Security

Wed
21
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Yahoo Attacked By Yamanner Worm

Yahoo Mail, the world's most popular e-mail service, was recently attacked by a software virus (worm) dubbed "Yamanner" or "JS.Yamanner." Major anti-virus companies Trend Micro and McAfee disagree with Symantec (Norton) about Yamanner's threat ... level. Trend Micro and McAfee have categorized the virus as a "low" threat, but Symantec (Norton) is calling it an "elevated threat." Most worms are activated only after an infected e-mail file attachment is downloaded. Not Yamanner. Merely opening the mail is enough to automatically unleash the virus onto your computer. That is likely the reason for ... (view more)

Tue
20
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Trojan-PSW.Win32.Sinowal.u: Next-Gen Phishing Scam

Recently, Kaspersky Labs detected a new form of spam email which contains an attachment of a password-stealing Trojan horse. The attached malware, which is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's consent, is ... called "Trojan-PSW.Win32.Sinowal.u" (herein referred to as "PSW"). (Source: viruslist.com ) Senior research engineers at Kaspersky Lab refer to PSW as being "the next-generation Trojan." The variant is part of the "Sinowal" family of password stealing Trojans, which is designed to steal usernames and passwords entered ... (view more)

Fri
16
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 ends October, 2006

According to the Microsoft Support Lifecycle, Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 1a (SP1a) on will reach its end of life on October 10, 2006. This is a significant announcement as this will also end any further security updates for ... anyone using these service packs; subsequently, any computer using SP1 or earlier will be at risk for exploits. (Source: sysadmin.it ) If you are still running SP1 or SP1a, it is recommended that you upgrade to Windows XP Service Pack 2 as soon as possible. How to Determine Which Service Pack is Installed on your System To determine which service pack ... (view more)

Wed
14
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Microsoft Modifies WGA Tool Following Spyware Allegations

Microsoft has changed a major "feature" found in its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) software, after receiving an onslaught of complaints from end users. The criticism is in regard to the program's daily check-ins with the company's servers; now, ... the tool will dial home in 14-day intervals instead of after every system boot. (Source: techtree.com ) Microsoft opted to change the frequency of the WGA check-ins after receiving allegations that the behavior of their software reached the level of Spyware status. Lauren Weinstein, cofounder of People for Internet Responsibility, recently ... (view more)

Fri
09
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

How to Choose a Good, Safe, Easy Password

As many of us know, coming up with a password can be a real chore. Then you have to be able to remember it! Actually, it isn't as hard as it sounds. There are several neat little tricks (or rules) used by the professionals that make password ... selection easier. Number one is to NOT use anything that someone could decipher by using personal information (names of your pets, parents, spouse, children, street you live on, etc). For example: use the lyrics of a song you like or use a catchy phrase that sticks in your mind. Take the first letter of the words in the phrase and stick a number in it ... (view more)

Sat
03
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Firefox 1.5.0.4 Update Fixes 13 Security Vulnerabilities

Mozilla recently released a new update of its Firefox Web browser, version 1.5.0.4. The update is to fix 13 security holes. Mozilla stated that at least five of these vulnerabilities could let attackers install software via the web without the ... knowledge from the user. Other security fixes included: privilege escalation, file stealing, buffer overflow, and potential memory corruption. (Source: WashingtonPost.com ) For those not familiar with the Mozilla name or the Firefox line of web browsers: Firefox is a free, standards-based Web browser with support for multiple platforms, including ... (view more)

Fri
02
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Search Industry Makes Billions Off Risky Sites

Recent Studies have shown that the sponsored links of major search engines are more likely to have harmful downloads. For example: web sites that "pay to have their links pop up on search engine result pages are nearly three times more likely to ... harbor Spyware or adware, or hassle users with spam than URLs generated by the engine's algorithms", research claims. It is estimated that the search industry made $1.1 billion from risky sponsored links last year. (Source: CRN.com ) The study evaluated major search engines using 1,300 different keyword searches. It found that about 5 percent of links ... (view more)

Thu
01
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Vulnerability in MS Office: 1Table.A Trojan

Microsoft's Office and Word contain a critical security hole that has already been exploited by hackers. According to Panda Software Labs, 1Table.A arrives as seemingly harmless Word document, but unlocks a backdoor Trojan that allows a hacker to ... run code on a victim's computer. Microsoft has released little to no information about the vulnerability affecting Office 2002/2003/XP and Word 2002/2003, but is already under pressure to fix the hole, as hacker attacks are surfacing via the dropper Trojan 1Table.A. If a user runs 1Table.A, it exploits this security problem to release a backdoor ... (view more)

Thu
01
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Microsoft Flexes its Muscle by Offering First Security Firewall

Three years after announcing its intent to enter the world of security software, Microsoft will be launching its new Windows OneCare Live on Thursday, June 1st, 2006. OneCare provides users with Spyware and antivirus protection through firewall ... software that also offers comprehensive backup and maintenance tools for Windows PCs. Although the functions offered by OneCare -- including all-in-one protection against undesired intruders and the regular backing-up of files to keep processing speed high -- are reason for its growing popularity, much of the hype surrounding OneCare Live comes from ... (view more)

Tue
30
May
Dennis Faas's picture

Remove SpySheriff (Removal Instructions): Simplified

SpySheriff is a mock antispyware application that uses fake security alerts to dupe users into purchasing the program. SpySheriff is typically installed through a security hole in MS Windows that automatically downloads a Trojan to your PC. The ... Trojan then issues bogus security alerts in the Windows taskbar. When you click on a fake security warning, SpySheriff is downloaded and installed to the system. SpySheriff also locks the Windows desktop to a black background with a warning message stating that "your computer is at risk." How to Remove SpySheriff (Removal Instructions) Below ... (view more)

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