Security

Apple has joined Mozilla in releasing a browser security update for a bug affecting numerous Windows programs. It means Safari and Firefox are the only major browsers that have been issued a fix. In both cases, the problem is the much talked-about ... Windows DLL bug that deals with dynamic link libraries (DLLs). It involves the way Windows works and the settings of individual applications, many of which aren't produced by Microsoft. Windows DLL Bug Affects All Versions of Windows In short, the problem is that when an application tries to load a DLL but doesn't say where the file is located, ... (view more)

The latest bout of scareware making its way through the Internet uses legitimate-looking browser warning pages and offers up a dose of fake antivirus. Those responsible for its creation have matched the webpage layout offered by the world's most ... popular browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and others -- right down to the design and layout. All Web Browsers Susceptible to Attack The scareware , dubbed Rogue:MSIL/Zeven by antivirus firms, is able to identify the Internet browser you're using, and then displays a fake warning page that states the site you're browsing may be infected ... (view more)

Microsoft has issued an automated Windows tool designed to limit the effects of a recent DLL bug . The company has also noted it is only classing the problem as an "important" rather than "critical" risk. Windows Dynamic Link Library (DLL) Bug As ... noted previously, the problem involves dynamic link libraries (DLLs), a type of shortcut that allows multiple applications to access the same code in Windows. Many applications are set to automatically open any DLLs stored within their program folders. It's now emerged that it is easier than previously thought to create bogus files that can exploit ... (view more)

The Republic of Sierra Leone in West Africa isn't exactly a top tourist destination spot. Nonetheless, even if visiting the place might be dangerous, Sierra Leone has been rated the safest place in the world to use the Internet. The figures come ... from security firm Antivirus Grisoft (AVG), which analyzed data from 127 million customers in 144 countries. The statistics are based around the number of times the AVG software detected a security threat, compared with the number of times users went online. The figures reported are the chances that an average user's computer will be attacked on any ... (view more)

Shortly after announcing a severe iTunes flaw that affects over 40 Windows applications just last week, it now appears Apple's popular media player, QuickTime, also includes a flaw that could be exploited by hackers to execute malicious code on PCs ... using the Windows operating system (OS). Even systems running more recent versions of the OS, Windows Vista and Windows 7, are vulnerable. "At present the security vulnerability seems to be with users that run Internet Explorer. Given the relative ease with which [the exploit was demonstrated], the chance for drive-by [download] attacks to ... (view more)

Security firm McAfee recently compiled a list of the most dangerous celebrity search terms. Malware-Riddled Sites Plague Internet Search, Infect PCs Hackers know all about celebrity obsession, and will use these Hollywood figures to ambush visitors ... to "booby-trapped" websites that can infect a PC if a user clicks or downloads the wrong file. That download might include a desktop background, screen saver or video (beware of the nude ones). (Source: telegraph.co.uk ) Hackers could use booby-trapped downloads to install malware onto machines, and from there, steal login and password information ... (view more)

A security expert says he's seen a record response to the recently-named "Windows DLL bug," which can allow hackers to remotely control infected PCs. Mati Aharoni predicts the number of affected applications will soon be in the hundreds. This week, ... Microsoft published a temporary workaround that prevents the exploit from occurring. It's working with third-party application developers to find individual and permanent solutions, but is still extremely wary of issuing a fix to Windows itself. The issue involves a system in Windows known as dynamic link libraries (DLL), a shortcut for ... (view more)

This week, we reported an iTunes vulnerability that exposes Windows users to over 40 different application attacks. Now, it seems that the same exploit is being used by hackers to infiltrate and drain PayPal accounts. "My account was charged over ... $4700. I called security at PayPal and was told a large number of iTunes store accounts were compromised," complained one customer in a recent post to blog TechCrunch. The same victim said he'd received almost fifty receipts from PayPal totaling $99.99 each, but was able to prevent these transactions from being recorded by his bank. Not everyone ... (view more)

Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) restrict, redirect, or reject inbound emails to save users the time and hassle of having to deal with irrelevant 'junk' messages. However, new studies are showing that a number of ISPs are rejecting millions of ... legitimate emails every day. The problem does not pertain to one-to-one personal messages. Rather, mass marketing emails and communications from sources like social networking sites (and even infopackets.com) are not being delivered to users. The problem is that even though users have specifically requested to receive these emails, the messages ... (view more)

Security researchers have found a new way to attack Windows: through Apple's very popular online media player and retailer iTunes. It involves a method of tricking the media player into performing a function that puts 40 different Windows ... applications at risk. The vulnerability stems from an issue with iTunes prior to Apple's releasing of version 9.1. This issue was associated with what was called a "Remote Binary Planting" flaw discovered by Slovenian research firm Acros. Security experts found that the vulnerability in the Windows version of iTunes allowed for local or remote hackers to ... (view more)