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Microsoft Security Updates February 2020 – Release Notes

Microsoft Security Updates February 2020 – Release Notes
Microsoft’s February security updates releases include updates for the following applications:
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Edge (EdgeHTML-based)
• Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)
• ChakraCore
• Internet Explorer
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office Services and Web Apps
• Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
• Windows Surface Hub

This link has the full list of what updates are included : ADV200003

The following links have FAQs with additional information about the named update, along with any known issues or special steps to complete the installation.

DFARS and NIST 800-171 are you Compliant?

 What is NIST 800-171?
The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204.7012 establishes NIST 800-171 as the minimum security standard a contractor should have to adequately protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). This publication was issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).  NIST 800-171 provides guidance for the protection of CUI when processed, stored and used in non-federal information systems.

Meltdown and Spectre: What Are They and Should I Be Scared?

If you follow the news you have probably already heard of the Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities affecting a large portion of the processors used in computers, tablets and smartphones. But you may be asking yourself, what are they really? Am I at risk? What can I do about it?

 
What are Meltdown and Spectre?
No, they aren't James Bond movies (technically one of them was). Meltdown is an exploit that allows attacks to bypass the layer between applications and hardware to access the computer's memory.

CRM Client in Outlook Stops Displaying Records after Office Update

The Problem
Our team recently came across an issue where customers reported to us that the CRM Client for Outlook appears to be properly configured and connected, but the CRM records do not display as expected.
The Symptoms
The problem manifests as “waiting for a page to be retrieved” and the expected records from CRM are never brought after waiting over an hour.

The Petya Ransomware Outbreak

This new version of the Petya ransomware is spreading rapidly, affecting organizations, businesses, and end users, turning into an outbreak reminiscent of the one caused by WannaCry.  It has already impacted many organizations, both large and small.

The attackers are distributing the ransomware, dubbed Petya, via a malicious email campaign targeting human resource departments.