security

Tucked away behind that Iron Curtain, for a long time we didn't hear much from Eastern Europe. With the fall of the Soviet Union less than twenty years ago, travelers began to uncover more than just the area's brooding discontent. Unfortunately for ... the web's security companies Russia remains a bit wild; in fact, some might consider it a hacker haven. That's certainly the impression after the discovery of a new website that uses an impressive botnet to infect vulnerable PCs -- on demand. Although the website itself hasn't been bookmarked for immediately filling a visitor's system with malware ... (view more)

Just last week, I happily reported that a University of California researcher had provided firm evidence that the dreaded Storm Worm virus was drying up under the heat of security companies and new, protective programs. Unfortunately, it appears to ... be a rare case. Other research suggests malicious code is instead on the rise, increasing five-fold throughout the first half of 2007. (Source: zdnet.com ) According to research conducted and released by Microsoft, the maliciousness associated with Trojans, phishing schemes, keyboard logging, and other nasty habits made an impressive jump during ... (view more)

Concerned about gaping holes in Microsoft Word, Outlook Express, or Internet Explorer? With a handful of updates recently made available, users of these programs can rest a bit easier. Microsoft has now made available six security updates for its ... products, filling holes in the above programs plus Kodak Image Viewer (which ships with Windows). The update itself fixes a total of nine bugs in MS software, four of which have been deemed critical. (Source: informationweek.com ) Perhaps the most frightening of the bugs is the one staring down college students as they ready for fall essays and exams ... (view more)

If you have signed into your Windows Live or MSN Messenger services lately, you may have had to upgrade. Microsoft is forcing its users to switch to the newest versions of its instant messaging programs due to a security threat with these systems. ... Although this upgrade will take place on a voluntary basis, those who do not modify their Windows Live or MSN Messenger services will not be able to sign in until they accept the new versions. The services affected by the security vulnerability include versions 6.2, 7.0, and 7.5 of MSN Messenger, and version 8.0 of Windows Live Messenger. When the ... (view more)

Most of us in the tech "biz" are familiar with Zango. It's not a loving relationship. One of the most prolific spyware vendors, Zango recently failed to crawl out from underneath federal law that allows security companies to target its software. ... Since a name change from 180solutions to Zango, the adware company has been suing just about anyone in the security market. Proceedings have not gone well. A federal judge recently told Zango that companies like PC Tools and Web Sweeper can identify and target any program they like, including software from 180solutions (or whatever its name may be). ... (view more)

Not feeling secure in your Microsoft software? Well, the company appears ready to make at least nine steps towards giving you some comfort while using Windows, Office, and development program Virtual Basic. Security updates are nothing new for ... Microsoft, which typically releases similar patches on a monthly basis. However, this update is a bit special given its size and the number of applications it seeks to improve. Patches are a mix of critical and not-so critical. Windows XP and Vista will receive security improvements addressing both minor and major holes (not outlined by Microsoft), ... (view more)

After coming across the information from the "Does Windows Vista Send Information to the Government?" story , I decided to do a little research on Microsoft, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Security Agency (NSA). What I found was ... very interesting, and it raises some serious questions. It's not clear what software was being used by my source as I wrote that previous post. He may be using some sort of file sharing or peer 2 peer (p2p) program. He posted pictures of a log from the peerguardian 2 program, software that isn't listed as compatible with Windows Vista. Just because ... (view more)

There are two types of people in tech: those who craft it, and those who hack it. Apple and its loyal customers (who braved long lines to get their hands on the device) have had weeks to enjoy the rosy glow emitted by the iPhone. Now, it's the ... mischievous hacker's turn to enjoy the media spotlight, as word comes that a hole exists in the defenses of Apple's communicator. Luckily, many hackers have abandoned their basement apartments for white collar jobs in software security companies. In fact, it was a security expert team at ISE (Independent Security Evaluators) that discovered a glitch ... (view more)

Who is reading your instant messages? If you're using Yahoo Messenger, your privacy may be compromised. Yahoo Messenger vulnerabilities can allow remote hackers to access a user's system. The bugs were discovered by eEye Digital Security within the ... last few weeks; the security company gave these particular bugs its highest risk rating since the flaws enable remote code execution. However, the latest threats are not the only security issues connected to Yahoo Messenger. In fact, the researchers at eEye have located many other problems with this particular program. The eighth version of Yahoo's ... (view more)

Independent security tests performed by CRN.com suggests that Windows Vista is only marginally more secure than Windows XP. CRN spent a week testing both operating systems against various Trojans, viruses and various exploits. The tests were ... performed with Windows Vista Business on an HP Compaq 6515b notebook with Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) and an HP Compaq nc6400 with Windows XP with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), both using the default security features and settings. Finjan's RUSafe sniffer tool (a security tool that sniffs live traffic and generates logs that can be analyzed to help protect you ... (view more)