Blog - Homeland Secure IT - Business Computers, Servers and Networks

Adobe Patch Day brings updates for Flash, Shockwave and ColdFusion

April 10, 2013

Three security bulletins have been released by Adobe that cover Flash Player, Shockwave Player and ColdFusion.

These apply to not only Microsoft Windows based machines, but also to Apple Macintosh computers.

Complete control over your machine could be obtained by exploiting the flaws outlined.

As always – UPDATE your machines and protect yourself. Do not hesitate.

Should you require assistance with these or any other security related issues or computer service in general for your Greenville based business, please call us at 864.990.4748 or use our contact form on our website.

Bulletins and advisories for this month

Brief	Originally Posted	Last Updated
APSB13-12 Security update available for Adobe Shockwave Player	4/9/2013	4/9/2013
APSB13-11 Security updates available for Adobe Flash Player	4/9/2013	4/9/2013
APSB13-10 Security update: Hotfix available for ColdFusion	4/9/2013	4/9/2013

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for April 2013

April 9, 2013

It’s that time again! Microsoft Patch Tuesday is upon us.

Let me just say… Update your Microsoft Windows based computers.

As you will see below, the biggest vulnerability is your Internet Explorer, which should be updated, even if you are using another browser.

Should you require assistance installing these or any other security updates, please call upon us in the Upstate of SC.

We can also provide patch management which will apply updates across your entire network and permit the ability to see the status of each machine without visiting them individually.

864-990-4748 or use the contact link on our website for more information…

Here’s the full Security Bulletin from Microsoft:

********************************************************************
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for April 2013
Issued: April 9, 2013
********************************************************************

This bulletin summary lists security bulletins released for April 2013.

The full version of the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for April 2013 can be found at http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin/ms13-apr.

With the release of the bulletins for April 2013, this bulletin summary replaces the bulletin advance notification originally issued on April 4, 2013. For more information about the bulletin advance notification service, see http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin/advance.

To receive automatic notifications whenever Microsoft Security Bulletins are issued, subscribe to Microsoft Technical Security Notifications at http://technet.microsoft.com/security/dd252948.

Microsoft is hosting a webcast to address customer questions on these bulletins on April 10, 2013, at 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada). Register for the Security Bulletin Webcast at http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bulletin.

Microsoft also provides information to help customers prioritize monthly security updates with any non-security, high-priority updates that are being released on the same day as the monthly security updates. Please see the section, Other Information.

Critical Security Bulletins
============================

MS13-028

– Affected Software:
– Windows XP Service Pack 3
– Internet Explorer 6
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Internet Explorer 6
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
– Internet Explorer 6
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Internet Explorer 6
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
– Internet Explorer 6
– Internet Explorer 7
– Windows Vista Service Pack 2:
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2:
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2:
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2:
– Internet Explorer 7
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2
– Internet Explorer 7
– Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems:
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1:
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Internet Explorer 10
– Windows 7 for x64-based Systems:
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1:
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Internet Explorer 10
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems:
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation
not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems
Service Pack 1:
– Internet Explorer 8
– Internet Explorer 9
– Internet Explorer 10
(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation
not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems Service
Pack 1
– Internet Explorer 8
– Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems
– Internet Explorer 10
– Windows 8 for 64-bit Systems
– Internet Explorer 10
– Windows Server 2012
– Internet Explorer 10
(Windows Server 2012 Server Core installation not affected)
– Windows RT
– Internet Explorer 10
– Impact: Remote Code Execution
– Version Number: 1.0

MS13-029

– Affected Software:
– Windows XP Service Pack 3
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
– Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Windows Vista Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
– Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
– Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2
– Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 Client
– Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and
Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
– Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and
Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation not affected)
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems Service
Pack 1
– Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 Client
– Impact: Remote Code Execution
– Version Number: 1.0

Important Security Bulletins
============================

MS13-030

– Affected Software:
– Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013
– Impact: Information Disclosure
– Version Number: 1.0

MS13-031

– Affected Software:
– Windows XP Service Pack 3
– Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
– Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
– Windows Vista Service Pack 2
– Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2
– Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and
Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
– Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and
Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems Service
Pack 1
– Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems
– Windows 8 for 64-bit Systems
– Windows Server 2012
(Windows Server 2012 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows RT
– Impact: Elevation of Privilege
– Version Number: 1.0

MS13-032

– Affected Software:
– Windows XP Service Pack 3
– Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
– Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
– Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
– Active Directory
– Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
– Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Active Directory
– Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
– Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
– Active Directory
– Windows Vista Service Pack 2
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
– Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
– Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
– Active Directory Services
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
– Active Directory Services
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
(Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems and
Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
– Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and
Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
– Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems and
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
– Active Directory Services
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
(Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation affected)
– Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
– Windows 8 for 64-bit Systems
– Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS)
– Windows Server 2012
– Active Directory Services
(Windows Server 2012 Server Core installation affected)
– Impact: Denial of Service
– Version Number: 1.0

MS13-033

MS13-034

– Affected Software:
– Windows Defender for Windows 8 and Windows RT
– Impact: Elevation of Privilege
– Version Number: 1.0

MS13-035

– Affected Software:
– Microsoft InfoPath 2010 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
– Microsoft InfoPath 2010 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)
– Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Service Pack 1
– Microsoft Groove Server 2010 Service Pack 1
– Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 Service Pack 1
– Microsoft Office Web Apps 2010 Service Pack 1
– Impact: Elevation of Privilege
– Version Number: 1.0

MS13-036

Internet Spring Cleaning Day 2013 is TODAY! Please take action to protect your devices.

April 1, 2013

It’s that time of year again when ISPs (Internet Service Providers) all around the world perform their yearly maintenance, call it “Spring Cleaning” if you will.

If you have been living under a rock and missed the stories on the news and the countless emails flying around for the last week or so, then this may come as a total surprise to you. Newcomers to technology may also be taken by surprise.

In the past, Internet Cleaning Day has taken place during a 24hr period, but due to new techniques, ISPs have managed to narrow it down to only 1 hour which they have conveniently scheduled for 12pm to 1pm in each time zone.

So today, at noon, before you leave your office for lunch, you should take some precautions to protect your electronics and fine furnishings from the chemicals that are blown through the lines. We have found that simply unplugging the CAT-5 cable from the back of your computer and placing it into a trashcan with a liner is best, but you can use an empty water bottle or even a coffee cup in a pinch. If using a coffee cup, or bottle though, you may want to put a layer of newspaper or other papers under it in case of any splashes or spills.

While normal analog phone systems are not going to be affected, VoIP systems WILL be… This is often overlooked! You should follow the same procedure if your business is using Voice over IP technology. If you are unsure, it is best to disconnect the cables and place in the same container as your network cables.

If you are using wireless devices, simply turning off the radio or disconnecting from all access points should work, but to be on the safe side, it never hurts to turn it off completely.

As always, if you require assistance with computer, server, network or even your internet spring cleaning in the Greenville, SC or Upstate, SC area, please call us at 864.990.4748

Unexpected three day sale on computers here in Greenville SC

March 27, 2013

This never happens…. Welllll, I can’t say “never” after I post this…

One of our favorite vendors is having a sale and we are passing the savings on to you. Nexlink is offering 25 dollars off their prebuilt business computers, and if you order today (Wednesday March 27, 2013) through Friday the 29th, we can knock 25 dollars off the already great price, AND bump that warranty up to FIVE YEARS at absolutely no additional charge. (That’s actually 74 dollars saving over our normal price!)

Here’s what is available at this great pricing:

Nexlink Express 1125 i3 w8d – Intel Core i3-3220 3.30Ghz, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive w/Windows 7 Pro downgrade and FIVE YEAR manufacturer warranty – 676.oo

Nexlink Express 1125 i5 w8d – Intel Core i5-3330 3.0Ghz, 4GB RAM, 1TB hard drive w/ Windows 7 Pro downgrade and FIVE YEAR manufacturer warranty – 750.oo

Nexlink Express 1125 PENTW8D – Intel Pentium G645 2.9Ghz, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, w/ Windows 7 Pro downgrade and FIVE YEAR manufacturer warranty – 614.oo

Please note, these are BUSINESS computers! They don’t come loaded down with junk, they incredible warranties, and they are made with better components, such as genuine Intel motherboards, than you would find on off-the-shelf systems.

We have 100% customer satisfaction on these!

If you need one, or one thousand, we can help you or your business out, so please give us a call at 864-990-4748 or use our contact form on the website. Please note, we are closed for Good Friday, but if you contact us via email, or call on that day, I will insure you get this special. We accept Visa and MC, and if you are ordering multiples, we may be able to arrange financing for you.

We also offer full computer service and computer support – we can install and migrate your data and configure these computers for your network!

It’s going to be a GOOD FRIDAY at Homeland Secure IT

March 26, 2013

In honor of Good Friday, Homeland Secure IT will be closed Friday, March 29th 2013.

We hope that you have plans to spend time reflecting on what this time of year means and that you can enjoy it with your family.

As always, if you have an emergency and require computer service, you can call us or email us and we will return your call or email ASAP!

Happy Easter!

Windows 8 automatic restart after updates really upsets some people

March 25, 2013

So you’ve got Windows 8 and you are loving it, or maybe not.

Once you get past that totally different interface, and the login if you are on a domain, one annoying trait that may tweak your shorts is the forced automatic restart after updates are applied. You would notice that where Windows keeps saying that your machine is going to reboot and actually starts to count down. How annoying, right?

Even though this behavior is annoying, it has a purpose! When “Patch Tuesday” comes around, and these updates are pushed to your computer and installed, it needs to reboot in order to close out the vulnerable components and patch them so you are protected from nasty exploits.

Failure to apply and activate updates can (and does) lead to machines which are in a vulnerable state, and visiting malicious websites, or opening malicious documents, even though the updates have been installed, but the machine is not rebooted, may result in viruses, trojans, worms and other malware being installed.

I think that was redundant, but I really want you to understand just how important these updates are!

That being said… Should you get too annoyed by the forced reboots, there’s a potential way around this by using the Group Policy Editor. That setting is found under Local Computer Policy, Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Update… Just set “No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installation” to “Enabled”.

But don’t do it, unless you have another means for maintaining your patch management. Really, don’t do it.

If you would like to talk with someone about patch management, windows security, network security or anything computer support related for you or your business in the Upstate SC area, please call us at 864-990-4748 or use our contact form on our website.

Special – Fujitsu Stylistic M532 Android Business Tablet $399

March 14, 2013

We don’t often have prices that beat most of the online retailers, but today, we do!

If you are in need of an Android tablet that was designed with business use in mind, then this might be for you….

Fujitsu Stylistic M532 Built Tough Tablet PC is MIL-STD-810 tested and ready!

The Fujitsu M532 is a worthy candidate to consider for business users on a budget. It’s Built Tough – MIL-STD-810G tested rating definitely qualifies it as durable enough for business users.

The Core Features of the Fujitsu Stylistic M532:

Powered by NVIDIA ® Tegra® 3 T30S, Quad-core ARM Cortex A9 processor
Android™ 4.0 Operating System
Attractive, slim design with light weight
TFT (IPS-type) display for wide viewing
Rugged glass protects the display
Built-Tough: MIL-STD-810G tested
Only $399 (plus tax) you pick up at our location in Greenville, SC

If you would like one, act NOW, call us at 864-990-4748 x201 or use our contact form at www.HomelandSecureIT.com.

Supplies are extremely limited….

Adobe and Microsoft patches galore for March 2013

March 13, 2013

While spring has not quite sprung, Microsoft and Adobe have both sprung a slew of updates for you.

It is important that you apply these updates to your computers and servers in order to keep your network secure.

Let’s start with Adobe – Four Flash security holes have been plugged in Flash Player 11.6.602.171 and earlier across all platforms. Yes, that means you Apple Mac and Linux users need to get the updated Player version 11.6.602.180 or newer. Failure to do so could result in code being executed on your computer that could give a remote user complete control over it.

Next up…. Microsoft!

Products with updates include Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Suite (Visio Viewer 2010, SharePoint Server 2010, OneNote 2010, Office Outlook for Mac) and Silverlight 5 for both PC and Mac computers have a multitude of issues, with four critical bulletins.

Again, these updates should be installed as soon as possible.

If you or your organization requires assistance, please let us know. We can assist here in Upstate & Greenville SC with all your desktop, server and network security needs. We are an authorized Microsoft Partner and provide sales, service and support of their entire line of offerings. We can keep your computers secure, and in the event they need a virus cleaned off or removed, we can assist with that too!

Businesses wanting to employ the use of a patch management system, which will collect information about desktops, notebooks and other devices on their network, and push out updates from an easy to monitor server should contact us for more information!

864-990-4748 or use the contact link on our website.

We’ve renewed our Microsoft Education Reseller status…. Yea us!

March 7, 2013

We’re happy to announce that Homeland Secure IT has renewed our Microsoft Education Reseller status and are good for another year.

What does that mean? Besides having to demonstrate that we know what we are doing through taking an exam, we have to actually have a clue about the sales of Microsoft products specifically available to the academic organizations we serve.

By maintaining our relationship as an AER (Authorized Education Reseller), we can offer Academic Volume Licensing which is not only convenient, but more affordable than retail, or standard open licensing.

It is available in as subscription model or even perpetual licenses.

If you are interested in this type of product, give us a call at 864-990-4748 in the Upstate / Greenville SC area. We not only offer the sales, but also consultation, installation and maintenance of Microsoft software!

The best service in the Upstate isn’t from a big national franchise

February 28, 2013

The best service in the Upstate isn’t from a big national franchise… It’s from a locally owned business (that is part of a national franchise).

I’m not talking about computer or server service, I’m talking about automobile service this time.

If you follow me on social media, you probably saw me whining about my car issues recently, so skip the next couple paragraphs. For those who are not in the know, here’s the story.

On Tuesday, after several days of my car sitting in the driveway, including a missed day of work due to a horrible cold, I went to start the old bomb and … nothing. Not even a click. The battery was completely dead. No big deal. I have a charger, which I dug out and tried. It did not want to cooperate at first, but finally, it began to charge the car and within 15 minutes, I was up and running. Well, let’s say I got to work. But the car was not running well. It was “bucking”, lunging forward at stop signs and lights, and even dying in intersections. UGH! No fun at all.

After the vehicle sat at work, it wouldn’t start up… Completely dead. And I wasn’t smart enough to bring the charger along, so Pamela came running to my rescue, driving back from Easley to Greenville (Where she had been 30 minutes earlier) with that charger. Made it home, and then charged it all night. So it started fine on Wednesday morning, but it didn’t want to run well. Made it to a meeting though, and from there, went to an auto parts place.

I bought a new battery… Fixed the starting problem! Didn’t fix the RUNNING problem. Changed the air filter, added some octane booster (fuel injector cleaner hokus pokus stuff), cleaned the throttle body, MAF, etc. No change. Bought a can of ether (starting fluid) and sprayed around vacuum lines, looking for leaks… Nothing. Drove it to Clemson, and at a crosswalk, the car lunged forward, towards kids crossing the street. Uhm ENOUGH!

I took it by Roots Goodyear in Easley, and they were backed up with a ton of clients. But still, about 5pm, Bob Root calls and tells me the car is ready.

When I dropped it off, I explained to him that I thought it could be something like a throttle position sensor, and we discussed coils (of which there are 6, and one has been replaced already). So we were looking at repairs that could have been 200, 300, even 500 dollars. I told him that I had to have it fixed, I have to get to work. And I told him to change the oil too with a synthetic.

You wanna know how much the bill was? Less than 80 dollars. For the fix of the “bucking” and the oil service.

That’s excellent. And you know what? It could have been so much worse for me. If it had been another shop, I am not sure it would have been an 80 dollar repair. Here’s a self-professed gearhead (me), telling a shop to fix a car. An unscrupulous repair facility might see that opportunity and wrack up a heck of a bill.

Not Bob Root. Not yesterday. Not ever.

That’s why our family continues to use him. We always get a fair shake. An honest and trustworthy business is difficult, but great to find.

Pamela and I strive to provide the same type of honest and reliable service here at Homeland for your business computer, server and network repairs. You will never have us replacing parts that we don’t know for sure are bad. We don’t suggest the replacement of a computer just because we make a fortune off of selling you a new one. We want to have you as a customer for a very long time, just like Root’s Goodyear will have us as a patron for a very long time!

THANK YOU BOB… For fast, reliable and affordable service… Hopefully we can return the favor sometime.

If YOU need car service, you know who I recommend…..

Root’s Goodyear Tire & Service
6804 Calhoun Memorial Hwy Easley, SC 29640
(864) 306-6901

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