hackers

Microsoft suffered a significant security setback last weekend, with a guideline for fixing a major software vulnerability being leaked to a Chinese hacking website. The guideline is known as a "proof-of-concept" code, and is essentially an outline ... of how hackers might exploit a specific security flaw. In this case, the guideline was related to a recently patched Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) issue. If exploited, the flaw it covers could allow hackers to infiltrate a remote computer system. Prior to issuing the patch, Microsoft had rated the RDP flaw "critical," its highest security rating. ... (view more)

An estimated 200,000 computers may be at risk because they are running an un-patched edition of Symantec's PC Anywhere. Late last month, Symantec urged all users to cease running the program unless absolutely necessary. The firm later changed its ... mind, announcing that it was safe to run as long as new security patches were installed. PC Anywhere became vulnerable when hackers threatened to release source code originally stolen six years ago, apparently without Symantec's knowledge. The hackers attempted to extort the company for $50,000 and then released the code publicly when it refused to ... (view more)

Microsoft's online store in India was compromised over the weekend by a group of Chinese hackers calling themselves the "Evil Shadow Team". The hackers were able to extract user IDs and passwords of the site. While many are questioning how the ... hackers were able to breach Microsoft's security system, more troublesome is the realization that the company might not have taken the proper steps to secure the credentials of their customers prior to the attack. Reportedly, Microsoft stored both login IDs and passwords for its users in plain text files, without any encryption system in place to ... (view more)

Hackers have published source code that could be used to hack computers running Symantec's security program PCAnywhere. The move comes after the security firm refused to meet the hackers' demand for $50,000 in ransom. As we reported last month , the ... code behind a range of Symantec products was originally stolen in 2006. It appears most likely the theft came after Indian military officials demanded access to the code before accepting it for official use. Symantec may have learned of the theft only after hackers revealed they had it, earlier this year. Symantec said in January that several ... (view more)

A military and security intelligence firm that fell victim to a hacking attack has suffered another embarrassment, even while analysis reveals that hundreds of military and political officials had their digital details exposed by hackers. As ... reported last month , hackers struck Stratfor (or "Strategic Forecasting"), a Texas-based security consulting and analysis firm. They captured details of some 4,000 clients, cheekily using the stolen credit card information to make charitable donations. Stratfor customers recently received an email apparently sent by CEO, George Friedman, asking ... (view more)

The theft of online security certificates by hackers thought to be from Iran may be even more serious than first thought. The stolen certificates include those for security agencies from the United States, United Kingdom and Israel. The security ... breach originates with DigiNotar, a Netherlands organization that produces Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates which are used by webites. An SSL, for example, is used when home users connect to their banking web sites. Using the SSL certificate, information to and from the home PC to a bank website is encrypted and cannot be intercepted by a third ... (view more)

Mass popularity has made Facebook a target of hackers for years now. In an effort to combat this problem, those behind the social network have issued a "bug bounty" program that offers monetary compensation to those who find vulnerabilities on the ... social networking website. Many report problems with Facebook on personal blogs and other public forums anyways, in an effort to gain some semblance of prestige within the hacking community. But discussing these issues in public (and before the company has had a chance to address these concerns) puts even more users at risk. Facebook Recruits White- ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced an overhaul of the way it assess and publicizes the risk security problems pose to users of its products. The new technique will give added detail as well as highlighting the benefits of upgrading to the latest version of ... Windows. The changes will affect Microsoft's monthly security update, which includes ratings for the potential damage that could be caused by a particular security flaw if the relevant patch is not applied. As well as giving an overall idea of the range and scale of problems, the ratings are also aimed at business users for whom applying updates ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that Tuesday's security update will include patches for a record-breaking 64 security problems. They include fixes for a number of particularly high profile problems announced in the past couple of months. The update will be ... made up of 17 bulletins. That ties for the record, though this will be a new highest figure for the number of individual fixes. One of the bugs that's being fixed involved a bug in the Windows Server Message Block ("SMB"), the system that controls networking and file-sharing. The bug was disclosed in February and could theoretically have ... (view more)

The last day to file your taxes in the U.S. is not until April 18, but hackers and online scumbags have long been preparing for the date. A number of new scams have since surfaced online, promising tax credits and other incentives for charitable ... donations. Online Tax Filing Up 6 Percent Since 2010 Almost 19 million people have already filed their taxes at home this year, which is up 6 per cent compared to 2010. For many, this will be their first time tackling the ominous task via the Internet and without the assistance of an accountant. Hackers realize that this is the time when taxpayers ... (view more)