Critical Patches Issued for Microsoft Products
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Microsoft products, the most severe of which could allow for remote code execution in the context of the logged-on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
Affected Systems:
- Many Microsoft products including, but not limited to, Office, Exchange Server, and Azure
Risk:
- Large and medium business entities: High
- Small business entities: Medium
Remediation Recommendations
References
Vulnerability in Apple Products
Could Allow for Privilege Escalation
A vulnerability has been discovered in Apple products, which could allow for privilege escalation. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow for privilege escalation in the context of the logged-on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
Affected Systems:
Risk:
- Large and medium business entities: High
- Small business entities: Medium
Remediation Recommendations
References
Multiple Vulnerabilities in ChromeOS
Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in ChromeOS, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. ChromeOS is a Linux-based operating system developed and designed by Google. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
Affected Systems:
Risk:
- Large and medium business entities: High
- Small business entities: Medium
Remediation Recommendations
References
Multiple Vulnerabilities in Google Android OS
Could Allow for Remote Code Execution
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Google Android OS, the most severe of which could allow for remote code execution. Android is an operating system developed by Google for mobile devices, including, but not limited to, smartphones, tablets, and watches. Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for remote code execution. Depending on the privileges associated with the exploited component, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full rights.
Affected Systems:
- Android 14 patch levels prior to 2023-10-01
Risk:
- Large and medium business entities: High
- Small business entities: Medium
Remediation Recommendation
References
QR Codes As a Risk
SlashNext outlines QR code phishing, or “quishing,” noting that users should treat QR codes with the same wariness warranted by normal URLs: “Traditional security filters, including Microsoft SafeLinks and other URL rewriting solutions, often focus on URLs. By using QR codes instead, attackers can sidestep these filters, making their phishing attempts more likely to succeed.”
SlashNext adds, “QR codes are used in various contexts, such as marketing campaigns, ticketing systems, and contactless payments. This wide range of applications provides hackers with numerous opportunities to exploit QR codes for their malicious purposes.”
