Microsoft has released Volume 11 of their “Microsoft Security Intelligence Report” or SIRv11, which provides “An in-depth perspective on software vulnerabilities and exploits, malicious code threats, and potentially unwanted software in the first half of 2011”. One tidbit of interesting information contained in the report is that in the first half of 2011, less than one percent of exploits were …
Secure IT Alert: Microsoft Security Essentials & Forefront classifying Google Chrome browser as malware
Homeland Secure IT Alert for Friday, September 30, 2011 An update to Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) and Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection was causing grief for many users today as it incorrectly flagged the Google Chrome browser as malware. The typical behavior was for an alert to be displayed stating that “PWS:Win32/Zbot” was found and that it needs to be removed. …
mysql.com website hacked and used to serve malware to visitors
In what is becoming way too common, the popular site, mysql.com was exploited, and used to distribute malware by redirecting visitors to another site this week. Anyone browsing to mysql.com yesterday would have been redirected, and without even being prompted, then likely been exploited themselves by the software running on the rogue website which apparently looked for vulnerable browser plugins …
Old and busted – MBR viruses… New hotness – BIOS viruses (again)
This may come as no surprise to those who have been around computer security for a while, but the BIOS viruses are making a comeback! One of the first made its debut back in 1999 and was known as “CIH”. But Symantec is reporting a new killer on the block called “Trojan.Mebromi” that affects the Award BIOS and seizes control …
Your smartphone could lead to identity theft, if it doesn’t give you cancer first…
The WHO (World Health Organization) proclamation that cell phones could, maybe, possibly, some way somehow, cause cancer has a bunch of people up in arms.. There are now groups of people swearing off cell phone usage, and now places declaring they are a “cell phone free zone” all in a matter of hours after the WHO announcement. Sure, they may …
How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware #mac #malware #apple
It seems that Apple has finally acknowledged that there is a need to protect their users from malicious software, in particular the “Mac Defender” (also known as MacProtector, MacSecurity as well as MacDefender). In an article titled “How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware“, posted yesterday on the http://support.apple.com site, you can find out how to avoid this inconvenience …
Apple Customer Service: Don’t Help Our Customers with Malware (from Gizmodo)
I’m going to just post this link….. I leave it up to you to read it, or not. Believe it, or not. http://gizmodo.com/5803498/apple-to-customer-service-dont-help-our-customers-with-malware There is a further link from that page: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/apple-to-support-reps-do-not-attempt-to-remove-malware/3362 If you happen to feel your Mac is infected – seek a professional computer service provider’s input.
Aaron’s rent-to-own computers may have come complete with value-added spyware
It seems that not a day goes by that we don’t hear stories of how this person or that company had a data breach and information was leaked outside their walls, but in the news the last couple days is something far more sinister than someone losing data because of a hacker or accidentally installing malicious software. ABC Action News …
Bin Laden death results in malware spreading via social media, email and web
It will come as no surprise that anything newsworthy results in the creators of malware intensifying their efforts to spread their malicious code. The demise of Usama Bin Laden in no exception as various attempts to entice people to follow links through are being reported all over the place. I have seen 3 people I follow on social media who …
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Please stop following every link through that you see in email, Facebook, Twitter, etc…
Being in the computer service business, every day we are seeing more and more computers that have been compromised, whether they are Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, Linux, it doesn’t matter. Even iPhones and Androids are falling victim to various malware found as a result of blindly following links. What can you do to help protect yourself, your computer …