Posted by admin on
January 5, 2009
Spamhaus: Google Now 4th Most Spam-Friendly Provider
Google’s free services are being heavily exploited by spammers to redirect visitors to sites touting knockoff designer drugs and scams, according to the latest rankings from Spamhaus.org, a group that tracks unsolicited commercial e-mail. Last month, Security Fix called attention to Microsoft’s persistent ranking on Spamhaus’s running list of the “Top 10 Worst Spam Service ISPs”. Now that Microsoft has cleaned up its act, it appears the bad guys are… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
January 5, 2009
Phishers Now Twittering Their Scams
Phishers are trying to trick Twitter users into forking over their user names and passwords by sending tweets that direct users to fake Twitter login pages, security experts warn. Blogger Chris Pirillo spotted the Twitter phishes on Jan. 3, after receiving a tweet that asked him to log in at a counterfeit Twitter site called “twitter.login-access.com” (it’s probably best to avoid visiting this site, which is still active as of… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 30, 2008
One Weak Link to Rule Them All
It is said that any security system is only as strong as its weakest link. A team of researchers today proved that point yet again, showing the world how they could use known weaknesses in the encryption technology that protects online transactions to undermine the security around e-commerce. washingtonpost.com ran an in-depth story I wrote about their findings, along with a sidebar explaining the weakness in a bit more detail… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 26, 2008
Beware Holiday e-Greeting Cards, Digital Hitchhikers
Cyber crooks are once again blasting out fake holiday e-greeting cards in a bid their special kind of cheer. Also, there are signs that computer viruses may again be piggybacking on digital photo frames and other data storage devices that make popular holiday gifts. E-greeting scams are hardly new, but they tend to increase around major holidays, probably because consumers are more receptive to opening them at these times and… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 23, 2008
PC Got a Virus? Consider Getting Help Offline
If you suspect or know your PC is infected with a virus, it’s probably wise to avoid purchasing anything using that computer until you’re sure the machine is clean. That includes additional anti-virus or security products. Chances are the malicious software on your machine includes built-in ability to steal user names, passwords and other sensitive data from infected hosts. Recently, I’ve heard from several people who used their credit or… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 18, 2008
Hundreds of Stolen Data Dumps Found
A comprehensive new study that peers into huge troves of financial data stolen by cyber thieves confirms what experts have surmised from looking at much smaller, isolated caches of digital loot: That criminals can make hundreds, even thousands, of dollars a day selling data stolen with the help of widely available software toolkits. Recent reports by security firms Finjan, RSA, SecureWorks and Symantec have shown that stolen identities, bank accounts… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 17, 2008
Firefox 2 Users Will Get No More Security Updates
Security Fix has often praised Mozilla for equipping its Firefox Web browser with a no-hassle system for automatically applying security updates. But for those users still browsing the Interwebs with anything less than Firefox 3, it’s time to take note: Mozilla shipped its final update to Firefox 2 on Tuesday, and plans no further updates for this version. Put simply: If you want to keep using Firefox safely, you’re going… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 17, 2008
Microsoft Issues Emergency Patch to Curb Password-Stealing Hackers
Microsoft today issued an emergency update to plug a critical security hole present in all versions of its Internet Explorer Web browser, a flaw that hackers have been leveraging to steal data from millions of Windows users. The patch, which Microsoft dubbed MS08-078, fixes a security vulnerability that Microsoft says already has been used to attack more than 2 million Windows users. As Security Fix and other members of the… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 17, 2008
CheckFree.com Hijack May Have Affected 160,000 Users
Online bill pay giant CheckFree.com said the hijacking of its Web site this month affected an estimated 160,000 people, a disclosure that offers the most detailed account yet of the true size and scope of a brazen type of attack that experts say may become more common in 2009. In a filing with Wisconsin’s Office of Privacy Protection, CheckFree said at least 160,000 people may have visited the site during… Continue reading
Posted by admin on
December 16, 2008
Google Ads Lead to Phony Apps
Web security firm Websense is warning that scam artists have hijacked Google’s sponsored links to spread rogue anti-virus software. While this type of attack is not new, I was amazed to find how deeply Google’s ad program appears to be infested with this crud. Websense’s alert shows how following sponsored links generated by searches for popular software titles may not be such a hot idea. Their investigation of the sites… Continue reading
