malware

According to a recent report from Microsoft, the Redmond-based software company removed 6.5 million botnets from Windows machines during the first period of 2010 -- which is more than double the number eliminated by the firm over the same period in ... 2009. Botnets Used to Spam, Spread Malware, Steal Secrets In simple terms, a botnet (or "robot network") is a group of infected PCs that are under control of a few (or 1) individual. Typically, a PC becomes infected by visiting a malicious website, or by opening a malicious file or email. Once a computer is infected with botnet malware, ... (view more)

Website domain name registration business Network Solutions says that domains marked "page under construction" have been dishing up malware. It's suggested that millions of websites have been infected, and that the malware has been live for several ... months. The domains used a malicious script targeting Taiwanese and Hong Kong IP addresses to deliver a fake chat message that directed users to other web sites. (Source: computerworld.com ) Drive-By-Downloads Infect Unsuspecting Users Malware spread when a now-disabled widget in the Small Business Success Index section of Network Solutions' ... (view more)

Those wanting to jazz up their Google Android phones better watch out for a new malware that masquerades as a wallpaper application. While aesthetically appealing, the malware rooted behind the wallpaper strips personal data and sends it away to a ... remote server. The mal-app (malware app) targets phone numbers, subscriber identity and voicemail passwords. The vulnerability was uncovered by the US-based security company Lookout, which is currently working on the App Genome Project, a website designed to uncover apps with malicious code embedded. Malware Source Identified Fortunately, the source ... (view more)

A group of security researchers say they've found a workaround for just about every antivirus product on the market today, effectively making Windows-based security programs totally useless. Security research site Matousec.com recently issued an ... advisory for a process that allows malware to evade security detection. Note that this doesn't just apply to Microsoft's free Security Essentials software or other freeware antivirus products, but also targets full software packages from industry leaders like Norton, BitDefender and McAfee. Matousec's Morphing Malware According to reports, Matousec. ... (view more)

New iPad owners beware -- if you recently purchased an Apple iPad and are running Microsoft's Windows operating system on it, then take note: scammers are now trying to trick users into downloading a supposed iTunes update that is laced with ... malware. According to a recent report from security firm BitDefender, emails have recently been found in the inboxes of iPad owners under the subject line "iPad Software Update". The message offers those gullible enough to click a link to a web page where they're confronted with what appears to be a very legitimate iTunes update. (Source: cnet.com ) ... (view more)

While most malware infections occur when an unsuspecting user clicks onto a dubious web site, a new report suggests that malware infections also occur on legitimate sites. Websense Security Labs recently released their bi-annual research report ... which suggests that 71 per cent of known websites containing malware are actually legitimate sites. The report encompasses the second half of 2009. Hackers Poison Social Search The report also sheds some light on another growing malware trend: an increased number of searches for the latest news or current buzzwords often leads to malware. In a recent ... (view more)

Recently, Net applications released their January browser market share report and it appears that Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) version 8 now has a 22.37% usage share, making it the most-used browser on the planet. (Source: netmarketshare.com ) ... Another report by Microsoft's Windows Team Blog has confirmed similar results, stating that IE8 now has 25.6% market share across all operating systems (OS) on a worldwide-weighted usage share basis, making it the most popular browser of choice worldwide. (Source: windowsteamblog.com ) Either way, Internet Explorer 8 is clearly leading the pack. ... (view more)

There are a handful of people already cashing in on the iPad , well before Apple has had a to release the product to the masses. Security officials are warning computer enthusiasts everywhere to approach with caution when visiting a website ... containing information about the iPad device. That's because a number of fraudsters have rigged their websites that promise pertinent information on the tablet computer, but instead deliver a malware payload to the user visiting the site. Hackers "Poison" Online Searches According to Ivan Macalintal of Trend Micro, hackers tend to "poison" online searches ... (view more)

What's worse than downloading fake antivirus software and paying to "clean" your system of a virus that never existed in the first place? How about being locked out of your PC and having your files held for a $79.95 ransom? Malware Peddlers Up the ... Ante with Ransomware In the past, malware peddlers cashed in after coaxing innocent people into purchasing fake software they don't need. In an effort to spike profits, however, malware scammers are now upping the ante by infecting PCs and demanding users pay a set ransom to retrieve their files and documents. All it takes is 1 wrong click ... (view more)

Don't Fall Prey to the IRS Email Scam! Download our Top 10 PC Security Essentials Tech Report at the end of this article, or click to here to visit our Top 10 Tech Reports self-serve kiosk, now! Playing on the natural reservations people have about ... tax collectors, the latest scareware offering from hackers is not only devious and misleading, but is now being recognized as the single most virus-based spam delivered in the world. Hackers often reinvent themselves when seeking new and effective tactics in the hopes of getting more people to download malware and other forms of computer infections ... (view more)