security

With the Windows family still allowing Microsoft to enjoy the lion's share of the OS market, rival companies are forever left to jockey for second place. While the goal for these companies is to one day surpass Windows in popularity, there has ... always been one benefit in playing "second fiddle" to Microsoft: hackers tend follow user demographics. This means that Windows is as much a popular choice for malware attacks as it is for consumers. Such is true for Apple, who listed only 34 known vulnerabilities within the Mac OS family back in 2009. While even one vulnerability should be cause for ... (view more)

Just when security companies have developed new ways of dealing with the infamous Zeus Trojan , a variant characterized as the "Son of Zeus" has arisen. Worse yet, the variant has the trait of being virtually undetectable by conventional antivirus ... applications. About the Zeus Trojan and MS Windows The Zeus Trojan made headlines back in 2009 as a "highly customizable" tool for hackers. It's main mission is to sniff out financial information and break into online bank accounts . Security experts estimate that the Zeus Trojan has been used to infiltrate tens of thousands of PCs around ... (view more)

Microsoft yesterday announced that its next monthly security update due on October 12th, popularly referred to as " Patch Tuesday ," will include a record 16 Security Bulletins -- the most ever released at one time by the company. The bulletins ... address a total of nearly 50 vulnerabilities. Almost All Windows Versions Susceptible to Exploits Of the nearly 50 vulnerabilities to be addressed this next Patch Tuesday , four have been rated 'Critical,' Microsoft's most serious designation for security threats. Another ten are marked 'Important,' the second-highest rating, and two more are ... (view more)

Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows 1.0.2498.0 Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download from Microsoft that helps to keep your PC protected against malware and virus threats. It's simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to ... date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. http://www.microsoft.com Cloudmark DesktopOne 1.0.1040 Cloudmark DesktopOne is a free Anti-Spam Solution to protect your inbox from spam, phishing and viruses. It features a quick, easy, and automatic setup. http://download.cnet.com This freeware software program is brought to ... (view more)

Viruses get their name because, like human diseases, they can spread and multiply quickly. Now, Microsoft believes some of the tactics used to protect public health should be applied to the world of technology. Computer Virus Prevention is Key to ... Deterring Further Infections The idea comes from Scott Charney, a senior figure in Microsoft's security team. He's just published a paper named "Collective Defense: Applying Public Health Models to the Internet." In Charney's paper, he argues that while preventing individual machines from getting infected -- for example through security software -- ... (view more)

Microsoft has this week issued a patch for a bug in the system used to develop active web pages. In a change from the company's normal procedures, the update had already been made available for manual downloading before testing was complete. The bug ... affected ASP.NET (Active Server Pages), a Microsoft system for creating dynamic rather than static web pages. That could cover a journey planner site that created custom results for the reader, as opposed to a page simply listing bus timetables. Passwords Exposed by Flaw The security flaw meant hackers could bypass encryption and see information ... (view more)

With many tech analysts predicting that cloud computing will be an important part of how companies conduct their future business, Google has intervened by clamping down on potential hackers and would-be identity thieves. Second Password Code Sent ... via SMS, Cell Phone Using simple passwords for an online account makes you prone to hackers, and this is especially true for corporate accounts. In response to the call for greater security, Google has implemented an additional (and optional) security measure which requires users enter a random six-digit code after entering their password. The random ... (view more)

World's largest chip maker Intel Corporation has reportedly unveiled what it believes is the chipset of the future. Code-named "Sandy Bridge," the new chipset integrates the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) onto a ... single silicon chip and is designed to cut the time it takes to process images. Intel recently cut its sales forecasts due to weaker than expected PC demand, but hopes that the new technology will wow both PC vendors and consumers. Chipset Integration Removes Bottleneck Paul Otellini, Intel's chief executive believes that Sandy Bridge is a ... (view more)

As announced late last week , Microsoft has released a patch addressing thirteen vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems (OS) and business suite Office. The most critical of these threats are posed by the Stuxnet worm, of which 2 zero-day ... flaws remain at large and unpatched. (Source: eweek.com ) Stuxnet Worm: Sophisticated, Huge Threat Security experts say the patch is an important one. For users of the ubiquitous Windows XP, the exploit has been ranked "critical" by Microsoft, its most serious rating. However, if you're running the more recent Vista or Windows 7, the Stuxnet threat ... (view more)

Security researchers have discovered a new PDF (portable document format) exploit in Adobe Reader and Acrobat they think could allow a hacker to remotely take over a system. In fact, the threat is so serious at least one expert has called the ... vulnerability "scary." Adobe has acknowledged the flaw exists and could soon be exploited. In a statement, the company noted that the hole could be used to "cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system." (Source: adobe.com ) Hackers Trick Users Into Opening Infected PDF Mac, Unix and Windows users are ... (view more)