Security

We've all heard it before. In the past it's been shown that Microsoft's relatively new antivirus software, Windows OneCare Live, struggled to eliminate all of the most recent threats to a user's operating system. Microsoft only released the program ... last year, and it's starting to become apparent that it has much work to do in order to catch up with the competition from longtime industry veterans like McAfee and Norton. Now, a recent test of Trojans and the like revealed that OneCare Live in fact offers the least security of all software on the market. (Source: Slashdot.org ) The test was ... (view more)

Although Windows Vista has only been on the business market since November, with home users getting their hands on it almost exactly one month ago, many industry experts have been using it for much longer. One such long-time user is ZDNet blogger ... Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, who recently spouted his rather positive feelings towards Vista. It's in the massively upgraded interface that Kingsley-Hughes finds himself so impressed with Microsoft's latest operating system (OS). That's where he finds it beats XP "hands down", with efficiency features like an improved Start Menu, improved search engine, ... (view more)

The United States Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has issued an advisory regarding remote tech support tools made by SupportSoft. The affected software uses ActiveX controls contain multiple buffer overflow vulnerabilities which could allow a ... remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system. The SupportSoft ActiveX controls are essentially small applications that can be run from Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The affected software is often used by Internet service providers, PC makers and other companies to provide support functions such as remote ... (view more)

For those millions upon millions of web users who depend on Yahoo's email service, a recent rumor of hacker penetration into the database was very frightening. If you haven't heard, a Symantec report recently alleged that the "Feebs" worm had made ... its way throughout Yahoo's web mail. That rumor has finally been debunked, leaving many Yahoo users breathing a sigh of relief. Symantec is a major Internet/tech security company that regularly flags the latest threats to Internet programs. They've most famously been behind warnings to consumers on web browser loopholes, reporting Trojans, phishing ... (view more)

Oops! It looks like Microsoft has once again scrambled to update a recently discovered vulnerability in their Malware Protection Engine, used by the Windows Defender security programs. A security bulletin (MS07-010) has been issued by Microsoft (MS) ... for users of it's highly touted Windows Defender security program that affects 8 MS products. The security bulletin, rated "critical" details how a remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine because of the way it parses Portable Document Format (PDF) files. Product and version numbers affected: Windows Live ... (view more)

The millions of office and home office users that take advantage of Microsoft's Excel should be very careful. Last week, the company warned the public of a "zero-day" attack that acts upon certain weaknesses in the program. As expected, it's based ... on an email attachment threat, although it appears to look legitimate enough to pose a serious threat. While Microsoft's security advisory attempts to calm users by stating that the attack is "very limited", it's still got many businesses worried. According to reports, hackers are sending email packing malicious Excel attachments that are able to ... (view more)

Just when you thought it was safe to browse the Internet -- A recent examination of Microsoft's new virus and malware protection software, OneCare, has revealed that the product is already out of date. That means there are plenty of threats floating ... around the web that can bypass OneCare's defenses and infect a computer. The study was performed by British computer publication "Virus Bulletin", which is widely respected for its "VB100" tests. These examinations are considered a benchmark in accurately displaying the potential threats for a program like OneCare. (Source: astalvista.com ) So, ... (view more)

As I was working with my email today, I realized that I was not alone in trying to combat the scourge of Spam! Many are working to reduce the space and time it takes to transfer the stuff, in many cases at very real expense since there are a number ... of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that charge the user for the amount of data transferred. Some companies, such as AOL and Yahoo, have come up with preventative strategies that don't really work all that well (charging bulk emailers for Preferred Status) and tend to cause difficulties for everybody. When it comes to the user reporting spam in ... (view more)

A recent email memo leaked to APC Magazine revealed that Microsoft is already hard at work on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). Microsoft sent out emails to customers and partners to test and provide feedback on (SP1) to help prepare for it's ... release in the second half of 2007. In comparison, it took 11 months after the release of Windows XP for Microsoft to rollout the first service pack. Specific details of the changes (codenamed "Fiji") have not been released by Microsoft yet. Microsoft claims that regressions from Windows Vista and Windows XP (specifically: security, deployment blockers ... (view more)

Hackers recently accessed and attacked the website of a foundation lead by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The intentions of the hackers were to publicly accuse the former leader of brutally suppressing a pro-independence demonstration in ... Soviet-controlled Azerbaijan back in 1990. Those responsible for the hacking posted a series of photographs on the website, taken from the suppressed rally and also posted an open letter to Gorbachev, blaming him for the deaths of more than 130 people. In Azerbaijan, the suppressed rally continues to be referred to as "Black January". Fueled by the ... (view more)