Usually Apple is able to sit on the sidelines of today’s technology security circus , enjoying a (debatable) reputation for being more secure than Windows and even Android. Unfortunately, it had to step into center stage this week and own up to a security flaw in its core networking code used in both iOS and OS X. And not just a little one either: this one affects how SSL-encrypted network traffic is handled, and it affects iPhones, iPads running iOS 6 or 7, and any computer running OS X 10.9 “Mavericks”.
What this means for you:
In a nutshell, the bug essentially prevents the affected device from verifying the identity of the certificate used to guarantee the SSL encryption. When your Apple device fires up a secure connection using SSL, the first thing it’s suppose to do is check the SSL certification of the destination by verifying it’s identity. Except, in the case of the bug, it doesn’t but reports back to the device that everything is OK. This would be the equivalent of putting a blind doorman in front of your bar to check ID’s. Apple has released a patch for iOS 6 and 7, but still has not issued a fix for the OS X platform.
For now, until you verify you’ve patched your mobile device with the latest security update for your version of iOS, I recommend against using any applications that transmit confidential data (your’s or your client’s) over the internet. On the desktop/laptop side, avoid using Safari until OS X is patched, and switch to a browser like Chrome or Firefox, both of which implement their own SSL code that is not affected by this flaw. To keep track of whether or not Apple has fixed this hole, you can visit: http://hasgotofailbeenfixedyet.com/
Update: As of Feb 25, Apple has issued a patch for OS X 10.9. Make sure your Apple devices update to the latest version of their corresponding operating system.
In case you were worried that Internet Explorer might be gaining ground as a secure web browser, security researchers have uncovered another zero-day vulnerability that is actively being exploited in version 8 and 9 of Internet Explorer. I’ll spare you the gory details but the gist of the hole is such that it can be exploited in a simple “drive-by” attack, and doesn’t even require interaction from the user. Sadly, this weakness seems to afflict all versions of Microsoft’s web browser, including the yet-to-be released version 11. Microsoft is aware of the issue, and is working to plug the hole, but could be weeks away from a formal fix.
What this means for you:
If you are using IE 8 (extremely likely if you are still using Windows XP), or IE 9 (also likely throughout much of the corporate world), there is a Microsoft Fixit that can be applied, and enterprise IT shops can address this centrally if they are running well-managed computer fleets. If you are leery of applying temporary patches and are not restricted to using Microsoft’s browser, you can give Chrome, Firefox or even Safari a try until Microsoft issues a formal patch for this exploit. At minimum, make sure your anti-malware is up to date and working, and watch carefully for suspicious behavior while surfing the internet, especially if you are visiting new/unfamiliar websites.
Carnegie Mellon University’s CERT and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a broad warning about using the latest version of the Java 7 plug-in for web browsers, and some browser manufacturers have already taken steps to disable Java application execution until the vulnerability can be fixed. The security flaw is already being exploited in the wild, and can be used to run malicious code without the victim’s permission or even awareness. Oracle is investigating, but has not indicated when the hole would be patched, aside from promising a fix “shortly.”
What this means for you:
Unless you have a really good reason to keep running it, you should probably disable Java until Oracle can fix this problem. Unlike other vulnerabilities that affect specific browsers (Internet Explorer has been notorious for flaws in the past), this particular problem affects all browsers that have a Java 7 plugin, including the Apple OS. Oracle has had problems in the past with providing quick patches for the Java platform, so until they do, the safest approach is to disable the plugin in your browser.
Hackers are now taking advantage of conscientious users who have been repeatedly warned by folks like myself to keep their software, specifically their browsers, up to date. If a user happens to surf to a website hosting this new style of attack, they will be presented with a realistic-looking warning that asserts their browser is out of date, but if they click the convenient link to update the browser, they instead be infected with a trojan that will forcibly change the browser homepage to a site that will deliver a full payload of malware. If the user is unfortunate enough to have his or her anti-malware software overrun, they will quickly have a severely compromised computer.
What this means for you:
You should only ever download updates for your software from the manufacturer’s website, as it’s extremely unlikely for manufacturers to use third-party hosts for software updates. In the above example, users were directed to download an update from a domain “securebrowserupdate” which is something Microsoft, Google, Mozilla or Apple would never do for their browsers. If you happen across a pop-up warning that an update is available for your browser, and you aren’t sure it’s legitimate, close it, then check your update status through the browser’s built into the interface, usually under the “Help” menu. Still not sure? Why not call an expert like C2?
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
A recent study by security firm NSS Labs shows that Google’s Chrome browser still has the best detection rate (94%) for spotting phishing URLs, and on average, new malware sites are reported and blocked by all browsers within 5 hours of discovery, a significant improvement over the 16+ hours that same process would have taken in 2009. Firefox showed the best response time to reporting and blocking new sites at 2.3 hours – more than twice as quick as IE10.
What this means for you:
All of the major browsers have significantly improved their ability to protect users, to the point that there is very little statistical difference in their security capabilities. Many of my clients still ask me if one is better than the other, and the answer is always, “It depends on what you need the browser to do.” I still use Chrome for most of my work, but there are still enough times when I’m working with online apps that only work with Internet Explorer. The most important factor to consider is making sure whatever browser you do use is kept up to date, and that you practice safe and cautious surfing whenever working with unfamiliar websites.