Microsoft to governments: Stop hoarding vulnerabilities

Microsoft is full of surprises lately: first they issued patches for unsupported versions of Windows, then they publicly criticized the NSA for hoarding knowledge about critical software vulnerabilities (and exploits for them). “We have seen vulnerabilities stored by the CIA show up on WikiLeaks, and now this vulnerability stolen from the NSA has affected customers…

Microsoft fixes 55 vulnerabilities, 3 exploited by Russian cyberspies

Microsoft released security patches Tuesday for 55 vulnerabilities across the company’s products, including for three flaws that are already exploited in targeted attacks by cyberespionage groups. Fifteen of the vulnerabilities fixed in Microsoft’s patch bundle for May are rated as critical and they affect Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, and the malware protection…

Turla gets ready to target Mac users

The cyber espionage group deploying the Turla (aka Snake, Uroburos, or Agent.BTZ) malware framework is expected to be able to target Mac users soon. The APT group The group, which security researchers named after the tool, has been operating for years, and was first spotted targeting computers running the Windows, then later also Linux users….

Industry reactions to the Verizon 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report

Nearly 2,000 breaches were analyzed in this year’s Verizon 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report and more than 300 were espionage-related. Here are some of the comments Help Net Security received on the report. Today’s report highlights that businesses must rethink their protection strategies to guard against cyber attacks. The fact that 88% of breaches identified…

Flaws in Hyundai App Allowed Hackers to Steal Cars

South Korean carmaker Hyundai has released updates for its Blue Link mobile applications to address vulnerabilities that could have been exploited by hackers to locate, unlock and start vehicles. The Blue Link application, available for both iOS and Android devices, allows users to remotely access and monitor their car. The list of features provided by…

Security skills need to be deep and wide to mitigate critical risks

Businesses recognize security as a growing imperative, but many remain on the defensive, fighting cyber threats with dated tactics and training, according to CompTIA. Companies need to adopt proactive measures to identify weak links before they are exploited; broaden the security skills of their technology professionals; and implement top to bottom security training throughout the…

Phishing attacks responsible for three-quarters of all malware

With phishing now widely used as a mechanism for distributing ransomware, a new NTT Security reveals that 77% of all detected ransomware globally was in four main sectors – business & professional services (28%), government (19%), health care (15%) and retail (15%). While technical attacks on the newest vulnerabilities tend to dominate the media, many…

Security and the human factor: Creating a positive user experience

Despite the myriad of security solutions deployed, breaches are still happening. Even with the most robust security solutions it seems that we’re failing with the fundamentals, with ever more sophisticated hacks infiltrating and bringing down networks or resulting in compromised data. For all the security solutions we can create, it’s people who are the first…