symantec

Security firm Symantec says it has disabled roughly 500,000 computers hijacked by a major botnet. Unfortunately, the botnet -- known as ZeroAccess -- still has around 1.4 million machines under its control. A botnet is a network of machines that ... have fallen victim to malicious software. This allows the cybercriminals running the network to combine the machines to create a powerful weapon. Sometimes botnet operators will use the computers to spread more malicious software, attack a business or government agency, or bring a website down. Infected Machines Used For Bogus Ad Clicks In this case ... (view more)

According to security firm Symantec, the Google Play store is home to many potentially dangerous applications. The firm says it found approximately 1,200 suspicious apps on the store over a seven-month period. Google Play is Google's digital ... distribution center, and it's where most Android users turn for downloads (in effect, it's Google's version of Apple's App Store). More than 700,000 apps can be found on the Google Play store, which has played a central role in Android's rapid growth in the mobile market. Between February and April 2013 sales of Android devices accounted for more than ... (view more)

A new type of malware targeting Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system (OS) reportedly uses Google Docs to carry out its attacks on unsuspecting users. According to a report from security firm Symantec (which discussed the issue in one of its ... recent Security Response blogs), a Trojan horse known as Backdoor.Makadocs is targeting Windows 8 users. Malware Disguises Itself; Tricks Users Here's how it works, according to Symantec: the malware exploits a vulnerability in the Google Docs program called "Viewer." Apparently the malware masks itself as a Rich Text Format (RTF) or Microsoft ... (view more)

The hacking group Anonymous claims it successfully stole data from security firm Symantec on Monday, November 5, 2012. However, Symantec denies the claim. Anonymous also claims to have gained access to servers belonging to ImageShack, a service that ... hosts pictures online. However, there has been no independent confirmation of that reported security breach, either. November 5th is an important date for Anonymous because it marks the anniversary of Guido 'Guy' Fawkes' attempt to blow up the English Parliament buildings in 1606. In England the event is remembered as 'Guy Fawkes Day.' Over time ... (view more)

A new update for a Symantec antivirus program reportedly causes some PCs running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system (OS) to crash. Apparently, the new software contains elements that conflict with older elements of the Symantec program. The ... faulty update was first made available early last week for Symantec's Endpoint Protection 12.1 antivirus software, a program used by a substantial number of businesses and some home consumers. Some XP Users Updated, Then Confronted by Blue Screen of Death The problem seems to affect computer systems running Microsoft's aging Windows XP OS. Symantec ... (view more)

In a new report released by prominent security firm Symantec, research shows that adult websites are not the most dangerous on the web. Instead, blogs associated with religion or ideologies offer a far greater chance of infecting a visitor's ... computer with some form of malware. Called the Internet Security Threat Report, Symantec's information includes a list of the ten most dangerous types of websites. Surprisingly, adult sites -- which many have long associated with malware and viruses -- are included as number ten. Adult Sites Don't Need Malware Money According to the report, religious and ... (view more)