Secure IT Alert: Microsoft Security Essentials & Forefront classifying Google Chrome browser as malware

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Friday, September 30, 2011 An update to Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) and Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection was causing grief for many users today as it incorrectly flagged the Google Chrome browser as malware. The typical behavior was for an alert to be displayed stating that “PWS:Win32/Zbot” was found and that it needs to be removed. …

IronKey D200 32GB USB storage devices offer high speed transfer and auditable encryption

I’m often asked which is the best USB flash drive you can buy. My answer varies with the requirements of the individual or business that will utilize the device. The average person requires a fast and reliable storage device to shuttle files to/from work or school, and does not require security features at all, but for those who do require …

mysql.com website hacked and used to serve malware to visitors

In what is becoming way too common, the popular site, mysql.com was exploited, and used to distribute malware by redirecting visitors to another site this week. Anyone browsing to mysql.com yesterday would have been redirected, and without even being prompted, then likely been exploited themselves by the software running on the rogue website which apparently looked for vulnerable browser plugins …

Cisco OnPlus service available now to small & medium businesses

Large businesses have full-time IT staff or fully outsourced IT support that provide monitoring of their infrastructure and keep them up to date and now small & medium (SMB) businesses can have the same level of support when it comes to devices on their network. Cisco OnPlus works by allowing Homeland Secure IT or your Cisco SMB service provider to place …

SSL encryption broken – Proof of concept demo later this week #ph33r

My first reaction to the news that read “Hackers break SSL encryption used by millions of sites – Beware of BEAST decrypting secret PayPal cookies” was, “What took ’em so long?” The article above gives all the details you can stand, and a quick search of Google for news articles will tell you everything else you want to know. The …

We’re giving away Microsoft Office 2010 for the heck of it it! #Greenville

We have ended up with an extra Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 Product Key Card, which has to be sold at the time of a new computer purchase… So, what are we to do with it? I think the only cool thing to do is give it away! Anyone who buys a HOME / PERSONAL computer from us during …

Old and busted – MBR viruses… New hotness – BIOS viruses (again)

This may come as no surprise to those who have been around computer security for a while, but the BIOS viruses are making a comeback! One of the first made its debut back in 1999 and was known as “CIH”.  But Symantec is reporting a new killer on the block called “Trojan.Mebromi” that affects the Award BIOS and seizes control …

Microsoft updates for Windows, Windows Server and Microsoft Office for Sept 13, 2011

Multiple vulnerabilities in MS Windows, MS Windows Server and Microsoft Office have been identified and addressed.  These should not be taken lightly as they are of a critical nature, allowing a “remote, unauthenticated attacker” the ability to gain access to your system, as well as DoS. If you require assistance applying updates to your business computers in the Greenville / …

Apple’s Mac OS X Lion poses enterprise security risks (this is not a repeat)…

Using Mac’s in your enterprise? You will want to read this article http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/08/26/mac_osx_lion_security_hole/… This is kind of a big deal, as it underscores that Mac OS X Lion machines simply fail at LDAP, a basic part of enterprise network integration. In short, if you bring these Macs into your environment, once authenticated, they simply don’t care which password is entered, they …