Independent

Independent Krebs

November 21, 2018 admin

USPS Site Exposed Data on 60 Million Users

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2018 17:10:18 +0000

U.S. Postal Service just fixed a security weakness that allowed anyone who has an account at usps.com to view account details for some 60 million other users, and in some cases to modify account details on their behalf. KrebsOnSecurity was contacted last week by a researcher who discovered the problem, but who asked to remain anonymous. The researcher said he informed the USPS about his finding more than a year ago yet never received a response. After confirming his findings, this author contacted the USPS, which promptly addressed the issue.

10 Android settings that'll strengthen your security

Credit to Author: JR Raphael| Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:30:00 -0800

You might not know it from all the panic-inducing headlines out there, but Android is actually packed with powerful and practical security features. Some are activated by default and protecting you whether you realize it or not, while others are more out of the way but equally deserving of your attention.

So stop wasting your time worrying about the Android malware monster du jour and which security company is using it to scare you into an unnecessary subscription, and take a moment instead to look through these far more impactful Android security settings — starting with the core elements and moving from there into some more advanced and easily overlooked options.

ProtonMail launches standalone iOS VPN app

Credit to Author: Lucas Mearian| Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 03:22:00 -0800

Encrypted email service provider ProtonMail has launched a standalone virtual private network app for iOS devices. With iOS now added to its list, ProtonMail said it now offers protection for the most popular operating systems, which include Windows, MacOS, Linux and Android.

VPN functionality is prevalent in enterprise security products and management products, according to Phil Hochmuth, program director for IDC’s Enterprise Mobility team. At the same time, consumers are increasingly looking at VPN services to shield their online activities on wired networks, as well as on LTE/4G connections, he said.

ProtonMail launches standalone iOS app

Credit to Author: Lucas Mearian| Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 03:22:00 -0800

The big fix

Credit to Author: Sharky| Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 03:00:00 -0800

Pilot fish at a federal agency gets a visit from a power user who can’t get access to the data he needs — and he’s not at all happy.

“We used a very effective security product that could narrow down access to a specific user or dataset,” says fish. “But you had to be careful to install any new rules in the right place, because once a rule was found it was applied, even if one with more relaxed access followed.

“As soon as I checked, I could see that I had misplaced the rule I had created for him.

“Now, normally if I made a mistake I’d admit to it and apologize. This particular day this fellow, an otherwise nice guy, was at it like a dog with a bone, demanding How did it happen? Who did this? over and over.

What Apple's T2 security chip brings to the enterprise table

Credit to Author: Ryan Faas| Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 03:00:00 -0800

There’s been a lot of discussion about Apple’s T2 security chip, particularly the restrictions it places on repairs not sanctioned by Apple. The controversy centers on an Apple utility needed to make changes like swapping out the built-in SSD drives. The overall argument ties into the right-to-repair fight, allowing hardware owners to make changes to their own devices.

(Insider Story)

November 19, 2018 admin

Microsoft yanks two buggy Office patches but keeps pushing one that crashes

Credit to Author: Woody Leonhard| Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2018 08:15:00 -0800

Two related Office 2010 non-security patches issued on Nov. 6 were pulled on Nov. 17. KB 4461522 and KB 2863821 are both related to changes coming in the Japanese calendar next month attributed to the abdication of Emperor Akihito in favor of his son, Naruhito. The event has been compared to the Y2K problem in the west. It’s not clear why two patches were released on Nov. 6 to accommodate that calendar change, but both KB articles now sport the admonition: