Last week, a security breach at the University of Nebraska resulted in hackers having gained potential access to the (financial and personal) records of 650,000 students, alumni, parents and university employees. The security breach was discovered by a staff member and quickly remedied, however, at this point in time it is not known exactly what information, if any, was actually …
Google is attempting to notify DNSChanger malware victims before they lose internet connectivity
Posted over on the Google Blog, you will find an article titled, “Notifying users affected by the DNSChanger malware“. They tried this last year with limited success, but this time, they are more serious about it and the chances are good that you are, in fact, infected if you receive the message, “Your computer appears to be infected. We believe …
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Physical Security: Cracking a MEILINK safe with a lost combination is actually possible! #SafeCracker
Do you need to get in a locked safe? Are you wanting a new career as a safecracker? Boy do I have news for you – It’s easier than you might think. My wifey has a MEILINK fire safe that holds important documents like birth certificates, and the millions of dollars in spare change we have (bah!) which is rarely …
Hard drive stolen from Miami’s Upper Valley Medical Center #encryption #dataloss #privacy
Here’s another case of a missing device from a medical facility… “Computer hard drive missing from UVMC hospital” A man walked into a medical center, and apparently stole a hard drive that from a computer in a patient admitting area near the main lobby. The quote that gets me was “The hospital does not believe any patient personal information is …
Bovinova 2.0 / 2012 was a great experience! Did you miss it? If so, there’s always Bovinova 3.0 in 2013!
Okay, so this last weekend was amazing… Bovinova 2.0 blew the first event out of the water! The bar has been raised considerably, so Bovinova 3.0 next year is going to have to be exponentially cooler to top it! What IS Bovinova you ask? It is a big (no, bigger than “big”) BBQ! They roast an entire cow over a …
Data Killer – Could tape & hard drive shredding & “DOD” wipes be a thing of the past?
Currently, the ONLY true way to ensure that your data is not recovered from an old hard drive is to destroy that drive by shredding it. In the video below, you will see a device that has the potential for erasing the data using the same method that was used to record that information, albeit much more powerful. It remains …
Greenville / Upstate musicians wanted for fun & funky band!
Okay, this has nothing to do with Homeland Secure IT, but it has everything to do with fun! Most of you who follow this blog also know I am a musician and you may or may not know that I am “between bands”. I’ve decided that starting a new, fun and funky band is what I really want to do. …
Apple OS X security update released to address clear text password flaw
Yesterday, Apple released an important security update that fixes vulnerabilities in all current versions of OS X. Over 35 security flaws are addressed in 19 different components that are part of OS X or OS X server including the Kernel, Bluetooth, Directory Service, QuickTime, Time Machine and others which could lead to elevation of privileges, DoS (Denial of Service) and …
Adobe releases patches to keep your Shockwave, Flash Professional, Photoshop and Illustrator secure
When prompted to install updates for your Adobe products, please do so… A number of patches are available that will address multiple vulnerabilities. This comes from our friend and partner, WatchGuard’s blog (follow the links through for Adobe’s official explanation): Adobe Patch Day: Shockwave, Flash Professional, Photoshop, and Illustrator Updates by Corey Nachreiner Severity: High Summary: These vulnerabilities affect: Adobe Shockwave Player, …
Is your smartphone spying on you? Privacy and security experts say that it could be…
I’ve posted links on Facebook & Twitter in the past, as well as a blog post here and there about privacy and security as it applies to smartphone and mobile computer users. Did you know that for just a few dollars an app can be purchased, and even installed remotely in some cases on a smart phone that will allow …