Security

The results are in: cyber crime and online scams were way, way up in 2009. It's bad enough that the difference in losses between 2007 and 2008 was an increase of 11 percent (or roughly $265 million) -- but who would have guessed that difference ... between 2008 and 2009 would be double the previous year -- at an astounding $559 million? Cyber Crime Success: Sophistication, Anonymity According to an FBI-led taskforce, the cyber crime losses are the result of more sophisticated techniques employed by hackers during attacks. "The figures contained in this report indicate that criminals are ... (view more)

It appears Microsoft won't wait until April's Patch Tuesday to release a fix for a recently revealed zero-day vulnerability found in the company's popular web browser, Internet Explorer. The company is, according to reports, working furiously to get ... the patch out soon, but hasn't guaranteed it will arrive here before next month. Releasing emergency patches is rare for Microsoft. However, if the situation warrants fast action the company has demonstrated in the past that it will jump days or even weeks ahead of its monthly Patch Tuesday releases. In this case, Microsoft's March Patch Tuesday ... (view more)

It seems ironic that as the first of April draws near, the dreaded Conficker worm has resurfaced yet again in the media. April 1, 2010 will mark the one-year anniversary of the date that the Conficker virus was set upon the world, infecting millions ... of computers. And while many feel the worm failed to live up to its hype, its presence is still being felt across the globe. Security Researcher Discovers Malware on Phone A Panda Security employee recently discovered the worm (along with two other malware programs) on his new HTC Magic phone. The malware was activated once the phone was plugged ... (view more)

Symantec researchers have discovered that the software accompanying Energizer's DUO battery charger may have been injecting PCs with malware since May 2007. Energizer has recently discontinued the product, but for those who've already purchased the ... charger, it's important they know a workaround for the problem. Trojan Creation Date Not Known According to Symantec Global Intelligence Network director Dean Turner, it's tough to tell if the Trojan has been kicking around the full three years. "It's really impossible to say for sure that this Trojan has always been in the USB charger- ... (view more)

Spanish police have arrested three individuals for what is believed to be one of the biggest computer crimes in history. At a news conference delivered this past Wednesday, police revealed that malicious programs created by the accused were used to ... steal bank details from computers all over the world, and that these programs had the potential to cripple the computer systems of an entire country. The accused men are said to be between the ages of 25 and 31, each from a small town in Spain. 13 Million Infected PCs in Control Their transition into hacking came after the acquisition of a virus ... (view more)

A recently filed 17-page lawsuit (PDF) alleges that laptops issued to high-school students in a Pennsylvania suburb feature webcams used by school administrators to invade the privacy of almost 1,800 students and their families. (Source: zdnet.com ) ... According to the parents in Blake J Robbins v. Lower Merion School District (LMSD), the issue was discovered last November when the Robbins' child was disciplined for 'improper behavior at his home' and a photo taken by the webcam was used by the Assistant Principal as evidence. The activity the student was engaged in is not specified in the ... (view more)

Microsoft is cautioning users not to download fake versions of Microsoft Security Essentials, which are similarly named to the original, but are in fact rogue. The original Microsoft Security Essentials is fully functional and free from Microsoft ... and without charge for all legitimately registered users of MS Windows. Fake Antivirus Storms Internet, Duping Users Rogue antivirus products are notorious for having similar names, appearances and functions of legitimate antivirus software in an attempt to coax unsuspecting users into doling out hundreds of dollars towards unnecessary, and often ... (view more)

According to a report by Microsoft, a new security hole has emerged in older versions of Windows systems running Internet Explorer. Hackers could use the vulnerability to take control of a user's system. The flaw has been found in systems running ... Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. Microsoft says the issue is tied to the way that Visual Basic Scripting, or VBScript -- which is used for executing functions found in web pages -- is linked with Windows Help files. Fake Dialog Box Requests Users Hit F1 In the case of an attack, a victim using Windows 2000, XP, or Server 2003 would ... (view more)

A new botnet that carries the namesake of perhaps the most famous American-born martial arts actor of all time is causing quite a stir across the Internet. The botnet received its name from a comment (written in Italian) in its source code: "in nome ... di Chuck Norris" which translates: "in the name of Chuck Norris". So, how does one get infected with the infamous Chuck Norris botnet? Those who have yet to change the default password on their home router are the most susceptible to an attack. Norris Infects DSL Modems and Routers The Chuck Norris botnet is also unusual because it infects DSL ... (view more)

It appears as if Google was telling the truth when they announced that several other US companies had been targeted alongside their China-based attack last month. At the time, Google declined to name the other American companies. Computer chip giant ... Intel Corp. has now come forward in the wake of the Google fiasco to announce that it too was the victim of a cyberattack last month. More specifically, the Intel attack was performed around the same time as the Google hack. Hacking is the "Norm" at Intel According to a corporate spokesperson, "We regularly face attempts by others to gain ... (view more)