Category Archives: Time to Patch

Short posts on the latest security updates for widely-used software.

Apple Update Targets Mac Malware

May 31, 2011

Apple released a security update today designed to address the recent scourge of scareware targeting Mac users. The update comes as security experts spotted new versions of the rogue application family MacDefender making the rounds via poisoned links on Facebook.

Security Update 2011-003, available for Mac OS X v. 10.6.7 and Mac OS X Server v. 10.6.7, includes a component that checks for the MacDefender malware and its known variants. In its most recent advisory, Apple states: “If MacDefender scareware is found, the system will quit this malware, delete any persistent files, and correct any modifications made to configuration or login files. After MacDefender is identified and removed, the message below will be displayed the next time an administrator account logs in.”

Time to Patch Your Flash

April 15, 2011

If it seems like you just updated your Flash Player software to plug a security hole that attackers were using to break into computers, you’re not probably not imagining things: Three weeks ago, Adobe rushed out a new version to sew up a critical new security flaw. Today, Adobe issued a critical Flash update to eliminate another dangerous security hole that criminals are actively exploiting.

This new update addresses a vulnerability first detailed here at KrebsOnSecurity.com on Tuesday, and Adobe deserves credit for responding quickly with a patch. But there are few things that are simple about updating Flash, which ships in a dizzying array of version numbers and for many users must be deployed at least twice to cover all browsers. In addition, users may have to uninstall the existing version before updating to guarantee a trouble-free install. Also, Adobe Air will need to be updated if that software also is already installed. Finally, fixing this same vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat will require installing another patch, which won’t be out for at least another 10 days.

Microsoft Issues Monster Patch Update

April 13, 2011

Microsoft released a record number of software updates yesterday to fix at least 64 security vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and Office products, including at least one that attackers are actively exploiting.

Updates are available for all versions of Windows via Windows Update or Automatic Update. Nine of the patches earned Microsoft’s “critical” rating, which means the vulnerabilities they fix could be exploited to compromise PCs with little or no action on the part of the user, apart from visiting a booby-trapped Web site or opening a tainted file.

Critical Security Updates for Adobe Acrobat, Flash, Reader

March 21, 2011

Adobe today released a software update to plug a critical security hole in its Flash Player, Adobe Acrobat and PDF Reader products. The patch comes a week after the software maker warned that miscreants were exploiting the Flash vulnerability to launch targeted attacks on users.

The Flash update address a critical vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player version 10.2.152.33 and earlier versions (Adobe Flash Player version 10.2.154.18 and earlier versions for Chrome users) for Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Solaris operating systems, Adobe Flash Player 10.1.106.16 and earlier versions for Android.