computers

Three Eastern European men now stand accused of operating a global scam designed to steal "tens of millions" of dollars from banks by means of a special virus known as "Gozi." The same virus is also said to have compromised about 190 computers at ... NASA during a five year period, revealing confidential log-in information and instant messaging transcripts. Gozi Virus Infects 1 Million PCs The prosecutors in the case claim the Gozi virus infected more than a million computers worldwide, including large numbers in such countries as Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Turkey and the ... (view more)

Security researchers have uncovered a complex virus capable of reappearing even after it is thought to have been removed from a computer system. This so-called 'Red October' virus reportedly attaches itself to Adobe Reader and Microsoft Office ... software. The virus is named after the Tom Clancy novel about a Soviet submarine crew trying to defect. It's an appropriate moniker because the majority of computers infected by the virus are located in Russia and Eastern Europe (though there are victims in at least 37 other countries). The infections mostly affect computers used by government ... (view more)

United States officials believe Iran is responsible for a string of recent cyber attacks on American banks. They say the sophistication of the attacks and the hacks' aim of disrupting services rather than stealing cash both suggest government rather ... than private activity. The attacks have been coming since September and have disrupted the online services of many U.S. banking institutions, including Bank of America, BB ... (view more)

Two prominent PC manufacturers have stopped making netbook computers. The move, announced by both Acer and Asus, suggests some PC makers may now see the netbook form factor as an unattractive compromise between tablet and laptop computers. A netbook ... is an especially lightweight, compact, and cheap laptop computer. Many netbooks, like the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Mini, feature a 10.1-inch screen, 1 or 2GBs of RAM, and a sub-500GB hard drive. Netbooks usually retail for under $500. Netbooks became extremely popular four or five years ago, as the global economy took a turn for the worse. The cheaper ... (view more)

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has banned several companies from using spy software on computers they rent out. The banned software not only logged users' keystrokes but unobtrusively accessed the computers' webcams. PC Rental Agent is the ... software that appears to have been used in more than 400,000 "leasable" computers around the world, including those rented out by 1,617 rent-to-own stores in North America and Australia. (Source: ftc.gov ) The software is ostensibly designed to track down computers when rental customers disappear with the machines. However, the FTC has ... (view more)

Is your new PC already infected with malware? It's possible, experts say. According to a new report, a number of computers recently built in China are not only shipping with counterfeit software but also come laced with malware. Thanks to ... "bloatware" -- the pre-loaded third-party trial software included with most new computers -- getting a new system to run the way you want can be a real hassle. However, finding your new PC pre-loaded with malware is downright frightening. But that's exactly what Microsoft says it found on some new computers built and distributed in China. Microsoft Files ... (view more)

Microsoft has acknowledged that its decision to build its very own tablet computer, Surface, could upset the companies that produce Windows PCs. The firm has also admitted that the rise of tablet devices could dramatically impact the traditional PC ... market. Both comments come in Microsoft's latest Form 10-K, which publicly traded companies must submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission as an annual report on the company's activity. The form contains a section where companies must detail any potential risks to their business. This helps existing and would-be stockholders to make more ... (view more)

With their FBI-supplied lifeline severed, early Monday morning tens of thousands of computers still infected with dangerous DNS Changer virus lost their ability to surf the Internet. However, it appears that a flurry of media reports warning ... computer users about the potential problem has prevented the shut-down from having a significant impact. DNS Changer was a virus that spread across the Internet back in 2009. Originating in eastern Europe, an FBI investigation resulted in the operation's termination in 2011. The servers involved were seized. However, the FBI voluntarily refrained from ... (view more)

American television manufacturer Vizio has revealed a collection of new Windows 7-based laptop and desktop PCs. This launch marks the company's first venture into building stand-alone computers for the PC market. Included in the recently unveiled ... products are two thin, lightweight laptop computers, one larger and more powerful laptop, and two all-in-one desktop PCs. Pricing starts at $898. Bloatware Banned from Vizio PCs Vizio's plan to set itself apart from major rivals, like Dell, Hewlett-Packard (HP), and Acer, is a subtle but potentially effective one. The company's most visible ... (view more)

The creators of the Flame virus now appear to be attempting to remove it from the computers it has infected. This bizarre move from hackers, who normally seek to increase rather than decrease the number of machines their code infects, may be part of ... a belated attempt to prevent further analysis of how Flame works. The existence of Flame was announced late last month by security firm Kaspersky Lab. At the time, Kaspersky noted the virus was exceptionally sophisticated and had been designed specifically to harvest data using tactics as diverse as taking screenshots and eavesdropping on phone ... (view more)