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. …

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 …

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 …

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 / …

Your mailbox has NOT exceeded the storage limit as set by your administrator

One thing I am asked weekly is, “I just received an email alert telling me my mailbox exceeded the storage limit, why is that?”. Wellllllll, first of all, these messages, though they come in email and look all official, signed by “System Administrator” or something similar, are likely phishing attempts. If you hover over the URL listed to “re-validate” your …

Adobe Updates for Shockwave, Flash Media Server, Flash Player, AIR, Photoshop & RoboHelp

Running Adobe products? Of course you are!   There are number of updates available that you need to apply.  Please, if you are prompted to install these updates, do so. If not, make sure they are indeed installed, or better yet, just upgrade to the latest versions of the applications to avoid the potential for the vulnerabilities to be exploited… …

Security consultancy advises enterprise clients to steer clear of adopting large numbers of Macs

An article in The Register states, “Beware of Macs in enterprise” due to the findings by iSec Partners who claim large numbers of Macs are “in many ways more vulnerable than recent versions of Windows.” The vulnerability they specifically mention is the DHX authentication scheme which is easy to compromise and apparently “trivial to force OS X server to resort …

Secure IT Alert: Microsoft to unleash a ration of updates in August Patch Tuesday….

Homeland Secure IT Alert for Friday, August 5th, 2011 Tired of boring Tuesdays? Feeling deprived by Microsoft? Well, coming this Patch Tuesday, something to make every Microsoft user smile!  Updates! You read that right, Microsoft has updates galore coming your way!  They cover every current version of the Microsoft Operating system including the almost forgotten Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, …