Guest column by Citadel Information Group
Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report
The following software vulnerabilities and updates were announced last week. Citadel Information Group strongly recommends that readers update their computers and take other action as indicated.
Important Security Updates
Adobe Flash Player: Adobe has released version 13.0.0.206 for its Flash Player to fix an extremely critical vulnerability. Updates are available through the program or from Adobe’s Flash Web Site.
Check Point Technologies Zone Alarm: Check Point has released version 13.1.211.000 of the Free version of Zone Alarm. Updates are available from Check Point’s website.
Dropbox: Dropbox has released version 2.6.31 for its file hosting program. Updates are available at Dropbox’s website. [See Citadel's warning below]
Google Chrome: Google has released version 34.0.1847.131 of Chrome for Windows and Mac to fix 8 highly critical vulnerabilities. Updates are available through the program.
Microsoft Internet Explorer: Microsoft has released an emergency security update to fix a zero-day vulnerability that is present in all versions of its Internet Explorer Web browser and that is actively being exploited. The company says Windows XP users also will get the update, even though Microsoft officially ceased supporting XP last month. Updates are available from the Windows Control Panel.
Mozilla Firefox: Mozilla has released version 29.0 of Firefox to fix at least 13 highly critical vulnerabilities. Updates are available within the browser or from Mozilla’s website. There are also updates for Thunderbird and SeaMonkey.
Mozilla Firefox for Android: Mozilla has released version 29.0 of Firefox for Android to fix an unpatched vulnerability in previous versions. Updates are available through the device.
TechSmith Corporation SnagIt: TechSmith has released updates for SnagIt. Updates are available from TechSmith’s website.
Current Software Versions
Adobe Flash 13.0.0.206 [Windows 7: IE]
Adobe Flash 13.0.0.206 [Windows 7: Firefox, Mozilla]
Adobe Flash 13.0.0.206 [Windows 8: IE]
Adobe Flash 13.0.0.206 [Macintosh OS X: Firefox, Opera, Safari]
Adobe Reader 11.0.06
Dropbox 2.6.31 [Citadel warns against relying on Dropbox security. We recommend files containing sensitive information be independently encrypted with a program like Axcrypt; encryption keys be at least 15 characters long; and the Dropbox password be at least 15 characters long and different from other passwords.]
Firefox 29.0
Google Chrome 34.0.1847.131
Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17105
Java SE 8 Update 5 [Citadel recommends removing or disabling Java from your browser. Java is a major source of cyber criminal exploits. It is not needed for most internet browsing. If you have a particular web site that requires Java, Citadel recommends using a two-browser approach to minimize risk. If you normally browse the Web with Firefox, for example, disable the Java plugin in Firefox and use an alternative browser — such as Chrome, IE9, Safari, etc — with Java enabled to browse only the sites that require it.]
QuickTime 7.7.5
Safari 5.1.7
Safari 7.0.2 [Mac OS X]
Skype 6.14.0.104
Newly Announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities
None
For an updated list of previously announced Unpatched Vulnerabilities, please see the resources section of Citadel’s website.
For Your IT Department
Cisco Multiple Products: Secunia reports that Cisco has released updates for its TelePresence System MXP Series, Unified Communications Manager, IOS XE, Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA), and others. Apply updates.
Cisco TelePresence TC and TE: Secunia reports that Cisco has released a partial fix for its TelePresence TC and TE to address at least 11 moderately critical vulnerabilities. Update or upgrade to a fixed version.
Microsoft Windows Flash Player: Secunia reports that Microsoft has released updates to fix a highly critical vulnerability in Windows Flash Player for Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, and Server 2012. Apply updates.
Novell Open Enterprise Server (OES): Secunia reports that Novell has released updates to fix a security issue in its Open Enterprise Server (OES) reported in Novell Client for Linux shipped within the Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 (OES 11) Linux Support Pack 2. Apply “April 2014 OES11SP2 Hot Patch for NCL”.
Novell Storage Manager: Secunia reports that Novell has released updates to fix two vulnerabilities in previous versions of its Storage Manager caused by a bundled vulnerable version of OpenSSL. Update to version 3.1.1.1.
If you are responsible for the security of your computer, Citadel’s Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report is for you. We strongly urge you to take action to keep your workstation patched and updated.
If someone else is responsible for the security of your computer, forward our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to them and follow up to make sure your computer has been patched and updated.
Vulnerability management is a key element of cyber security management. Cyber criminals take over user computers by writing computer programs that “exploit” vulnerabilities in operating systems (Windows, Apple OS, etc) and application programs (Adobe Acrobat, Office, Flash, Java, etc). When software companies find a vulnerability, they usually issue an update patch to fix the code running in their customer’s computers.
Citadel Information Group publishes our Weekend Vulnerability and Patch Report to alert readers to some of the week’s important updates and vulnerabilities. Our focus is on software typically found in the small or home office (SOHO) or that users are likely to have on their home computer. The report is not intended to be a thorough listing of updates and vulnerabilities.
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