In The News...

Microsoft: Free anti-malware for all (Windows users)!
[Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:12:22 -0800]
The other day Microsoft announced that it would phase-out sales of Windows Live OneCare subscriptions and roll out no-cost anti-malware during the second half of 2009. What does this mean for everyone involved? by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Under worm attack, US Army bans USB drives
[Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:34:11 -0800]
Under sustained attack from what is described as a rapidly spreading network worm, the U.S. army has banned the use of USB sticks, CDs, flash media cards, and all other removable data storage devices, according to internal e-mail messages seen by Wired's Noah Shachtman. According to the...

I really don't want to use Windows anymore
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:38:05 -0800]
Every week, more and more bits of malware seem to be making their way past commercial anti-virus, firewall anti-virus, and ISP anti-virus software. New patches and downloads abound, and I've still re-imaged 3 computers in the last 2 weeks due to massive infestations. This is to say nothing...

What does the spam ISP shutdown really mean?
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:49:20 -0800]
It has been over a week since the takedown of an ISP responsible for directing a large portion of Internet's spam. While many groups immediately hailed a massive drop in spam, the true story was more nuanced. Everyone, save the spammers, hates spam, and this story...

Witnesses set for MySpace suicide trial
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:32:29 -0800]
Well, it's shaping up to be a juicy time at the trial of psycho-mom Lori Drew, the woman whose weirdo obsession with a neighbor girl led to the teen's MySpace-driven suicide. A long list of witnesses are poised to testify, Wired reports, including the parents of...

Microsoft give students the finger, once again
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:06:04 -0800]
Today, Zack writes a short letter to Microsoft, asking why they keep screwing with his head and changing their plans all the time. by Zack Whittaker

Malware found in Lenovo software package
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:07:05 -0800]
Computer maker Lenovo is shipping a malware-infected software package to Windows XP users, according to warning from anti-virus researchers at Microsoft. The malicious file was identified by Microsoft as Win32/Meredrop, a Trojan dropper that is used to install and execute multiple malicious executables on an infected computer....

Microsoft-hosted Online security-service for business users due in 2010
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:35:56 -0800]
Microsoft's just-announced free anti-virus/anti-malware service, codenamed Morro, isn't the only new Microsoft security service in the works. There's a Microsoft-hosted security service for businesses in the pipeline, too, and it's due in 2010, according to a new Microsoft blog posting. by Mary Jo Foley

IT Dojo: Five things you should know about rootkits [video]
[Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:14:51 -0800]
Rootkits are a serious threat. Rootkit-based botnets unleash seas of spam, and the most dangerous rootkits allow attackers to steal corporate and individual financial information. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler covers the following five things you should know about rootkits in order to keep your...

Fake Windows XP activation trojan goes 2.0
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:23:24 -0800]
Known as Kardphisher and "in the wild" since April, 2007, last week the malware author of this trojan horse mimicking the Windows XP activation interface while collecting the credit card details the end user has submitted, has made significant changes to visual interface and usability of the trojan, consequently improving...

Apple dodges antitrust bullet
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:49:34 -0800]
A California judge has granted Apple's motion to dismiss Psystar's counterclaims that the company violated antitrust laws by blocking third-parties from selling Mac OS-based systems. by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Commercial vendor of spyware under legal fire
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:37:04 -0800]
Just like every decent marketer out there, vendors of commercial malware tools are very good at positioning their tools. However, their pitches often contradict with themselves in a way that what's promoted as a Remote Administration Tool, has in fact built-in antivirus software evading capabilities, rootkit functionality and tutorials on...

What really happened to the candidates' computers?
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:11:36 -0800]
Now that two weeks have passed since the end of the presidential campaigns, it is worthwhile to take a look at what I think should have one of the biggest cybercrime stories of the year. As Ryan blogged the day after the election, both the McCain and the Obama...

Microsoft kills Windows Live OneCare and Equipt subscription services
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:49:35 -0800]
Microsoft is discontinuing its paid Windows Live OneCare subscription security service. Microsoft is touting a new, free security service, codenamed "Morro," and due in the second half of 2009, as OneCare's successor. The Microsoft press release and statements on Morro offer some other interesting tidbits. by Mary Jo Foley

Microsoft kills OneCare, replaces it with freebie 'Morro'
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:17:27 -0800]
Microsoft today announced plans to kill its Windows Live OneCare PC care and security suite and replace it with a free anti-malware utility. The new product, code-named "Morro," will be designed for a smaller footprint that will use fewer computing resources, making it ideal for low-bandwidth scenarios...

Changing business landscape makes identity and access management key to IT security
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:15:28 -0800]
To learn more about how enterprises can begin coordinated identity and access management strategies, BriefingsDirect's Dana Gardner spoke with Dan Rueckert, worldwide practice director for security and risk management in HP's Consulting and Integration group; Archie Reed, distinguished technologist in HP's security office in the Enterprise Storage and Server Group,...

OS earns highest-ever gov't security rating. Does that make it "most secure?"
[Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:30:01 -0800]
I have to admit that I had never before heard of a certification called EAL6+ High Robustness until the folks at Green Hills Software reached out to tell me that they were about to get it for their operating system, formally called INTEGRITY 178B. EAL6+ High...

Consumer Watchdog overreacts about Gmail
[Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:15:10 -0800]
ConsumerWatchdog.org isn't too impressed with the way Gmail works -- they are convinced that Google isn't respecting the privacy of their users. Click here to watch the video Some things mentioned in the video may be concerning to some people, but everything mentioned can...

Anti fraud site hit by a DDoS attack
[Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:01:34 -0800]
The popular British anti-fraud site Bobbear.co.uk is currently under a DDoS attack distributed denial of service attack , originally launched last Wednesday, and is continuing to hit the site with 3/4 million hits daily from hundreds of thousands of malware infected hosts mostly based in Asia and Eastern Europe, according...

Adobe AIR hits 'critical' security turbulence
[Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:59:22 -0800]
Buried in today's flurry of feel-good Adobe news is this less flattering nugget:  Adobe AIR is vulnerable to several critical vulnerabilities that could expose users to code execution attacks. The company released AIR 1.5 with fixes for previously discussed flaws in Flash Player (which is embedded into...