Following the bad press that came with SynoLocker, a variant of the CryptoLocker malware which targeted its DiskStation Manager software, Synology has announced a new update which has a central focus on improving security.
Known for its network attached storage (NAS) products running DiskStation Manager, a well-featured Linux-based storage-centric operating system, Synology was hit in August by a nasty piece of malware that locked users' files behind a wall of encryption and demanded £210 or more for the key. Although Synology discovered that only systems that had failed to install the latest version of its DSM software, including a patch that had been released in December 2013 to fix the specific flaw targeted by SynoLocker, consumer confidence in the security of its software took a hit as a result of the attack.
Now, the company has announced DiskStation Manager 5.1 with a focus on improving the overall security of its products. The latest DSM release includes a revamped Security Advisor feature, which is designed to analyse system settings, password strength, network configuration and the installed software for signs of malicious activity and ties in to the AppArmour sub-system to prevent malware from accessing out-of-bounds memory. Software packages downloaded to the system are also now digitally signed, and can be verified as genuine as a result - a feature DSM users may be surprised to hear was not available prior to DSM 5.1
The new software also includes automatic security update installation by default, helping to prevent another SynoLocker scenario where a flaw previously patched was exploited on systems whose users were not aware security updates needed to be manually triggered. Additional new features include a caching proxy server option to speed up web browsing, the ability to connect to FTP or WebDAV servers, a CardDAV server, and synchronisation with public cloud platforms including Microsoft's OneDrive, Box and hubiC.
The updated software can be downloaded as a free upgrade for users of DiskStation or RackStation x11 Series and newer NAS boxes direct from Synology, while a live demo is available here.
Known for its network attached storage (NAS) products running DiskStation Manager, a well-featured Linux-based storage-centric operating system, Synology was hit in August by a nasty piece of malware that locked users' files behind a wall of encryption and demanded £210 or more for the key. Although Synology discovered that only systems that had failed to install the latest version of its DSM software, including a patch that had been released in December 2013 to fix the specific flaw targeted by SynoLocker, consumer confidence in the security of its software took a hit as a result of the attack.
Now, the company has announced DiskStation Manager 5.1 with a focus on improving the overall security of its products. The latest DSM release includes a revamped Security Advisor feature, which is designed to analyse system settings, password strength, network configuration and the installed software for signs of malicious activity and ties in to the AppArmour sub-system to prevent malware from accessing out-of-bounds memory. Software packages downloaded to the system are also now digitally signed, and can be verified as genuine as a result - a feature DSM users may be surprised to hear was not available prior to DSM 5.1
The new software also includes automatic security update installation by default, helping to prevent another SynoLocker scenario where a flaw previously patched was exploited on systems whose users were not aware security updates needed to be manually triggered. Additional new features include a caching proxy server option to speed up web browsing, the ability to connect to FTP or WebDAV servers, a CardDAV server, and synchronisation with public cloud platforms including Microsoft's OneDrive, Box and hubiC.
The updated software can be downloaded as a free upgrade for users of DiskStation or RackStation x11 Series and newer NAS boxes direct from Synology, while a live demo is available here.
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