Like the predictable “tick-tock” of a clock, reports are coming in of an infection spreading rapidly through Facebook via a fake Flash Update. The “tick” in this case was the report last week of a zero-day Flash vulnerability, and the subsequent legitimate update of the Adobe Flash plug-in. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, cybercriminals have released the “tock” – a video on Facebook is tricking clickers into installing a set of malware that can take complete control of the victim’s computer. Over 100k have fallen for this scam which is only 2 days old as of this writing.
What this means for you:
If you see a warning pop up on your computer that software on your computer may be out of date, it may be legitimate, and it may not be. With Adobe Flash, it’s very easy to check by going to Adobe’s own Flash website http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html. Also be wary of the source of the update warning, such as that which comes from clicking on a dodgy link on Facebook or in an email. Doublecheck it against a legitimate source. Not sure what that source might be? Your trusted IT professional is only a quick call away. Spending five more minutes to vette that update warning is certainly worth avoiding a malware infection, right?
Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 will be free for users upgrading from Windows 7 and 8. There is an asterisk behind that statement however, and depending on your world-view, it’s a big one. First off, it won’t be free forever – only for a year after its release. It’s not clear what that means if, for example, after upgrading your Windows 7 machine to 10, you need to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. Do you have to reinstall 7 first and then upgrade to 10? Is there a cost if that happens after that initial year has lapsed? Microsoft has also been deliberately vague on what this means for enterprises and organizations with large installations of 7 or 8. Do they get it for free?
What this means for you:
Some experienced industry analysts predict that there will probably be a different “flavor” for the corporate world, especially as Windows 10 will come hard-coded with Microsoft’s new update/upgrade “Windows as a Service” model where improvements and fixes will come at a more rapid pace than most IT organizations have traditionally been willing to follow, and that “versions will no longer matter.” While this might sound like music to the average consumer’s ears, trends like this are rarely viewed favorably in tightly controlled IT environments, especially when it means maintaining compatibility with legacy apps and systems. Microsoft is still fuzzy on when Windows 10 will arrive – “later this year” is the current expectation, but you can bet that most large enterprises and organizations will probably forgo an immediate upgrade, as they have traditionally done for previous iterations of Windows. If you want to see Windows 10 right away there is a preview build which is still in very early development, but unless you are a stalwart early adopter and understand the pitfalls that lie ahead, I’d recommend waiting until it’s officially released. You can also watch Microsoft’s 2+ hour long presentation on the latest build of Windows 10 online.
Adobe has confirmed that a recently discovered vulnerability in the current version of Flash for Windows, Macintosh and Linux is actively being exploited on the internet. Adobe is planning to release a patch the week of January 26th, but did not confirm a specific date. Though security vulnerabilities are nothing new to Flash, this particular loophole is being exploited by a well-known and widely distributed exploit “kit” called Angler which could indicate a rapid spread of compromised websites and a large spike in malware infections. Once used to gain access to a victim’s computer, the device could fall prey to any number of malicious programs, including key loggers, ratting, ransomware, and good ole-fashion zombification.
What this means for you:
According to Adobe’s own advisory, pretty much everyone is affected by this exploit, though some reports suggest that Windows 8.1 and Chrome users may be safe for the moment, but that was based upon the current version of the Angler kit in distribution. The actual security hole Angler exploits exists in every version of Flash on all OS platforms. The easiest way to protect yourself from this exploit is to disable Flash altogether. For all browsers except Chrome is usually a matter of disabling the plug-in. For Chrome, you have to type “chrome://plugins/” into your address bar to access the hidden internal plug-ins page, at which point you can disable it from there. Aside from keeping your browser’s “head” down until the storm passes, make sure your antimalware software is functioning properly and updated, and avoid any strange links you may receive over the coming week.
Laptops and cellphones were once the sole domain of high-powered business executives, but thanks to the proliferation of high-speed internet and falling hardware prices, they are pervasive not only in professional environments, but in just about any walk of life. As you can probably guess, this also means an exponentially expanded attack surface for cyber criminals who are no longer focusing on traditional targets. Anyone who has a bank account or credit history is a potential victim, and younger targets can be exposed to potentially dangerous privacy invasions. Rather than enumerate the various ways in which your security and safety could be violated (we all have enough nightmares as it is), I’d like to focus on some positive actions you can take to make your mobile, digital life safer and more secure.
- Password protect your devices.
Even the most careful professional will misplace their mobile device on occassion. While passwords won’t stop determined hackers, it will keep most everyone else out until it can be recovered or remotely wiped. Laptops normally do not have remote wiping capabilities, so don’t stop at just a password for protecting these types of devices. - Use built-in apps, or purchase location-tracking software.
Late-model Android and iOS devices have location tracking and recovery capabilities built-in, but they must be enabled. You can add location tracking or a “phone-home” program to your laptop, but it requires the device to be connected to the internet in order for it to report its location. - Don’t store sensitive information on mobile devices.
With any portable device, the chance of it falling into the wrong hands is high. If you don’t have an IT department managing your device and controlling what can be stored on it, you should inventory what is stored on the device (sensitive client info, photos, personal financial data, passwords) and consider whether you need that information to be stored on that device. If you do, make sure you observe #4. - Encrypt any storage media.
All late-model Android and iOS devices have the capability to encrypt all data stored on the phone. It’s on be default on iPhones, but must be enabled manually on most Android devices. If you have to store sensitive data on your mobile device, make sure encryption is enabled and working. While it’s not completely necessary to encrypt your entire laptop hard drive, it is possible, and many financial service firms require it on their laptops. At minimum, store your sensitive data in an encrypted partition or folder, or on an encrypted thumb-drive. - Back up your data.
Do I even need to qualify this particular practice? Backups should be stored separately from the hardware being backed up. It should be transmitted and stored encrypted if it’s internet/cloud based. It should be as frequent as the minimum period of data loss you are willing to lose, e.g. if you can’t stand to lose an hours worth of work, your backups should run on an hourly basis. Be aware of the performance hits this may have on your hardware and network bandwidth. - Hide devices in parked cars or take them with you.
Mobile device thefts from parked cars is consistently at the top of all loss categories. Thieves know to target cars coming and going from office parks, universities, airports, and the retail/service businesses near these locations. Before you drive away from your work location to a Happy Hour or a quick bite or some grocery shopping, stow your laptop bag in the trunk or hide it in a hard to access part of the car. Don’t do this when you reach your destination, as the thief may already be there, watching for someone to do just that. If you can’t secure it or hide it properly, take it with you. - Add a leash.
If you are highly mobile and work from many locations, it’s easy to misplace your smaller electronics, and sometimes even laptops. Add a colorful leash to your thumb drives so you don’t forget them, and maybe even consider the same for your phone if you are prone to misplacing it. If you have to take your laptop bag with you to a place where you don’t plan to use it (because of #6), attach the strap to something you will be using at that location, whether it be to your jacket or purse, or even to your leg if you are sitting in a location with lots of noise or distraction. It’s easy to forget work-related tools when you are focused on non-work activities. - Be less conspicuous.
In open public places with crowds, conspicuous use of expensive mobile devices will flag you as a target for bold thieves. I’ve talked with victims whose laptops were pulled right out from under typing hands in a sidewalk cafe or picnic table, and have read numerous reports of smartphones and tablets being grabbed in broad daylight. If you want to work on your device in a busy environment, keep one eye on your surroundings, and place yourself and your device in a position where it will be less easy to snatch by a fleet-footed thief. - Educate your friends and family.
Even though you may be cautious and secure, the people around you can undo your careful preparations with carelessness or even well-meaning intent. Be mindful of everyone around you who might not be as savvy as you in technology, and choose carefully how you interact with them via email, social media, and even device sharing. Work laptops are notorious for being infected by family members who don’t have the same security concerns as you do. Quieting a young child with your smartphone may seem like a good idea at the time, but maybe there is some other way you can entertain them that doesn’t involve your work phone. - Report thefts/losses immediately.
Eventually, it will happen. Whether the device is stolen, damaged or infected and compromised, you should work immediately with the appropriate authorities and professionals to make sure you limit the damage, both to you and your organization, as well as any customers or clients who might be affected. Don’t wait.
The big headlines have been all about Sony’s security breach, and the massive data leak that occurred. What you didn’t hear about was how large parts of their technology infrastructure were rendered unusable. Most of their workstations were severely infected and inoperable for at least several days (some for weeks) and a large portion of their network and server infrastructure was compromised. Even If the hardware was functional, everything still had to be taken offline, scrutinized and analyzed for evidence, reprogrammed then finally redeployed. Qualified or not, Sony’s IT department had a gigantic mess to clean up, and they had to do this quickly (and improve security along the way) as the company was hemorrhaging money every minute their operations were offline.
If there is one thing that is certain (besides Death & Taxes) is that hardware will fail, and probably at the worst possible time. Why it fails is not important – but how you recover from failure is critical and can mean the difference between an inconvenience and a catastrophe. Sony’s disastrous breach is more of an exception in terms of hardware failure – it’s unlikely every single machine in your company will fail at once, but there’s always the chance that a catastrophe – natural or man-made – can wipe out multiple machines at a time. Preventing this type of event from happening is largely beyond your control. What you can do is control how you recover from it, which is a mixture of preparation, training and flexibility.
- Have a current, offsite backup of all your critical data.
The words “offsite” and “current” cannot be emphasized enough. Onsite backups are better than no backups, but if they get destroyed alongside the equipment they were backing up, it’s the same as having no backups. Depending on your business, current can mean different things – old data might be better than no data, but it could still mean many hours of lost work to get back to where you were before the data loss, and then you have to make up for that lost time. Make sure you are backing up the right data as well. Backing up email that is already stored on a server (which is itself being backed up) is a waste of time and money that could be focused on backing up your work documents. - Understand where your data resides.
Where is your data stored? Where is your email stored? What about your applications? You don’t have to understand the technical details, but you should know whether your data is stored onsite, offsite, in the cloud, or some mixture of all of the above. More importantly, you should know how to get to it – either from an alternate location and hardware, or – in the case of backups – who to contact to have data restored. If your critical business data resides at a single point of failure (e.g. your laptop hard drive), consider what would happen if you were to lose that laptop or if the drive was to fail. - Document your infrastructure.
If your business or organization relies heavily on technology-supported processes, rebuilding your infrastructure from scratch could result in serious disruption, especially if it is built differently, and given the pace of technology advancement, this is almost a guarantee. Older equipment and software may not be replaceable, so plan for replacing them on a non-emergent timeline, and prepare your employees for the change. At minimum, you should know that even if you are able to get equipment and software quickly, there will still be a ramp-up period while everyone gets acclimated to the new environment. Making changes in a stable calm environment is a lot less disruptive than doing so in a disaster recovery situation. - Train yourself and your employees to be flexible.
While it may not be possible for all jobs and functions (and some businesses), the crux of disaster preparedness (and recovery) is knowing how to get things done with the tools you have at hand. Most folks don’t realize that their email can be accessed via other methods than the one or two ways they use currently. The same could be said for accessing organizational data. This is not to say that everyone needs to know exactly how to get it done (technology can be complicated, especially tech that isn’t used on a regular basis), but to be open to doing their jobs differently by using alternate tools and methods.
Whether your company relies on racks of equipment or a single laptop, all of the above applies. Catastrophes come in all shapes and sizes, but hardware failure is always a disaster when you are ill-prepared.
As many of you know, one of my specialties is framing complex technology concepts in more simple, human-relatable terms. When people have a better understanding of the tools they use, they have a tendency to use them more efficiently, effectively and to take better care of them. A thoughtful article in the Atlantic written by security guru Bruce Schneier got me thinking about cyber security and the internet in a new way.
Cyber attacks are something most people only comprehend at a conceptual level, but even high-profile victims and their big-budget investigations struggle to really understand what actually happened. In the case of the Sony attack, even the experts are still debating who was behind the attack, and it’s a definite possibility that we may never find out. As Schneier deftly points out, with physical attacks (criminal and political) there is usually a trail of evidence and witnesses that allow us to identify the weapons and attackers as well as motives.
Unfortunately, modern technology and the internet have made it possible to perpetrate large scale, damaging attacks that are difficult to see (even when they are underway), vexingly hard to counteract and sometimes impossible to trace back to the aggressor. In the case of Sony, does it even matter who was behind the attack? Would they retaliate? How? For those of us suffering under a never ending tide of smaller malware attacks held back by only the thinnest veneer of defenses, there’s no one person to arrest, group to disband or government to disrupt that will stop the onslaught. It’s largely anonymous, amorphous and pretty much dangerous to everyone who comes in contact with it.
It’s better to think of malware and cyber attacks as the digital equivalent of pollution.
It’s certainly a lot easier to visualize, and the analogies might help everyone understand and better prepare themselves for the next time they head out on the digital highway. It may also help organizations and governments frame their actions in a more productive manner. Even if North Korea was actually behind the Sony attack, is leveling sanctions against them really going to stop future attacks? No. Neither will hacking their internet nor any other retaliation measure we could take. Why not invest efforts in combating internet “pollution” (you could lump hate speech in there as well!) – instead of putting fingers in a leaky dike, why not see if you can reduce the pressure causing the leaks?
It’s hard to imagine how the cyber equivalent of solar energy or the banning of CFC’s might be able to stem the growing miasma of malware choking our technology, but maybe that’s because we are thinking about it the wrong way.
As a consultant, I work on many, many different computers throughout the year. Though the machines are used in a wide variety of industries and organizations, I still see a large majority of them suffering from the same handful of issues. In the hopes of lowering those numbers in 2015, here are the six most common, self-inflicted issues I’ve seen on client computers this year:
- Fake Flash/Media Player Installs – By far, this was the most common mistake I see most computer users make, and it’s easy to understand why. Though you can sometimes encounter fake Flash Player pop-ups while surfing well-known sites (especially if they’ve been hacked as well), you’ll usually come across these fake notifications while surfing in the “darker” corners of the internet, especially if you clicked a link in an email or Facebook post.
If you see a pop-up like this, stop and immediately go to: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/. (If you are paying attention, your hovering over that link to see if it’s legit!) That page will tell you whether or not your Flash player is working, and what version is installed. Right below is a handy list of the latest version number. If the two numbers match, then you already have the latest version of Flash Player. Congratulations, you avoided a possible malware incursion! If you see a similar pop-up for some media player you’ve never heard of, stop and investigate. First off, do you really need to see whatever it is that requires another piece of unknown software to be installed? When in doubt, check with an IT professional!
- McAfee Security Scan Plus – When you update Adobe Flash through the official website, the main installation page will also offer to install McAfee’s Security Scan Plus by default. According to McAfee, this software will supposedly protect computers from malware infections, but I’ve yet to see this software be effective, primarily because it’s usually installed unintentionally and in addition to already-installed, more competent anti-malware. You’ll want to uncheck the box in the middle pane to prevent Security Scan Plus from being installed alongside your Adobe Flash Player update.
But what if I don’t have any antimalware already installed? Will this protect me? The old adage “something is better than nothing” does not apply here. Security Scan Plus is almost universally reviled in the tech support industry. There are much better, free programs that are more effective. If you on Windows 7, try Microsoft’s Security Essentials. Windows 8 already comes with Microsoft’s Windows Defender pre-installed (the Win 8 version of Security Essentials). If you are still running Windows XP, Security Essentials will work until July 2015, and then you will have to find another program.
- Ask Search Toolbar – Given the number of times Java updates throughout the year, it’s not surprising how frequently I find Ask’s search toolbar installed on client computers. To be fair, it’s not malware in the strictest sense: the product does exactly what you’d expect it to do, if you actually intended to install and use it. Ninety-nine percent of my clients never intended to install it, and are puzzled why their search results are no longer provided by Google or (less commonly) Bing or Yahoo. It will get installed whenever you update Java and fail to uncheck the option (just like #1 above).
This toolbar is another PUA (potentially unwanted app) that is widely disliked by the IT support community, primarily because of it’s questionable distribution tactics, poor search engine performance, and the additional performance burden it puts on Internet Explorer as a toolbar.
- Automatic Software/Driver Updaters – there isn’t one particular application in this category that can be called out, primarily because there are dozens of these shyster websites. At best they are a nuisance, and at worst they could lead to a serious malware infection. They are typically installed from pop-ups clients see while surfing the web, and most trick the user into installing their program by misleading them to believe an important driver or application is missing or out of date.
Once installed, the program rarely does what it’s supposed to, and frequently will ask for money to actually do the updates which, after paying for a subscription, it still won’t do anything, or if it does anything at all, it will install even more outdated drivers and possibly other malware. Avoid this software like the plague – you don’t need it. Windows and OS X both automatically scan for updates (if they are set up properly) for all necessary drivers and will either install them silently, or ask you to update ASAP.
- Fake Antivirus Warnings – This one used to be in the top spot in 2013, but many folks are a bit more savvy this year and have since installed legitimate anti-malware after being duped previously. Unfortunately, the black hats are taking that into account and are now using even more convincing pop-ups that look like commonly installed anti-malware. Unless your computer is already compromised, you’ll typically only see fake virus pop-ups while surfing the web, which should be one of the clues that helps determine if they are fake.
The only way to avoid falling for this scam again is to know what your anti-malware looks like, especially the warnings. Nearly all of them will pop up a warning in your system tray – so if you only see the warning while web surfing and nothing in the system tray, it was likely just a fake pop-up. If you happened to panic when warning popped up and clicked the “clean/disinfect/scan” button, the next clue will be if the software asks to install something on your computer. Your anti-malware is already installed – it shouldn’t need to install itself again – so this is another clue that you are about to be duped into installing some malware.
- PC Performance Boosters/Optimizers – With very few exceptions, most of the software that appears in pop-ups that promises to improve your PC performance will in fact do the exact opposite. The most common snake oil I come across is the various registry “optimizers”. Though some of them may actually do some form of registry cleaning, most of them only excel at optimizing the flow of cash from your wallet to their pockets. If you get a pop-up while browsing the web warning your computer needs optimization, stop visiting that website immediately, and to be completely safe, immediately run an anti-malware scan.
The only cleaner that I trust to recommend to my clients is CCleaner from Piriform. I use this software regularly, and it is straightforward enough that even my most technically-challenged clients can use it with minimal assistance.
The above six gotchas, while common, are only a small subset of the wide variety of hijinks I come across while assisting my clients. It would take way more time and patience than anyone has to completely brief you on today’s malware threats. As always, you can avoid most self-inflicted issues by paying close attention to what is being shown on screen. Most of the time there are clues that will reveal the shadiness of unusual activity on your computer, and for the times when you are in a rush or don’t understand what you are seeing, stop what you are doing, close all programs, run an anti-malware scan, and, as always, call an IT professional for a second opinion!
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Lest you think Microsoft has finally plugged the many holes in the S.S. Internet Explorer, Patch Tuesday December includes four critical upates (Microsoft’s “critical” rating means they should be applied immediately) addressing newly discovered weaknesses, including an active zero-day exploit of the OLE (Object Linking & Embedding) platform. This particular chunk of code allows Microsoft apps like Office Word and Outlook to exchange documents between each other: when you insert an Excel spreadsheet into a Word document and it shows up as an editable spreadsheet, that’s OLE at work. In this case, the exploit allows hacked Office documents attached in Outlook emails to circumvent security, typically for the express purpose of installing other malware onto the victim’s machine.
What this means for you:
I can already see your eyes glazing over, and I don’t blame you. Microsoft’s bulletins are making me cross-eyed as well. Here’s what you need to do:
- Make sure your OS is patched. The updates should start arriving on computers as early as tonight. Unless your machine is being managed by an internal IT department and they’ve disabled this functionality, your Windows OS should be set to automatically download and patch all important updates from Microsoft. If you are not sure if your computer is set up this way, you can check by going to Control Panels -> Windows Update.
- If you must use Internet Explorer, avoid using it until you get fully updated with the latest round of patches (see #1). If it’s possible, consider using an alternative such as Firefox or Chrome. While neither is guaranteed free of security bugs, they are still faring better than IE in terms of exploits.
As always, avoid opening strange and/or unexpected attachments. If you regularly exchange documents with others via the internet, consider using a secure filesharing platform other than Dropbox or Drop or any of the numerous clones that offer free apps. Instead, look into options like Citrix Fileshare (we use it here at C2) for a much more secure and fully encrypted way to exchange documents.
A client recently asked me, “What’s the difference between ‘malware’ and a ‘virus’? Is ‘spyware’ still a thing? Are these pop-ups a virus, or something else? Was I hacked?!?” As a computer user who could easily remember the earliest days of computer viruses, his confusion was understandable, especially when the media and sometimes even industry pros have a tendency to use those terms interchangeably when they really aren’t. The complexity of today’s malware landscape is complex enough to fill multiple textbooks, but I’ll try to boil it down to the things most professionals should know.
Hacking
The term “hacking” is probably the most mis-appropriated term in use today. Originally, the true purpose of hacking something was to make alterations to how a device (or system) operated in order to achieve results different from the originally intended purpose of the hacked object. This could take just about any form: the brilliant, life-saving hacks used to return the Apollo 13 crew safely to earth in 1961, all the way to subverting computer security systems to paralyze a giant corporation in 2014. The important qualifier in determining if something was “hacked” is identifying actual, human-driven intent. In most cases, malware-compromised systems are the result of an “infection” versus a purposeful hacking.
Malware
The term “malware” is a portmanteau of the two words “malicious software” which, as you might imagine, is used to describe any sort of non-native programming or code loaded into a device that subverts the device’s original purpose, with the result that its activities cause some form of harm (hence the “mal” part). Malware covers a broad range of code including the annoying pop-ups and browser redirects that take control of your internet searches to show you advertising (aka “adware”), to the incredibly disruptive (and effective) malware that encrypts your data and holds it for ransom (aka “ransomware”). “Spyware” still exists – though it has taken a dark turn from it’s original advertising roots of harvesting your demographics to now harvesting your sensitive personal information for the purposes of identity theft.
Viruses
Though a computer “virus” is still considered malware, most malware found today are not considered actual viruses. In keeping with the spirit of its biological predecessor, a true computer virus distinguishes itself by insinuating itself into or altering the host’s code with the express purpose of multiplying and spreading, something that is relatively rare at the moment in most malware, even the ones that spread via email. Though they exhibit virus-like infection patterns, their methods of spreading are more akin to poisoning or parasitic infection.
How it all comes together
It’s important to note that malware is often a primary tool in any computer hacking effort. It can be used to weaken or subvert security systems, usually by installing other programs that facilitate other activities that can range from gathering passwords, data and opening security backdoors to erasing hard drives and crippling critical network infrastructure. Though they find little comfort in it, I tell my clients that most malware infections are akin to getting the flu: it’s highly unlikely someone set out to get you sick. Typically you got it from someone who didn’t even know they were contagious.
However, similar to their biological counterparts, other digital pathogens may take advantage of your computer’s compromised immune system to cause further damage. At best, these malware infections take the form of a symbiotic parasite that may surface relatively innocuous symptoms (pop-ups, Google doesn’t work, etc.), but those redirects can lead you to further infection by more harmful malware. At the extreme, they can lead to the digital equivalent of metastatic cancer, usually with fatal results. Suffice it to say, any form of malware infection should not be tolerated, regardless of the host machine’s primary purpose, and should be taken care of immediately.