobe has released version 12.1.3.153 of Shockwave Player running on Windows and Macintosh. Updates are available through the program or from Adobe’s Shockwave Web Site.

Apple iOS: Apple has released version 7.1.2 of its iOS for iPhone 4 and later, iPad and iPod touch to fix at least 35 vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical. The update is available through the devices or through Apple’s website.

Apple OS X: Apple has released updates for its OS X to fix at least 16 vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical. Update to version 10.9.4 or apply Security Update 2014-003.

Apple Safari: Apple has released updates for Safari to fix at least 11 vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical, reported in previous versions. Update to Safari 7.0.5 for OS X Mavericks and Safari 6.1.5 for OS X Mountain Lion and Lion. Updates are available from Apple’s website.

Apple TV: Apple has released version 6.1.2 for Apple TV to fix at least 29 vulnerabilities, some of which are highly critical. Updates are available through the device or Apple’s website.

Avast: Avast has released version 9.0.2013. Updates are available on Avast’s website.

AVG Antivirus Free Edition: AVG has released version 2014.0.4716 (32-bit) of its Free Edition Antivirus. Updates are available through the program or from AVG’s website.

Foxit Reader / PhantomPDF: Foxit has released version 6.2.1.0618 to fix a vulnerability reported in Foxit Reader, Foxit Enterprise Reader, Foxit PhantomPDF. Updates are available through the program or from Foxit’s website.

RealPlayer: RealPlayer has released version 17.0.10.8 to fix a highly critical vulnerability. The update is available from RealPlayer’s website.

Siber Systems RoboForm: Siber Systems has released version 7.9.8 of Roboform. Updates are available from within the program, look for the “Check for Update” button on the Help menu or download from the Roboform website.

Current Software Versions

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.125 [Windows 7: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.125 [Windows 7: Firefox, Mozilla]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.125 [Windows 8: IE]

Adobe Flash  14.0.0.125 [Macintosh OS X: Firefox, Opera, Safari]

Adobe Reader 11.0.07

Dropbox 2.8.4 [Citadel warns against relying on Dropbox security. We recommend files containing sensitive information be independently encrypted with a program like Axcrypt; encryption keys be at least 15 characters long; and the Dropbox password be at least 15 characters long and different from other passwords.]

Firefox 30

Google Chrome 35.0.1916.153

Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17126

Java SE 7 Update 60 [Citadel recommends removing or disabling Java from your browser. Java is a major source of cyber criminal exploits. It is not needed for most internet browsing. If you have a particular web site that requires Java, Citadel recommends using a two-browser approach to minimize risk. If you normally browse the Web with Firefox, for example, disable the Java plugin in Firefox and use an alternative browser — such as Chrome, IE9, Safari, etc — with Java enabled to browse only the sites that require it.]

QuickTime 7.7.5

Safari 5.1.7

Safari 7.0.4 [Mac OS X]

Skype 6.16.0.105

Newly Announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities

None

For an updated list of previously announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities, please see the resources section of Citadel’s website.

For Your IT Department

BlackBerry Multiple Products: Secunia reports that BlackBerry has released an update for its BlackBerry Enterprise Service to fix at least 3 moderately critical vulnerabilities. Update to version 10.2.1 or later. Secunia also reports several moderately critical unpatched vulnerabilities in BlackBerry OS due to a bundled vulnerable version of OpenSSL and at least 2 moderately critical vulnerabilities in BlackBerry Link. No official solution is currently available. Secunia also reports a partial fix to address a security issue in BBM for Android versions prior to 2.2.1.40, BBM for iOS versions prior to 2.2.1.24, Secure Work Space for iOS and Android WorkConnect component. Apply update if available.

Cisco Multiple Products: Secunia reports that Cisco has released updates for its Unified Communications Domain Manager (CUCDM), Universal Small Cell 3000, 5000, 7000, and 9000 Series, and others. Apply updates.

Novell Open Enterprise Server: Secunia reports that Novell has released updates for its Open Enterprise Server and Novell Messenger to fix vulnerabilities reported in Novell Open Enterprise Server 2 (OES 2) SP3 and Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 (OES 11) SP1. Apply updates.

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If you are responsible for the security of your computer, Citadel’s Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report is for you. We strongly urge you to take action to keep your workstation patched and updated.

If someone else is responsible for the security of your computer, forward our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to them and follow up to make sure your computer has been patched and updated.

Vulnerability management is a key element of cyber security management. Cyber criminals take over user computers by writing computer programs that “exploit” vulnerabilities in operating systems (Windows, Apple OS, etc) and application programs (Adobe Acrobat, Office, Flash, Java, etc). When software companies find a vulnerability, they usually issue an update patch to fix the code running in their customer’s computers.

 

Citadel Information Group publishes our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to alert readers to some of the week’s important updates and vulnerabilities. Our focus is on software typically found in the small or home office (SOHO) or that users are likely to have on their home computer. The report is not intended to be a thorough listing of updates and vulnerabilities.

Citadel Information Group … Delivering Information Peace of Mind ® to Business and the Not-for-Profit Community

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Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report, July 6, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Cyber Crime

Astros Say Hackers Got Inside Trade Information: The Houston Astros said Monday that they have been the victims of hackers who accessed their servers and published months of internal trade talks on the Internet. ABC News, June 30, 2014

Benjamin F. Edwards Co. Discloses Data Breach Affecting Customers: The brokerage house, Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., disclosed yesterday that they had suffered a data breach due to an unknown intruder. Forbes, June 28, 2014

Cyber Attack

Russian Hackers Targeting Oil and Gas Companies: SAN FRANCISCO — Russian hackers have been systematically targeting hundreds of Western oil and gas companies, as well as energy investment firms, according to private cybersecurity researchers. The New York Times, June 30, 2014

Hackers tweet fake World Cup bomb threat on federal police page: Hackers infiltrated the Brazilian federal police’s Twitter account on Saturday and posted a tweet about a bomb threat at the Mineirao Stadium hosting the Brazil-Chile World Cup game. WashingtonTimes, June 29, 2014

Financial Cyber Security

Cybercrime Scheme Uncovered in Brazil: SAN FRANCISCO — Security researchers have uncovered what they believe is a significant cybercrime operation in Brazil that took aim at $3.75 billion in transactions by Brazilians. The New York Times, July 2, 2014

United States most popular target of online banking malware attacks: The United States accounted for 23 percent of online banking malware attacks during the first quarter of 2014, according to security company Trend Micro’s “TrendLabs 1Q 2014 Security Roundup” report. It’s not a surprise to find the U.S. is the most popular target, with a growing number of malware-related bank attacks. TweakTown, June 19, 2014

Identity Theft

Identity theft rises, consumers rage: The big data breaches almost seem routine. The count is 368 breaches so far this year, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, a cybercrime research and education group. That’s up nearly 19 percent from the same period last year. The number of personal records exposed in 2014 thus far? Over 10 million. CBS News, July 1, 2014

Cyber Warning

Infamous Banking Malware Adds Email-Sending Feature: Cridex — a.k.a. Feodo and Bugat — now has a more streamlined and automated way of infecting victims and stealing their information. Dark Reading, July 1, 2014

Serious Android crypto key theft vulnerability affects 10% of devices: Researchers have warned of a vulnerability present on an estimated 10 percent of Android phones that may allow attackers to obtain highly sensitive credentials, including cryptographic keys for some banking services and virtual private networks, and PINs or patterns used to unlock vulnerable devices. ars technica, June 26, 2014

Half of All Network Devices Are Outdated – And Vulnerable: Aging, unsupported equipment leaves devices wide open to hackers and criminals. InfoSecurity, June 26, 2014

Cyber Security Management

Information Risk Maturity Index Says We’re Aware But Not Ready: A new study from PwC and Iron Mountain shows that businesses are having trouble balancing the need for data insight and the need for data security. Dark Reading, June 12, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Defense

Microsoft flips switch on new webmail encryption: Following a Google report about Web-based email that raised questions about Microsoft’s encryption efforts, Microsoft unveils major encryption milestones, including the use of TLS. CNet, July 1, 2014

Information Security for Journalists: The Bigger Picture: “Digital” security for journalists is intrinsically linked with information security, but the two are not necessarily the same. It’s important to understand information security to maximize digital security. Information security relates to all aspects of how you collect, manage, control, use and dispose of your data. It applies on paper as well as in digital format, but many of the principles are the same. PBS, June 27, 2014

ISSA-LA

ISSA-LA Members Winners of Los Angeles Business Journal 2014 CIO Awards: Two members of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association have won awards relating to cybersecurity at the recent annual Los Angeles Business Journal CIO Awards. PR Log, June 30, 2014

Cyber Survey

Net Losses: Estimating the Global Cost of Cybercrime: Cybercrime is a growth industry. The returns are great, and the risks are low. We estimate that the likely
annual cost to the global economy from cybercrime is more than $400 billion. McAfee, June 2014

Cyber Sunshine

Microsoft says disrupts cybercrime rings with roots in Kuwait, Algeria: (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) launched what it hopes will be the most successful private effort to date to crack down on cyber crime by moving to disrupt communications channels between hackers and infected PCs. Reuters, June 30, 2014

Cyber Calender

ISSA-LA July Lunch Meeting: Attack Trends, the Need for Intelligence. Integration and a Prevent-Based Security Posture: This presentation will review recent trends associated with malware, advanced threats and risky applications. It will also highlight security administrator views toward their ability to identify, analyze and prevent security breaches. The data points associated with these findings identify a clear need for information security intelligence that is rich in content and also actionable. Security administrators must be able to integrate intelligence into their security controls in near real-time to prevent evolving attacks. The session will also raise the need for security practitioners to consider switching their security postures from detect to prevent. ISSA-LA, Event Date: July 16, 2014

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Copyright © 2014 Citadel Information Group. All rights reserved.

The IT Summit would like to thank Citadel Information Group for allowing us to provide this information to you. The post Cyber Security News of the Week, July 6, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.