Computer Safety & News

AVAST provides a good free AV offering and is popular in Europe as noted in recent download trends: http://blog.avast.com/2013/07/25/avast-is-most-downloaded-software-in-europe/ QUOTE: Softonic, one of the world’s largest download site for Windows, Mac and mobile, has just announced that avast! Free Antivirus is the most popular download in Europe.  Thank you to our users who have downloaded AVAST […]

AVAST and F-Secure are reporting multi-platform variants in the Janicab malware family http://blog.avast.com/2013/07/22/multisystem-trojan-janicab-attacks-windows-and-macosx-via-scripts/ http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002581.html QUOTE: Last week, we wrote about a script-based malware targeting Mac users. Yesterday, the folks from avast! revealed a Windows version.  On Friday, July 12th a warning from an AVAST fan about a new polymorphic multisystem threat came to an inbox of […]

Facecrooks security shares a new Facebook hoax that is actively circulating: http://facecrooks.com/Scam-Watch/Facebook-Video-Advertising-Hoax-Spreads.html QUOTE: Though Facebook is actually considering adding video ads to users’ News Feeds, a hoax message purporting to be from Mark Zuckerberg is spreading across Facebook that claims that these ads will radically change user experience on the site. “We are currently looking into […]

As Facecrooks security notes Facebook users should carefully select goods and services they like, as increased tracking of user behavior generates advertising revenues.  While not a major security or privacy threat, users should be aware their online behaviors are being tracked to help generate advertising data and revenues http://facecrooks.com/Internet-Safety-Privacy/New-Facebook-Insights-Allow-Businesses-to-Closely-Track-User-Behavior.html QUOTE: Facebook has promoted itself as […]

Microsoft details changes this month associated with it’s MAPP initiative: http://blogs.technet.com/b/bluehat/archive/2013/07/29/new-mapp-initiatives.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/security/msrc/collaboration/mapp.aspx# QUOTE: MAPP was our answer to a common phrase used back then: “Update Tuesday, exploit Wednesday.” This was a time when exploit writers had developed full automation for reverse engineering our security updates and building exploits. Security vendors received information at the same […]

With Windows 8, Microsoft has introduced versioning rather than service pack updates as the key approach for being on latest build.  The requirements to be on latest build for update support will be similar to what is required for being on latest service packs http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241230/Microsoft_mandates_Windows_8.1_upgrade http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/business/archive/2013/07/30/windows-8-1-enterprise-preview-now-available.aspx QUOTE: Windows 8 customers will have two years to […]

The new corporate preview version for Windows 8.1 is now available http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/business/archive/2013/07/30/windows-8-1-enterprise-preview-now-available.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/windows/hh771457.aspx?ocid=wc-blog-wfyb QUOTE: Windows 8.1 Enterprise Preview is now available for download for customers to start testing the operating system in their environments. Windows 8.1 Enterprise Preview builds on the Window 8.1 Preview which is currently available, adding premium features designed to address mobility, […]

All current versions of browsers improve user privacy protection. In recent testing, NSS Labs rated IE10 as being most secure in area of privacy controls. http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/privacy/314028-internet-explorer-protects-your-privacy-better-than-chrome-really https://www.nsslabs.com/reports/2013-browser-security-comparative-analysis-privacy-0 QUOTE: You can buy dozens of security products designed to protect your online privacy in dozens of different ways. Really, though, when it comes down to it, shouldn’t […]

Fake royal birth photos and articles are circulating as “bait” to compromise PC or user security. On all major news events users should exercise caution when presented with email, links, Facebook selections, etc. http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/spam/314106-royal-baby-pictures-and-video-give-birth-to-spam-scams http://louisville.bbb.org/article/BBB-Warns-Beware-of-Royal-Baby-Scams-43058 QUOTE: BBB warns, be careful when searching Google for news about the royal baby. Scam artists use fake websites to […]

Android users must be even more cautious when selecting applications, as the new master key vulnerability has quickly materialized into an exploit.  This new attack allows an infected version of an app to spoof digital signature controls.  This new attack is circulating in-the-wild in China: http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/android/314052-trojans-exploiting-android-master-key-flaw-found-in-the-wild http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/first-malicious-use-master-key-android-vulnerability-discovered http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2013-072322-5422-99 Two apps distributed in Chinese marketplaces are exploiting […]