As security advances so does the opposition. Many malicious software makers are starting to notice that the average PC user is becoming smarter when it comes to avoiding emails that could be potentially harmful.

Recently these malicious programmers have started to take a different path. They have begun to create different types of threats. One type that you may have already seen is where the program will inform the user needs to download security software. Three other major programs which are known as Win32/FakeXPA, Win32/FakeSecSen, and Win32/Renos have been found on millions of computers.

Attacks have also been taking place in common files such as .PDF and .DOC. Even Adobe Reader 9 and Acrobat 8 have had several exploits in them. While there are updates out for these programs, many users don’t update their software. For example over 90 percent of attacks in Microsoft Office have been from an exploit that could be fixed with a simple update. Surprisingly this update is over 2 years old!

While many PC users look for updates through Microsoft they rarely look to update other programs. There are a lot of PC users that believe that the Microsoft updates will solve everything. While Microsoft does run the PC business due to most users using Windows, they can’t watch over every company’s individual software issues such as the issue with Adobe.

It’s surprising how many people have issues with malicious software but do nothing to fix it. There are updates for programs coming out all the time to fix these holes and help prevent attacks however many users don’t seem to check for updates as they should. Microsoft alone last year released 78 updates that fixed 155 issues.

Therefore if you are having continuous problems with attacks you should ensure that everything on your computer is up to date. While you may update Windows constantly it’s not enough to stop someone from attacking your computer.

Source: CNET

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It’s the 21 century and everyone has a computer and many of those people use cable modems or home routers. Recently a worm has been found that can attack various routers and modems. There’re a total of 55 modems and routers that are at risk. Even if you have a top name brand router such as Linksys you could still be at risk.

The codename for the worm is Bluepill or psyb0t. Surprisingly it’s the first of its kind that is actually able to infect home networks. The worm uses a database of over 6,000 usernames and 13,000 passwords to try to get into your network. While this may not seem like much of a threat at first glance, the reality is that it’s a huge threat to your personal privacy. This is because your home network (both the router and the modem) run 24/7. They also allow unlimited chances for you to get the username and password right.

Therefore the worm can run 24/7 until it cracks your system. You may be asleep at the time and not even notice it happening. While this may not seem like much of a threat at first glance, the reality is that it’s a huge threat to your personal privacy. This is because your home network (both the router and the modem) run 24/7. They also allow unlimited chances for you to get the username and password right. If that wasn’t bad enough the worm is designed to execute any code that is programmed into it. Bluepill has been suspected of being in over 100,000 systems. Many users that have their computers infected don’t even know it!

To help avoid getting hacked you should use an advanced username and password that is random and extremely uncommon. If you think that you’ve already been infected then you may want to reset your hardware to get rid of the worm.

Source: PCWorld

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In case you haven’t heard yet, millions of PCs around the globe are fast succumbing to a worm that experts have yet to completely dissect.

According to F-Secure, a security software company based in the US, around 9 million computers are already playing host to the dreaded malware called “Conficker.” Millions more are expected to be infected by it in the next few days.

Little information has been unearthed as to what the virus could do. What is conclusively known, though, is that it exploits networks and servers that have not installed the latest security patches issued for Windows RPC Server Service. The fact that many antivirus programs cannot detect it also exacerbates the problem.

Conficker, which also goes by the name “Downadup,” spreads rapidly as it immediately copies itself into systems and storage devices. It’s very difficult to detect as it uses different extension names.

While security software makers appear to have been caught flatfooted, they are already laying out plans to curb the infection. Microsoft has recently announced that the latest update of its malware detection and removal tool would already be able to identify and eliminate Conficker.

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If you think you’ve already crossed the finish line after several hours of waiting for Windows 7 Beta to finish filling up your hard drive, then you’re in for a big disappointment.

Many antivirus software, including McAfee and Norton’s, are rejecting the new OS. While your primary security application cannot prohibit you from running or using the new Microsoft software, doing so would expose your system to numerous malware threats as the antivirus would cease to function.

This isn’t the first time that antivirus programs are raising the red flag on a Microsoft beta release. Early releases of previous operating systems, as well as some Windows updates, were even tagged as potentially harmful. While many were perplexed, a considerable number of users were already expecting it as numerous bulletins already warned the buyers of the new OS that a number of their existing software might not yet recognize the Microsoft newbie.

Don’t fret, though. As with the previous cases, the makers of the applications that get jittery with the new OS will release patches or updates that will correct the problem. For now, you could either just wait for the remedies to be released, or find another antivirus that recognizes Windows 7.

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I’m sure many of you would want to start 2009 with a clean slate. May I then suggest that you start the new year with a clean and secure PC. There are many ways by which you could accomplish this.

Delete Unnecessary Files

If you’ve worked and traveled a lot last year, then your desktop or laptop may be filled with pieces of evidence of your industriousness and restlessness.  The proofs that I’m referring to are the countless files that you’ve saved and sent to your boss, and the equally innumerable multimedia files that you’ve compiled during your weekend getaways.

If you do not intend to open or access these files anymore at the start of the first working day of 2009, then I suggest that you either delete them or transfer them to an external hard drive. Delete old files that you don’t use or need anymore. While they may take up only a few kilobytes of your enormous hard drive, they can still slow your computer down. You’ll feel their weight during system scans or when you conduct an automatic search of files or programs on your computer. Search engines will scour every data on your hard drive, including ones that you’ve already forgotten. Hence, the more files you have on your hard drive, the longer the searches and scans will take.

Reformat Your Hard Drive

If you really want to forget any memory of last year, then you might want to consider performing the ultimate purge by reformatting your hard drive. While this would surely eliminate any malware residing in your primary storage device, your hopes for a virus-free new year would largely depend, though, on the data that you would reintroduce to your computer. Make sure that the storage device which contains your backup files is free from viruses and spyware. You may have unintentionally backed up copies of some or all of the malware that were saved in your hard drive.

Clean Your Registry

Whether you choose to perform a selective purge or nuke everything in your hard drive, your PC’s performance might still not improve if you have an infected Windows Registry. Everything that runs on your computer almost always involves or requires the participation of the Registry. It’s therefore imperative to keep the Registry free from the influence and control of any malicious application. A healthy Registry can efficiently manage the flow of traffic inside your computer. An infected or defective Registry, though, could clog your system with needless instructions or processes, thereby putting a strain on your computer’s resources.

Invest in a good registry cleaner. While you may have an efficient antivirus program, it’s not designed to handle Registry infections or problems. If you’ve experienced a system slowdown last year despite negative reports by your antivirus or anti-sypware software, then your Registry might be the culprit. RegCure can free your new year from the ghosts of the previous one. Start your new year right. Install all the essential programs and delete the unnecessary ones.

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Finally, the long awaited admission.

After years of bragging that its unit is virtually impregnable, Apple has started advising Mac users to beef up OSX’s security by installing an antivirus software. This tacit admission that the Mac is vulnerable to malware comes as a surprise since one of its product’s main selling points is that it is more secure than the PC.

The advisory wasn’t brought about by any virus or spyware attack. It wasn’t an alarm bell as some have thought. The manner by which it was aired was actually discreet as the article or note was more of a nonchalant endorsement of the idea or tip.

Still, the advisory confirms what everybody, including Mac users, already knew – no computer is safe from malware, regardless of the platform or architecture on which it’s built.

This development should not be seen or interpreted as a victory for the malware authors. On the contrary, the news might have even discouraged hackers from testing Apple’s units, thus making the Apple computer even safer and more secure. It’s already difficult to infect the Mac and its OSX as it is. Fortifying it with an antivirus will definitely make any attempt to climb its walls all the more impossible.

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