Security

Smartphone Virus Threat?

2008-06-30T11:38:18-04:00

One of the great developments in access to the internet over recent years is its newfound mobility. A plethora of devices available on the high street, such as BlackBerrys and other PDAs, cell phones, and Apple's iPhone, offer users the capacity to get reliable web access from almost anywhere they also get telephone connectivity.
Many people view this sea change as the future of the internet, setting users free rather than keeping them chained to their computers or offices. This is not only the case in the developed world, with major telecommunications firms already expressing the view that the mobile internet access can provide people in developing countries with the opportunities previously denied to them. Access to computers or wireline internet is scarce in a large number of countries across Asia, South America and Africa, with a number of firms keen to improve their mobile penetration in these continents.

Kaspersky Beta Testing New Antivirus Software

2008-06-27T12:19:42-04:00

IT security company Kaspersky has begun testing its latest antivirus software.
The company has announced the beginning of beta testing of its Kaspersky Administration Kit 7.0.
According to the company, the new version of the software has a revamped interface and a simplified installation mode. It also has an improved system for reporting viruses identified on a PC.
"The application is expressly designed to provide centralized management of antivirus protection on networks of any size or complexity," says Kaspersky.

Computing Firms Helping Developers to Fight Hackers

2008-06-26T12:30:08-04:00

Microsoft and Hewlett Packard are helping website developers to fight potential attacks from hackers.
Both computing giants have released web tools to aid developers to discover any flaws in websites that can be attacked by SQL injection viruses which hijack legitimate sites.
Hackers are able to inject a SQL command where usernames and passwords are normally entered, which can be avoided by requiring "strongly typed" usernames.
The companies have discovered that many developers do not write code in this way, leading to a potential compromise.

Symantec Store 20% Off Norton Bundles

2008-06-25T08:09:57-04:00

- 20% OFF Norton product bundles at Symantec.com

Symantec Updates its Data Loss Software

2008-06-25T08:07:32-04:00

IT infrastructure support firm Symantec has released an updated version of its Vontu Data Loss Prevention software.
The new version of the program increases the support given to organizations to prevent the loss of confidential information, with an enhanced ability for SQL database scanning.
Vontu can now scan thousands of databases to locate sensitive data which may not have been correctly stored.
It can also perform a systematic audit across a large number of databases, according to the company.

New Malware Threats Emerge for Mac OS

2008-06-23T13:02:06-04:00

A new series of malware threats have emerged which attach to the Mac operating system.
Security firm Intego has discovered two new Trojan applications and a remote code execution vulnerability, reports vnunet.com.
The firm has identified a new threat which is found to pose as a poker game, which steals user names and passwords off the Mac and uploads them to a remote server.
Intego claims that the attackers would then "have the ability to remotely access and control the system".

Firefox 3 Security Flaw 'Found within Five Hours of Release'

2008-06-20T09:07:59-04:00

A security flaw has been discovered in Mozilla's new Firefox 3.0 internet browser.
Despite only being released on Tuesday, within five hours the critical security weakness had been discovered by researchers at intrusion prevention system experts TippingPoint.
ChannelWeb reports that any potential attackers would need user participation to successfully exploit the security flaw.
By using a phishing attack, commonly used to exploit browser-based vulnerabilities, hackers could infect a user's computer and execute a malicious code on the PC.

Browser Competition 'Has Transformed Security Landscape'

2008-06-18T12:49:28-04:00

Internet security experts have warned that competition between browsers has changed the online security landscape.
So-called "browser wars" between Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera and Safari have created security advantages as hackers and those who write malicious programs have had to adjust their tactics, reports vnunet.com.
A researcher for F-Secure, Sean Sullivan, wrote in a blog posting: "Many of the malware samples and scams that we currently come across are targeting browser applications.
"So enhancing browser security and an increase in competitiveness is a good thing."

A War on Terror

2008-06-16T08:50:46-04:00

Regardless of whether or not we believe everything we are told by politicians or the media, we are constantly bombarded with terminology such as "climate of fear" and "war on terror", leading the populace of the US to feel they are somehow constantly under threat from a faceless army of potential killers. Certainly the tragic attacks of September 11th have polarized political and citizens' thought to be more aware of the dangers caused - and over in the UK our major allies are facing similar circumstances.
Given this heightened awareness under which both countries currently operate, it would seem to be logical that documents relating to the twin potential threats posed by Iraq and Al-Qaeda are kept under the utmost secrecy - however, recent events in the UK have thrown this into doubt. BBC news reporters were handed documentation relating to potential vulnerabilities which had been left by a senior officer of the government on a train; quite what they were doing there in the first place has been the cause of heavy recriminations.

Kaspersky Target Gpcode Blackmailer Virus

2008-06-11T08:16:28-04:00

Kaspersky Lab has launched a new initiative in an attempt to crack the latest version of the Gpcode blackmailer virus.
The new virus.win32.gpcode.ak was added to the company's antivirus database in June 2008 and the latest investigation aims to identify the RSA-1024 key which is used in the dangerous blackmailer virus.
Kaspersky claims that after the virus attacks the PC, it generates a message informing users that the computer is encrypted and demands payment to decrypt the machine.