Malware

Malware targets Facebook users on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox

Mumbai: Facebook users, especially those accessing the service on Chrome and Firefox browsers, here's something that you ought to take note of.

On its Technet blog, Microsoft has revealed that it has received reports about a wave of malware-ridden browser extensions attempting to hijack Facebook profiles. This threat, which they have detected as Trojan:JS/Febipos.A., was first discovered in Brazil. It has been found to be specifically targeting Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Detailing on the nature of the malware, Microsoft says that upon installation, the malware tries to update itself using URLs like -

Chrome browser - du-pont.info/updates//BL-chromebrasil.crx ...more    

Computer users to spend 1.5 billion hours, $22 bn battling malware: Study

Computer users will spend 1.5 billion hours and USD 22 billion identifying, repairing and recovering from the impact of malware, while global enterprises will spend USD 114 billion to deal with the impact of a malware-induced cyberattacks, says a Microsoft study. ...  

Consumers to spend 1.5 billion hours and $22 billion to check malwares in 2013: Study

Consumers will spend USD 22 billion on checking malware attacks this year, while companies will invest a whopping USD 114 billion in dealing with such malicious software, a study has said. ...  

Drive-by downloads most dangerous online threat

Just a visit to a manipulated website is sufficient to make a personal computer vulnerable to attack. ...  

Online shopping sites more likely to spread malware than malicious sites: Report

Cisco's "2013 Annual Security Report" points out that online shopping sites are more likely to deliver malware than malicious sites. ...  

Windows is the most attacked operating system: Report

Leading IT security solutions provider Quick Heal Technologies said it has tied up with Japanese mobile operator SoftBank Mobile Corp to provide anti-virus software to mobile phones. ...  

India under grip of cyber attacks, says report

India is under the grip of cyber attacks and there is an obvious peak in the growth of malware and their modifications on mobile devices, especially on the Android platform, according to a report. ...  

Data stealing trojan targets Android devices

New Delhi: Android's application store, Google Play's security has once again been rattled with the discovery of a new malware application which is said to be stealing sensitive information from the users' Android devices. Identified as 'Trojan!FakeLookout.A' by TrustGo Security Labs, this malicious app steals user SMS/MMS messages and video files, as well as all the files on the user's SD card and transmits them to a remote FTP server...  

Facebook cracks down on fake 'Likes'

San Francisco: Facebook Inc is weeding out fake "Likes" on its social network that are being caused by spammers, malware and black marketeers as it strives to maintain credibility as an advertising platform. Facebook said the number of Likes, or endorsements by users, on corporate pages is likely to drop by less than 1 per cent, on average, after the crackdown. "Newly improved automated efforts will remove those Likes gained...  

Gauss virus can spy on bank transactions

Boston: A new cyber surveillance virus has been found in the West Asia that can spy on banking transactions and steal login information from social networking sites, email and instant messaging, according to a leading computer security firm, Kaspersky Lab. Dubbed Gauss, the virus may also be capable of attacking critical infrastructure and was very likely built in the same laboratories as Stuxnet, the computer worm widely believed to have...  

DNSChanger virus: All that you wanted to know

New York: On Monday, the FBI turned off servers that had allowed thousands of malware-stricken computers to continue using the Internet. The personal computers - both Windows PCs and Macs - are corrupted by a virus known as DNSChanger. Without the servers, the machines wouldn't know how to locate websites and send email. Q. What happened? A. Years ago, scammers managed to trick millions of people into installing the DNSChanger...  

Malware deadline passes, very few knocked offline

Washington: If you're reading this online, you're fine. The day that was supposed to see thousands of people knocked off the Internet has arrived, but only a few people were affected. Thousands of Internet users across the US and beyond waited too long or simply didn't believe warnings that they would lose access to the Internet just after midnight because of malware that took over computers around the world more...  

Thousands of PCs may lose Internet today

New Delhi: Thousands of computers in India, which are hit by a malicious virus DNSChanger, may lose Internet access on Monday, according to Web security firm McAfee. DNSChanger is a malware computer programme that redirects Internet traffic to fake websites. These affected machines are likely lose Web access as FBI will shut down servers associated with the DNSChanger malware on July 9. As a result, it is likely that all...  

Virus may knock thousands off the Internet

Boston: About a quarter-million computer users around the world are at risk of losing Internet access on Monday because of malicious software at the heart of a hacking scam that the US authorities shut down in November, 2011. Some blogs and news reports hyped the risk of an outage, warning of a potential "blackout" and describing the Alureon malware as the "Internet Doomsday" virus. Yet experts said only a tiny...  

New Mac virus making the rounds

New Delhi: Earlier this year, Macs around the world were infected by a malware called Flashback and it looks like there's another one on the way. Kaspersky Lab has now detected a malware that seems to be targeted at Uyghur activists using Macs. Kaspersky Lab is terming the attack as an APT (advanced persistent threat). It appears the virus spreads via email. Victims get a mail with a zip file...  

Flame virus can sabotage computers, attack Iran

Boston: The powerful Flame computer virus is not only capable of espionage but it can also sabotage computer systems and likely was used to attack Iran in April, according to a leading security company, Symantec Corp. Iran had previously blamed Flame for causing data loss on computers in the country's main oil export terminal and Oil Ministry. But prior to Symantec's discovery, cyber experts had only unearthed evidence that proved...  

Symantec identifies malware apps on Google Play

New Delhi: Global security software giant Symantec in an independent research has found out a range of 96 applications on the Google Play store that are stealing personal and confidential information of users in Japan. Although these applications have been found to be in use in Japan, a similar scenario might also be working in other parts of the world as applications are sometimes not limited to just one country....  

Apple works on Mac malware fix but takes heat

San Francisco: The cybersecurity community raked Apple Inc over the coals on Wednesday, saying the company had dragged its heels on eradicating malware that experts say may have infected up to 600,000 Macintosh computers and can be used to ferret out sensitive user information. The consumer electronics company said it was working on finding and ridding "Flashback" malware that exploits a flaw in Oracle Corp's Java software. Apple has issued...  

Google Wallet a security risk: Researchers

Reuters: Security researchers said they found a vulnerability in the Google Inc mobile payments platform which is currently available in phones sold by Sprint Nextel Corp. Mobile payment services that allow consumers to pay by waving their phone at a check-out terminal, instead of using a credit card, have long been available in Japan and some other countries but are only just emerging in the United States. Isis, a venture...  

Google tightens Android Market security

San Francisco: Google Inc has been quietly policing its online store for months now in an acknowledgement of malware's growing threat to its increasingly popular Android mobile software. The new sheriff in town is Bouncer: a security service Google put in place to scan new apps as developers load them onto Market, its applications store. Bouncer sweeps apps for potentially malicious behaviour and also analyses new developer accounts to prevent...