Securelist / Blog
Securelist / Blog
  • Adobe Incubates Flash Runtime for Firefox

    The Adobe AIR and Adobe Flash Player Incubator program updated their Flash Platform runtime beta program to version 5, delivered as Flash Player version 11.2.300.130. It includes a "sandboxed" version of the 32-bit Flash Player they are calling "Protected Mode for Mozilla Firefox on Windows 7 and Windows Vista systems". It has been over a year since Adobe discussed the Internet Explorer ActiveX Protected Mode version release on their ASSET blog, and the version running on Google Chrome was sandboxed too.

    Adobe is building on the successes that they have seen in their Adobe Reader X software. Its sandbox technology has substantially raised the bar for driving up the costs of "offensive research", resulting in a dearth of Itw exploits on Reader X. As in "none" in 2011. This trend reflects 2011 targeted attack activity that we’ve observed. 2011 APT related attacks nailed outdated versions of Adobe Flash software delivered as "authplay.dll" in Adobe Reader v8.x and v9.x and the general Flash component "NPSWF32.dll" used by older versions of Microsoft Office and other applications. Adobe X just wasn't hit. IE Protected Mode wasn't hit. Chrome sandboxed Flash wasn't hit. If there are incident handlers out there that saw a different story, please let me know.

  • Malicious ads on security websites
        Perhaps the worst possible scenario is when a bank website is hosting malicious ads: you never know what can be installed and when on your computer if you click on the ad banners. Something similar happens with security websites hosting malicious ads. They are supposed to be for security information. The people browsing such sites trust the content to be safe, but in actual fact because of the ad banners the resources may be anything but trustworthy.

  • Will Google Bouncer definitely remove all malware from the Android Market?
    Will the Bouncer be effective in addressing the malware problems with Android apps? First of all, this is a good and really necessary move Google is taking, however the solution will be only partial. Based on the public information around this service, all apps will be scanned for known malware. Basically that means a multi-scanner or something similar will be used, so the quality of malware detection will depend greatly on what AV engines Google will use to analyze apps. Not all AV engines have the same quality, so there is a possibility some malicious apps won't be detected as malicious. The second step offered by Google is emulation. It's a good approach, however it can also be cheated by anti-emulation tricks or a malicious app can be programmed to behave differently once an emulation is detected, making the app appear to be non-threatening.  So, basically the same malware tricks used to bypass Windows security can be implemented now on Android.
    Is it still a good idea to use a mobile security program for protection even with Bouncer in place? Yes, for sure it's a good idea. The situation is many people download apps not only from the official Android Market, but also from third-party sources.  Nobody knows for certain what kind of apps are out there on private market stores, run by people not affiliated with Google. Additionally as we mentioned if Google's multi-scanner won't count on all AV engines but only some of them, it's certainly good to use AV detection on your phone as a second opinion for anything that might have slipped past Google’s scanner.
    Are there ways for hackers to sneak infected apps into the store despite Bouncer? Yes and one of them is by hacking well known and trustful developers accounts. In fact I believe that will happen in the near feature. I say this because of Google says it will check all new developers account. If a developer is already known and trusted by Google, that developer account will be a prime target for cybercriminals. Also, even though we haven’t seen it happen yet, we know cybercriminals can start developing apps that work differently in specific geographic zones. For example, an app could be designed to only behave maliciously if it detects a Latin American carrier…if the same app is used by a US carrier, no malicious behavior will be detected. That's also an anti-emulation trick which can be exploited by cybercriminals in order to avoid Bouncer detection.
 
SpywareGuide Articles
Articles on Spyware, Adware, Malware and privacy in general
SpywareGuide Articles
  • DATA-THEFT WORM TARGETING GOOGLE'S ORKUT
    FaceTime Security Labs announced the discovery of a worm that steals users? banking details, usernames and passwords. The worm, known as MW.Orc, is propagating through Orkut, Google?s social networking site, as users launch an executable file disguised as a JPEG. Google has a temporary fix in place
  • The Digital Underground: Interview with RinCe
    This is Part TWO of a series of write-ups focusing on the recent threat to E-Commerce systems via potential IM (Instant Messaging) attack vectors and more besides, by way of a remotely installed administration tool and custom-built scripts, designed to find vulnerabilities in third-party payment sys
  • Property Values, Satellite Maps and Zillow
    A new service called Zillow allows you to easily access the value of your home...and your neighbors and even their neighbors. SpywareGuide articles are sponsored by FaceTime Communications, providing solutions for securing and controlling IM, P2P and Spyware Greynets.
Free Security Programs - The Right Price For Computer Safety PDF Print E-mail
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By: Darrin Johnson

While you may think that security software for your computer is expensive, a number of developers have made some of their versions available over the Internet for free. Hard to believe, but true.

Instead of purchasing expensive security software packages that have more fire power than what a typical consumer might ever use, you can find simpler versions that can be downloaded for free from certain sites.


Although there are indeed free security programs, you need to search for ones that contain important features which will truly help protect your computer. If you can’t find one security program that contains all these features, then you should consider downloading multiple individual programs to ensure you are fully protected.


The first security software you need is called a firewall. Most new computers come with a firewall already built in. If not, however, you will need it to prevent unauthorized probes either to or from your computer. By adjusting the settings of your firewall, you instruct the computer what you are allowing in from the Internet and out from your computer to the Internet.


The next component that a free security program should have is an anti-virus program. A good anti-virus program will be able to not only identify and deter all incoming viruses, but should also be capable of detecting, repairing, quarantining, and eliminating infected files you already have on your computer.

There are always new viruses being developed - cyber thugs are ingenious - so it is important that your anti-virus definition file is routinely updated either daily or at least weekly. No anti-virus program is worth it - free or otherwise - if it can’t perform these basic tasks because otherwise you will only be protected for a short period of time.

A security program should also include an anti-spyware program in addition to adware and pop up blockers. Spyware and adware are embedded in so many of the programs and web sites you visit that, without an effective program to block and eliminate them, your computer will be bogged down with spam, advertising, and monitoring programs in no time at all.

Spyware alone can access and collect personal information on your computer leaving you open to the threat of identity theft and more. You need to have a defense program that locates spyware and adware and cleans them out as quickly as possible so that your computer continues to run smoothly.

Finally, if possible, try to find a free security program that includes an anti-Trojan program to eliminate Trojan viruses. These are special and unique viruses that are hidden within programs such as a game or even a music file.

Anti-Trojan programs should be able to scan all the files that you download to verify they are secure and harmless. Again, make sure your security program allows daily or weekly updates, because Trojan viruses are constantly in development.

A couple of options to find free security programs include www.tucows.com and www.download.com. Search their sites for the types of security programs you need (e.g. anti-virus, spyware, adware, etc.), and then look through the lists using a filter of "free" or "freeware."

Article Source: http://articlesite.info

 
 
 

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