Symantec Urges Customers to Disable pcAnywhere

The breach of Symantec source code by an Indian hacking group a few weeks ago was all but brushed off by the security giant. Symantec went on the record saying that the leaked code is, "so old that current out-of-the-box security settings will suffice against any possible threats that might materialise as a result of this incident." 

However, in a posting on their website yesterday and an accompanying technical white paper, Symantec suggests that pcAnywhere customers are at a heightened risk and advises users to "disable the product until Symantec releases a final set of software updates that resolve currently known vulnerability risks." Customers could be at risk for "man in the middle" attacks where an unauthorized person accesses pcAnywhere transactions and intercepts data as it travels from its source to its destination. These attacks are more likely because the blueprints for Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition, Norton Internet Security, Norton SystemWorks (Norton Utilities and Norton GoBack) and pcAnywhere were accessed in the breach. The information contained in these blueprints makes it easier to identify and exploit software vulnerabilities. 

Symantec reps say that there are 50,000 people using the standalone version of pcAnywhere along with an unknown number of users who received the product bundled within other security packages.

Mobile Internet Adoption Introduces a New Level of Risk

The graph above shows mobile Internet growth accelerating at rates unseen before. This growth is higher than the Internet adoption rate of AOL or Netscape. Businesses see this growth, and are actively devising business strategies to drive revenue via these devices.
  

Mobile devices are becoming as powerful as our desktops and laptops, and the data that is stored on these mobile devices needs to be equally protected.

How will we manage this quickly-growing service? Going forward, Mobile Internet devices like SmartPhones and tablet PCs need security too. It is not just your internal network. Proactively manage your risk by creating a risk strategy with these devices in mind. 

Hot Topic: Smartphone Security

Cell phones have come a long way, from the Gordon Geckko 80's brick phone to today’s smartphones which are essentially pocket-sized computers.  Cell phones are no longer "just" a phone, they help us organize our lives, stay in touch via social networking, waste time. As more and more people adopt "smartphones" it is becoming an enticing frontier for hackers everywhere. Smartphone security is going beyond protecting against physical loss.  Many organizations that have employees who use smartphones to store company data often overlook simple security measures that are standard for any laptop or any other device with access to the internet.  

There are many companies that see this space for what it is, a relatively un-penetrated market with room for growth. Virtualization giant VMWare has partnered with smartphone manufacturer LG and they have begun building a smartphone with two virtualized machines, one for work and one for personal usage. These machines would be completely isolated from one another and allow an organization to support, distribute, and secure one type of smartphone while allowing employees to use the phone for personal use as well without risking exposing company data. Internet security firm Check Point Software found in a global survey that 64% of organizations are concerned that the growth in remote users will result in exposure to sensitive data and as a result are looking to encrypt and protect mobile devices. Smartphone manufacturers have also begun building proprietary encryption for their phones, or partnering with encryption companies. The gold standard for secure, encrypted smartphones is Blackberry which has been deemed secure for use in some of the highest levels of government.

Moral of the story is, protect yourself against these developing threats by installing anti-malware software on your smartphone and beware inherent threats when downloading mobile apps and clicking on mysterious links on social networking sites. Treat your cell phone like you treat your laptop, after all, the delineation between these devices is getting fuzzier and fuzzier.