Computer Safety & News

A new BETA version of MSE is available with limited participation.  Good technical skills are usually required to support beta testing in case issues surface.  Microsoft Security Essentials beta registration opens http://blogs.technet.com/b/mmpc/archive/2011/11/18/microsoft-security-essentials-beta-registration-opens.aspx QUOTE: The number of users than can participate in the Beta is limited, so sign uptoday and we will notify you once the Beta is […]

This blog highlights new Facebook attacks Facecrooks – Facebook Safety Blog http://facecrooks.com/ Facecrooks – Best Practices in using Facebook http://facecrooks.com/Safety-Center/Safety-Center.html Facecrooks – Privacy and Security made simple http://facecrooks.com/Safety-Center/Facebook-Privacy-and-Security-Made-Simple.html

Please avoid suspicious links like this on Facebook Facebook – Avoid the 15 Second video challenge http://blog.eset.com/2011/11/13/facebook-video-scam-15-seconds-dont-watch-it-at-all QUOTE: One of my Facebook friends drew my attention today to a fast-spreading link. I’m pleased to say that he knew better than to look at it, but I figured it was worth seeing what it was all […]

Below are key resources for improving Hyper-V security  Simple Security Recommendations When Using Hyper-V http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/hh535714 QUOTE: Microsoft has a few articles on TechNet that outline some of the key aspects of a secure deployment of the Hyper-V virtualization technology, a feature of Windows Server 2008 R2. Microsoft Hyper-V Security Best Practices http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd283088(WS.10).aspx — Use a […]

As Trend Labs notes, the FBI’s Operation Ghost Click initiative is so far the largest cybercriminal shutdown in history FBI Operation Ghost Click – Largest Cybercriminal shutdown in history http://blog.trendmicro.com/esthost-taken-down-%e2%80%93-biggest-cybercriminal-takedown-in-history/ QUOTE:  On November 8, a long-living botnet of more than 4,000,000 bots was taken down by the FBI and Estonian police in cooperation with Trend […]

Sunbelt security warns of holiday package delivery scams and other threats where PDF malware may be circulating PDF Malware – Increase for holiday season http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/pdf-malware-is-back-in-season.html QUOTE: Avid readers of the GFI Labs blog can attest that they’re no strangers to this kind of attack: one receives an email purporting to have come from a legitimate […]

AV-Test noted some limitations in recent tests for Android AV products, which are continuing to improve and handle these new threats. Kaspersky, F-Secure, and Zoner were rated among best current solutions Report: Most Free Android Antivirus Apps Useless http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/security-software/290411-report-most-free-android-antivirus-apps-useless QUOTE: Each product was installed on an Android device containing inactive specimens of over 150 recent […]

Below are 6 recommendations for protection: PC Magazine — Six Ways to Protect Yourself from Duqu http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/malware/290204-six-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-duqu http://www.darkreading.com/advanced-threats/167901091/security/attacks-breaches/231902310/five-things-to-do-to-defend-against-duqu.html?itc=edit_stub QUOTE: Six Ways to Protect Yourself from Duqu 1. Microsoft Hotfix available 2. AntiVirus updates 3. Avoid unknown documents 4. Monitor for infected machines on network 5. Watch Port 443 traffic that’s unencrypted 6. Keep an eye […]

These important security updates should be applied promptly: Microsoft Security Release – November 2011 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms11-nov http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2011/11/08/assessing-the-exploitability-of-ms11-083.aspx ICS Analysis http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=11971 QUOTE: The vulnerability presents itself in the specific scenario where an attacker can send a large number of specially crafted UDP packets to a random port that does not have a service listening. While processing these […]

A sophisticated attack called DNSchanger was successfully shutdown by the FBI. FBI takes out $14M DNS malware operation http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911/malware_110911 http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/fbi-takes-out-14m-dns-malware-operation http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002268.html QUOTE: US law enforcement today said it had smashed what it called a massive, sophisticated Internet fraud scheme that injected malware  in more than four million computers in over 100 countries while generating $14 […]