Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit

Earlier this year I installed Microsoft's Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) version 3.  The Microsoft blog describes EMT as... "a free utility that helps prevent vulnerabilities in software from being successfully exploited for code execution. It does so by opt-ing in software to the latest security mitigation technologies. The result is that a wide variety of software is made significantly more resistant to exploitation – even against zero day vulnerabilities and vulnerabilities for which an update has not yet been applied."

I'm not sure why "Experience" is in the name of the product.  EMET helps prevent bug exploits by forcing application address space layout randomization and data execution prevention in addition.

With the recent Microsoft zero-day patches, I learned that EMET is up to version 5.  The latest versions add compatibility fixes and additional security protections.

Download the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit 5.  For those uninstalling a previous version, go to the Programs page in Control Panel and look for "EMET".

BlackBerry Smartphone - First Look

Turning on a new unlocked BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, the messaging hub is impressive.  The hardware and phone software work together smoothly, and multitasking works allowing apps to continue to run when another app is started.  The built-in security and device encryption is appreciated.  Granular controls of app access to the device (files, contacts, camera, etc.) is a huge improvement over iPhone/Android and was one of the features which attracted me to the BlackBerry.  Speaker sound is surprisingly good.  For a model two years old, the camera is OK.

I'm not missing the junk apps that were installed on other phones.  There is no need for developers to create hundreds of flashlight apps, as a flashlight is built in.  Beyond the BlackBerry World app showcase, Amazon's appstore is available by using the Browser to go to http://amazon.com/getappstore and clicking the prominent download button.  Must-haves such as PasswdSafe, Opera web browser, and Pandora music are there.

The BlackBerry hub, which integrates email, SMS, phone logs, multiple email accounts, and even what is playing on Pandora is simply fantastic.  Contacts can be selected for prioritization in the hub, and it shows actions/contacts by day and time.  On the case there is a red indicator which flashes upon a new contact - much like old-style office phones with a flashing light for voicemail, this flashes (without having to look at the screen display).

Excited to have BlackBerry Blend available on this device soon.  It was recently released for the new BlackBerry Passport, to rave reviews.  Access everything from other devices, without a security-prone hackfest.  Wow!
From the manufacturer website, "...software you can download for your computer and tablet that seamlessly brings messaging and content that’s on your BlackBerry smartphone to your computer and tablet."

Shockwave Vulnerabilities

I read this post on Krebs on Security, about how Adobe is not keeping Shockwave patched to prevent recent exploits.  The post encourages us to ask why Shockwave is needed on MS Windows.

I uninstalled Shockwave a couple weeks ago, and haven't noticed any incompatibilities.  Software minimization is a principle of secure systems, so removing unneeded software is a good move toward more secure systems.