ComputerWorld – Page 131 – Computer Security Articles

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2017 06:47:00 -0800

Apple and Cisco have struck yet another blow for enterprise IT. They know that iOS is the most secure mobile solution, but that’s not everything because mobile threats are incredibly complex these days.

The enigma code

Here’s a scenario: You work in an enterprise with perhaps 1,000 other employees. One morning, perhaps 50 of you woke to find an authentic-seeming email in your in-box that requests you click on a link to update some system related to the work you do. While many employees remembered not to click on that link, a small number did click. No one thought too much of the email — spam is frequent and most just thought the mail was aimed at them.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

December 14, 2017 admin

Why Windows 7 updates are getting bigger

Credit to Author: Gregg Keizer| Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2017 05:04:00 -0800

Windows 7’s security rollups, the most comprehensive of the fixes it pushes out each Patch Tuesday, have almost doubled in size since Microsoft revamped the veteran operating system’s update regimen last year.

According to Microsoft’s own data, what it calls the “Security Quality Monthly Rollup” (rollup from here on) grew by more than 70% within the first dozen issued updates. From its October 2016 inception, the x86 version of the update increased from 72MB to 124.4MB, a 73% jump. Meanwhile, the always-larger 64-bit version went from an initial 119.4MB to 203.2MB 12 updates later, representing a 70% increase.

The swelling security updates were not, in themselves, a surprise. Last year, when Microsoft announced huge changes to how it serviced Windows 7, it admitted that rollups would put on pounds as the months pass. “The Rollups will start out small, but we expect that these will grow over time,’ Nathan Mercer, a Microsoft product marketing manager, said at the time. Mercer’s explanation: “A Monthly Rollup in October will include all updates for October, while November will include October and November updates, and so on.”

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

December 13, 2017 admin

Mingis on Tech: Blockchain explained

Credit to Author: Ken Mingis| Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:30:00 -0800

It’s the most disruptive technology since the arrival of the Internet.

Or maybe it’s the next Linux, an open-source technology that offers great promise, but somehow never seems to make it to the mainstream world.

“It,” in this case, is blockchain – the buzz-worthy distributed ledger technology that first came into widespread use with Bitcoin represents a new paradigm for the way information is shared. FinTech firms are embracing it and a variety of companies are already rushing to figure out how they can use it to save time and admin costs, according to Computerworld Senior Reporter Lucas Mearian.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

December 13, 2017 admin

How Apple’s Safari browser can save your Christmas

Credit to Author: Jonny Evans| Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 05:24:00 -0800

While I see online ads as a necessary evil if you want to keep websites in business, I’m so annoyed at the way the latest ads services seem so focused on ruining everybody’s Christmas surprise.

The ads Grinch stole Christmas

This is what happens: Ads sites track where you go online; retailers track you too and all this information is shared. Look at an item online, see an ad for it on the next page you go to. Not only is this behavioural retargeting vastly creepy, but when it comes to Christmas these things make it impossible to keep secrets, particularly on a shared Mac. Been looking at [insert name of hot new obsessive teenage-focused product here] with a view to buying one to gift your child? Don’t be too upset if said child gets onto your computer to check their Bitcoin investment only to find themselves staring at ads for the object of their desire. Kids aren’t stupid – they know how ads work online (even if we don’t). What’s happened? Your Christmas surprise is spoiled and your teenager won’t believe in Santa Claus any more, even if they are looking for a flat Earth shadow during the next eclipse.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

December 13, 2017 admin

5 more Windows admin tasks made easy with PowerShell

Credit to Author: Jonathan Hassell| Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 03:00:00 -0800

I’ve written a lot about Microsoft PowerShell on this site, but my favorite thing to do is show how to apply the scripting language to various tasks you already have to do as part of your regular role and responsibilities. In a previous article, I demonstrated how to accomplish five common administrative tasks using PowerShell.

To read this article in full, please click here

(Insider Story)

ComputerWorld Independent

December 12, 2017 admin

What is the cyber kill chain?

Concerned about your network defense? Watch this short video to learn the 7 stages of the cyber kill chain, a framework created by Lockheed Martin to outline the phases of a targeted cyberattack.

ComputerWorld Independent

December 11, 2017 admin

It's time: Make sure Windows Auto Update is turned off

Credit to Author: Woody Leonhard| Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2017 03:44:00 -0800

It’s time to make sure your computer is locked down. If history is any indication, we’re going to be in for a rocky ride over the next week or two.

In September, folks who were set to update Windows automatically were greeted by Word docs and Excel spreadsheets that wouldn’t display merged cells, switched languages and intentionally broke one-click printing on custom forms. In October, admins who let patches go through automatically were greeted by oceans of blue screens and failures in Microsoft’s own Dynamics CRM. Last month, every version of Windows was hit with a patching bug that blocked Epson dot matrix printers — and those who had told Win10 Creators Update to wait to upgrade found themselves “accidentally” upgraded to Win10 Fall Creators Update, version 1709.

To read this article in full, please click here

ComputerWorld Independent

December 8, 2017 admin

Microsoft quietly repairs Windows Defender security hole CVE-2017-11937

Credit to Author: Woody Leonhard| Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2017 07:23:00 -0800

Many malware researchers were surprised to find an unexpected patch on their machines yesterday. It didn’t arrive through the front door — Windows Update wasn’t involved. Instead, the new version of mpengine.dll arrived automatically, around the back, even if you have Windows Update turned off.

This vulnerability is particularly nasty. If the Malware Protection Engine scans a jimmied file, the file can take over your computer and run whatever it wants. Since the MPE routinely runs all the time, in the background, that means a bad file could infect your computer in myriad ways. To quote Microsoft’s Security Vulnerability notice:

To read this article in full, please click here