internet protocol security Information and Resources

Experts raise Windows security alarm
Code that exploits a "critical" Windows flaw has been posted on the Net, opening the door for a worm to be created.

Software maker in data leak makes deal with feds
Guidance Software, which exposed data on its government and law enforcement customers, agrees to install tighter security safeguards.

SANS names top hacker targets
Microsoft's IE and Office, Apple's Mac OS X and people themselves are among the Internet's weak links, the security group says.

Microsoft plugs Windows worm holes
Fixes are in for eight flaws related to Windows, including three holes that could compromise PCs without the user having to do anything.

Microsoft offers businesses a security test drive
Forefront Client Security will go up against established security products from companies such as Cisco Systems, Symantec and McAfee.

Microsoft flags Gmail as a virus
An error in Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare security product caused it to flag Google's Gmail service as a virus.

Broadcom flaw could allow Wi-Fi hijacks
Vulnerable software was shipped in PCs and networking gear from HP, Dell, Gateway, eMachines and others.

With IE 7, green means go for legit sites
The Microsoft browser will soon use a green address bar to indicate that you can trust a Web site--but it will leave some smaller businesses out.

Phishers chase the well-heeled
People with high incomes attract more scam e-mails, and they lose more cash when they're duped, according to a Gartner report.

Microsoft to patch zero-day XML flaw
Fix for XML Core Services to arrive in one of six security bulletins expected on next week's Patch Tuesday.

Halloween sites tricking users with malware
Update October 27:  This morning I contacted the owner of the listed sites.  The sites were indeed hacked, and the owner has since removed the malicious code from the web pages. This is a nasty trick!  There are a few Halloween sites being used to distribute malware, right at the time when unsuspecting web users might be searching [...]

Scary malware tricks part 1
In keeping with the Halloween season, I'm starting a series on scary malware tricks, similar to last year's series on spyware tricks. Perhaps my personal focus has changed, but it seems to me spyware tricks are becoming far more devious and destructive.  Last year I was testing mostly adware, whereas this year I'm testing more [...]

Edelman on ‘Deceptive Door Openers’ and Ask toolbars
In a new article posted this morning, Ben Edelman continues his investigation of high-profile companies clogging users' computers with junk.  Today's target: InterActiveCorp's Ask.com, known for its widespread "smiley" toolbars.Last year I blogged about Ask's various toolbars and the trinkets Ask uses to get users to install them.  But Ben thinks there's a bigger problem here.  [...]

Is Zango stealing affiliate commissions from adult webmasters?
It seems that Zango, formerly known as 180solutions, the company we all love to hate, has royally ticked off a bunch of adult webmasters. Paperghost, aka Chris Boyd, has the story, complete with links to forums where the adult webmasters discuss Zango allegedly stealing affiliate commissions.  True?  I don't know, but considering some of Zango/180solutions' past questionable business practices, [...]

So what about user education on security?
CNET's Joris Evers writes about one security expert who says education users on computer security in the enterprise setting is "pointless".  Doctoral candidate Stefan Gorling, speaking at the Virus Bulletin Conference, said:"I don't believe user education will solve problems with security because security will always be a secondary goal for users," Gorling said. "In order [...]

Malware being spammed as PDF from retail stores
Reports surfaced today of spam purporting to be from Dell, Walmart, Circuit City or Sony confirming an order for a Sony Vaio computer with a PDF attachment, but the attachment is, in fact, a very nasty piece of malware named Haxdoor. Text of email:Subject: Order ID : 37679041Dear Customer,Thank you for ordering from our internet shop. If [...]

MVP awards, Messenger Plus! and adware — a good combination?
A controversy has been raging in certain circles the last few days over a MVP award, which has now been rescinded, to an adware pusher known as Patchou, Cyril Paciullo, the author of Messenger Plus!. There's a lot of nonsense going around and I'd like to clear some of that up.

Spyware pushers cash in big on zero day exploit
Nearly 50 malware threats being installed though the VML zero day exploit, including familiar names like Virtumonde, BookedSpace, webHancer, SurfSideKick, Qoologic (also known as Qoolaid), Zenotecnico, TagAsaurus, with some trojan downloaders and a backdoor thrown in the mix. Many of these use affiliate programs where the affiliate gets paid per install, so somewhere affiliates of these adware/spyware companies are making a killing off this zero day exploit, trashing computers with their crapware.

Should anti-spyware programs remove cookies?
Spyware expert Ben Edelman has written a great piece on anti-spyware programs and cookies. He tested eleven different anti-spyware programs against cookies from 50 advertising systems and posted detailed results including which anti-spyware programs detected which cookies and which programs detected the most cookies.