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

Apple iTunes: Apple has released version 11.3.1 of iTunes for Windows (64-bit). Updates are available from Apple’s website.

Foxit Reader: Foxit has released version 6.2.2.0802 to fix a moderately critical vulnerability. Updates are available through the program or from Foxit’s website.

Opera: Opera has released version 23.0.1522.72 to fix moderately critical vulnerabilities. Updates are available from within the browser or from Opera’s website

Oracle Java: Oracle has released Java SE 7 Update 67. 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 2.10.3 [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 67 [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 6.18.0.106

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 IOS Software and IOS XE Software, Unity Connection and others. Apply updates. Secunia reports that Cisco has released a partial fix for its TelePresence Products. Update or upgrade to version 1.10.7:3 or 6.1.4:4.

McAfee Network Security Manager: Secunia reports that McAfee has released updates for its Network Security Manager to fix a vulnerability. Update to version 8.1.7.3, 7.5.5.9, 7.1.15.7, 7.1.5.15, or 6.1.15.39.

OpenSSL Multiple Products: Secunia reports that vulnerabilities, some of which are moderately critical, are reported in previous versions. Update to version 0.9.8zb or update to version 1.0.0n or 1.0.1i.

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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, August 10, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Cyber Crime – Citadel On Security

With latest Russian hack, should we move beyond passwords for web security?: Stan Stahl Speaks on AirTalk with Larry Mantle. A Russian crime syndicate has apparently stolen over 1 billion internet usernames and passwords from hundreds of thousands of websites, the New York Times is reporting. Hold Security, a cybersecurity firm in Milwaukee, first made the discovery. According to the firm’s founder Alex Holden, the hackers targeted not only US companies that are household names, but pretty much any website they could break into. KPCC Radio, August 6, 2014

Cyber Crime

Target (TGT) stock tumbles; data breach will cost $148 million (+video): Target (TGT) lowered its second-quarter forecast Tuesday, saying it expects expenses tied to a massive data breach this past winter to come to $148 million. Target has been reeling since it announced in December that hackers stole millions of customers’ credit- and debit-card records. The Christian Science Monitor, August 5, 2014

P.F. Chang’s data breach hits 33 restaurants in 16 states (+video): P.F. Chang’s is providing more details on its ongoing investigation into a security breach first reported in June. The list of P.F. Chang’s restaurant locations where customers’ credit and debit card data may have been stolen includes 33 locations across the United States. The Christian Science Monitor, August 4, 2014

Cyber Privacy

Teens Are Waging a Privacy War on the Internet — Why Marketers Should Listen: Back in the early days of social media, Danah Boyd was asked to participate on a panel alongside some representatives from various consumer brands. A fellow panelist who worked at Coca-Cola commented with satisfaction that his company was the most popular brand on MySpace. Without meaning to, Boyd (who writes her name in all lowercase letters) laughed audibly. At the moderator’s prompting, she explained that she, too, had noticed how popular Coke was on the site, and investigated. The most popular “brand” turned out to be not the soft drink, but cocaine. Wharton University of Pennsylvania, August 5, 2014

Identity Theft

How to Keep Data Out of Hackers’ Hands: The numbers sound abstract: Hundreds of millions of email addresses and other types of personal identification found in the hands of Russian hackers. For people worried that they are caught in the mix, however, the discovery by Hold Security of a huge database of stolen data is very personal. But personal doesn’t mean helpless. There are common sense steps everyone can take to keep the impact of hackers to a minimum. The New York Times, August 5, 2014

Russian Hackers Amass Over a Billion Internet Passwords: A Russian crime ring has amassed the largest known collection of stolen Internet credentials, including 1.2 billion user name and password combinations and more than 500 million email addresses, security researchers say. The New York Times, August 5, 2014

Financial Cyber Security

Financial institutions and Cybercrime: It’s only just begun: A recent bout of high profile cyber-attacks on financial institutions across the UK, US and Canada has put the spotlight back on the importance of data security and the need to be diligent when it comes to cybersecurity within the banking industry, writes Alex Raistrick. BankingTech, July 28, 2014

Cyber Warning

Researcher says PayPal’s two-factor authentication is easily beaten: A security feature offered by PayPal to help prevent accounts from being taken over by hackers can be easily circumvented, an Australian security researcher has found. PC World, August 4, 2014

Stealthy, tricky ‘Poweliks’ malware hides in your system registry – but not your hard drive: A new malware program called Poweliks attempts to evade detection and analysis by running entirely from the system registry without creating files on disk, security researchers warn. PCWorld, August 4, 2014

U.S. government warns retailers about malicious software: BOSTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Department Of Homeland Security warned retailers about a type of malicious software attacking point-of-sales systems, dubbed “Backoff,” that it said is undetectable by most types of anti-virus software. MSN, August 1, 2014

Cyber Security Management

Securing the eCampus: Ten Observations About Cyber Security in Academia: I recently gave the keynote address at “Securing the eCampus,” a gathering of university CIOs and CISOs hosted by Dartmouth College. Drawing on my fifteen years of experience in the kinetic security world, running a security software company, and serving on the Board of Trustees at Dartmouth, I offered ten observations on the cyber landscape, especially as it pertains to academic environments: EndGame, August 2014

A Tough Corporate Job Asks One Question: Can You Hack It?: SAN FRANCISCO — Pity the poor chief information security officer. The profession barely existed a generation ago. But to combat the growing threat of online breaches, companies and governments are hiring executives whose main responsibility is to make sure data systems are secure. When things go wrong — and they often do — these executives expect to bear the blame. The New York Times, July 20, 2014

Don’t Be the Next Target — IT Security Spending Priorities 2014: Sound planning of the IT security budget requires a superficial look at market averages. Beware media hype, focus on business requirements and consider what peers in your industry and region are investing in. Gartner, April 8, 2014

Cyber Secuity Management – Cyber Defense

In Fight With Hackers, We Are on Our Own: Call it the hack whipsaw. A computer security company — it is rarely a government entity — comes out with a new report. Millions of stolen passwords. Tens of millions. No, hundreds of millions. The point is apparent: This is a big deal. Then it becomes clear this company is not simply informing the world out of some sort of noblesse oblige: It is trying to make money. The New York Times, August 7, 2014

New Site Recovers Files Locked by Cryptolocker Ransomware: Until today, Microsoft Windows users who’ve been unfortunate enough to have the personal files on their computer encrypted and held for ransom by a nasty strain of malware called CryptoLocker have been faced with a tough choice: Pay cybercrooks a ransom of a few hundred to several thousand dollars to unlock the files, or kiss those files goodbye forever. That changed this morning, when two security firms teamed up to launch a free new online service that can help victims unlock and recover files scrambled by the malware. KrebsOnSecurity, August 6, 2014

Cyber Security Management – HIPAA

HIPAA Omnibus Rule compliance tips for healthcare law firms: In addition to covered entities, it is widely known that the HIPAA Omnibus Rule had a significant impact on business associates (BAs) and subcontractors. Interestingly, law firms that help covered entities comply with HIPAA regulations are often BAs themselves, so they were forced to make changes to the ways they handle protected health information (PHI). HealthITSecurity, August 1, 2014

Cyber Awareness

How To Talk To Your Employees About Cybersecurity (Without Putting Them To Sleep): You can just see the eye-rolls across the conference table when you bring it up. It may not be tops on the list of things you want to address at a staff meeting, but cybersecurity is an issue that likely effects every one of your employees, everyday, and if you’re delegating it to one person at the back of the IT department, you’re making a big mistake. Forbes, August 6, 2014

Cyber Underworld

The World’s Top 5 Cybercrime Hotspots: A Russian crime ring is suspected of obtaining access to a record 1.2 billion username and password combinations, shedding renewed light on how vulnerable online personal information can be. Cybersecurity firm Hold Security said the gang of hackers was based in a city in south central Russia and comprised roughly ten men in their twenties who were all personally acquainted with each other, the New York Times reported. Time, August 7, 2014

‘White Label’ Money Laundering Services: Laundering the spoils from cybercrime can be a dicey affair, fraught with unreliable middlemen and dodgy, high-priced services that take a huge cut of the action. But large-scale cybercrime operations can avoid these snares and become much more profitable when they’re able to disguise their operations as legitimate businesses operating in the United States, and increasingly they are doing just that. KrebsOnSecurity, August 4, 2014

Cyber Misc

Google Says Website Encryption – Or Lack Thereof – Will Now Influence Search Rankings: Google will begin using website encryption, or HTTPS, as a ranking signal – a move which should prompt website developers who have dragged their heels on increased security measures, or who debated whether their website was “important” enough to require encryption, to make a change. Initially, HTTPS will only be a lightweight signal, affecting fewer than 1% of global queries, says Google. TechCrunch, August 7, 2014

Cyber Sunshine

The FBI Is Infecting Tor Users with Malware to Catch Kiddie Porn Creeps: Tor’s had a tough week. Just a few days ago, the organization made the difficult announcement that an attack on their system likely stripped users of anonymity. Now, Wired reports that the FBI effort has been running a campaign to identify Tor users by installing malware on their computers for years, virtually unchecked by the courts. Gizmodo, August 4, 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, August 10, 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

Apple MacBook Air: Apple has released firmware update 2.9.1 for its MacBook Air. The update is available from Apple’s website.

Avira Antivirus: Avira has released version 14.0.6.552 of its free Antivirus. Updates are available from Avira’s website.

Check Point Technologies Zone Alarm: Check Point has released version 13.3.052.000 of the Free version of Zone Alarm. Updates are available from Check Point’s website.

Skype: Skype has released Skype 6.18.0.106. Updates are available from the program or Skype’s website.

VLC Media Player: VLC has released version 2.1.5 (32-bit) of its Media Player. Download from the VLC 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 6.18.0.106

Newly Announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities

Apple QuickTime: Secunia reports an unpatched moderately critical vulnerability in version 7.7.4 of Apple’s QuickTime. No official solution is currently available.

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 Customer Voice Portal (CVP), Cisco Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence Service, and others. Apply updates. Secunia reports that Cisco has released a partial fix for its Prime Data Center Network Manager to fix a vulnerability reported in versions 6.3(0.9) and 6.2(1) running on Cisco MDS 9500 Series. Upgrade to a fixed version. Secunia reports unpatched vulnerabilities in WebEx Meetings Server report in versions 1.5, 1.5.1.6, and 1.5.1.131. No official solution is available.

Novell eDirectory: Secunia reports that Novell has released an update for its eDirectory to fix a security issue. Apply 8.8 SP8 Patch 2 Hotfix 1.

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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, August 3, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.

 

Guest column by Citadel Information Group

Cyber Crime

Sandwich Chain Jimmy John’s Investigating Breach Claims: Sources at a growing number of financial institutions in the United States say they are tracking a pattern of fraud that indicates nationwide sandwich chain Jimmy John’s may be the latest retailer dealing with a breach involving customer credit card data. The company says it is working with authorities on an investigation. KrebsOnSecurity, July 31, 2014

Hackers stealing more sexual photos for extortion: The e-mail terrified the young mother. “What if I told you I had pics of you?” the writer asked. “Like a lot. Would you send me more?” SFGate, July 27, 2014

‘The Expendables 3’ Pirated by Hackers Three Weeks Before its Release: The action movie The Expendables 3, which officially premieres on August 15, has been pirated by hackers three weeks before its release. The film somehow leaked online and it has been downloaded over 189,000 times in just 24 hours through piracy websites. The lead cast members of the film include Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, Kelsey Grammer, Ronda Rousey, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Antonio Banderas, Dolph Lundgren and Harrison Ford. Liberty Voice, July 26, 2014

Cyber Privacy

How to Invent a Person Online: On April 8, 2013, I received an envelope in the mail from a nonexistent return address in Toledo, Ohio. Inside was a blank thank-you note and an Ohio state driver’s license. The ID belonged to a 28-year-old man called Aaron Brown—6 feet tall and 160 pounds with a round face, scruffy brown hair, a thin beard, and green eyes. His most defining feature, however, was that he didn’t exist. TheAtlantic, July 23, 2014

3 Projects Prove Privacy Is Not Dead: Web and mobile phone users willingly share personal data in exchange for free stuff, but not everyone is ready to throw in the towel on privacy. Scientific American, July 22, 2014

Financial Cyber Security

Source code for tiny ‘Tinba’ banking malware leaked: The source code for an impressively small but capable malware program that targets online bank accounts has been leaked, according to CSIS Security Group of Denmark. PC World, July 10, 2014

Cyber Warning

Every USB Device Under Threat. New Hack Is Undetectable And Unfixable: It is well known that USB drives can be dangerous. Companies run strict screening policies and it has long been known that running unknown ‘exe’ files is a bad idea. But what if the threat was undetectable, unfixable and could be planted into any USB device be it a USB drive, keyboard, mouse, web camera, printer, even smartphone or tablet? Well this nightmare scenario just became reality. Forbes, August 1, 2014

Checking In From Home Leaves Entry for Hackers: SAN FRANCISCO — The same tools that help millions of Americans work from home are being exploited by cybercriminals to break into the computer networks of retailers like Target and Neiman Marcus. The New York Times, July 31, 2014

Zero-day flaws found in Symantec’s Endpoint Protection: Symantec’s Endpoint Protection product has three zero-day flaws that could allow a logged-in user to move to a higher access level on a computer, according to a penetration testing and training company. PCWorld, July 29, 2014

Critical Android vulnerability lets malware compromise most devices and apps: The majority of Android devices currently in use contain a vulnerability that allows malware to completely hijack installed apps and their data or even the entire device. PCWorld, July 29, 2014

The Internet of Things Is the Hackers’ New Playground: Excited about the promise of the shiny new Internet of Things? Good. Because hackers are too. Or at least they should be, according to a study by computing giant Hewlett-Packard. Recode, July 29, 2014

Cyber Security Management

Board interest in information security principles growing: Corporate boards have increased their awareness of security issues, but experts say they still lack information security principles. SearchSecurity, July 29, 2014

Five Tips for Preventing Cyber-Security Breaches: Before looking at vendor solutions to protecting data, CFOs need to put some thought into which information to safeguard. CFO, July 28, 2014

Cyber-Risk Oversight Handbook: Leading companies view cyber risks in the same way they do other critical risks—in terms of a risk-reward trade off. This is especially challenging in the cyber arena for two reasons. First, the complexity of cyber threats has grown dramatically. Corporations now face increasingly sophisticated events that outstrip traditional defenses. As the complexity of these attacks increases, so does the risk they pose to corporations. As noted above, the potential effects of a data breach are expanding well beyond information loss to include significant damage in other areas. Second, competitive pressures to deploy increasingly cost-effective business technologies often affect resource investment calculations. These two competing pressures on corporate staff and business leaders mean that conscientious and comprehensive oversight at the board level is essential. NACD, June 10, 2014

The Many Lives of PII: How many definitions could there be for one short phrase? I am not talking about Pi, the mathematical term and lead character in Yann Martel’s imaginative novel (which Ang Lee made into a movie), but “PII,” an acronym for the legal concept of “personally identifiable information.” DataNeutrality.org, 2014

Cyber Security Management – Cyber Defense

‘Backoff’ Malware: Time To Step Up Remote Access Security: DHS issues advisory about remote desktop access tools associated with recent point-of-sale breaches. DarkReading, August 1, 2014

Cyber Espionage

Canada: Chinese Hackers Infiltrated Government Org: Chinese hackers infiltrated the computer systems of Canada’s top research and development organization, the Canadian government said Tuesday. ABC News, July 29, 2014

Cyber Law

Massachusetts Continues Aggressive Information Security Enforcement Agenda: On July 23, 2014, the Massachusetts Attorney General announced a consent judgment with Women & Infant’s Hospital of Rhode Island (“WIH”) to resolve allegations that it violated federal and state information security laws when it lost backup tapes. The backup tapes, allegedly containing sensitive personal information and protected health information of 12,127 Massachusetts residents, were not encrypted. As a result of the consent judgment, WIH will pay a civil penalty of $110,000, attorney fees of $25,000, and contribute $15,000 to funds organized by the Attorney General to support data security enforcement actions and education on the protection of sensitive personal information. Information Lawgroup, July 25, 2014

SECURITY BREACH NOTIFICATION CHART: Perkins Coie’s Privacy & Security practice maintains a comprehensive chart that summarizes state laws regarding security breach notification. The chart is for informational purposes only and is intended as an aid in understanding each state’s sometimes unique security breach notification requirements. Lawyers, compliance professionals, and business owners have told us that the chart has been helpful when preparing for and responding to data breaches. PerkinsCole, June 2014

Cyber Misc

Service Drains Competitors’ Online Ad Budget: The longer one lurks in the Internet underground, the more difficult it becomes to ignore the harsh reality that for nearly every legitimate online business there is a cybercrime-oriented anti-business. Case in point: Today’s post looks at a popular service that helps crooked online marketers exhaust the Google AdWords budgets of their competitors. KrebsOnSecurity, July 25, 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, August 3, 2014 appeared first on Citadel Information Group.