It’s been over 30 years to the date when the digital world first met its dreaded nemesis, the computer virus back in 1986. Unlike the ever connected machines of today, the first MS-DOS virus that the world saw back in the day, the Brain, was transmitted through an old school floppy disk which carried the source code of this virus from one machine to the other, each time replicating it to the host machine’s boot sector.
The Good
The Brain is the first known virus to infect the MS-DOS system, and more importantly, the oldest to hit personal computers. The code for the Brain was conceived closer to home than we might want to believe. This virus which was meant [...]
We all have an impression that Apple’s ecosystem is supported by the most secure operating system in the world. But, this statement may not be considered true anymore. The myth has been broken today by a team of hackers who have developed the world’s first virus for Mac and named it Thunderstrike 2.
This virus can be transferred via USB sticks or even email phishing. This then bypasses the Mac’s Operating System and directly attacks the BIOS – the software that appears before the main operating system after the system boots up. The worm then targets a machine’s option ROM or lives in the option ROM of [...]
In developing times like now, we live under the constant threat of computer viruses and malware that reach your system through emails or any external devices like a pen drive. We have multiple Anti-Virus programs available and it is critical to keep updating them. But the key to a virus-free environment is beyond using an anti-virus program. Safe computing practices and policies should be used to safeguard your PC from such threats.
Let’s take a look at some user friendly, yet efficient methods of dealing with viruses, other than using Anti-Virus programs:
Do not open suspicious email attachmentsMicrosoft has released a temporary software fix for a bug in its Internet Explorer web browser. Cybercriminals used the flaw to install the Poison Ivy trojan on users’ computers. This piece of malware can steal data or take remote control of a PC.
[quote]”Earlier this week, an issue impacting Internet Explorer affected a small number of customers. The potential exists, however, that more customers could be affected… On September 21, we will release a cumulative update for Internet Explorer through Windows Update and our other standard [...]
A new cyber surveillance virus has been found in the Middle East that can spy on financial transactions, email and social networking activity, according to a leading computer security firm, Kaspersky Lab.
Dubbed Gauss, the virus may also be capable of attacking critical infrastructure and was built in the same laboratories as Stuxnet, the computer worm widely believed to have been used by the United States and Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear program, Kaspersky Lab said on Thursday.
The Moscow-based firm said it found Gauss had infected [...]
Researchers at Berkeley Labs have now coated electrodes with modified M13 bacteriophage, a harmless bacteria-eating virus, to create the first ever organic piezoelectric material which can convert force to electricity.
The researchers also said that the option is a lot environment friendly as the material is non-toxic, organizes naturally into thin layers and self-regenerates, giving it a possible advantage over chemical options.
By attaching thin layers to, for example, shoes one would be able to charge devices on the go, by sending cables up to pockets. Lets hope there isn’t [...]
Google has reportedly removed 22 malicious applications from the Android Market after security vendors tipped off the company about apps attempting to trick users into accepting fraudulent charges via SMS. The devices get infected by a trojan that charges your phone bill with premium rate SMS charges.
[quote]Trojan horse for Android devices that sends SMS messages to premium-rate phone numbers,[/quote] Said Symantec
[quote]The initial application activity presents the user with a single option to continue, which is presumed to be an agreement to premium charges that are buried [...]
McAfee has developed a three sided plan to ensure the future of mobile devices in the corporate environment. This plan was developed to help users secure their devices as the mobile malware market has seen an exponential growth in the last quarter. Read the Press Release for more details.
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Today, Mcafee released a report which showed that the number of Malware targeted Android devices has skyrocketed in this quarter to 76%, which makes it the most attacked mobile OS. Read the Press release for more information.
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McAfee today released the McAfee Threats Report: [...]
Bogus Angry Birds Apps on the Google Marketplace are being used to distribute Malware. Andrew Brandt, lead threat research analyst at Webroot, had this to say about the code dubbed “Plankton”
[quote]It has the ability to remotely access a command-and-control [C&C] server for instructions, and upload additional payloads. It uses a very stealthy method to push any malware it wants to phone.[/quote]
The code was first found by Xuxian Jiang, who is the Assistant Professor in Computer Science at North Carolina State University. Unlike other malicious code found in the [...]
Yesterday, Apple released an update for Snow Leopard to detect and warn useres if they have installed a fake Mac security software called MacDefender. The term ‘Scareware’ basically means that the software will plague users with popups and alerts warning them that their computer is infested with trojans, worms and other malware. To get rid of these popups users have to fork over $60 to $80 to purchase the registered version of the useless software.
The update, labelled 2011-003, adds a new [...]
