|
VPC Solutions 2006 News Archive
December 31, 2006
This Worm Wishes You A Happy New Year
Worm-laden messages are titled 'Happy New Year' and contain an attachment called either postcard.exe or postcard.zip, according to experts at VeriSign's iDefense Labs, which provides information on security flaws and exploits. If the attachment is opened, malicious software is downloaded from the Internet and can infect computers running Windows operating systems.
News.ZDNet.com
December 29, 2006
Real-Money Trading a Target of Trojan Spyware
TimesOfOman.com
Real Money Transaction or Real-Money Trading — is a big part of the online gaming world, and, as such, has become a target for authors of Trojan spyware. RMT happens when people playing online games trade currencies, items, accessories and other in-game paraphernalia for real money. For example, in a game like World of Warcraft players can trade items they have “earned” while playing such as money, armour, and weapons.
December 22, 2006
Hiding Spyware On CDs To Cost Sony $1.5 Million
Sony BMG Music Entertainment will pay $1.5 million and kick in thousands more in customer refunds to settle lawsuits brought by California and Texas over music CDs that installed a hidden anti-piracy program on consumers' computers.
Chron.com
December 15, 2006
Worm Hits Computers Via AntiVirus Program
A computer worm is attacking some business PCs through a flaw in antivirus software by Symantec Corp., a security company warned Friday.
MercuryNews.com
December 14, 2006
Cyber Crimes To Intensify Next Year
Internet security firm Trend Micro is predicting that cyber crimes will intensify next year as cyber criminals are expected to launch their "cyberwar" by targeting instant messaging, community Web sites and mobile phones to commit online fraud, pedal fake goods or corporate streets.
AllHeadLineNews.com
December 12, 2006
New PCs Ripe For Chirstmas Hackers
Thousands of people will turn on their new PC this Christmas and their happiness will crash as the machine is infected with a virus, the Government has warned.
ComputerActive.co.uk
December 7, 2006
Consumer Groups Take On Fake Music Search Site
FastMP3Search[dot]com, is a fake music search site that asks consumers to install a plug-in to be able to download music files, but actually cons them into downloading malicious applications leaving their PCs vulnerable to further hacking attacks, according to the consumer advocacy groups.
SCMagazine.com
December 6, 2006
Spyware Worm Leads To Identity Theft Fears
The worm, found by Webroot, lies dormant on the PC and works by analysing the keystrokes being entered by the user. As soon as it recognizes a bank or building society URL, it begins to log any detailed keyed-in. This not only allows fraudsters to drain funds from the account but according APACS, the UK payments association, can also be used as a way for them to use details to shop online.
ComputerActive.co.uk
December 5, 2006
Old Malware Can Affect Vista, Admits Microsoft
Security vendor Sophos reported last week that Microsoft's Vista is vulnerable to at least three pieces of widespread malware, two of which date back to 2004. At least three well-known internet worms - labelled Stratio-Zip, Netsky-D and MyDoom-O by Sophos - are able to execute on the operating system, according to Sophos.
Software.Silicon.com
December 5, 2006
Spyware Hijacks Internet Explorer 7
New features in Microsoft's latest browser could allow spyware developers new means to infect computers. According to Trend Micro's anti-spyware CTO Ed English, spyware makers are looking at new functionalities of IE7 such as tabbed browsing, RSS feeds and search boxes as a way of getting revenue-generating malware onto machines.
ITPro.co.uk
December 1, 2006
Banks Facing Al-Qaeda Cyber Attack
The US government has warned US private financial services of an Al-Qaeda call for a cyber attack against online stock trading and banking websites beginning today, a source said. The source, a person familiar with the warning, said the Islamic militant group aimed to penetrate and destroy the databases of the US financial sites. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed an alert had been distributed but said there was no reason to believe the threat was credible.
Software.Silicon.com
November 28, 2006
Google Search Apps Packing 'Phishing Flaw'
The Google Search Appliance and Google Mini are used by organisations including banks and universities to add search features to websites. A flaw in the way the systems handle certain characters makes it possible to craft a web link that looks as if it points to a trusted site but when clicked serves up content from a third, potentially malicious site.
Software.Silicon.com
November 28, 2006
Bot Spreads Through Antivirus, Windows Flaws
The bot program, identified as W32.Spybot.ACYR by Symantec, has compromised a small number of systems at various universities, including about 30 systems at the University of Arkansas and another 150 systems at the University of New South Wales in Australia. The spread of the bot software became noticed because of an inordinate amount of traffic to the network port number used by Symantec's software--both the Internet Storm Center and the Research and Education Networking Information Sharing and Analysis Center (REN-ISAC) reported spikes in traffic to port 2967.
SecurityFocus.com
November 22, 2006
Firefox, IE Vulnerable To Fake Login Pages?
Mozilla's Firefox 2 and Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 are vulnerable to a flaw that could allow attackers to steal passwords. Dubbed a reverse cross-site request, or RCSR, vulnerability by its discoverer, Robert Chapin, the flaw lets hackers compromise users' passwords and usernames by presenting them with a fake login form. Firefox Password Manager will automatically enter any saved passwords and usernames into the form.
News.Com
November 19, 2006
Porn Sites Use New IE Bug to Install Spyware
Visit a Russian porn site using IE 6, risk a spyware installation: Hackers are taking advantage of a newly discovered vulnerability in Internet Explorer to install spyware on PCs that visit any of a number of Russian porn sites.
PCWorld.com
November 13, 2006
Microsoft Flags Gmail As a Virus
From late last week until Sunday night, the Windows Live OneCare security software incorrectly flagged the Google e-mail service as a threat. A warning popped up when OneCare users opened the Gmail Web site, telling them that their systems were infected with a virus called 'BAT/BWG.A.'
News.Zdnet.com
November 13, 2006
Cyber-Criminals Gear Up For A Merry Christmas
As online shoppers gear up for a season of intensive spending in the run up to Christmas, online fraudsters are also preparing for their busiest time of the year.
VnuNet.com
November 11, 2006
The Secret of Firefox's Success
A lot of people don't even know what a browser is,' said Firefox co-creator Blake Ross. 'They think that it's the first thing they use on the Internet. They say, 'What do you mean browser, is that Google? Is that Yahoo?' It's hard to get people to switch browsers if they don't understand the concept.
TechNewsWorld.com
November 9, 2006
Allchin Suggests Vista Won't Need Antivirus
During a telephone conference with reporters yesterday, outgoing Microsoft co-president Jim Allchin, while touting the new security features of Windows Vista, which was released to manufacturing yesterday, told a reporter that the system's new lockdown features are so capable and thorough that he was comfortable with his own seven-year-old son using Vista without antivirus software installed.
BetaNews.com
November 8, 2006
AVG Anti-Virus Is Still Free (Stop Worrying)
I received a note from a buddy on one of my lists. He was in a panic. I just received a notification from AVG anti virus that as of January 2007 it will no longer be free. Nope, that's not true. Grisoft's AVG just has a newer version. Support for all prior free versions will end in January, 2007.
Blogs.PCWorld.com
November 8, 2006
Spam, Viruses Threaten Cell Phone Security
Sedef Onder, owner of an advertising firm in New York City, is losing sleep over spam. Late on many Friday evenings, her cell phone goes off, signaling receipt of a text message announcing the time and place of a hot club party evidently geared toward students. Sometimes, the notice comes as a voicemail with a raspy male voice and techno music blasting in the background. “At least with e-mail, there is a junk mail folder,” said Onder, 42.
TheState.com
November 4, 2006
Stopping Today's PC Spies at the Gate
If you want to avoid spyware, there are certain parts of the Web you should stay away from, says Dave Cole, director of Symantec Security Response. They're the dark alleys of the Internet world. Basically, you visit a game cheat site, and you're vulnerable for spyware. A children's site will open you up to adware.
TopTechNews.com
November 2, 2006
Spammers Gear Up For Pre-Christmas Blitz
A sudden increase in spam has been identified in the latest security report issued today, as cyber-criminals gear up for a pre-Christmas blitz. Spammers are using new weapons to evade detection by conventional security software and increase their success rate, according to the October 2006 Intelligence report from security firm MessageLabs.
Vnunet.com
November 1, 2006
Controversial Course Teaches Spyware Writing
College student Nathan Friess recently designed a computer spyware program that could invade your computer, log your keystrokes and even collect the password to your bank account.
AZCentral.com
October 25, 2006
Microsoft's Free Anti-Spyware Hits Market
Microsoft announced on Tuesday in the US the general release of its free anti-spyware program, a move that significantly steps up the software maker's competitive challenge in the security industry.
BuilderAu.com.au
October 24, 2006
The World's Most Sophisticated Trojan Uncovered
Security experts have discovered new spambot software that installs its own anti-virus scanner to eliminate competition, alongside a number of other sophisticated features.
TechWorld.com
October 17, 2006
PowerPoint Hit By New Zero-Day Exploit
A new vulnerability in Office has emerged just two days after Microsoft's monthly patch release on 10 October.The Microsoft Security Response Centre warned in a blog posting that a new vulnerability in PowerPoint could allow remote code execution. The vulnerability has only been presented as proof-of-concept code meaning that, although a security flaw has been found, there is no evidence of any exploit code or active attacks taking place.
ItNews.com.au
October 26, 2006
Spyware Infection Prompts McDonalds MP3 Recall
McDonalds Japan has launched a recall after discovering that MP3 players it offered as a prize were loaded with a particularly nasty strain of malware. Up to 10,000 people might have been exposed to the problem after claiming a Flash MP3 player pre-loaded with ten tunes and a variant of the QQpass spyware Trojan.
ChannelRegister.o.uk
October 13, 2006
The Future of Malware: Trojan Horses
Widespread worms, viruses or Trojan horses spammed to millions of mailboxes are typically not a grave concern anymore, security experts said at the Virus Bulletin conference here Thursday. Instead, especially for organizations, targeted Trojan horses have become the nightmare scenario, they said.
News.Zdnet.com
October 9, 2006
Who Will Steal Your Online Money?
Although the Internet is a terrifically useful tool to help us manage our finances, it's also a thieves' den for thousands of online scams and frauds.
Fool.co.uk
October 6, 2006
Purported Spyware Removal Tool Takes Users For A Ride
SPYWARE INFECTION! Your system is infected with spyware. Windows recommends that you use a spyware removal tool to prevent loss of data. Using this PC before having it cleaned of spyware threats is highly discouraged.
ItBSecurity.com
October 5, 2006
Cyber-Criminals Target MySpace Users
The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) has warned users of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook that they are vulnerable to cyber-crime.
VnuNet.com
September 26, 2006
50% of All Companies Will Be Infected With Spyware in Next 2 Years
In mid-September, research analysts at Gartner predicted that up to 50% of companies will become infected with spyware over the next two years.
SmbEdge.com
September 21, 2006
Smut Sites Use IE Exploit To Spread Spyware
Hackers are taking advantage of a new, unpatched Internet Explorer vulnerability to infect users visiting pornographic websites.
ChannelRegister.co.uk
September 18, 2006
Worm Alert: AIM Users at Risk
FaceTime Communications said Monday the security firm’s researchers have identified a new worm that could potentially affect 21.7 million AOL Instant Messenger users.
RedHerring.com
September 12, 2006
Vista Won’t End Spyware Worries
Vista: A distant view or prospect — a perfect description of Microsoft’s goal to thwart spyware, worms and viruses with its next operating system, due in 2007.
TheState.com
September 12, 2006
Spyware on the Majority of Consumer PCs, Report Finds
Webroot SoftwareWebroot Software has just published its State of Spyware report for the second quarter of 2006. The report reveals some interesting findings from the company's review of consumer and enterprise PCs.
NetworkWorld.com
September 5, 2006
Top Ten Spyware Threats for August
Sunbelt Software, a leading provider of Windows security software, today announced the top ten most prevalent spyware threats for the month of August. The results are based on the monthly scans performed by Sunbelt's award-winning antispyware product CounterSpy(TM). The Trojan.Smitfraud threat appears for the first time in the top ten lists and is a trojan that is used to download rogue security products and change the user's desktop to display false warnings that the computer is infected with spyware.
BusinessWire.com
September 5, 2006
CA Antivirus Flags Windows Component As Virus
CA caused some headaches this week after its antivirus software inadvertently flagged part of the Windows OS as malware.
PCWorld.co.nz
September 4, 2006
Virus Levels Soar In August
Antivirus firm SoftScan said this week that spam now accounts for 87.72 per cent of all email, and that virus levels have doubled over the past month.
VnuNet.com
August 31, 2006
Survey: 90% Of All Computers Infected With Spyware
According to a report recently issued by Webroot based on the data collected by Webroot Software, Inc. (Webroot) an anti-spyware company, during the first half of 2006, the amount of spyware, which many internet security experts claim have declined dramatically less than a year ago, has not fallen at all but vastly increased.
PeopleDailyOnline.com
August 28, 2006
Anti-Spyware Group Targets AOL 9.0 As 'Badware'
Stopbadware.org, which is backed by Google, Sun, and Lenovo, says AOL's client software is 'badware,' and that users should avoid installing the program, because it interferes with computer use and uses deceptive information practices.
InformationWeek.com
August 25, 2006
Nine In 10 PCs Infected With Spyware
After a fall in 2005, spyware infection rates have risen again to their highest level since 2004, thought to be spyware's heyday, according to a recent report by anti-spyware company Webroot Software.
VnuNet.com
August 25, 2006
Ransomware Data Kidnapping On The Rise
The incidence of malicious software designed to hold personal data to ransom is up by a third, according to security experts.
VnuNet.com
August 24, 2006
Spyware Infection Rate on the Rise
The latest Spyware report reads that Spyware infection rates have risen to the highest levels since 2004.
SDAIndia.com
August 21, 2006
New Zero-Day PowerPoint Exploit Hits
A new zero-day exploit was disclosed over the weekend for an unpatched flaw in Microsoft's PowerPoint software, which could allow for an attacker to take complete control of an affected system and run arbitrary code.
BetaNews.com
August 17, 2006
AOL Security Tools Raise Adware Questions
Just days after posting details of searches made by hundreds of thousands of subscribers, AOL is in hot water again with consumer advocates. This time the issue is with the company's Active Virus Shield anti-virus software, released last week.
PCWorld.com
August 15, 2006
More Consumers' PCs Infected With Spyware
The percentage of consumers' computers carrying some sort of spyware or adware jumped slightly in the second quarter, anti-spyware tools vendor Webroot Software reported Tuesday, and sent the overall infection rate to levels not seen since 2004.
TechWeb.com
August 8, 2006
Viruses, Spyware Cost Users $7.8 Billion
Consumers paid as much $7.8 billion over two years to repair or replace computers that got infected with viruses and spyware, a Consumer Reports survey found.
WashingtonPost.com
August 7, 2006
Google Warns On Spyware Sites
Google has joined an initiative, that will warn users if they are about to clickthrough to a website that may attempt to load spyware on their PC.
Platinax.co.uk
August 7, 2006
Spyware War May Be A Losing Battle, Experts Say
The spyware problem has gotten so bad, experts say, that it is unlikely it can ever be solved on a technical level. Instead, the solution will have to come from regulators and law enforcement agencies.
PCWelt.de
August 5, 2006
Trojans to Dominate First Half of 2006
82% of the new threats that during the first six months of 2006 have been Trojan horses, which cannot spread by themselves and are typically targeted at particular groups of people. The overall level of malware continues to escalate indicating that spyware, Trojan horses and phishing are now the more favoured methods of attack for cyber criminals …
Sda-Asia.com
August 2, 2006
'My best photo ever!' Trojan Horse Spammed Out
Experts at SophosLabs, Sophos’ global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have warned of a Trojan horse that has been spammed out to email addresses disguised as a digital photograph.
Sda-India.com
July 29, 2006
iTunes Worm Is Windows Spyware Threat
An initial signal indicating that Apple's success with iTunes may soon attract hackers has emerged, according to security firm Trend Micro.
PCWelt.de
July 29, 2006
Two Variants of Sober Worm Infect PCs Worldwide
Two new incarnations of the W32/Sober computer worm are spreading in large numbers across the Internet since yesterday, infecting home and business PCs around the globe.
PCWelt.de
July 29, 2006
New Mytob Worm Poses As IT Administrator
Another variant of the Mytob worm began wiggling its way into inboxes this week, enticing recipients to open an e-mail attachment that could allow a remote hacker to access and perform commands on an infected machine.
PCWelt.de
July 26, 2006
Spyware Poses As Firefox Extension
Dubbed 'FormSpy' by antivirus companies, this seemingly-innocuous extension goes by the name NumberLinks 0.9 on the 'Extensions' page. It's designed to gather passwords, account numbers, PIN's--pretty much anything personal and valuable.
Geek.com
July 24, 2006
'Ransomware' Becoming a Serious Problem
Occurrences of ransomware are on the rise, and the encryption algorithms used are becoming increasingly complex, security firm Kaspersky Labs warned Friday in its quarterly report on the state of the malware industry.
BetaNews.com
July 24, 2006
Email Scam - Order Confirmation from Walmart
Checking the email at the office this morning and found one with the subject: Confirmation for Order WC2905036 from: billing support [customercare@walmart.com]. The details of the message were confirming the receipt of my order, which of course I never placed. Attached to the email was a zip file.
VillageSoup.com
July 23, 2006
MySpace Banner Ad Infects Millions of Windows Users With Spyware
Millions of visitors to popular Myspace.com (as well as a number of other websites) may have been infected with spyware, according to security firm iDefense. iDefense claims that the spyware infects unpatched versions of Windows using a security flaw in the way the operating system and Microsoft Internet Explorer open Windows Metafile images.
TechSpot.com
July 19, 2006
New Adware Tricks Users With Security Promise
A new adware program that tries to trick users into installing fake security applications on their PC is has been spotted in the wild.
ScMagazine.com
July 19, 2006
80% of New Malware Defeats Anti-Virus
The most popular antivirus applications on the market are rendered useless by around 80 percent of new malware, according to AusCERT.
ZdNet.com
July 19, 2006
Hacked Ad Seen on MySpace Served Spyware to a Million
An online banner advertisement that ran on MySpace.com and other sites over the past week used a Windows security flaw to infect more than a million users with spyware when people merely browsed the sites with unpatched versions of Windows.
Blog.Washingtonpost.com
July 18, 2006
Vonage Funds Spyware
Known spyware hunter Ben Edelman has a new case study of how big businesses, like Vonage, fund spyware and help clog up users machines around the world. On this page he has 12 different, recent, examples of how Vonage funds spyware.
RealTechNews.com
July 17, 2006
Users Pass on Updating Antivirus Software
A survey by Harris Interactive and sponsored by antivirus developer Eset Software found that while most home computer owners have antivirus software, the majority are not updating it because the update process is too clumsy and intrusive.
InternetNews.com
July 12, 2006
Zango
Pushing Spyware Over MySpace?
MySpace users beware, it appears that spyware/adware companies are stooping to even new lows and creating false profiles with the intention of pushing adware.
TechSpot.com
July 11, 2006
Top Ten Spyware Threats for June
Sunbelt Software, a leading provider of Windows security software, today announced the top ten most prevalent spyware threats for the month of June. The results are based on the monthly scans performed by Sunbelt's award-winning antispyware product CounterSpy(TM). DesktopScam continues to be the most prevalent threat with June stats reporting the highest number of instances over the last four months.
Home.BusinessWire.com
July 10, 2006
Spyware Revenues Are In The Billions
According to some statistics, the revenues from spyware reach an aggregate of $2 billion. It doesn't take much for a spyware company to run, apparently, and despite the risks it seems to be well worth it.
TechSpot.com.au
July 06, 2006
Symantec Mistakes Open Source Tool for Trojan
A faulty update has caused Symantec to incorrectly detect the Zlob Trojan in the legitimate open source Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) tool.
Vnunet.com
July 03, 2006
Volume of Email Viruses Falls in June
The percentage of emails containing viruses remained at just 0.36 per cent during June, despite an attack launched by the Bagle virus.
Vnunet.com
June 30, 2006
Worm Masquerades as Microsoft Antipiracy Program
Sophos is calling it W32.Cuebot-K, a new variation in the Cuebot family of malware. The worm has a range of malicious functions. After it's installed, the worm immediately tries to connect to two Web sites, a sign it may try to download other bad programs on the machine.
PCWorld.com
June 30, 2006
Microsoft Sued For Producing Spyware
A California resident has filed a class action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging that the company violated spyware laws with anti-piracy features of its Windows Genuine Advantage software.
Macnn.com
June 28, 2006
Top 10 Network Hackers Named
Ten hackers or hacking groups have tried in total more than 1,000 times this year to breach the network security of Australian-based organisations, according to research by networking vendor 3Com.
Zdnet.com.au
June 27, 2006
Trojan Attacks AntiVirus Software To Invite More Viruses
You've seen Hollywood flicks in which the enemy sneaks in through some hatch, kills security guards in dark silence and cold blood, then moves on to open secret doors to bring in more of its fellow folks.
SecurityProNews.com
June 26, 2006
Security Vendor Warns of Porn-Clicking Browser
A free Web browser that bills itself as a tool for privacy protection is, in fact, a click-fraud engine for pornographic Web sites, security vendor Panda Software warned Friday.
NetworkWorld.com
June 23, 2006
Religious Video Game Leaves Spyware Behind
The video game Left Behind seemed destined to tear a giant fiery swath of controversy through the digital landscape. Based on the series of novels of the same name, Left Behind is a Christian-themed game set in New York City, a few years after the arrival of the Anti-Christ and the ascent of one-third of the world's population (presumably the 'good third') into heaven. As a player, you must direct and expand the 'Tribulation Force,' a military organization that attempts to either convert or kill the remaining population.
ArsTechnica.com
June 22, 2006
The 10 Biggest Security Risks You Don't Know About
Hackers, scammers, and identity thieves are constantly coming up with new ways to attack your PC and your privacy. Here are the newest perils--and how to foil them.
PCWorld.com
June 20, 2006
Hacker Discovers Second Excel Attack
With Microsoft Corp. developers scrambling to patch a security hole in Excel, a hacker has now posted code that exploits a second vulnerability in the spreadsheet software.
InfoWorld.com
June 20, 2006
Computer Worm Lures Victims With 'Naked World Cup'
Called Sixem-A, the worm began circulating earlier this week, and has just recently been blocked by antivirus vendors. So far the worm has been detected at only a handful of companies, but it is the first World Cup 2006 malware to target an English-speaking audience, says Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant with antiviral firm Sophos.
PCWorld.com
June 19, 2006
Spyware Fighter Under DDoS Attack by DollarRevenue Trojan
My good friend and colleague in the spyware fighting business, Patrick Jordan, aka Webhelper on the forums, has been under a DDoS attack since June 16 at his website, webhelper4u.com. I'm not linking to his site in order to conserve his bandwidth. Here's what he posted.
Blogs.Zdnet.com
June 16, 2006
Microsoft Excel Zero-Day Flaw Discovered
'Here's what we know: In order for this attack to be carried out, a user must first open a malicious Excel document that is sent as an email attachment or otherwise provided to them by an attacker,' he said. 'So remember to be very careful opening unsolicited attachments from both known and unknown sources.'
SearchSecurity.com
June 16, 2006
Aladdin: Spyware Threats Tripled in 2005
A study released this week found that the number of distinct spyware threats more than tripled last year, while the number of trojan threats more than doubled last year.
SCMagazine.com
June 16, 2006
Trojan Horse Captured Data on 2,300 Oregon Taxpayers
The Oregon Department of Revenue has been contacting some 2,300 taxpayers this week to notify them that their names, addresses or Social Security numbers may have been stolen by a Trojan horse program downloaded accidentally by a former worker who was surfing pornographic sites while at work in January.
ComputerWorld.com
June 14, 2006
Black Angels Attack MSN Messenger
BlackAngel.B spreads via Microsoft IM, sending the following messages to all Messenger contacts: 'jaja look a that fantasma.zip' or 'mira este video fantasma.zip jaja'
WebUser.Co.uk
June 13, 2006
Microsoft's Malware Report: 60 Percent of PCs Infected
Microsoft on Monday revealed the results of a 15-month test of its Malicious Software Removal Tool. The utility that seeks out and destroys malware reported malicious programs, or bots, on six out of 10 Windows computers it examined.
eCommerceTimes.com
June 13, 2006
Spyware and Trojans Threats On Rise
Spyware and Trojan threats are rising dramatically, now accounting for the majority of the online attacks, a new report reveals.
WebUser.Co.uk
June 12, 2006
3 Must Ask Questions When Purchasing A Spyware Remover
Since spyware is becoming more and more of a problem for computer users, many people are taking steps to combat this problem by purchasing spyware remover software. Security experts recommend this as part of a comprehensive strategy to limit the damage spyware can cause but there are some things you should look for in a good spyware remover. Here are my top 3 criteria for the average computer user.
SecurityProNews.com
June 9, 2006
'Poison' pill email scam
Google has become the target of a malicious spoof email campaign which attempts to peddle pills through a fake Google Pharmacy interface.
TheAge.com
June 9, 2006
Windows Genuine Advantage: Safety Switch or Spyware?
Rumors have been flowing around the Internet for quite a while and Microsoft was finally forced to admit on Wednesday that they were true: the latest update to Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) phones home to the Redmond company on a daily basis.
News.Portalit.net
June 7, 2006
Hunting
Spyware In Your PC
Let's assume you recently purchased a long-time desired computer. Costing a bundle, it has all the latest devices that modern technology can offer. You plug in the cables, switch the power on and connect to the Internet, looking forward to appreciating its features and power at full.
OhMyNews.com
June 6, 2006
Ransomware Trojan cracked
Security experts have cracked the password needed to retrieve files encrypted by a Trojan horse, dubbed Arhiveus-A, that claimed a number of victims following its appearance on the net last week.
TheRegister.com
June 5, 2006
Microsoft Adds New Help On Word Zero-Day
Microsoft revised a security advisory targeting an in-the-wild exploit of Word XP and Word 2003 to clarify a work-around for enterprises, repeated that it was on track to deliver a fix June 13, and offered up another tactic to protect users.
TechWeb.com
June 5, 2006
Spyware Infections Spreading, Security Expert Says
Spyware programs are increasing in number and growing in sophistication to avoid detection, making it harder to guard against infections and more costly to repair their damage, according to a security expert whose company tracks them on a regular basis.
Gcn.com
June 2, 2006
New Trojan Kidnaps Data from Computers
Experts at Sophos Labs, Sophos’s global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have warned users about a Trojan horse that encrypts victims’ computer data, and then attempts to force users into making a purchase from an online pharmacy.
Tech.Moneycontrol.com
May 31, 2006
Spyware Blackmails Users
A new spyware program that lures computer users by claiming to give free access to pornographic Web content ends up by blackmailing them into purchasing a program to clean the infection, a security firm said.
DnaIndia.com
May 30, 2006
When It Comes To Spyware, It's Ladies First!
Women are more likely to accidentally download spyware at work, but they're more willing than men to call the help desk.
SecurityProNews.com
May 29, 2006
Hostage Threat To Home PCs
Family photos and other priceless content stored in your home computer could one day be held hostage by a new breed of security threat called ransomware.
TheAge.com
May 26, 2006
Microsoft Word Flaw Threatens Home PCs
Home users have been warned to take extra care when opening Microsoft Word attachments following the detection of a trojan horse that can exploit a vulnerability in the popular word processing program.
TheAge.com
May 25, 2006
Yahoo! Messenger Worm Installs Its Own 'Safety Browser'
Described as one of oddest and more insidious pieces of malware we have encountered in years, by Tyler Wells, senior director of research at FaceTime Security Labs, the yhoo32.explr Instant Messaging worm takes the novel step of installing its own Web browser onto a victim's PC.
Digital-Lifestyles.info
May 23, 2006
New Trojan Horse Targets Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word users should be extra careful about the files they download because hackers are exploiting an unpatched vulnerability in the popular word-processing software.
PCWorld.com
May 20, 2006
AntiVirus Companies Warn of E-mail Attacks
Antivirus companies and the SANS Internet Storm Center (ISC) issued a warning about sophisticated e-mail attacks that are using a previously unknown hole in Microsoft Word to infiltrate corporate networks.
GameShout.com
May 18, 2006
Spam And Spyware Come To MySpace
Myfriendspy, though, breaks its promise -- no software, sorry, not ready, it tells you -- and instead offers to download, for your viewing and using pleasure, Zango software. Zango, just as a reminder, is the nameplate for the stuff that adware spreader 180solutions distributes. Pop-up city.
TechSearch.Cmp.com
May 18, 2006
Antivirus Vendors Crack Down On eBay Licence Cheats
Two of the world's largest antivirus software vendors are launching legal action against software thieves selling illegal versions of well-known security products on eBay.
News.Zdnet.Co.Uk
May 16, 2006
Survey: Women More Likely to Download Spyware
Spyware is a thorn in the side of many IT professionals, and questionable employee computing habits often don't help matters. Surprisingly though, according to results of a recent survey, there seems to be a difference in how the sexes respond to a security scare.
SearchSecurity.com
May 12, 2006
Malware Using Search Engines to Spread
Internet search engines are now one of the commonest means by which malware spreads, a new study has suggested.
TechWorld.com
May 10, 2006
10 eCard Sites To Stay Away From This Mother’s Day
Kids of all ages will send millions of good-humored e-cards to the e-mail inboxes of mothers across America this May 14th. Thinking about sending an e-card to your mother this year? Sons and daughters beware. Choose the wrong Web site, and your inbox could receive dozens, hundreds, even a thousand unwanted e-mails long after Mother’s Day.
Blog.SiteAdvisor.com
May 10, 2006
Simple Tips for Safe Online Banking
First National Bank (FNB) has declared May 7-14 2006 as Internet Security Week, in order to highlight appropriate security measures, draw attention to types of threats and equip businesses and individuals with the knowledge to ensure that their funds are never compromised. Today, business Internet banking can be achieved with a very high level of safety and integrity - particularly if business owners and managers are aware of potential risks and take appropriate basic steps to mitigate these.
Biz-Community.com
May 9, 2006
Webroot Uncovers Thousands of Stolen Identities
Spyware researchers at Webroot Software. have uncovered a stash of tens of thousands of stolen identities from 125 countries that they believe were collected by a new variant of a Trojan horse program the company is calling Trojan-Phisher-Rebery.
News.Yahoo.com
May 9, 2006
Highest Spyware Infection Since Q1 2005
Spyware staged a significant counterattack during the first quarter of 2006, according to latest State of Spyware report issued today by Webroot Software. A dramatic rise in the prevalence of adware combined with a significant increase in the most malicious types of Trojans and system monitors resulted in the highest consumer infections rates since the first quarter of 2005.
ebcvg.com
May 8, 2006
Doom For Anti-Spyware Software?
A Yankee Group report published today predicts imminent doom for anti-spyware makers with the release of Windows Vista. But don't plan a funeral for WebRoot and Ad-Aware just yet. First, Microsoft has to sell the darned operating system.
InternetNews.com
May 5, 2006
Botnet Chaos Shut Down Hospital
A hacker has pleaded guilty to infecting thousands of computers with a botnet programme, including those belonging to a hospital network and the US military.
TechWorld.com
May 4, 2006
Court Orders Spyware Operator-Pay $4M
A federal court has ordered a man who was at the center of the nation's first 'spyware' case to give up $4 million in ill-gotten gains.
BusinessWeek.com
May 4, 2006
Dell Charges $49 To Remove Their Own Spyware
Everything that is to come is a perfect example of why I never have and never will buy a pre-built PC from a system builder if I can help it.
NeoSeeker.com
May 4, 2006
Polip Worm Creeps Through P2P Networks
Experts at MicroWorld Technologies inform that ‘Win32.Polip.A’ is a polymorphic P2P Worm that infects Portable Executable(PE) files like ‘.scr’ and ‘.exe’, while spreading via P2P networks and File Sharing applications.
TheItShield.com
May 3, 2006
Does Yahoo Like Spyware?
As the Netflix class action lawsuit winds down, another class action against Yahoo gears up. The new lawsuit (PDF) accuses the online giant of some truly seedy advertising activity that falls under the general heading of syndication fraud.
ArsTechnica.com
May 1, 2006
Trojan Demands $10.99 Ransom To Free Files
A new Trojan horse demands a $10.99 ransom payment to stop erasing files on the infected PC's hard drive, a security firm said Thursday.
TechWeb.com
April 27, 2006
Nyxem Virus Spreads Like Wildfire
The AntiVirus and Content Security firm MicroWorld Technologies informs that there’s a steep rise globally in the number of mails infected with ‘Worm.Win32.Nyxem.e’ or the ‘Kamasutra Worm’, with India being the worst hit.
TheITShield.com
April 26, 2006
Spyware Evolving Faster Than Viruses
The evolution of spyware is outpacing that of viruses, with some software resetting itself hourly to evade detection, security experts warned today at Infosec Europe.
VnuNet.com
April 26, 2006
97 Percent Fail Spyware Sniff Test
Just 3 out of 100 Internet users are able to sniff out sites ready to drop spyware or adware onto their computers, security company McAfee said Wednesday.
TechWeb.com
April 21, 2006
Rootkits To Mask Most Malware By 2008
Rootkits that hide malicious software from anti-virus and anti-spyware tools are growing in number and sophistication, and will pose an unprecedented risk to users by 2008, security company McAfee said this week.
TechWeb.com
April 17, 2006
Rootkit Numbers Rocketing Up
Rootkits, used by hackers to hide malicious software, are on the rise and becoming more complex, according to security company McAfee.
News.com
April 17, 2006
180solutions Sponsors Yapbrowser and… Child Porn?
My head is swimming and I feel ill. I just read the blogs about 180solutions' latest — Yapbrowser, installed from 180's servers no less, that directs all search requests to child porn sites. And this from a company that has made countless claims of cleaning up their act. Oh, but — 180 does like to talk about the long tail of the internet and trusting the affiliate model.
Blogs.Znet.com
April 13, 2006
Windows Defender (Beta 2) Released
Windows Defender (Beta 2) is a free program that helps you stay productive by protecting your computer against pop-ups, slow performance and security threats caused by spyware and other potentially unwanted software.
News.Swzone.it
April 11, 2006
Microsoft Fixes 14 Flaws
Three of the bulletins were tagged as critical, one as important, and the fifth as moderate--the last being Microsoft's second-from-the-bottom alert.
InformationNews.com
April 05, 2006
Microsoft Says Recovery from Malware Becoming Impossible
In a rare discussion about the severity of the Windows malware scourge, a Microsoft security official said businesses should consider investing in an automated process to wipe hard drives and reinstall operating systems as a practical way to recover from malware infestation.
eWeek.com
April 05, 2006
This Bug Is Nasty, Brutish, And Sneaky
Hackers have raised the stakes with a new bug almost immune to detection.
BusinessWeek.com
April 04, 2006
Yahoo Implicated In Spyware Click Fraud
Advertisers who expect their Overture ad campaigns to run with certain Yahoo Searches may be surprised to find their ads running in syndicated spyware applications that render each impression as an ad click the advertiser must pay.
WebProNews.com
March 04, 2006
Stopping PC Spies at the Gate
If you want to avoid spyware, there are certain parts of the Web you should stay away from. They're the dark alleys of the Internet world. Basically, you visit a game cheat site, and you're vulnerable for spyware. A kids site will open you up to adware, said Dave Cole, director of Symantec Security Response.
Sci-TechToday.com
March 24, 2006
IE Exploit Strikes, Installs Spyware
The unpatched CreateTextRange vulnerability in Internet Explorer is already being used by at least one Web site to install spyware on users' machines, a security organization said Friday.
TechWeb.com
March 24, 2006
WebAttacker Spyware Kits Available Online for $15
Sophos announced that experts at SophosLabs, its network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have discovered a Russian Web site that sells spyware kits, called WebAttacker, for $15.
ItNewsOnline.com
March 22, 2006
Massive Botnet Stealing Banking Info
One of the most sophisticated bot Trojans ever has been infecting machines for months, a security company revealed Wednesday, and has compromised an estimated one million PCs in an ongoing effort to pillage personal bank accounts.
TechWeb.com
March 22, 2006
Anti-Spyware Group Fingers Kazaa
The popular Kazaa (peer-to-peer) file-trading software and a supposed spyware-blocking application are among the first four programs identified as badware by the fledgling StopBadware.org group.
TechWorld.com
March 21, 2006
Study Shows IE More Vulnerable To Spyware
A new study found that one of every 67 webpages exploits a vulnerability in Internet Explorer. One in 62 domains contained at least one scripted drive-by download attack.
SecurityProNews.com
March 16, 2006
Norton Update Kicks AOL Users Offline
An incorrect update to Symantec's Norton security software on Wednesday blocked Internet access for some America Online users.
News.com
March 16, 2006
Trojan 'Kidnaps' Data
Experts warned computer users on Wednesday of a Trojan that could steal their data and try to sell it back to them.
ZNetIndia.com
March 10, 2006
McAfee Update Exterminates Excel
For a brief period on Friday, McAfee's security tools killed more than viruses. An error in McAfee's virus definition file released Friday morning caused the company's consumer and enterprise antivirus products to flag Microsoft's Excel...
News.com
March 9, 2006
New Rogue AntiSpyware and SpySheriff Clone
These rogue anti-spyware programs seem to multiply like rabbits. Just 2 days ago I wrote about Spy-Shield, an anti-spware app that installs adware from BestOffersNetwork Then yesterday SunbeltBLOG featured another new rogue anti-spyware app named BraveSentry.
Blogs.ZNet.com
March 4, 2006
Spyware Cybersigns Point to Begg-Smith
Dale Begg-Smith's name keeps popping up in all the wrong places, like much of the insidious internet spyware that he has been responsible for peddling and pushing.
Smh.Com.A
March 2, 2006
Apple Patches Mac OS X Security Flaws
Apple Computer has issued a security Relevant Products/Services from update that patches 20 vulnerabilities found in the company's Mac OS X operating system as well as some applications bundled with the OS.
NewsFactor.com
March 2, 2006
Netsky Still Top of the Virus Charts
A roundup of the February virus and spam statistics has shown that Netsky is still the most common virus on the internet, despite all major software vendors having a signature file available for over a year. Sophos, Fortinet
VnuNet.com
March 2, 2006
Bagle Bullies Users Into Infections
A new variant of the long-running Bagle worm appeared Wednesday, and tried to bully people into installing the payload by threatening to report them to the police.
TechWeb.com
March 2, 2006
Hunt Intensifies for Botnet Command & Controls
Operating under the theory that if you kill the head, the body will follow, a group of high-profile security researchers is ramping up efforts to find and disable the command-and-control infrastructure that powers millions of zombie drone machines, or bots, hijacked by malicious hackers.
YahooNews.com
February 16, 2006
Aiming for a Pest-Free PC
Keeping a home computer safe from the swarms of pests that infect the Internet has become a major chore for many consumers. You need software to protect you from viruses, spyware, spam, phishing frauds, and assorted electronic assaults -- and you need to keep the programs up-to-date to stay ahead of the evildoers.
BusinessWeek.com
February 14, 2006
Microsoft Releases Windows Defender - AntiSpyware
Microsoft announced today a public Beta 2 release of a significant upgrade to its free anti-spyware utility. Renamed Windows Defender, the anti-spyware software has an updated spyware-detection engine and a heavily revised interface.
PersonalTechPipeline.com
February 14, 2006
MS Anti-Spyware Labels Symantec As Trojan
An update to Microsoft anti-spyware incorrectly labeled two versions of Symantec's anti-virus software as Trojan horse malware last week.
TheRegister.Co.Uk
February 10, 2006
Bagle Worm Spreading Widely As "February Price" Email
Experts at SophosLabs, Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have warned users about a new version of the Bagle worm which has spread widely in the last few days. Sophos is advising users to ensure their anti-virus protection is up-to-date to protect against attacks.
Sophos.com
February 9, 2006
Spyware Barely Touches Firefox
In side-by-side tests of Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox, IE proved to be far more vulnerable to spyware infections. Most of the exploits that leveraged IE vulnerabilities to plant spyware were based on ActiveX and JavaScript.
InformationWeek.com
February 9, 2006
Mystery Valentine Or Dangerous Liaison?
Internet Security Systems (ISS) has revealed that the number of dating sites across the world has increased by 17% within the last 12 months.
MyBroadband.Co.Za
February 8, 2006
Microsoft Details Windows Anti-Virus Pricing
Users running Windows will be charged almost $50 each year for having their PCs protected by Microsoft against attacks from hackers.
ChannelRegister.Co.Uk
February 7, 2006
Spyware Triples During 2005
Spyware tripled during 2005, became ever-more sophisticated and stealthy, and attached itself to U.S. computers at rates above any other country, a security company says.
InformationWeek.com
February 5, 2006
As Computer Virus Marks 20th Anniversary, The Battle Continues - and Gets Tougher
Cost of new computer and new software: $1,000. Cost of getting high-speed Internet service into your home: $49.95 a month. Time it takes for a botmaster to infect your unprotected computer, take control and use it to infect others: one minute from first connection to the Internet.
MoneyCanoe.CA
February 4, 2006
Computer Virus Scare Fizzles
Fear was replaced by relief for many computer users after an email virus caused little damage. Computer security experts in the Lansing area say the Kama Sutra virus didn't affect as many computer systems as anticipated.
WNLS.com
February 4, 2006
Spyware Evolves!
The ability to detect spyware is becoming more and more important in today's world. Ditto for the use of spyware removal tools.
DailyIndia.com
February 3, 2006
Spyware Tunnels In On Winamp Flaw
A security bug in Winamp is being exploited by miscreants to install spyware on machines running the media player software, experts have warned.
News.com
February 3, 2006
Study Notes Decline in Internet Spyware
A new study details the extent and seriousness of potentially destructive spyware on the Internet, finding that it is still prevalent but declined significantly.
LiveScience.com
February 2, 2006
Kama Sutra Threat Looms Large
As D-Day for the 'Kama Sutra' worm nears, security firm Sophos is warning users not to panic over the threat posed by it. The W32/Nyxem-D worm, which can pose as pictures of the Kama Sutra, has a destructive payload, which triggers half an hour after a computer is booted on the third day of any month, destroying DOC, XLS, MDB, MDE, PPT, PPS, ZIP, RAR, PDF, PSD and DMP files.
TechTree.com
January 31, 2006
New Worm Relies On Old Trick
Promise of dirty pictures could destroy personal documents.
CNN.com
January 25, 2006
Netscape 8.1 Takes Aim At Spyware
Netscape on Wednesday released its latest browser, version 8.1, which adds features designed to better protect Web surfers against online scams such as spyware and phishing.
News.com
January 25, 2006
BlackWorm Preps to Wipe Drives
Update your users' anti-virus signatures. An email worm known to have infected three quarters of a million computers will start deleting data on February 3.
CommentWire.com
February 2, 2006
PC Virus Celebrates 20 Years of Havoc
In the 1990s, viruses amounted mainly to electronic graffiti. Occasionally, the virus would cause financial harm, but only with regard to damage to computers. Today, viruses have become the bread and butter for a new breed of criminals and crime syndicates.
Sci-Tech-Today.com
January 23, 2006
Nyxem Worm Programmed to Erase Files
Rapidly-spreading worm will overwrite data files on infected computers on February 3.
PCWorld.com
January 22, 2006
F-Secure Patches Anti-Virus Software
Antivirus software vendor F-Secure issued a patch for a wide range of its products last Thursday after a security researcher in Luxembourg reported vulnerabilities to the company.
ARNnet.com.au
January 21, 2006
Kama Sutra Worm Gets Nasty
A potentially destructive new computer worm disguised as pornographic videos and other material is steadily infecting thousands of victims each hour with payload designed to destroy documents and files on victim machines.
Bolgs.WashingtonPost.com
January 19, 2006
Windows Live Ideas - Beta
Welcome to Windows Live TM Ideas. What is Windows Live? Your online world gets better when everything works simply and effortlessly together. That's the basic idea behind Windows Live. So the things you care about - your friends, the latest information, your e-mails, powerful search, your PC files, everything – comes together in one place. This is a brand new Internet experience designed to put you in control. And this is just the beginning – you'll see many more new services in the coming months.
Ideas.Live.com
January 19, 2006
Busting spyware: More tips
In the first article of this series, I covered some of the tools and techniques that users and administrators can apply to remove spyware and other unwanted software. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to spyware. It's much more effective — and much less stressful — to keep spyware off systems by preventing infection in the first place. This article will show you how to set up those spyware defenses.
CmpNetAsia.com
January 16, 2006
Antivirus Program May Contain Spyware
Symantec, known for its Norton Antivirus software, has spyware of its own in some of its programs.
ClickOnDetroit.com
January 12, 2006
Apple Downplays iTunes 'Spyware' Fears
Apple has denied that it retains any of the information that the latest update to its hugely popular jukebox software, iTunes, creates as it monitor users' listening selections.
ChannelRegister.Co.Uk
January 9, 2006
Google Packs A Punch
Free software package gives users a chance to install and maintain a wide range of essential PC programs; also announces The Google Video Store service.
WebHosting.Info
January 4, 2006
Windows Bug Awaits Microsoft Fix
Users may have to wait another week for Microsoft to finish fixing a serious bug in the Windows operating system.
News.Bcc.co.uk
January 3, 2006
10 Ways To Juice Up Your Network
Is your network as slow and sluggish as rush-hour traffic? Experts offer their top tips for putting it in the fast lane --- permanently.
InformationWeek.com
January 2, 2006
Taking Out the Garbage
Just a few years ago, all we had to worry about were viruses and spam. Lately, however, spyware has become every bit the nuisance that its two cousins have been, if not more so. In addition to supplying unscrupulous vendors with information about you and your computers, Spyware can slow your system to a crawl, ruin your registry, or, in some cases, crash Windows altogether.
ComputerUser.com
|
|
|
