Malware

Microsoft to patch critical holes in IE, Office, Silverlight

Windows users will get the usual round of security patches from Microsoft next Tuesday.

Among the seven fixes due to roll out March 12, four are rated critical, which means they address flaws that could let an attacker execute malware on a remote PC by steering a user to a malicious Web site or e-mail link.

The patch for Internet Explorer is designed to shore up all versions from IE6 to IE10 across all iterations of Windows from XP to Windows 8 and RT. The patch for Microsoft's Silverlight, a browser plug-in that can display online videos and other … Read more

Apple marketing chief jabs Android security on Twitter

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller has been a semi-regular Twitter user since 2008, though mostly tweets about things like music, movies and sports.

But that changed earlier today with a post linking to F-Secure Labs' latest quarterly Mobile Threat report, with a casual mention to "be safe out there."

The 29-page report's (PDF) key finding is that malware on Google's Android is getting worse, in part because of the platform's brisk growth and a new variant of malware that spread using SMS.

"Android malware has been strengthening its position in the mobile threat scene,&… Read more

More Java-based malware plagues the cross-platform runtime

Java cannot seem to get a break. Only a few days after patching the last zero-day vulnerability, two more exploits are being found that make use of the runtime. One, as noted by Kaspersky, is a recent exploit of the latest runtime's attempts to install a McRAT executable by overwriting memory in the JVM that will trigger the executable to run.

Once installed, the McRAT malware will attempt to contact command and control servers and copy itself into dll files in Windows systems.

This malware is specifically Windows-based; however, a second one outlined by Intego, is a Minecraft password-stealing … Read more

What is the Eicar testfile?

When Apple updates its XProtect anti-malware system in OS X with new definitions, it often means a new or updated threat has been found for OS X.

Earlier this morning, Apple issued an update to XProtect, which now includes a new definition for a malware package called "OSX.eicar.com.i," that comes from Eicar.com. This update suggests the new definitions are for a novel malware package, but this is not so with this latest update.

"Eicar" stands for the European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research, which is a group that investigates malware and security … Read more

New Stuxnet whodunit: Malware existed two years earlier than anyone knew

Cybersecurity professionals -- especially in Iran -- woke up today to the latest twist in the history of cyberwarfare when researchers at Symantec said they discovered a version of the Stuxnet computer virus which predates by two years the cyber weapon that was used to sabotage Iran's main nuclear enrichment facilities.

The U.S. and Israel are widely believed to be behind Stuxnet, though neither country has claimed authorship publicly. (The New York Times reported that President George W. Bush initiated the attacks, a program which has continued in the Obama administration.) Stuxnet first came to public light for … Read more

NBC Web site back up after hack attack

NBC's Web site is up and running again after being knocked offline by a cyberattack for several hours yesterday.

The NBC site was the victim of a form of malware known as the Citadel Trojan. This specific strain targets companies in an attempt to steal usernames, passwords and other sensitive data. People who visit sites infected by the trojan can find their own PCs infected as well.

In the past, Citadel typically attacked banks and financial firms but has since expanded its reach to a wider range of organizations.

NBC, which is part of cable giant Comcast, is still trying to figure out how the attack occurred, … Read more

Malware getting smarter, says McAfee

Malware continues to grow, not just in volume but in sophistication, according to a new report from McAfee.

Released today, the security vendor's fourth-quarter 2012 Threats Report found that more organizations are being targeted by more clever cyberattacks.

The number of trojans designed to steal passwords rose 72 percent last quarter. Some of these trojans are part of "customized" threats, while others are packaged with more "off-the-shelf" forms of malware. As one example, the Citadel trojan was specifically designed to hit financial services companies.

Operation High Roller and Project Bliztkrieg were also cited by McAfee … Read more

Adobe patches critical security flaws in Reader, Acrobat

Adobe has issued a patch to plug up critical security holes in its Reader and Acrobat software.

Released yesterday, the security updates address flaws that could cause the applications to crash and potentially let an attacker gain control of an infected computer. Adobe confirmed last week that the exploits have already led to some targeted attacks against vulnerable systems.

The patches are directed toward the following products and versions:

Adobe Reader XI (11.0.01 and earlier) for Windows and Macintosh Adobe Reader X (10.1.5 and earlier) for Windows and Macintosh Adobe Reader 9.5.3 and earlier … Read more

Identity fraud in U.S. is on the rise, report

While cyberattacks and hacking seem to be constantly making headlines these days, identity fraud is also on the rise.

A new report by Javelin Strategy and Research shows that identity fraud has increased for the last three years in a row -- affecting more than 5 percent of U.S. adults. In 2012, 12.6 million people were identity victims.

According to Javelin, identity fraud is up 4.9 percent from 2011 and 4.35 percent from 2010. The firm said that scammers are increasingly gaining access to people's personal information and accounts through data breaches and malware attacks.… Read more