Malware

Stuxnet Worm Could Turn
June 04, 2012

In 2010, IT security researchers took note of a new virus that was bouncing from country to country via the Internet. They dubbed it "Stuxnet," including it among the countless worms that are released each year. In one key respect, however, Stuxnet turned out to be quite different: It was reportedly created by the U.S. and Israeli governments as part of a systematic attack against Iran.

Flame Is No Stuxnet
June 04, 2012

Fanned by a security community hungry for the next Stuxnet, a new so-called superworm called "Flame" made headlines last week. Comparisons to the now infamous worm that attacked Iran's nuclear development program quickly appeared. Flame may have been created by a nation state. It apparently targets countries in the Middle East.

Flame: Towering Inferno or Smoke and Mirrors?
May 31, 2012

For all the ruckus raised by security software vendors, it's unclear whether the Flame malware, which has mainly hit computers in Iran, is a cause for major concern or something of a dud. Yes, it has been around for several years and has hit computers in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. But its total tally is about 1,000 or so infected systems.

Israel: We Didn't Start the Fire
May 31, 2012

Today in international tech news: Israel says it is not responsible for the Flame malware that has spread throughout the Middle East. Also: Germany is in trouble with the EU for its failure to implement data collection laws, and PayPal continues its experiments as the company introduces a barcode payment system for mobile devices in the UK.

Flame Malware Scorches Systems Across the Middle East
May 29, 2012

A cyberweapon of unprecedented sophistication is ripping through computer systems in the Middle East, security vendor Kaspersky Lab claims. It has dubbed the malware "Worm.Win32.Flame" -- or "Flame," for short. Other security vendors, including McAfee and Symantec, have issued similar warnings.

DCAC: A Field Day for the Heat
May 29, 2012

"Domestic Communications Assistance Center" is the kind of name you'd give to a couples counseling collective. At the FBI, though, it's the name that's been given to an agency designed to be at the cutting edge of digital snooping. The center is part of an initiative within the U.S. Justice Department called "Going Dark."

Information Highwaymen Will Follow the Cybermoney
May 21, 2012

An FBI report about Bitcoin leaked to a number of online media outlets earlier this month caused anxiety in some corners of the Internet. Bitcoin "provides a venue for individuals to generate, transfer, launder, and steal illicit funds with some anonymity," says the 20-page report. "Bitcoin will likely continue to attract cyber criminals who view it as a means to move or steal funds as well as a means of making donations to illicit groups," it predicts.

New MacBook, New Cloud, New Leaf
May 16, 2012

Apple computer users might soon have a thinner, lighter version of the MacBook, according to numerous reports. The new design will apparently still bear the "MacBook Pro" name but will more closely resemble an Ultrabook -- thin, light and affordable PC laptops. It will supposedly feature a high-definition screen similar to the ones found on iPhones and iPads.

The Malicious Hacker's Ever-Sharper Eye
May 07, 2012

Targeted attacks on organizations and Web-born infections like the recent Flashback outbreak on Macintosh computers will continue to poison the security landscape in 2012, according to Symantec's John Harrison. Targeted attacks -- attacks aimed at specific individuals within an organization -- were a "rising tide" last year, averaging 94 a day by November, according to Symantec.

Macs Crawling With Windows Malware, Study Finds
April 26, 2012

One in five Mac computers is carrying malware that could spread to PCs, according to a new research from security vendor Sophos. The security team ran its Mac antivirus software on 100,000 Mac computers. It found that most of the malware found is directed at Windows PCs, so Macs harboring the infections don't show any symptoms.

Facebook Enlists InfoSec Mavens for Big Malware Vaccination
April 25, 2012

Constant hammering by hackers and mutilation by malware have motivated Facebook to enact new security measures. It's now incorporating the malicious URL databases from Microsoft, McAfee, Trend Micro, Sophos and Symantec into its URL blacklist system, which scans trillions of clicks a day.

Anonymous Strikes Most Fear in the Hearts of IT Security Managers
April 24, 2012

The hacker group Anonymous and other so-called hacktivists are the biggest concern for IT security professionals, according to a survey by Bit9. Its 2012 Cyber Security Survey queried nearly 2,000 IT security experts to gauge the current state of enterprise security and otherwise identify what keeps IT executives up at night.

Netflix Doubles Down on European Gambit
April 24, 2012

Today in international tech news: Netflix vows to increase its European expansion, malware shuts down Iranian oil facilities and government websites, a Chinese company challenges Apple on its use of the name "iPad," Giga OM looks at the roots of the recent YouTube/Germany dispute, and some 38,000 entrants in the London Marathon had their information published publicly.

Infected Computers to Lose Web Access When FBI Band-Aid Falls Off
April 23, 2012

Come July 9, about 350,000 computers in the United States alone may lose access to the Internet because they had previously been infected with DNSChanger malware. The malware stealthily redirected victims accessing various websites to rogue servers controlled by a cybercriminal ring.

Mac Malware Strikes Again With SabPub Trojan
April 16, 2012

Two more related Trojan exploits that target Macs have been discovered. They appear to be two versions of the SabPub information-stealing Trojan, discovered by antivirus software vendor Kaspersky last weekend. They have existed undetected in the wild for two months, according to Kaspersky's Costin Raiu.

Flashback Mac Trojan Sputters and Stalls
April 16, 2012

A week after the Flashback Trojan began running rampant on Macintosh computers, the malware appears to be in remission. The number of infections from the Trojan have plummeted to around 270,000, from a high of more than 600,000, according to the latest numbers from Symantec.

Flashback's Mac Malware Mess
April 09, 2012

In what could be the largest mass infection of Mac computers to date, the Flashback Trojan was estimated to have reached some 700,000 Macs by the end of last week. The Trojan is being planted on the Macs by owners who've been lured to infected Web pages that send a malware downloader to their computers as soon as they land on the page.

Flashback Infection Hits 700,000 Mac Users
April 05, 2012

More than 700,000 Macintosh computers have been infected with malware that exploits a flaw in Java, and the number keeps growing. The Flashback Trojan, which plants an executable file on a Mac that fetches additional malware, was uncovered earlier this week by Doctor Web. The infection has reached 700,000 computers, but its growth has slowed down, said Doctor Web CEO Boris Sharov.

Bad Week for Botnets
April 02, 2012

Two zombie networks infamous for stealing banking information and spewing spam were hit with a right-left combination last week by botnet fighters. Using the power of the federal RICO Act, Microsoft, along with organizations representing the financial services industry, took down two command-and-control servers running botnets based on Zeus, a malware family known for stealing the logins to banking accounts.

The Future is Now - The Dark Side and Hacktivism
March 31, 2012

We live in times when technology is exceeding the understanding of educational institutions and corporations. A highly social Web and a bad economy is making the Dark Side -- the Internet underworld where cybercrime and hacking run rampant -- overwhelming. Hacktivism is the new, hip thing; it has become a hobby for people with higher-than-average computer knowledge.