Security

PayPal will soon be offering users a new tool to protect against malicious phishing attacks. The PayPal Security Key is a small electronic device that generates a new six-digit password every 30 seconds. PayPal users with the Security Key will use ... their original passwords as well as the password generated on the device in order to sign into their accounts. (Source: pcworld.com ) "If a fraudulent party somehow got hold of a person's username and password, they still wouldn't be able to get into the account because they don't have the six-digit code," says PayPal spokesperson Sara Bettencourt ... (view more)

Right before the New Year, Google received a nasty surprise. Gmail users were susceptible to having their contact lists stolen and used for malicious purposes. In order for the bug to activate itself, people had to be logged into Gmail and then go ... to a website designed specifically to exploit the vulnerability. Signing in to sites such as Blogger.com, Orkut.com, and Google Docs ... (view more)

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. If you don't believe me, check the records in Nevada. A resident there legally changed his name to Santa Claus. But unfortunately for Mr. Claus, his website -- Santaslink.net -- was recently hacked. What's ... next? Reindeer-jacking Rudolph, Grand Theft Auto style? "[Santa] had consulted local experts, which we can only assume were elves, but they were unable to identify anything wrong with his site," StopBadware.org Developer Jason Callina wrote in a recent blog post. But luckily for everyone in Santa's workshop, the jolly folks at StopBadware were ... (view more)

Recently, Sony was fined $1.5 million in penalties and costs to reimburse Californians and Texans whose computers were affected by the illegally installed Digital Rights Management software [software aimed at antipiracy] on some of their music CDs. ... Consumers will be reimbursed up to $175.00 to offset the cost of repairs incurred when removing the software. Consumers without proof of the cost of repairs are still eligible for $25.00. To date, 40 states have settled the law suit with Sony. The total settlement amount is up to $5.75 million. For a list of the 40 states affected, refer to the ... (view more)

Do you use Norton Security or an "all-in-1" solution to protect your PC? You might not want to after you read this: Infopackets Reader Mike L. writes: " Dear Dennis, My problem is that I'm a relatively naive computer user and have -- for some time ... now -- depended on Norton's 'all in one' security package (firewall / anti-virus / anti-spam) to blanket my PC from Internet nasties. A friend told me that Norton tends to configure a PC to best meet their own specifications, and that this causes periodic corruptions. Can you point me to information about the best way for a less than ... (view more)

Microsoft Corp. has released three new software patches that will target all Windows systems that have been marked with a "critical" status -- the highest threat level. The new patches are said to resolve complications in Microsoft's Internet ... Explorer web browser, Windows Media Player, and Visual Studios 2005 software, which allow a remote attacker to run malicious code on a victim's computer. (Source: technology.canoe.ca ) Microsoft has also released four additional patches that will target problems that have "important" status. These patches pertain to complications in Microsoft's Outlook ... (view more)

Although it's had its fair share of problems this year, we're still pretty hesitant to proclaim, "poor MySpace!" Despite accusations that the online meeting place is a haven for predatory offenders, MySpace has held on as one of the web's most ... popular hotspots. Unfortunately, there's a growing stack of reasons to be wary of it. Recently it became clear that a worm has made its way onto MySpace, and it's baiting gullible users via QuickTime video. The entire ploy is nothing more than phishing. No, we don't mean afternoons on the water with Dad, but instead, mischievous schemes that persuade ... (view more)

One of my old Internet friends, Steven Burn , wrote me about finding malware in a program called Kiwi Alpha, which is a peer to peer file sharing client. He found it at Download.com. He also knows I've had bad experiences at Download.com in the ... past. Steven sent me a link to a thread at SpywareWarrior's forums where he had posted his analysis of Kiwi Alpha. It looked bad, but naturally I had to try it for myself. Preparation I created a clean Windows 98 virtual machine using Microsoft's free Virtual PC program. Then I googled for the page at Download.com. I found Kiwi Alpha and installed it ... (view more)

Web security gurus from Sophos have found another reason to keep your zipper up and belt firmly buckled. As if it weren't already good practice to avoid nudies on the Internet, a new Trojan horse is teasing web users with explicit images and videos. ... The problems have arisen via emails. No surprise there. Although the folks at Sophos (and Infopackets, too) are still finding it hard to believe that people could be duped into something so blatantly laced with threats, there are those out there who are clicking. (source: hackinthebox.org ) What happens to those individuals is not quite as ... (view more)

The whole point of releasing Mozilla's Firefox 2 and Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7, aside from some flashy buttons and a few bucks for the makers, was to upgrade the security of each browser. And although the first Firefox was heralded as a ... divinely secure gift from the web surfing Gods (in the wake of IE6's massive loopholes), both Firefox 2 and Internet Explorer 7 are reportedly susceptible to a new and potent login spoof, which gives hackers the ability to easily swipe passwords and other sensitive information. Like Taking Candy From A Baby According to security guru Robert Chapin, web ... (view more)