Microsoft and Apple rushed patches for their operating systems to address the concern.

Now that operating systems have been updated, researchers are talking more specifically about what the problems were. We know there were two major flaws— Meltdown and Spectre. Meltdown affects only Intel chips, while Spectre affects Intel, ARM, and AMD processors.

The Meltdown flaw could allow a hacker to use a low-privilege program to access files in a computer’s kernel —  the core of an operating system. Essentially, a rogue process (e.g. malware or JavaScript running in web browsers) could access and steal sensitive data like private files, passwords, and crypto-keys.

Spectre exploits a process called speculative execution, which speeds up computer processes by predicting what work needs to be done before it is requested. Hackers could potentially trick programs into reading private data, which modifies the data cache. If the hacker can then access the data cache, he could access that private data.

It’s important to note that these aren’t speculative threats; we’ve already seen several exploit tools on publicly available sites, which we won’t link here for obvious reasons.

The security updates work great, except for one big problem.

The patches for Meltdown and Spectre fix the problem and make the chips safe to use. Unfortunately, these fixes slow down computers. Intel admitted that chip performance would likely slow down by six percent (as much as 14 percent for some tasks).

In a statement, the company said, “the typical home and business PC user should not see significant slowdowns in common tasks such as reading email, writing a document or accessing digital photos.” However, the statement also says that the company will continue searching for solutions where patching causes “significant” slowdowns, admitting that the some will experience a more major impact.

Has anyone actually exploited the Meltdown or Spectre vulnerabilities?

One of the most disturbing aspects to the story is that a successful exploitation of these flaws would leave no trace. That means that security experts don’t know if any hackers discovered and exploited this flaw before security experts fixed it.

We may never know for sure, but there’s good reason to believe it’s possible. Three independent teams discovered and reported Meltdown. Who’s to say a fourth team to didn’t discover it long ago and keep it a secret? After all, the flaw has existed for approximately 20 years, and we know that government organizations (like our NSA) stockpile vulnerabilities without reporting them.

Two teams independently discovered and reported the Spectre flaw. Again, there’s a distinct possibility that another team found it but kept it to themselves.

The chip bugs have a wide-reaching impact.

Just about everyone who owns a modern computing device could be vulnerable to one or both of these bugs. While Meltdown affects only Intel chips, Spectre poses a risk to smartphones, laptops, desktops, and cloud servers.

To protect yourself against Meltdown and Spectre, make sure your operating system is updated. If there is a silver lining to these unfortunate discoveries, it’s the chance to remind the public of the importance of an up-to-date operating system.

To discuss penetration testing (PEN testing) services, call Datarecovery.com at 1-800-237-4200.

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The United States Department of Homeland Security recently warned PC users against using Internet Explorer, as a bug discovered by FireEye Research Labs could allow a hacker to circumvent the security protections in various Windows operating systems. The hack uses Adobe Flash, a popular web browser add-on.

“Many users and small businesses are simply not using Internet Explorer to avoid the exploit, but this is not an effective solution,” said Michael Katich, Lead Programmer and Analyst at DataRecovery.com. “If Internet Explorer is your default browser, you’re one click away from a serious security risk.”

“Even if your default browser isn’t Internet Explorer, a hacker could still infiltrate your system,” Katich explained. “For instance, a program installed on your computer could instruct Internet Explorer to run, which could then allow unauthorized users direct access to your machine.”

DataRecovery.com offers the following solutions to the exploit:

• Disable the Adobe Flash Plugin in Internet Explorer. After clicking the Settings menu in Internet Explorer, click “Manage add-ons,” then find the Adobe Flash plugin and click “Disable”.
• Uninstall Adobe Flash Altogether. Flash can be uninstalled through Windows’ Add/Remove Programs interface. As Flash is a commonly used program, this may be an unrealistic solution, but it’s a viable option for high-security systems.
• Enable Enhanced Protected Mode in Internet Explorer 10 or Later. DataRecovery.com recommends keeping web browsers updated to prevent security issues. Newer versions of the browser have an enhanced protection feature, accessible through the Internet Options menu. On the “Advanced” tab, click “Enable Enhanced Protected Mode” to add an extra layer of protection to the browser.
• Uninstall Internet Explorer. If you do not use Internet Explorer regularly, you can completely uninstall it. Go to Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, then click Turn Windows Features On or Off. Depending on your Windows version, you can then un-click Internet Explorer or select the program to uninstall it.
• While these steps can protect against current versions of the exploit, DataRecovery.com also recommends regularly updating web browser software and avoiding potential security issues by using firewalls and third-party security programs to mitigate risks.

Datarecovery.com is a world leader in data recovery and computer forensics. With four locations across the US and Canada, the company provides a variety of data recovery services to thousands of clients each year. Visit www.datarecovery.com for more information.

Contact Information

Datarecovery.com, Inc.
Ben Carmitchel
1-602-635-2020
www.datarecovery.com
Michael Katich 618-307-0070 ext.257

The post DataRecovery.com Offers List of Solutions to Protect Against Flash Exploit in Internet Explorer appeared first on Datarecovery.com.