SAN FRANCISCO — Investigators say they believe they have identified the entry point through which hackers got into Target’s systems, zeroing in on the remote access granted through the retailer’s computerized heating and cooling software, according to two people briefed on the inquiry.The latest revelation highlights the reality that a large company is actually a sprawling network of interconnected vendors, and that weak security at any one vendor can lead to a breach that costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Target, Neiman Marcus and the Michaels chain of arts and crafts stores are among the major retailers whose systems have been hacked with what investigators suspect is similar malware that invades the computerized register system and snatches consumer data, according to people with knowledge of the investigations. But it has not been disclosed whether other companies were possibly invaded through outside vendors with remotely controlled access.Target had already confirmed that hackers used a vendor’s stolen credentials to get inside its corporate network and crawl into a server containing 70 million customers’ names, mailing addresses and email addresses and into the company’s crown jewels: the in-store cash register systems that authorized 40 million customer’s credit and debit cards over the course of a few weeks during the holiday shopping season last year.

Using the vendor’s access, hackers were able to burrow into Target’s systems so thoroughly that even three days after Target thought it had expelled them, the retailer found malware on 25 registers, John J. Mulligan, Target’s chief financial officer, testified at a Senate hearing on Tuesday. Molly Snyder, a Target spokeswoman, said the company would not comment on its vendors or specific details of the investigation.  Brian Krebs, a security blogger who first reported the Target breach, was also the first on Wednesday to identify the vendor whose remote access had been compromised. But investigators would not confirm the vendor’s identity. Security experts say that it is common for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning companies — so-called HVAC companies — to be granted network access to clients so that they can monitor retail stores and diagnose problems remotely. “Remote access to these systems is really common and integrators are almost always on the corporate network,” said Billy Rios, director of threat intelligence at Qualys, a cloud security firm.

Mr. Rios said that the security at such companies tended to be poor and that vendors often used the same password across multiple customers.Over the last two years, Mr. Rios and Terry McCorkle, also of Qualys, said that they found 55,000 HVAC systems connected to the Internet. In most cases, they said, the systems contained basic security flaws that would allow hackers a way into companies’ corporate networks, or the companies installing and monitoring these systems reused the same remote access passwords across multiple clients. central ac unit will not turn onThe payment card industry’s data security requirements dictate how employees, administrators and vendors can remotely connect to systems. size of ac unit for roomThey require that merchants like Target employ two-factor authentication — which adds a second, temporary password during the login process — for employees, administrators and vendors trying to gain entry to their systems remotely. build ac unit

Security specialists confirmed Wednesday that Target’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems were connected to the Internet. But Target would not say whether its vendors were required to use two-factor authentication or to use virtual private network, or VPN, technology, which creates a private tunnel between employees and vendors working remotely and the company’s private corporate network. The company has said, however, that it passed a security audit before its breach last November. Security experts advise companies to wrap additional digital security defenses around valuable assets, such as a company’s intellectual property, or in Target’s case, the cash register systems that process credit card payments.“A lot of organizations don’t know these systems are online,” said Mr. McCorkle. “They are truly designed to be bridges onto corporate networks.”HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. – Police in Hancock County are investigating a series of break-ins at a subdivision, including one involving an Indiana State Police vehicle.

The thefts happened in the Bristol Ridge Subdivision near Hillview Drive and West Bristol Way. At least 15 vehicles were involved, according to Indiana State Police. One man said he had a $300 air conditioning unit stolen along with some gift cards. Another homeowner said his garage opener was missing. In another case, the thief took car wash books and loose change. “Sure enough my husband’s car was unlocked.  The glove compartment was torn apart and stuff thrown on the seat,” said Lindsay Martin. Martin and her husband didn’t lose anything valuable, but they did leave a note for the crooks on their driveway telling the robbers to stay away. “You want justice for these idiots who are out stealing people’s things,” said Martin. Just up the street from her home, an Indiana state trooper left his personal Glock handgun in his truck and the thieves smashed the window to steal the weapon. “Unfortunately, it was lack of judgement when trooper left gun in his vehicle,” said Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine. 

“Absolutely it’s a concern because now you have a gun in hands someone that shouldn’t have one.” State police say the suspects took advantage of heavy fog and moisture. “They were wiping dew off and looking inside before breaking the windows.  So that tells us hide your valuables,” said Perrine. The crimes also reflect a trend seen in a map around Indy`s far east side. On four different days this month, more than 50 combined cases of car break-ins, thefts and vandalism have been reported. “Unfortunately, there’s people who think instead of getting a job they think they can steal from people’s cars. We’re going to work hard to catch the people responsible, not just for the overnight crime but others in this area as well,” said Perrine. While it’s always a good idea to lock your doors, police say the most important lesson is to not leave anything valuable in your car at night.How does the smartAC thermostat remote work? It works like a home thermostat for a central AC system.

You can program a target temperature and the thermostat will work with the modlet to cycle your AC unit off and on to keep your room at the desired tempe... What does the X on the smartAC thermostat screen mean? Your smartAC thermostat remote is not connected to a modlet. This may be a temporary disconnection. Wait 30 seconds and then try to use the thermostat again and see if the symbol remains on the screen. What does DR mean? When “DR” is displayed on the bottom of your smartAC thermostat, it means there is a Demand Response or an Energy Conservation event occurring. During a “DR” event, your set temperature may be raised by a few d... How do I opt out of a demand response event? To opt out of a demand response event, simply press the down arrow on your thermostat remote and turn down the set temperature. You will see the "DR" symbol on your thermostat disappear when you have successful... How do I reset the smartAC thermostat remote? Press and hold the power button, located in the top left of the remote, for 15 seconds.

When the thermostat has been reset, you will see the no wireless symbol (X) blinking in the bottom left corner of the scre... How do I change the temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius? Press the menu button once and then use the +/- buttons to toggle between F and C. The menu button is on the bottom left of the remote. Using the SmartAC Thermostat [VIDEO] The thermostat does not change the temperature on my AC. The smartAC thermostat cannot update the internal thermostat on your window AC unit. The thermostat measures the temperature in the room and based on your target temperature, turns your AC on/off to maintain th... The thermostat remote has a 2 degree swing, the AC will only turn on if the temperature is 2 degrees or more above the set to temperature. The reverse is also true, the room temperature needs to drop 2 degrees ... What if I already have a remote for my window air conditioner? The smartAC thermostat is designed to work alongside or in place of your existing remote to enhance your ability to control your window air conditioner.