DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Warns that Unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers Vulnerable to CVE-2020-0688
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE-2020-0688)
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a cyber security bulletin about a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Servers. The security bug is a remote code execution vulnerability, known as Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE-2020-0688) or CVE-2020-0688. Unpatched servers are a target for hackers and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. Hackers can exploit CVE-2020-0688 to launch a cyberattack to control unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers. The hackers can execute a successful attack using email credentials.
Microsoft issued security updates to fix CVE-2020-0688 in February 2020. The Microsoft Advisory can be read on Microsoft’s Advisory
But hackers operating at the behest of governments are still exploiting this vulnerability on unpatched machines.
Advanced persistent threat actors are also targeting unpatched servers, according to recent open-source reports. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) urges users and administrators to review Microsoft’s Advisory.
View the National Security Agency’s tweet on CVE-2020-0688. System Administrators should secure their Microsoft Exchange Servers by updating them with the security patch for CVE-2020-0688 immediately.
Advanced persistent threat groups and nation-state sponsored hackers work at the behest of governments and other organizations. They hack into major corporate assets and governments to steal data, corporate secrets, and conduct espionage. Advanced Persistent Threat groups hack to steal money to support their governments other activities.
While this cyber security vulnerability affects Windows exchange servers many people are still using Windows 7 computers and laptops for work and as their daily home computer. Microsoft is no longer supporting or issuing security patches for Windows 7 operating systems. Now is the time to upgrade to a newer device that runs Windows 10 and also has latest security features including biometric login. Biometric login credentials include fingerprint scan and facial recognition to secure the device.
If cost is your primary concern, there are many low-cost laptops available that run Windows 10 and have enough computing power for browsing the web. These laptops are also excellent for running Microsoft Word and Excel for work or for school.
