Application and platform security
Applications and platform security is the basis of preventing vulnerabilities and attacks. Learn the latest about applications attacks, secure software development, patch management, OS security, virtualization, open source security, API security, web app and server security and more.
Top Stories
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News
19 May 2025
New GitHub Copilot agent edges into DevOps
The GitHub Copilot coding agent can take on toilsome tasks such as bug fixes and code reviews with its own GitHub Actions pull requests. Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2025
News brief: Patch critical SAP, Samsung and chat app flaws now
Check out the latest security news from the Informa TechTarget team. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2022
Implement API rate limiting to reduce attack surfaces
Rate limiting can help developers prevent APIs from being overwhelmed with requests, thus preventing denial-of-service attacks. Learn how to implement rate limiting here. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2022
API security methods developers should use
Developers can reduce the attack surface by implementing security early in the API development process and knowing methods to secure older APIs that can't be deprecated. Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2022
(ISC)2 study finds long remediation times for Log4Shell
An (ISC)2 survey of cybersecurity professionals found Log4Shell remediation for many organizations took several weeks or more than a month, requiring work on weekends and holidays. Continue Reading
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News
17 Feb 2022
FBI: BEC attacks spreading to virtual meetings
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces have shifted to virtual meeting platforms, and the FBI warned that threat actors have taken note. Continue Reading
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News
17 Feb 2022
Snyk enters cloud security market with Fugue acquisition
Analysts say the acquisition of Fugue will give Snyk an opportunity to build a presence in the cloud security market and strengthen its infrastructure-as-code capabilities. Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Feb 2022
Shifting security left requires a GitOps approach
Shifting security left improves efficiency and minimizes risk in software development. Before successfully implementing this approach, however, key challenges must be addressed. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Feb 2022
How to successfully scale software bills of materials usage
Companies must plan properly when implementing software bills of materials at scale. Accomplish these three goals to keep SBOMs updated, accurate and actionable, despite complexity. Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2022
After rough January, IT gets a mild February Patch Tuesday
With one public disclosure and not a critical vulnerability in sight, administrators will have time to recover from the roller coaster of patch problems from last month. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2022
Microsoft disables VBA macros by default
Microsoft's change in the default settings of five Office applications aims to shut down a widely used and longstanding threat vector to enterprises. Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2022
More than 1,000 malware packages found in NPM repository
Researchers with WhiteSource were able to find some 1,300 examples of malware hiding under the guise of legitimate JavaScript packages on the NPM repository. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Feb 2022
Network security gets a boost in Windows Server 2022
Secured-core server is a major new security feature in Windows Server 2022, but Microsoft also introduced multiple ways to keep network connections protected in its new server OS. Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Jan 2022
IaC security options help reduce software development risk
The use of infrastructure as code is increasing among developers, but security teams can take advantage of a growing number of tools to make sure IaC doesn't increase risk. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jan 2022
Include defensive security in your cybersecurity strategy
Is your company's cybersecurity strategy comprehensive enough to protect against an expanding threat landscape? Learn how developing defensive security strategies can help. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jan 2022
Protect APIs against attacks with this security testing guide
API security cannot be overlooked. Learn how security testing can detect API vulnerabilities and weaknesses before attackers can take advantage of them. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Jan 2022
What is shellcode and how is it used?
Shellcode is a set of instructions that executes a command in software to take control of or exploit a compromised machine. Read up on the malware term and how to mitigate the risk. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2022
Monero and the complicated world of privacy coins
Monero is known for being one of the most common cryptocurrencies seen in illicit transactions, but its development community paints a different picture of the privacy coin. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jan 2022
How to start implementing passwordless authentication today
Everyone is tired of passwords, but a truly passwordless world isn't quite there yet. Learn what options companies currently have to implement passwordless authentication. Continue Reading
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News
20 Jan 2022
Crypto.com confirms $35M lost in cyber attack
The cryptocurrency exchange had claimed no customer funds were lost in the recent cyber attack, but now admits 4,836.26 ETH and 443.93 bitcoin was stolen. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jan 2022
Introduction to automated penetration testing
Automated penetration testing, which speeds up the process for companies and vendors, is maturing. Is it ready to close the time gap between vulnerability discovery and mitigation? Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2022
Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com hit by cyber attack
The cryptocurrency exchange said it detected unauthorized activity on some user accounts over the weekend, but questions remain on the severity of the attacks. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2022
Exchange Server woes continue on January Patch Tuesday
Exchange Server admins who had to cope with a Y2K22 error to start the new year have three more vulnerabilities of varying levels of severity to resolve for Patch Tuesday. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Jan 2022
Rijndael
Rijndael (pronounced rain-dahl) is an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2022
Chainalysis: Cryptocurrency crime reaches all-time high
While illicit activity peaked at $14 billion in 2021, Chainalysis said it's a drop in the bucket compared with overall transactions amid 'roaring adoption' of cryptocurrency. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2022
VMware ESXi 7 users vulnerable to hypervisor takeover bug
A recent security update addressed a hypervisor takeover vulnerability in several VMware products, but the patch omitted one key server platform in ESXi 7. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2022
New Zloader attacks thwarting Microsoft signature checks
Check Point Software Technologies found a long-known trick of injecting code into valid file signatures remains effective for spreading malware such as Zloader. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jan 2022
Is quantum computing ready to disrupt cybersecurity?
Quantum computing isn't here yet, but now is the time for companies to start considering how it may affect their business -- both negatively and positively -- in the next decade. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Dec 2021
Encrypting File System (EFS)
Encrypting File System (EFS) provides an added layer of protection by encrypting files or folders on various versions of the Microsoft Windows OS. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
28 Dec 2021
How to make security accessible to developers
Apps are too often released with flaws and vulnerabilities. Learn how to make security accessible to developers by integrating best practices into the development lifecycle. Continue Reading
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News
23 Dec 2021
ManageEngine attacks draw warning from FBI
The FBI said a vulnerability in the ManageEngine Desktop Central IT management tool is being used by APT actors in targeted network attacks dating back to October. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2021
How to mitigate Log4Shell, the Log4j vulnerability
The easy-to-exploit Log4j vulnerability known as Log4Shell is dangerous and must be dealt with as soon as possible. Get pointers on how to mitigate and monitor the threat. Continue Reading
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News
20 Dec 2021
Log4j 2.17.0 fixes newly discovered exploit
The Log4j 2.17.0 update is the third of its kind since Log4Shell was disclosed and the mass exploitation began. Versions 2.15.0 and 2.16.0 patched remote code execution bugs. Continue Reading
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News
20 Dec 2021
Apple v. NSO Group: How will it affect security researchers?
While the full extent of impact won't be revealed until the lawsuit concludes, negative impacts on security researchers are possible. Continue Reading
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News
20 Dec 2021
Critical bugs could go unpatched amid Log4j concern
Many organizations are focused on finding and patching Log4Shell, but there are other vulnerabilities, including Patch Tuesday bugs, already under active exploitation. Continue Reading
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Podcast
17 Dec 2021
Risk & Repeat: Log4Shell shakes infosec industry
This Risk & Repeat podcast episode looks at the latest developments with Log4Shell and the efforts to mitigate the critical remote code executive vulnerability. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
Log4j gets a second update as security woes pile up
Administrators who were already scrambling to patch up the Log4Shell flaw are now being advised to update to Log4j version 2.16.0 following the discovery of issues in 2.15.0. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
Log4Shell flaw looms over December Patch Tuesday
Microsoft issued security updates for 67 CVEs, including a Windows AppX Installer zero-day, but a Java-based vulnerability has many IT departments on edge. Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2021
Log4Shell: Experts warn of bug's severity, reach
Check Point Research said in a blog post 'anyone can make a Log4Shell exploit,' as it only requires a single string of malicious code. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Dec 2021
4 API authentication methods to better protect data in transit
The API attack surface isn't always well protected. Learn about the authentication methods your company can use to secure its APIs. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Dec 2021
What is a micro VM (micro virtual machine)?
A micro VM (micro virtual machine) is a virtual machine program that serves to isolate an untrusted computing operation from a computer's host operating system. Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2021
Fixes for Log4j flaw arise as attacks soar
Exploits against the Log4j security vulnerability are already commonplace just days after its disclosure, but some vendors are already offering mitigations and detection tools. Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2021
Critical Log4j flaw exploited a week before disclosure
The Apache Software Foundation first found out about the Log4j 2 vulnerability in late November, but Cisco and Cloudflare detected exploitation in the wild shortly after. Continue Reading
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Definition
13 Dec 2021
password salting
Password salting is a technique to protect passwords stored in databases by adding a string of 32 or more characters and then hashing them. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2021
Critical Apache Log4j 2 bug under attack; mitigate now
The Log4j 2 flaw has a base CVSS score of 10 and enables remote code execution against applications, cloud services and PC games with vulnerable configurations. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2021
Recent quantum computing advances point to brighter future
The past year saw a handful of breakthrough technologies from IBM and Honeywell, bringing the future promises of quantum computing closer to a present-day reality. Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Dec 2021
Cloud application developers need built-in security
Enterprises plan to increase cloud application security spending in 2022. Find out how security vendors and cloud application developers can meet their needs. Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2021
17 Discord malware packages found in NPM repository
These latest reports of Discord malware follow a trend of threat actors using open source software repositories to host malware, two JFrog researchers said. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Dec 2021
OCSP (Online Certificate Status Protocol)
OCSP (Online Certificate Status Protocol) is one of two common schemes used to maintain the security of a server and other network resources. Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2021
Cambridge Quantum delivers first quantum encryption keys
Cambridge Quantum, newly merged with Honeywell's Quantum Solutions division, has debuted the first as-a-service cryptographic key generator for quantum computing. Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2021
BlackByte ransomware attacks exploiting ProxyShell flaws
Red Canary said BlackByte's campaign is using wormable ransomware against organizations vulnerable to ProxyShell flaws in Microsoft Exchange. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2021
Windows Installer zero-day under active exploitation
McAfee said the Windows Installer vulnerability is being exploited in 23 countries around the world, including the United States, China, India and others. Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2021
Researcher drops instant admin Windows zero-day bug
A newly-disclosed zero-day vulnerability in Windows could potentially allow local users to elevate their permissions to administrator status, and Microsoft has yet to post a fix. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Nov 2021
cookie poisoning
Cookie poisoning is a type of cyber attack in which a bad actor hijacks, forges, alters or manipulates a cookie to gain unauthorized access to a user's account, open a new account in the user's name or steal the user's information for purposes such as identity theft. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
16 Nov 2021
3 ways to balance app innovation with app security
New innovations come with an onslaught of risks and vulnerabilities. Use these three concepts to promote innovation, while ensuring web application security. Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2021
Microsoft releases out-of-band update for Windows Server
Less than a week after November's Patch Tuesday, Microsoft released an unscheduled security update for Windows Server to address an authentication vulnerability. Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2021
Medical devices at risk from Siemens Nucleus vulnerabilities
Thirteen bugs, including a critical security flaw, have been patched in the Siemens Nucleus TCP/IP stack, a vital component for millions of connected medical devices. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Nov 2021
cross-site scripting (XSS)
Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a type of injection attack in which a threat actor inserts data, such as a malicious script, into content from otherwise trusted websites. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Nov 2021
cache poisoning
Cache poisoning is a type of cyber attack in which attackers insert fake information into a domain name system (DNS) cache or web cache for the purpose of harming users. Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2021
CISA requires agencies to patch nearly 300 vulnerabilities
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a directive for government agencies that requires patching for hundreds of known software security vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2021
Trojan Source bugs enable 'invisible' source code poisoning
A pair of flaws in nearly every popular programming language enables attackers to hide malicious code in plain sight without the ability to be detected prior to compiling. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Oct 2021
Amid explosive growth, API security a growing concern
APIs are expanding exponentially across the technology landscape and creating a vast attack surface that enterprise security teams are struggling to understand and defend. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
28 Oct 2021
Applying security to operating models requires collaboration
Balancing business needs with security is more important than ever. Integrating operating models with reference architectures is a key step in the process. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Oct 2021
payload (computing)
In computing, a payload is the carrying capacity of a packet or other transmission data unit. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Oct 2021
script kiddie
Script kiddie is a derogative term that computer hackers coined to refer to immature, but often just as dangerous, exploiters of internet security weaknesses. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2021
Admins: Patch management is too complex and cumbersome
A new survey from Ivanti shows a majority of administrators and infosec professionals feel the shift to decentralized workspaces has made patch management an even bigger headache. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Oct 2021
cryptographic nonce
A nonce is a random or semi-random number that is generated for a specific use. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
04 Oct 2021
5 principles for AppSec program maturity
Applications remain a top cause of external data breaches. Follow these five principles to achieve application security program maturity. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Oct 2021
IP spoofing
Internet Protocol (IP) spoofing is a type of malicious attack where the threat actor hides the true source of IP packets to make it difficult to know where they came from. Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2021
FireEye and McAfee Enterprise announce product mashup
Merger-happy investment firm STG has let slip that it will integrate the product lines of McAfee Enterprise and FireEye. Analysts say it will be a challenging road ahead. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Sep 2021
6 reasons unpatched software persists in the enterprise
Patching is like flossing -- everyone knows they should do it, yet too few do it often and well. Explore why unpatched software is still ubiquitous, despite the risks. Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2021
Microsoft releases emergency Exchange Server mitigation tool
Microsoft turned its attention to organizations that are slower to patch by releasing an emergency mitigation tool as a temporary fix against current threats. Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2021
Microsoft details 'OMIGOD' Azure vulnerability fixes, threats
Microsoft fixed the open source OMI software during last week's Patch Tuesday, but the tech giant has struggled to get the updated agents to Azure customers. Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2021
‘OMIGOD’ vulnerabilities put Azure customers at risk
OMI, the software agent at the center of a remote code execution flaw, is "just one example" of silent, pre-installed software in cloud environments, according to one researcher. Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2021
Google patches actively exploited Chrome zero-days
Two more vulnerabilities in Google's web browser joined a growing list of Chrome zero-days that have been actively exploited in the wild this year. Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2021
'Azurescape': New Azure vulnerability fixed by Microsoft
The Azure Container Instances vulnerability would have allowed malicious actors to execute code on other customers' containers, but there have been no reports of exploitation. Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2021
ProxyShell attacks ramping up on unpatched Exchange Servers
Security experts say active attacks on the series of Microsoft Exchange Server flaws, which can be chained to take control of servers, are already being launched in the wild. Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2021
Atlassian Confluence flaw under active attack
Administrators are advised to patch immediately after security experts confirmed mass scanning and exploits against a critical remote code execution vulnerability. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2021
New 'ProxyToken' Exchange Server vulnerability disclosed
The Exchange Server vulnerability could allow an attacker 'to copy all emails addressed to a target and account and forward them to an account controlled by the attacker.' Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2021
Researchers discover critical flaw in Azure Cosmos DB
Wiz security researchers found a new attack vector in Microsoft Azure, which if exploited could allow an attacker to gain access to customers primary keys. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
27 Aug 2021
How to navigate cybersecurity product coverage
Cybersecurity tools are complex. It can be difficult for organizations to know which tools do what, and which tools they need -- or don't. Continue Reading
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News
26 Aug 2021
Microsoft finally issues ProxyShell security advisory
The ProxyShell advisory includes a call to patch, as well as details on which Exchange servers are vulnerable. In short: Those without the May security update are unprotected. Continue Reading
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Podcast
26 Aug 2021
Risk & Repeat: ProxyShell problems mount
CISA warned threat actors have begun exploiting the dangerous ProxyLogon flaws, but tens of thousands of vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers remain online. Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2021
Bugs aplenty as VMware, Cisco and F5 drop security updates
Two critical updates from Cisco, remote code execution flaws in F5's Big-IP, and a half-dozen VMware security holes are among the more pressing issues for admins to address. Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2021
CISA: ProxyShell flaws being actively exploited, patch now
Security researchers weighed in with evidence of ProxyShell exploitation by threat actors using malicious web shells and a new ransomware variant called 'LockFile.' Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2021
Many Exchange servers still vulnerable to ProxyLogon, ProxyShell
Tens of thousands of Exchange servers are still vulnerable to ProxyLogon and ProxyShell, and security researchers estimate honeypots represent only a small slice of those systems. Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2021
New ransomware crew hammers on PrintNightmare bugs
PrintNightmare, the Microsoft print spooler flaws patched in July, is the favorite target for a new ransomware group known as Vice Society, according to Cisco Talos. Continue Reading
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News
12 Aug 2021
Microsoft discloses new print spooler flaw without patch
The latest flaw in Windows print spooler software, which has yet to be patched, comes weeks after the PrintNightmare vulnerability and other related bugs. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Aug 2021
Cloud-native security benefits and use cases
'Cloud native' has described applications and services for years, but its place in security is less clear. Get insight into cloud-native security from expert Dave Shackleford. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Aug 2021
11 video conferencing security and privacy best practices
Video conferencing tools are a remote worker's lifeline. As such, it is essential to maintain their security. These 11 best practices will help ensure secure, private, video-enabled meetings. Continue Reading
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News
05 Aug 2021
Mandiant: Microsoft 365 the 'Holy Grail' for nation-state hackers
Mandiant researchers discussed mailbox compromises, app registration abuse and new extensions of the Golden SAML attack technique against Microsoft 365 at Black Hat 2021. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2021
Open source web app projects hailed for quickly patching bugs
Nine vulnerabilities in three popular open source SMB tools were cleaned up within 24 hours after Rapid7 reported the flaws to their development teams. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2021
U.K. man arrested in connection with 2020 Twitter breach
A 22-year-old U.K. resident was arrested in Spain and will face extradition on charges related to a social engineering operation that netted big-name Twitter accounts. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2021
Hackers embrace 5-day workweeks, unpatched vulnerabilities
Bad guys are taking the weekends off too, according to Barracuda Networks, and old bugs that should have been patched months ago continue to be the most-targeted vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 Jul 2021
How to prevent software piracy
Pirated software is still a major concern nowadays. Uncover how to prevent software piracy and protect your organization's intellectual property. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2021
Microsoft's 'PrintNightmare' lingers, requires new patches
July's Patch Tuesday update includes critical fixes, but one well-known remote code execution bug might remain open for those with specific registry key settings. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2021
Why patching vulnerabilities is still a problem, and how to fix it
Patching is still a struggle for many organizations, and challenges include limited resources, technical debt, decentralized infrastructure and much more. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jun 2021
Common Linux vulnerabilities admins need to detect and fix
Server admins need to prepare for a variety of common Linux vulnerabilities, from software and hardware vulnerabilities to employee-created ones and even digital espionage. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jun 2021
How to implement Linux security best practices
When setting up security for a company's infrastructure, admins need to focus on backups, patch management and regular vulnerability scans. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2021
Atlassian moves to lock down accounts from takeover bugs
Check Point Research uncovered a set of flaws that, if chained together, would have enabled attackers to hijack accounts with single sign-on enabled. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2021
Dell BIOSConnect flaws affect 30 million devices
Eclypsium researchers discovered vulnerabilities that, if exploited, can allow remote code execution in a pre-boot environment for 128 different Dell products. Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2021
Apple issues patches for two more WebKit zero-days
Apple said both WebKit zero-days, which affect older iOS devices, have reportedly been exploited in the wild, but further details about the threat activity are unknown. Continue Reading