cybersecurity Archives - Cybers Guards

Is Internet Explorer (IE) a browser? Microsoft’s security chief said it is not a browser

vanitha Posted On February 7, 2019

Microsoft security chief: IE is not a browser, so stop using it as your default. Internet Explorer is a “compatibility solution “and should be used only selectively, Microsoft exec warns.

Is Internet Explorer (IE) a browser? According to Microsoft, no. Today, business customers are dealing with legacy sites that should be updated for modern browsers as a “compatibility solution.”

Chris Jackson, Microsoft‘s world leader in cybersecurity, does not really want corporate customers to use IE for all web traffic, although it would be the easiest option for some organizations.

Companies in this situation are willing to accept’ technical debt’ such as paying for extended support for legacy software, but that habit must stop in the case of IE, argues Jackson in a new blog post,’ The dangers of using Internet Explorer as your default browser.’

The main focus of Jackson’s argument is that you should only use IE selectively for internal sites that need it, pointing to tools such as the IE 11 Enterprise Mode Site List to help customers make the transition and limit the use of IE to where it is needed.

Jackson doesn’t mention customers using Edge, the soon-to-be browser based on Chromium, anywhere. He doesn’t suggest using Chrome or Firefox, but most developers aren’t testing IE sites. “I’m not here to enforce any browser on anybody.

Windows gives you a choice in your browser, and you should choose the one that best meets your needs, “he replied to one commenter. At least in the modern, standard-based sense, Jackson doesn’t even consider IE a browser. “You see, Internet Explorer is a compatibility solution, “Jackson wrote on the blog.”

We don’t support new web standards for it, and while many sites work well, developers generally don’t test Internet Explorer these days. They test on modern browsers. “So, if we continued with our previous approach, you would end up in a scenario where you wouldn’t be able to use new apps as they emerge by optimizing what you have.

As new apps come out more frequently, we want to help you avoid missing an increasingly large part of the web.

“Jackson admits that Microsoft is partly responsible for customers ‘ willingness to take on technical debt. In particular, he highlights Internet Explorer 6, released in 2001, the year of Microsoft’s IE-Windows antitrust settlement in the US.

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Data Breach

14,200 HIV diagnosed Data in Singapore was leaked online

William Moseley Posted On January 28, 2019

Personal information from 14,200 people diagnosed with HIV was leaked online by an American living in Singapore who, through his partner, had illegally accessed the data.

According to local authorities, the data of another 2,400 people listed as part of a contact tracing process has also been exposed online. In a statement issued Monday by the Singapore Ministry of Health, Mikhy K Farrera Brochez, a US citizen residing in Singapore, said that confidential data from his HIV registry had been illegally accessed and leaked on a pass.

The persons concerned included 5,400 Singaporeans and 8,800 foreigners diagnosed with HIV between January 2013 and December 2011. The ministry said that their name, identification number, contact details including telephone and address, HIV test results and related medical information had been leaked.

The names, identification numbers, telephone numbers and addresses of 2,400 identified as part of the contact tracing process up to May 2007 were also identified. The Health Ministry said that it was alerted by local police that the data was in Brochez ‘s possession, who had previously been convicted of various fraud and drug-related crimes, in particular for lying about his HIV status in order to maintain his job pass and use forged degree certificates in applications for employment.

Since then, he has been deported from Singapore and stays outside his shores. Brochez had illegally accessed the data through his partner, Ler Teck Siang, who was a Singaporean doctor and had authorized access to data in the local HIV registry as head of the National Public Health Unit of the Health Minister.

The database contains information on HIV-positive individuals and is used to monitor the HIV infection status of the country, to facilitate contact tracing and to evaluate prevention measures for diseases.

Ler resigned in January 2014 and was convicted of inciting Brochez to commit fraud and to provide the police and the Ministry of Health with false information. He was also charged under the Official Secrets Act of Singapore for failing to take reasonable care with confidential data on HIV-positive patients.

In May 2016, the Ministry submitted a police report stating that Brochez had confidential information, which appeared to be from the HIV Registry, which prompted a property search during which relevant information was found and taken.

The American was deported in May 2018, after which the Ministry of Health was informed that certain records from 2016 were still kept, however, the data did not appear to have been exposed. Only on 22 January this year the Ministry was alerted that further information from the HIV registry remained in Brochez ‘s hands, who had leaked the information online this time.

The Ministry of Health said that it had started to contact affected persons about the incident and worked to “disable access to information.” “We are working with relevant parties to scan the Internet for signs of further information disclosure, “he said, adding that Brochez is currently under police investigation and that local authorities are seeking help from their counterparts abroad.

It noted that additional safeguards have been implemented since 2016 against the misuse of information by authorized staff, including a two-person approval process for the download and decryption of information from the register.

In addition, a workstation was specifically set up and “locked “to prevent unauthorized data from being deleted from the HIV registry. As part of a government-wide policy, the use of unauthorized portable storage devices on official computers was also disabled.

Commenting on the data leak, the Action for AIDS in Singapore said that it was “deeply troubled “because the breach could “damage “the lives of people living with HIV.” We stand with all those whose personal information has been accessed and infringed. This is a criminal act to be condemned and replied to as severely as possible, “Monday said in a statement.

In July 2018, personal data of 1,5 million SingHealth patients have been compromised in the most serious data breach in Singapore to date and found to be the result of misconfigured IT systems and IT staff who lacked knowledge and resources about cybersecurity.

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Technology

10 Effective ways to secure your computer from cyber attacks

William Moseley Posted On January 22, 2019

10 Effective ways to secure your computer from cyber attacks

Hackers always seek new ways to collect your most sensitive data through cyber-attacks. It’s not easy to stay safe, but you can block 99 percent of potential attacks and browse with confidence with a little preparation. Here are 10 key tips for keeping your computer and other devices safe:

Assume you are a target of cyber-attacks

Cybercrimes are easier if the victims are confident they could not be targeted by cyber-attacks. The first step is to understand that you are a target and that you can take active and passive steps to reduce your risk.

Change your habits to improve your security

Cybersecurity software security is just half the fight. Even if your computer can not be hacked, you can still be tricked by a cleverly disguised phishing email or scam website to download a virus or give up personal information. Learn how to identify suspicious and malicious online activities so that you can secure your own greatest weakness.

Protect your devices

You can give other people access to sensitive data if your devices are lost or stolen. Hackers can even take responsibility for their own hardware, so learn how to tell if your laptop camera is hacked.

Learn how to create a strong password

You are asking for trouble when you use “password123.” For a more secure password, use the upper case, lower case and numeric characters. Choose something unexpected that makes sense to you, but nobody else–it’s almost impossible to imagine.

Cybersecurity Tools

VPNs and antivirus programs are powerful tools to keep hackers out. Not all VPNs are the same, however. Free services can be appealing, but they generally keep traffic logs of their users to earn ad revenues. Some full feature VPNs, such as NordVPN, cannot guarantee logs and make them available to some of the most private VPNs.

Knowing where your Internet comes from

Public Wi-Fi is notoriously insecure, while schools or work networks can monitor your traffic. Always track the connections and understand the risks of public networks.

Malware can spread in many ways

There’s a reason why they are called “viruses” –they’ve been made infectious. It just doesn’t suffice to monitor incoming downloads or file shares –USBs or even CDs can carry viruses from computer to computer.

Software updates are important

If a software or operating system developer finds vulnerability in their product, they release an update to patch it as soon as possible. Updates can be troublesome, but they help to keep you safe.

Backup your data

The “nuclear option” to remove a virus is to reset your device or wipe it and re-install the operating system. Prepare your most important data for this possibility –and make sure it is not infected when you return it to your system.

Learn how to recognize suspicious activities

Not all cyber-attacks can be recognized as such immediately. Some hackers can content themselves with using their devices or accounts in a botnet. Others won’t attack you by cyber, but they’ll steal your identity to disappoint others. All these activities, while subtle, leave a trail of suspicious messages or unauthorized links that are often identifiable and used to secure your account.

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Cyber Attack

Blue Cross reports about possible data breaches to nearly 15,000 customers

William Moseley Posted On January 2, 2019

The information includes first and last names, addresses, date of birth, identification numbers, genders and more customer details.
No social security numbers and details of the financial account were affected in the violation.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has suffered a potential data breach that could lead to the exposure of nearly 15,000 customers ‘ personal data. The violation occurred in late October 2018 following the stolen of a laptop belonging to an employee of a vendor contracted by a subsidiary of Blue Shield, COBX Co.

Information type compromised

The device was stolen on 26 October and the robbery was reported to Blue Cross officials on 12 November. The company said that hackers could have obtained credentials from the employee beforehand to steal the data.

The information affected includes first and last names, addresses, date of birth, identification numbers, genders, medications, diagnoses and customer insurance information.

Since they were not stored on the laptop, however, no social security numbers and financial account details were concerned.

The Blue Cross problem was addressed quickly to take remedial measures to prevent further damage. It quickly changed the credentials of the employee. In addition, it works to improve the security of its systems. It also informed the affected customers via email of the breach.”

We are working closely with our subsidiary to review policies and procedures and introduce further safeguards.

At the Blue Cross and Blue Care Network, we take the safety of health information protected by our members very seriously and sincerely apologize for this incident, “said Kelly Lange, Vice President of Blue Cross in a statement, reported Detroit News.

The company also provides free identity protection services to all concerned members for a period of one year as part of the precautionary measure.

It should be noted that 16,000 Blue Cross patients were exposed in another incident this year due to an employee error. Such incidents remind healthcare companies to use stronger cybersecurity measures and train their employees to adhere to the best safety labels.

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