Security

One of the biggest tax errors in British history has led millions of people to pay the incorrect tax to the HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs). Even worse: phishers have burst onto the scene looking to cash in on the mass confusion. HMRC has ... since attempted to quash fears by promising that all those affected will have their issues rectified via standard mail and NOT by phone or email; however, considering the severity of the situation, many have taken to the Internet to conduct their own research. Once online, curious individuals become susceptible to opportunistic phishing scams. ... (view more)

For those who have the time, online quizzes can be a lot of fun. However, users should beware any quiz that asks for personal information in exchange for the results of a test. This means that in addition to your score, users could be placed on an ... emailing list to receive unwanted junk email messages, or worse. It is no wonder that the recent spike in popularity of IQ tests over instant messaging services has caught the attention of cybercriminals everywhere. Instead of infecting systems with viruses and malware though, these scammers are using an underhanded sales trick to get people to sign ... (view more)

Security researchers have discovered a new PDF (portable document format) exploit in Adobe Reader and Acrobat they think could allow a hacker to remotely take over a system. In fact, the threat is so serious at least one expert has called the ... vulnerability "scary." Adobe has acknowledged the flaw exists and could soon be exploited. In a statement, the company noted that the hole could be used to "cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system." (Source: adobe.com ) Hackers Trick Users Into Opening Infected PDF Mac, Unix and Windows users are ... (view more)

Apple has joined Mozilla in releasing a browser security update for a bug affecting numerous Windows programs. It means Safari and Firefox are the only major browsers that have been issued a fix. In both cases, the problem is the much talked-about ... Windows DLL bug that deals with dynamic link libraries (DLLs). It involves the way Windows works and the settings of individual applications, many of which aren't produced by Microsoft. Windows DLL Bug Affects All Versions of Windows In short, the problem is that when an application tries to load a DLL but doesn't say where the file is located, ... (view more)

The latest bout of scareware making its way through the Internet uses legitimate-looking browser warning pages and offers up a dose of fake antivirus. Those responsible for its creation have matched the webpage layout offered by the world's most ... popular browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and others -- right down to the design and layout. All Web Browsers Susceptible to Attack The scareware , dubbed Rogue:MSIL/Zeven by antivirus firms, is able to identify the Internet browser you're using, and then displays a fake warning page that states the site you're browsing may be infected ... (view more)

Microsoft has issued an automated Windows tool designed to limit the effects of a recent DLL bug . The company has also noted it is only classing the problem as an "important" rather than "critical" risk. Windows Dynamic Link Library (DLL) Bug As ... noted previously, the problem involves dynamic link libraries (DLLs), a type of shortcut that allows multiple applications to access the same code in Windows. Many applications are set to automatically open any DLLs stored within their program folders. It's now emerged that it is easier than previously thought to create bogus files that can exploit ... (view more)

The Republic of Sierra Leone in West Africa isn't exactly a top tourist destination spot. Nonetheless, even if visiting the place might be dangerous, Sierra Leone has been rated the safest place in the world to use the Internet. The figures come ... from security firm Antivirus Grisoft (AVG), which analyzed data from 127 million customers in 144 countries. The statistics are based around the number of times the AVG software detected a security threat, compared with the number of times users went online. The figures reported are the chances that an average user's computer will be attacked on any ... (view more)

Shortly after announcing a severe iTunes flaw that affects over 40 Windows applications just last week, it now appears Apple's popular media player, QuickTime, also includes a flaw that could be exploited by hackers to execute malicious code on PCs ... using the Windows operating system (OS). Even systems running more recent versions of the OS, Windows Vista and Windows 7, are vulnerable. "At present the security vulnerability seems to be with users that run Internet Explorer. Given the relative ease with which [the exploit was demonstrated], the chance for drive-by [download] attacks to ... (view more)

Security firm McAfee recently compiled a list of the most dangerous celebrity search terms. Malware-Riddled Sites Plague Internet Search, Infect PCs Hackers know all about celebrity obsession, and will use these Hollywood figures to ambush visitors ... to "booby-trapped" websites that can infect a PC if a user clicks or downloads the wrong file. That download might include a desktop background, screen saver or video (beware of the nude ones). (Source: telegraph.co.uk ) Hackers could use booby-trapped downloads to install malware onto machines, and from there, steal login and password information ... (view more)

A security expert says he's seen a record response to the recently-named "Windows DLL bug," which can allow hackers to remotely control infected PCs. Mati Aharoni predicts the number of affected applications will soon be in the hundreds. This week, ... Microsoft published a temporary workaround that prevents the exploit from occurring. It's working with third-party application developers to find individual and permanent solutions, but is still extremely wary of issuing a fix to Windows itself. The issue involves a system in Windows known as dynamic link libraries (DLL), a shortcut for ... (view more)