Gladiator Research and Security

GSA Reference Number: AD091026-01

Simply Put: A phishing email is currently circulating that appears to be from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  The email includes a link that will forward users to a fraudulent website that will request personal information and attempt to infect the user’s machine with viruses.  We have already detected infections at several financial institutions as a result of this email.

GSA Reference Number: AD091014-01

Simply Put: Adobe has released a critical patch to address 29 security vulnerabilities in its Acrobat and Reader products. These vulnerabilities have been rated Critical and could lead to remote code execution or denial of service.  All versions of Acrobat and Reader earlier than 9.2 are affected, including Windows, Macintosh and Unix versions.  Gladiator recommends that this patch is applied to all workstations as soon as possible.

Microsoft has announced 13 new patches for its monthly patch release cycle.  These patches fix multiple Microsoft products, including Windows, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft .NET Framework.   Eight patches are rated Critical, and affect all of the previously listed products, thereby allowing for remote code execution on vulnerable systems.  Gladiator recommends that users  immediately apply all Critical patches to their systems. Detailed information for the patches can be found in Microsoft’s October Security Bulletin.