Security Alerts February 2016 Edition

Want to be cyber safe? Here is a selection of security news, recommendations and how to guides from the Lxpert Community.

How to guides

Don't forget to take a look at our handy user guides:

• How to create a secure password and keep it safe?
• How to stop Windows 10 from spying on you?
• How to install Java update like a pro?
• What to do when Windows Update failed to run?

Security Alerts

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft is forcing Windows 10 upgrade?

News: Microsoft quietly made its optional Windows 10 update into a “recommended” update (Tomshardware)

Recommendation: change your Windows update settings and turn off recommended updates. A guide will be provided soon.

Windows 10 Privacy issues

News: Cortana Is Listening (Tomshardware)

News: Microsoft has revealed details about the data it is tracking via its new operating system (OS), Windows 10 (BBC News)

Recommendation: check out our special guide on how to stop Windows 10 from spying on you

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, 9, 10 are no longer supported

News: Internet Explorer users 'at risk' as tech support ends (BBC news)
News: Microsoft warns of Internet Explorer flaw (BBC news)
Recommendation: Update your Internet Explorer to the latest version, or try Firefox instead.

Ransomware virus

News: Microsoft has released a rescue tool for the recent file-encrypting virus ransomware TeslaCrypt (ZD Net)

Recommendation: Go to Microsoft Protection Centre info here

eDellRoot

News: Dell admits security flaw was built in to computers (BBC News)

Recommendation: Go to Dell Knowledge Base here

Android

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

News: Google reveals Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge has 11 security flaws (BBC News)

Recommendation: Keep your Samsung smart phone up to date with the latest patches.

Android devices

News: Google Android is still not 100% safe from Stagefright exploits, security experts said. (Tomshardware)

Recommendation: Keep your Android device up to date with the latest patches.

Hardware

Netgear routers vulnerability

News: Serious vulnerability found on Netgear routers. It affects ~5000 devices. The exploit targets DNS settings on the devices. The fix will be released on 14 Oct 2015. Please check and patch if needed. Affected routers: JNR1010v2, JWNR2000v5, JWNR2010v5, WNR614, WNR618, WNR1000v4, WNR2020, WNR2020v2 (BBC News)

Recommendation: Update your Netgear router with the latest release.

Lenovo Super fish malware

News: Researchers find 'massive security risk' (BBC News)

News: Lenovo does it again as LSE component removed after security fears (The Guardian)

Recommendation: Check our the Lenovo support site https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/product_security

Business

ASDA

News: Asda bug exposed online shopping payment details (BBC News)
Recommendation: stay safe, don't open multiple tabs on different sites when shopping online.

TalkTalk

News: Nearly 157,000 had data breached in TalkTalk cyber-attack (The Guardian)

Recommendation: If you were a TalkTalk customer, please contact TalkTalk customer services.

Vodafone

News: Almost 2,000 Vodafone customers 'open to fraud' (BBC News)

Recommendation: If you were a Vodafone customer, please contact Vodafone customer services.

T-mobile US customer

News: 15 million T-Mobile US customers personal data was stolen in the recent security breach at Experian. (BBC News)

Recommendation: If you were a T-mobile US customer, please contact the T-mobile customer services.