security

Password Security Scanner 1.1 This program for Windows computers scans the passwords stored for applications like Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Outlook. It then provides you with useful information about those passwords, ... including their length and style. It's a great way to help you track your passwords and construct better ones. http://www.nirsoft.net Pretty Run 6.7.0.133 Pretty Run is a special tool designed to help you navigate the Start Menu on your Windows computer. For example, if you think you've got a program installed on your PC, but don't want to sift through all ... (view more)

Microsoft's January 8, 2013 Patch Tuesday includes a total of seven patches, two of which Microsoft is labeling 'critical,' the firm's highest security rating. Notably absent from the lineup of fixes will be a patch for a recently-outed Internet ... Explorer security flaw. This Patch Tuesday's critical fixes address security vulnerabilities that, like so many other previously patched vulnerabilities, could potentially allow a hacker to remotely execute malicious files and take control of an unpatched computer. As usual, hackers could do this by convincing a computer user to visit a malicious ... (view more)

A newly-discovered flaw in Microsoft's popular Internet Explorer (IE) web browser could allow hackers to take control of a Windows-based computer. The Redmond, Washington-based firm has acknowledged that the problem exists and that it affects older ... versions of IE. The firm has also released a temporary fix for the problem. Microsoft Advises: Avoid Suspicious Links "Microsoft is aware of targeted attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability through Internet Explorer 8," Microsoft said in a security advisory issued on Sunday, December 30, 2012. Microsoft says the remote code ... (view more)

Microsoft has released a series of updates designed to fix several 'critical' security vulnerabilities in its software. Adobe has also released a new security patch for its Flash Player software. Both Adobe and Microsoft are urging their users to ... make sure their computers have installed these repair modules, and if not, to install them manually as soon as possible. Microsoft says most of the ten vulnerabilities addressed by this week's Patch Tuesday updates have been rated 'critical,' the firm's highest security threat level. Adobe has also rated its patch as 'critical.' Internet Explorer ... (view more)

A security researcher says he's found a major vulnerability in Samsung's new high-definition Smart televisions that could transfer control of a TV from the person with the remote control to an unknown, distant hacker. Smart TVs are, arguably, the ... most advanced HDTVs on the market right now. They provide viewers with a high-resolution Light Emitting Diode (LED) screen capable of displaying two- and three-dimensional video, and they also give users access to downloadable applications, including Facebook, Twitter, and Google Maps. These capabilities have made Smart TVs hot items with the deep ... (view more)

Let's get this out of the way: Microsoft's decision to drastically change the Windows interface for Windows 8 remains highly controversial. But there are benefits for users who make the switch to the new operating system (OS). Number one on that ... list: the all-new security features that Windows 8 offers. For one, Windows 8 includes Windows Defender (otherwise know as Security Essentials). This free antivirus and antimalware security program takes over and protects a user's computer automatically, and remains in operation until some other antivirus program is installed. While recent tests have ... (view more)

During the past twelve months, malicious software known as 'Eurograbber' was apparently used to steal $47 million in Europe alone. According to reports, the software took advantage of a popular security measure. The security researchers who ... discovered Eurograbber are now warning Internet users that the malware could easily spread from Europe to the rest of the world. (Source: checkpoint.com ) Eurograbber is a modified form of a previously known botnet called 'Zeus.' A botnet is a network of computers controlled by malicious software under the direction of a particular individual or gang of ... (view more)

A string of hotel room thefts in Texas has brought into question the security of an estimated 10 million electronic door locks commonly used worldwide in hotels and other facilities. Back in July, a security researcher demonstrated a problem with a ... system known as Onity HT locks. He said the technology is used in one-third of hotels worldwide and covers more than half of all locks now in use. The researcher, Cody Brocious, says the main flaw in the system is the equipment used for two specific purposes: opening a door when the battery in the lock has failed and creating a master key card for ... (view more)

There are just 500 days left until Microsoft officially terminates all support for the incredibly popular Windows XP operating system (OS). When it happens, the event will mark a major transition for the software giant, and could present big ... problems for the half billion computers still running the aging OS. Once these 500 days come to an end, Windows XP will no longer be updated or have any security vulnerabilities patched by the Microsoft development team. Over time, that will tend to make the operating system highly vulnerable to hacker attack. You can think of this 'end to upgrades' much ... (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)