LastPass password manager compromised

LastPass is a very popular password manager and yesterday the company announced in its blog that it noticed unusual activity in its developer environment in what it describes as a security incident.

Access was gained through a single compromised computer and parts of its source code were stolen. The company says that no access to the encrypted username or password storage was gained and users should not have to change their passwords.

If you currently don’t use a password manager you should consider using one. Most have ways to generate very secure passwords and passphrases and to store them in a very secure manner. LastPass and Bitwarden both have plugins for Chrome so that you can autofill login screens with a single click of a button.

Make sure to follow good password practices:

  • Use a different password for every site or app
  • Make sure the password is complex. If you can remember it, it is probably not a good password.
  • Do not write your passwords down
  • Do not share your passwords
  • Store your passwords in an encrypted vault such as a password manager

If you have any concerns about this or any other security issues, please get in touch.

Public security flaw on Apple devices

Apple https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/18/apple-security-flaw-hack-iphone-ipad-macs has reported a public security flaw on Apple devices which gives the hacker full admin rights and control, of the device. There is a security update which should be urgently applied to all Apple devices regardless of whether they are personal or work devices. If your employees connect to your work WiFi with their personal devices this is an even more important update since with access to their personal devices the hacker may be able to gain access to your business assets and data. The exploit can be fixed by updating to the latest software. All Apple devices are at risk so please update all iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and even iPods right now. It is being actively exploited.

It’s best not to wait until it automatically updates, since that can be days or weeks after the release. Also, please share this with the people you care about.

Popular media player is being used to launch malware assaults

VLC is a popular media player for good reason. It’s free and open-source and works on almost every conceivable platform. It can also handle almost any audio or video file that you would want to use. VLC is also lightweight. This means that your Windows machine will not slow down unless it contains malicious software.

However, a Chinese hacker group called Cicada is using VLC on Windows PCs to deploy malware.

According to Symantec, Cicada captures a clean version of VLC and drops malicious files along with the media player’s export feature. This is the method that hackers always use to sneak malware into real software. Cicada then has full control over the hacked machine through the VNC remote access server. Then they use hacking tools to scan the targeted computer, download new malicious software, and hide the connection between the hacked device and the hacker’s command and control server.

Maintaining up-to-date security software, employing strong passwords, and backing up vital data are all actions that may be performed to help guard against this kind of hacking. 

Malware detections surge in New Zealand and abroad

In what has been called a COVID bounce, there are reports that a year after the pandemic peak, malicious threats to businesses and consumers rose above pre-virus levels, especially for mobile devices.

With so many people working from home, it can be concerning when devices are used for both business and private use, because private computers and mobile devices often don’t have the same levels of security or backups needed to protect sensitive business data.

If you want to talk about your situation or understand what the risk is to your business information, please get in touch for a no-obligation chat.