Their program already installed on your computer should be able to give them all the information that they need. Even if the tech support person does require you to install another program, there is a possibility that the diagnostic program has an undiscovered security vulnerability.

If you do decide to install the program, at least make sure that the file location they offer you is on their main website, not a misspelled version such as qickbooks.com or abode.com.

Additionally, refuse to permit tech support to log in to your computer, even if you were the one who called them. Do you want to trust the security of your computer to a stranger?

Ask if there is some other way to provide them with the information they need.

Beware of imposters asking you to provide remote access or asking you to download diagnostic software.

The post Can you Trust the Kindness of Tech Support Strangers? appeared first on Foster Institute.

Intel advises that IT Professionals stop deploying the current versions of patches for the recently discovered security flaws in CPU chips. Find details, just updated, by searching:
Root Cause of Reboot Issue Identified Updated Guidance for Customers and Partners site:intel.com

Do not insert a space after the colon.

For most of you, deploying Microsoft patches is easy compared to managing Flash, Java, and browser updates. Oracle is releasing multiple security patches for Java SE. Additionally, if you are upgrading Chrome to the 64 bit version, Google is releasing new patches for that browser.

For executives wondering what to do at home, you may find it best to download fresh versions of any non-Microsoft browsers you use, and reinstall the most recent versions of Flash and Java, if you still use either, from https://get.adobe dot com/flashplayer/ or java dot com . Your Microsoft and/or Apple patches are likely configured to install automatically.

For both organizations and home office users, if you can remove Flash and/or Java from some or all of your computers, then you can forget about patching them. If you haven’t already, try it on a few computers. You may find that all of the websites essential to your business no longer require either. Worst case, you can re-install the most recent version.

Executives, please forward this to your IT Professionals. Be sure to, if you have not already, have a conversation with them about how aggressive you want them to be with patching. They can share the pros and cons with you. These days, an aggressive posture related to patches can increase your security dramatically, when handled properly. Provide them time to test the patches, test un-installing the patches, and then to deploy the patches in stages. They will also need to contact your cloud providers to discuss how they are handling the flaws and patches.

The post Patching Nightmare – Please Forward to Your IT Pros appeared first on Foster Institute.

Second, attackers will target, more than ever before, organizations who store protected health information. If you are in healthcare, or even if your company name makes it sound like you are in healthcare, ramp up security to unprecedented levels and have a plan of what to do when you are breached.

Third, more attackers will use trusted security software as a vector to infect networks. Attackers already infected the program called C-Cleaner, used by millions of people to, among other things, speed up slow Windows computers. C-Cleaner is a very useful, and trusted, security program. Unfortunately, this tool became a powerful attack tool when attackers took over the update server. What program, one that you trust, will attackers take over to use as a vector to hack your computer?

Please forward this to your friends who can be on the lookout too.

The post Three Serious Trends to Watch Out for in Cyber Security appeared first on Foster Institute.

A patch for Linux has been released and Microsoft plans to release a patch next Tuesday. Apple will release a patch for OSX.

For understandable reasons, many organizations are significantly behind schedule in applying patches. The patch won’t help protect your organization until the patch is applied to your computers.

A big concern is that the patch is predicted to have a major impact on performance. Estimates of the degradation in the performance range from 0% to 30%. If you have computers that are slow anyway, this will matter to you.

Additionally, this vulnerability affects computers in the cloud too. Amazon and Microsoft have announced that they are working on patching their cloud servers.

Ask IT what the status is of your patches for all of your operating systems, and make a plan for getting your patches up to date.

The post Major Flaw in Computer Processors Affects Security appeared first on Foster Institute.

Set a passcode on the device. Even a 4-digit code is much better than nothing. Just avoid 0000, 1111, 1234, 2580, or other easily guessed codes. Keeping the device in your possession, or in a secure place, is just as essential since is can prevent the opportunity for someone to guess your password.

Keep the device backed up, and apply security patches as soon as they are released. The patches often protect against attacks that are already happening in the wild.

Do not connect to Wi-Fi networks without weighing the risk of convenience versus your potential benefits. When you connect to any Wi-Fi network, there is a chance that attackers can exploit your device in many ways. Because bad actors can trick your device into connecting to their malicious access points without your knowledge, consider using your device’s settings to disable Wi-Fi when you are not using it. Re-enable Wi-Fi only when you are at your office, home, or in another trusted environment.

At the office, there is technology that will allow your IT team to implement MDM, Mobile Device Management, to restrict your team members’ activity on their devices. This can help protect against one of your team members accidentally becoming a vector for attackers to access, and potentially interfere with, your entire organization’s network.

For families, keep these three possibilities in mind:

First, use the internal parental controls and restrictions that are built into the device. The settings and features are very effective, and well documented on the support sites. More features can be added with security and feature updates, so review the settings periodically. The best strategy for using these restriction settings is to use steps A, B, and C.

• Step A: As you apply security and privacy restrictions to a device for a family member, keep reminding yourself that you are restricting that device for their, not your, needs. It is easy to think about how you might want to use wireless payment options, and then you avoid restricting the options accordingly. When in doubt, restrict. You can always re-enable features later.
• Step B: Before applying parental control restrictions, first configure the other settings on the device. If you apply parental control restrictions first, you may find that you’ve restricted your own ability to adjust these settings.
• Step C: Wait until you finish steps A and B before you apply the restrictions designed to protect family members. You’ll be prompted to create your own unique password so that, in theory, only you can adjust the parental controls.

Second, when protecting families, consider commercially available tools designed to enhance your ability to, not only restrict, but also monitor usage. Many reviews place a product named Qustodio at the top of the list. We receive no compensation in any way for recommending this, or any other product or service. We just want you to have a place to start. It seems that, for many of the control tools available, parents either love them or hate them, depending on their expectations. To help ensure a good outcome for you, research the features and read comments from other parents. Restrict your search to comments made in 2017. Each product’s features, and approval ratings, tend to change from year to year. Some products will even permit you to restrict laptops and desktop computers in addition to tablets and phones. Interestingly, you may find that third party software is able to restrict Android devices more than Apple devices. This is because Apple’s own internal controls are already so restrictive, they can partially block the parental control software too.

Third, consider restricting the Internet access at your home, too. For example, you may choose to set a time limit on usage duration or time of day. This can help ensure that youngsters get enough sleep. A very powerful tool is called Circle with Disney. Again, we receive no compensation for recommending products or services. This tool is widely accepted as being one of the best. If nothing else, check out its features to help you get an idea of what you may want to control. It has a feature that can restrict access even when the device uses a cellular connection or connects to a different network. That added protection can prevent family members from simply going to someone else’s house to operate without restrictions. Bear in mind that Internet filtering tools do not restrict the ability for family members to use apps, except for apps that need to connect to the Internet in order to function. The afore mentioned products can control both apps and Internet usage. But sometimes having two products can be helpful too.

When implementing family control tools, remember that all of them include privacy risks. While restricting apps and Internet usage, software is able to monitor your family members’ electronic behavior too. That information can be sold to marketing firms who already build a profile on each consumer. Do you want to contribute to what they know about your family members? What if bad actors gain access to information that helps them target a family member? You may decide the risks are worth the benefits.

Please forward this information to everyone you know who might want to place restrictions on Apple and Android based devices. Thank you for helping make the world a safer place to live and work! Happy New Year!

The post Protecting and Restricting iPads, iPhones, and Android Devices appeared first on Foster Institute.

Second, ransomware, software that prevents you from accessing your information until you pay a ransom, incidences are accelerating. People still blame attackers for ransomware. Mostly thats an excuse. The solution is to be more proactive and increase security before the ransomware can attack. And test your speedy restore capability regularly, just in case.

Last, about half of the breaches we see started with some service provider. All companies that provide you with goods and services might have infections on their networks that lead to a breach of data or an interruption in their ability to serve you, which may interfere with your ability to serve your customers. If they have a connection to your network, or exchange data with you in any way, they may unwittingly do something that compromises your organizations security. Be sure your vendors and service providers are security minded and have audits by qualified independent auditors.

Forward this to all the executives you know. Together we can make the world a safer place.

The post The Three Biggest Cyber Security Trends Right Now appeared first on Foster Institute.

Almost always, the vendor or contractor had no malicious intent. Their organization’s own IT systems were not secure, and/or their team members performed actions in a non-secure way.

Be sure the service providers you use are working every day to be more secure too. Ask them about their security awareness training program. Ask them how often they are audited by independent third party firms that are interested in helping them increase their own security. If you want to, encourage them to sign up for our newsletter.

Remember, your IT security relies on their IT security too.

The post About Half of All Breaches are Caused by a Contractor or Service Provider appeared first on Foster Institute.

By default, all of your computers permit communication between each other, and attackers use those same communication channels to spread attacks from one machine to the next.

The solution is so basic that it is often overlooked: Computers do not need to talk to each other anyway, just to servers. Block the communication between workstations, and you take away a major vector used by ransomware to spread.

Ask your IT team to use local firewall settings on each computer to prohibit communication between workstations. They can make the setting once, and your servers will propagate that message to the other computers on the network. Give them a little time to complete this, because they will want to test their settings.

Please forward this message to help make the world a safer place. And remember, the more secure your service providers are, the more secure you are too.

The post One Setting Can Protect Your Network from Ransomware appeared first on Foster Institute.

First, see if you are vulnerable. Click on the apple symbol on the top left of your screen, then choose About This Mac. If you have macOS High Sierra, you are probably vulnerable. If you have anything else, stop here.

Second, you can protect yourself by making sure nobody other than you can get to your computer. So far, though theoretically possible, the vulnerability has not been exploited remotely unless you have enabled “Share my Screen.” If you feel confident that no bad actors will have access to your computer, you can stop here.

Third, reset the root password. Apple provides the 8 necessary steps at support.apple.com/en-us/HT204012 , Scroll down to the section entitled: Change the Root Password. In their step 7, if the option Edit > Change Root Password is grayed out on your Mac, then instead click the option Edit > Enable Root User and continue with step 8.

Please forward this to everyone you care about that has a Mac.

The post Mac Vulnerability Permits Unauthorized Login appeared first on Foster Institute.

That’s right. You have a second computer running inside each of your organization’s existing computers. And probably don’t know it.

An attacker’s dream come true:
-A scarcely known operating system
-Hidden in millions of computers
-Using a secret microprocessor
-With priority over everything else on the computer. Something IT Pros refer to as ring negative three.
-With network access
-Patching security flaws are a nightmare
-And there is no anti-virus

Even if the attackers don’t soon find a quick way to access sensitive information, they might find a way to shut down all of your servers. And keep them shut down.

Intel has great intentions. MINIX is part of Intel’s ME Management Engine that has desirable features. MINIX runs on, coexists with, Windows, Linux, or whatever you thought was the only operating system.

The most important thing for you, as an executive, to do is to make sure your IT Team is aware of MINIX. They can read more at www.zdnet.com/article/intel-weve-found-severe-bugs-in-secretive-management-engine-affecting-millions/

The race is on: Attackers are looking for ways to use MINIX to their advantage. Intel, Google, and others are working to find ways to make MINIX more secure.

Forward this message to any organizations that you care about, especially organizations upon which you rely to perform services and provide products to your own organization. If they get shut down, or infiltrated, that will affect you too.

The post A Secret Operating System is Running Inside Your Computers appeared first on Foster Institute.