Independent – Page 133 – Computer Security Articles

Credit to Author: Matthew Finnegan| Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:51:00 -0700

Zoom released a patch this week to fix a security flaw in the Mac version of its desktop video chat app that could allow hackers to take control of a user’s webcam.

The vulnerability was discovered by security researcher Jonathan Leitschuh, who published information about it in a blog post Monday. The flaw potentially affected 750,000 companies and approximately 4 million individuals using Zoom, Leitschuh said.

Zoom said it’s seen “no indication” any users were affected. But concerns about the flaw and how it works raised questions about whether other similar apps could be equally vulnerable.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

July 11, 2019 admin

How to set up Microsoft Cloud App Security

This new add-on will let you set up alerts about suspicious sign-on activity for Office 365 and other cloud apps.

ComputerWorld Independent

July 11, 2019 admin

New Windows 7 'security-only' update installs telemetry/snooping, uh, feature

Credit to Author: Woody Leonhard| Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 03:16:00 -0700

Back in October 2016, Microsoft divided the Win7 and 8.1 patching worlds into two parts.

Those who got their patches through Windows Update received so-called Monthly Rollups, which included security patches, bug fixes – and we frankly don’t know what else – rolled out in a cumulative stream.

The folks who were willing to download and manually install patches were also given the option of installing “security-only” patches, not cumulative; these were meant to address just the security holes.

To read this article in full, please click here

Independent Krebs

July 9, 2019 admin

Patch Tuesday Lowdown, July 2019 Edition

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2019 22:32:11 +0000

Microsoft today released software updates to plug almost 80 security holes in its Windows operating systems and related software. Among them are fixes for two zero-day flaws that are actively being exploited in the wild, and patches to quash four other bugs that were publicly detailed prior to today, potentially giving attackers a head start in working out how to use them for nefarious purposes.

ComputerWorld Independent

July 9, 2019 admin

Microsoft delivers Defender ATP security service to Macs

Credit to Author: Gregg Keizer| Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2019 11:42:00 -0700

Microsoft on Monday made good on a March pledge by announcing that its most sophisticated endpoint security service is now available for Macs.

Microsoft Defender ATP (Advanced Threat Protection) for Mac shifted to what the company calls “general availability” on June 28, wrote Helen Allas, a principal program manager on the enterprise security team, in a July 8 post to a company blog. Core components of Defender ATP, including the latest – “Threat & Vulnerability Management,” which made it to general availability a week ago – now serve Macs.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

July 9, 2019 admin

How Apple is improving iCloud this year

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2019 07:06:00 -0700

Apple quite evidently plans many interesting improvements in its iCloud service this year. So, what’s going on?

What we know so far

Apple at WWDC made several announcements that will be reliant on iCloud – these include obvious things like new services and support for new functions, and less evident topics around sync, data and AI.

Most recently, the company began beta-testing Touch ID and Face ID access to iCloud.com online, meaning that if you happen to be using an Apple device (Mac, iPad, iPhone) you can access your online iCloud services with the touch of a finger or a quick eye scan.

This may also be Apple’s way of testing the privacy-protecting Sign-in with Apple service it intends launching later this year.

To read this article in full, please click here

Independent Krebs

July 8, 2019 admin

Who’s Behind the GandCrab Ransomware?

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2019 17:27:42 +0000

The crooks behind an affiliate program that paid cybercriminals to install the destructive and wildly successful GandCrab ransomware strain announced on May 31, 2019 they were terminating the program after allegedly having earned more than $2 billion in extortion payouts from victims. What follows is a deep dive into who may be responsible for recruiting new members to help spread the contagion.

ComputerWorld Independent

July 8, 2019 admin

The top 8 problems with blockchain

Credit to Author: Lucas Mearian| Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2019 03:00:00 -0700

While blockchain holds tremendous potential for creating new financial, supply chain and digital identity systems, it’s often erroneously seen as a panacea for business problems.

The myriad of pilots and proofs of concept by large corporations and government agencies are showing real promise, but those projects don’t always lead to obvious business cases that justify doing something differently. Sometimes a tried and true technology like a relational database can perform the task much more efficiently than a distributed ledger based on peer-to-peer technology that will require complex governance and rules.

To read this article in full, please click here

(Insider Story)