defend

How bad is the Mac malware scare? (FAQ)

Macintosh users are being targeted with malware that poses as an antivirus warning and tries to trick people into paying for software they don't need.

This ruse isn't new. So-called rogue antivirus has been hitting Windows machines for years. But this is the first time this type of malware has been written to target the much smaller Mac market.

This FAQ sorts through the facts to help determine how serious the issue really is.

What is the malware? MacDefender, also known as Mac Security and Mac Protector, is a fake antivirus program that is designed to scare people … Read more

How to remove MacDefender fake antivirus program

A new malware infection has apparently been spreading relatively rapidly among Mac users, and it's unclear both how pervasive the infection is and whether Apple is addressing the problem. What is known, however, is how to get rid of it.

What is it? Most often called MacDefender, but also known as MacProtector and MacSecurity, this bit of malware is a socially engineered threat of a type that's more familiar to Windows users. It often starts with a Web advertisement that suckers you into downloading a rogue antivirus program, which purports to protect you. In fact, once installed it … Read more

Otterbox readies iPad 2 Defender case

If you're looking for serious protection for your iPad 2, you'll probably want to check out Otterbox's Defender Series Case, which the company says is "shipping soon."

As Apple has reduced the size and weight of the iPad 2, Otterbox has also slimmed down its case: It says the iPad 2 version of the Defender is 20-percent lighter than its predecessor for the original iPad. It's still going to be one of the bulkier cases out there, offering multiple layers of protection and a clip-on screen cover that turns into a stand with two adjustable heights, one for typing and one for watching.

All this protection comes at a price, of course. The Otterbox iPad 2 Defender is $89.99. Otterbox isn't doing preorders, though you can sign-up to get an e-mail alert when it becomes available.

In the meantime, check out the video below. As you can see, it's a bit of an operation to get your iPad 2 into the case and cover, but both iPad and case look like they could take a licking. … Read more

New fake antivirus accepts SMS payments

There's a new twist with some fake antivirus scareware that has cropped up. It accepts payment via SMS, according to antivirus firm CyberDefender.

Typical rogue security programs infect the system first, then display pop ups warning that the computer is infected, and request payment to clean it up. The new programs are seemingly more genteel, asking for the money before the program is installed and infects the system, said Achal Khetarpal, threat research director at CyberDefender. Of course, a payment does nothing to "fix" a system and means criminals now have your money and possibly your credit … Read more

Study: Fifth of Facebook users exposed to malware

Security software manufacturer BitDefender today released some statistics gleaned from Safego, a Facebook application that it offers to users of the social-network to keep an eye on their vulnerability to malware. The big finding: 20 percent of Facebook users are exposed to malicious posts in their "news feeds" of friends' activity, generally defined as posts that, when clicked on, result in "the user's account being hijacked and in malware being automatically posted on the walls of the respective user's friends."

The numbers were derived from Safego's analysis of news feed items viewed by … Read more

Who doesn't love robot combat?

MadMaks is a promising robot-combat arcade game with chunky old-school graphics, fun controls, and a short solo campaign.

You start the game controlling a maneuverable but relatively wimpy tank--a "Frogamo Mak"--and you can opt for good accelerometer controls (tilting left and right to steer, and forward and back to move) or a somewhat clunkier virtual directional-pad. You change weapons and shoot using touch-screen buttons, as you travel across a 3D sandbox terrain, destroying and defending various targets (all as cute as your Mak, with similar cartoony eyes) to accomplish varying objectives over 10 unlockable levels. As you … Read more

Patrol dangerous waters

Navy Patrol: Advanced Premium is the paid version of Navy Patrol, a naval-themed tower-defense game with several innovative features but a surprising number of missteps for such an expensive and mature app.

For the most part, Navy Patrol is a traditional open-map tower-defense game, in which you place defensive towers in a strategic pattern to defeat incoming waves of enemies before they reach your base. Fans of tower defense will find a lot to like here, with a handful of different upgradable tower types and some cool extras like tower-specific targeting controls (for tracking fast, strong, or weak enemies), optional … Read more

Crave giveaway: Otterbox iPhone 4 Defender case

The OtterBox Defender Series case is arguably the most popular tough iPhone cases out there and we've got a Defender for the iPhone 4 ready to give away to one lucky winner. OtterBox says the Defender has a textured silicone exterior for an improved grip and the touch-screen membrane that protects the iPhone's display resists fingerprints. The case also includes a holster, and we have to say that this Defender has a better overall design than the Defender for the iPhone 3 and 3GS. It doesn't look and feel quite as bulky.

Normally, the OtterBox Defender case … Read more

Tough iPhone 4 cases duke it out

OtterBox claims you won't find a tougher case than the OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 4. But a company called Ballistic is saying its HC case--the HC stands for Hard Core--is "better" than OtterBox's, offering four layers of protection instead of OtterBox's two.

Yes, never mind all this talk of free bumpers, anyone seeking real protection wants something on the tough end of the case spectrum--a place where there's clearly a battle brewing. Ballistic has even produced a video of an iPhone 4 being thrown around while encased in the HC, which definitely proves … Read more

Dig in and fight

Trenches is a fun and challenging World War I-themed trench-warfare arcade game with strong elements of real-time strategy and unit and resource management.

With its killer combination of winning art direction, well-designed gameplay, and a shallow but steady learning curve, Trenches is hard to put down. You control British troops advancing from trench to trench, left to right, across a long, scrolling map (which you can tilt to scroll, or touch and drag the skyline to move). You touch and drag units to determine their path, and you can use a two-finger motion to direct all onscreen units to retreat, … Read more