malware

A new form of ransomware has reportedly infected more than half a million computers in the past six months, making its creators an estimated $1 million. Ransomware is a type of malicious software (or " malware ") that takes control of a computer ... system and then holds it for ransom. In many cases, if victims do not pay the ransom, the data on the computer is encrypted and rendered unusable. The ransomware program in question is known as CryptoWall. According to Dell SecureWorks' Counter Threat Unit (CTU), CryptoWall has been spreading rapidly since late last year. In fact, in ... (view more)

A new report suggests that roughly one thousand American businesses have been victimized by 'Backoff', a form of malware that exposes customers' most sensitive information, including credit card data. Backoff made headlines late last year when ... retail giant Target was hit , exposing credit card data of roughly forty million customers. Now, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Center (NCCIC) and U.S. Secret Service are suggesting that many more businesses have been exposed by the same malware. If an infection occurs, the Backoff malware is capable of recording keystrokes ... (view more)

A new report suggests that most USB flash drives (also known as thumb drives) have a critical security weakness that allows them to be reconfigured, giving hackers an opportunity to silently infect targeted computer systems with malware . The report ... comes from Germany's Security Research Labs, which says that most companies making USB flash drives fail to protect the firmware installed on their devices. That means attackers could easily hack and replace the firmware with a malicious version of the firmware, which is then capable of delivering a payload onto a victim's PC - usually with ... (view more)

Microsoft is planning to release a slew of security fixes for Internet Explorer (IE) -- suggesting the web browser continues to face a torrent of security threats . Nevertheless, a recent study shows that Internet Explorer maintains a vice-like grip ... on the web browser market. Yesterday, Microsoft released a Security Bulletin Advance Notification for July 2014 , with plans to ship a total of six security updates to customers next Tuesday (July 8, 2014). The updates will patch security vulnerabilities present in every version of Internet Explorer and all supported editions of the Windows ... (view more)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has disrupted a major malware botnet specifically designed to steal personal financial data from computers. Both US and UK security agencies are warning all users that they have a two week grace period to ... shore up their defenses before cybercriminals reactivate the threat. A botnet is essentially an army of malware-infected computers under the control of cybercriminals. In this case, the botnet is known as the GameOver Zeus. When a computer becomes infected with malware, it can also become part of a botnet. Malware infection is usually the result of ... (view more)

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DOHS) has warned that users should switch away from Internet Explorer until a serious bug has been fixed. It's the first big security scare since Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP earlier this ... month. The bug doesn't have a glamorous nickname and is instead simply known as CVE-2014-1776. When triggered, the bug allows for remote code execution, which means a third party would have full control over a remote PC without the need for credentials or consent from the PC owner. By clicking on a malicious link or by visiting an infected ... (view more)

Security experts are warning users to take extra caution when seeking information about the lost Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 online. Reports suggest that cybercriminals are taking advantage of the media buzz surrounding the missing plane in ... order to spread computer malware through malicious web sites, social media, emails, and bogus links. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing on March 8, 2014. It's still not clear if the plane was hijacked or crashed, let alone where the impact might have taken place. A coalition of 26 countries is currently looking for the aeroplane. (Source: ... (view more)

A major financial news outlet has accused Target of missing clear warning signals that it was being hacked and customer data put at risk. Target is the second largest discount retailer in the United States, next to Walmart. In December 2013, Target ... confirmed that hackers had stolen credit card data from 40 million customers. The attack happened approximately 19 days after American Thanksgiving (November 28, 2013). The theft not only affected customers who had used credit cards online, but in stores as well. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Target had already set up a security center in ... (view more)