CCleaner a widely used utility was hacked opening a backdoor and allowing Malware to be attached to some seemingly legitimate versions of the software. As a precaution to our clients (Those under our IDMax protection) we set a global removal of any older versions. There are updated versions that are not susceptible and the 64Bit versions are not effected by this specific issue.   If you would like more info read below: Forbes – Hackers Hid Backdoor Avast Blog Response / Update  

As I have said many times undisclosed vulnerabilities make EVERYONE susceptible to exploits. In an attempt to extort money, a group know as Shadow Brokers has acquired a bunch of hacking tools used by the NSA (and others?).  These are a bit dated, but still very effective on Windows 7 to 2012.  When no one would pay the hush money they demanded they decided to just start releasing them to the public.  So now unpatched systems or ones with no current patch available can be fairly easily exploited. In layman terms someone you don’t like could have complete access to your computer.  Install or run any software they wanted including key loggers, monitoring software, viruses or just download or delete your files.  That’s not all either.  Think you’re safe behind your firewall?  There are also exploits for Cisco and VPN technologies. Read more on The Register. Remember to patch your systems or have us do it for you.

Damn you hackers!  I liked my old password.  If you are saying that, you’re not alone.  BUT you should be…  Liking a password means you are more likely to use it in multiple locations and not want to change it as often.  There is a reason for changing passwords frequently.  Things like this.  Just remember, this is a hack we found out about.  How many are out there you never hear of.  So, change it now, change it often!  Read more on Engadget below. Source: Hackers are trading millions of Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo logins

I have Good News and Bad News on the FBI vs. Apple front.  The good news is the FBI managed to gain access to the phone without Apple’s help.  The Bad News?  That this now means that there is a hack out there that allows people to gain access to data on your encrypted phone without your approval.  Yes, you are now less secure.  Will the FBI publish this exploit now that it knows about it?  Doubtful.  While it might like to keep this trick to itself for future use, it is by not disclosing this making ALL iPhone users less secure.  How hard would it be for a foreign government to do the same thing?  Hackers?  Read more below on the Register.

It’s all over! Egg and FBI faces in perfect alignment

Source: US govt says it has cracked killer’s iPhone, legs it from Apple fight

Score one for the good guys!  FBI takes down Darkode and with it invites numerous hackers both foreign and some close to home (Binghampton, NY) with crimes that include infecting computers with Bots, stealing data on over 200,000,000 occasions!  Defiantly worth a read.  Checkout the Network World Article by Michael Cooney  below:

Ransomware, malware and all manner of nefarious computer hacking tools allegedly available via Darkode

  Source: FBI, international law units smash infamous hacker bazaar Darkode | Network World

Attackers exploit zero-day flaw in popular WordPress plug-in | Network World.

Hackers hacked….  Then they leaked passwords..  Was yours one?  We don’t know.  You don’t either.  So CHANGE your passwords now.  Especially for Hulu, Amazon,  Walmart, Xbox live and many others….  Just change it!  Do it often and DO NOT use the same one on different sites.  Read more on Gizmodo below.

Hackers Leak Thousands of Passwords Because This Is How We Live Now.

This illustrates the importance of doing windows updates and keeping an up to date OS (XP is dead!) BUT… Even doing this, some things can still slip through the cracks.  Some for well over a decade!  Read more below. Microsoft fixes security flaw in Windows that existed for 19 years | Hack Read.

International BlackShades takedown nets the good guys 100+ bad guys. Read more at the links below.

FBI arrests 100 hackers over Blackshades malware | Technology | theguardian.com.

FBI — International Blackshades Malware Takedown