As we blogged about earlier in the week, core processing systems continue to be a focus for security teams. This week has seen additional new issues in HP-UX, Oracle problems and issues in various other related applications. Please take a moment and look through your patch levels and ensure your core systems are up to snuff.

In other news, PHP vulnerabilities are continuing to soar. Attackers are very focused on PHP problems, new vulnerabilities and exploiting vulnerable systems. PHP-based systems should be reviewed on an ongoing basis with bleeding edge updated tools to help guard against problems. Security issues with PHP have been identified in thousands of PHP applications, PHP language use and even some of the tenets of the language itself. While groups are working to educate users of PHP and harden the underlying code around the language, PHP is likely a risky undertaking for most businesses to be considering today. It is surely powerful, efficient and easy to use, but many organizations have outlawed it, claiming it is simply too insecure for “prime time” web applications.

As an aside, BT Group has announced an acquisition of Counterpane. Congrats go out to Bruce and team for their hard work. BT has gotten a strong visionary out of the deal, and with the likes of Marcus Ranum and other talented folks on staff, look for some great things from them in the future.