From the Desk of Chad M. Barr, CISSP, CISA September is “Disaster Preparedness Month.” It’s important to consider how we safeguard our information in the event of a natural disaster, man-made event, or even a system failure. This newsletter will discuss some steps you can take to secure your critical information and some best practices…
Anonymization service AWM Proxy rents computers infected with the TDL4 bot for use as proxies, according to a report by a security expert. Starting at $3 per day, users can have their data traffic directed through the bot network to surf the Internet anonymously with other people’s IPs. The researcher said the provider has been…
Patch Tuesday. When it releases its monthly patches September 13, Microsoft will publish five bulletins categorized as “important” to close 15 holes. Most of the bulletins fix vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office, which attackers can use to inject malicious code and escalate rights. Arbitrary code can also be executed in the Mac edition of Office, and…
From the Desk of Chad M. Barr, CISSP, CISA, PCI QSA There have been a number of recent “phishing” campaigns, which are attempts by individuals or groups to solicit personal information from unsuspecting users by employing social engineering techniques. This month’s newsletter will focus on some of recent campaigns and provide guidance for protecting yourself…
A vulnerability has been reported in the e-commerce software called osCommerce. osCommerce is an open source e-commerce solution for running an online store front with minimal effort and cost. The attack takes advantage of multiple vulnerabilities and insecure configuration settings with osCommerce installations. As a result, an attacker is able to take complete control and/or plant…
Merchants that use Scottsdale, Ariz.-based security services provider Chief Security Officers (CSO) to validate their adherence with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) will have to find a new assessor. The PCI Security Standards Council, the group responsible for managing payment security, last week revoked CSO’s status as a Qualified Security Assessor…
From the Desk of Chad M. Barr, CISSP, CISA An increasing number of domestic and international criminals are using the Internet for illegal purposes. Computers and other electronic devices can be used to commit crimes. This newsletter will discuss who are potential targets, the nature of computer and cyber crime, and what you can do…
Why should you, as a merchant, comply with the PCI Security Standards? At first glance, especially if you are a smaller organization, it may seem like a lot of effort, and confusing to boot. But not only is compliance becoming increasingly important, it may not be the headache you expected. Compliance with data security standards…
If you encrypt a wireless network, there will be a reduced risk of someone monitoring your communications or hacking into the network. Wireless networks are not as secure as the traditional “wired” networks, but you can minimize the risk on your wireless network (at home or at work) by following the tips below: Change your…
These scams continue to proliferate at alarming rates and are becoming more and more difficult to detect. It’s important for you to understand how to recognize a phishing attempt and what you can do to protect yourself. What Can I Do? Be cautious about all communications you receive. If it appears to be a phishing…
