IT Security Blog

Do Not Be Annoyed by Pop Up Warnings by your Software

By

For some people, seeing sudden pop-ups serving as warnings by protection software can be irritating. While it only shows that you were warned of a potential threat, some people do not really care that much as long as nothing goes wrong. There are some software options that allow you to turn it off. But for the sake of knowing what type of potential threat you may have had, it would be best to keep it on for a better understanding of what you are dealing with.

Most programs like BitDefender do this. Programs that combine anti-virus and anti-spyware protection can be sophisticated at times but the main issue here is that they are protecting you and not annoying you. So if you get a message telling you that they have blocked a potential threat to your computer is concerned, read it and then just discard it. It is the best way to understand what harmful objects are set out on the web today.

But once they are detected, what is a PC user supposed to do? In these cases it would be best to delete all the temporary files on your IE folder so that no trace of these harmful Trojans will remain.

Do not think that just because they were blocked, that is the end of it. They are still residing in your computer. So to ensure they are completely gone, delete all the temporary files at your control Panel by clicking on Internet options and deleting all cookies, temporary files and browsing histories.

Are You Secure with Anti-Virus Software?

By

If you have had problems with viruses and malware, one thing you will notice these days that some of them still manage to get through your anti-virus barriers. Just when you though that your PC is already fully protected, you will notice at some point some abnormal behavior such as blue screens or sudden shutdowns occurring.

At this point, many would attribute it to hardware or faulty software. But if you have the chance, do some research or access online scanning services from leading anti-virus software companies. Scan all your hard drives and leave it for a couple of hours. For sure you will be surprised at the various viruses present in your computer and immediately check if you can update the virus definition files to keep your software up to date.

While that would be a good recourse, chances are the viruses will still not be detected. One thing about software manufacturers in the anti-virus category, most of them differ in terms of identifying security risks and viruses that make their way into your computer. Whether they come from careless opening files from storage devices or from online access using your browser, there will always be files that will get through.

If there is one consolation from it all is that not all files are dangerous. Some of them may be cookies or adware and would normally be categorized. This is what separates software these days. They have their own level of threats to which some may be exaggerated.

MTV Networks Employee Information Exposed to WEB

By

mtv.jpgViacom, the company that owns MTV has confirmed the fact that there was indeed a leakage of information from their system that has resulted in personal information such as Social Security numbers, Birth dates and other employment related data. They confirmed the fact that the said information was taken from an employee workstation which may have been infected by malware that sent the said information to the outside without the management knowing about it. These types of problems are now becoming more common as people go on the web and as this case shows, the workstation in question was said to have entered a social networking site through which may have been the path the malware took. The said information was contained in password protected files and the company has said that it has launched an internal investigation as to why the employee in question may have been able to access the said site from the office workstation.
Information leakage such as this case is now so common that they happen even without anybody knowing about it. Even with installed security and intrusion prevention systems, programs that piggy-back onto legal programs have found and exploited ways to circumvent them exposing themselves to protection systems as legitimate programs. Social networks have been targeted as with the problems with Goggle’s Orkut, Myspace and the many other social networking sites which have fallen to hackers who use them as launch/propagation platforms to unload their payloads of Trojans, key-loggers and many other forms malicious code.
The Web transforming into the social network may be the best thing that has happened to many but it remains to be a thorn in IT Security People from all over. Many have fallen victim to such instances that have resulted in credit card fraud and full-blown identity theft cases which are a real-world issue everybody has take notice of. The threat is real and we must all make it a point to do our best. Install the proper intrusion prevention systems and establish systems usage security protocol which will minimize exposure to such threats which are sure to invade more of our daily lives as we go on living a second life in the internet of today, the Social net.

GMail Password Malware Found By User

By

gmail.jpgAs if we haven’t gotten enough warning about free stuff of the web, here’s a classic case of such malware found by an unsuspecting programmer who just happened to casually do a de-compilation of a popular utility used on Google Mail that allows archiving of all your email. As the story goes, A programmer was on the hunt for a way to back-up his email from GMail which he submitted a request to CodingHorror.com for such a utility from fellow programmers. He was referred to a commercial program called G-Archiver which was distributed by an American firm Mate Media. As all freeware usually do (which is not as much as their advertising says) it disappoints him quite to the extent that he decides to reverse engineer(in the fashion of true hacking) the said utility only to find the email address and passowrd of the program’s creator within the code that raised red flags as to the reason behind the said suspicious details. As it turns out, the said program was sending private data with respect to the users who have downloaded and used the said utility to archive their Gmail accounts.
The program contained the said information (email address and password) of the programmer so the said utility can send information to him without the users knowing about it from any platform and location it may have been used.
Most of the sites which offered the program for download have removed them from their software offerings and the authors at ZDnet Asia where this was first reported have not been able to get a reply from the firm which distributes the said utility as to an explanation to the said event. This is a classic case of complacency wherein people rely on big names for their needs sometimes even sacrificing common sense in the process as sad as it may seem. The reluctance of the developers to reply to the said allegations. The programmer took the email address and the pasword using it to log-on to Gmail where he finds 1,777 email from all the people who have used the software including their passowrds and other vital information. So, be wary of free and sometimes harmless stuff, they are the ones who can do most harm.

Suspicious Links on Yahoo Messenger

By

Yahoo Messenger Trojans/ Malware Infection Links

Anyone will receive different kinds of offline and online messages from friends and acquaintances. Some would be links to other websites they have done, pictures or news feeds. But while these would be helpful in most cases, it would be best to first query the person and ask what the site is all about.

Cases of rapidly increasing links that creep into the instant messaging service create havoc and spread to the entire contact list of people endorsing the various instant messaging services available over the web today. The most popular of which is perhaps Yahoo Messenger and Instant Messaging. These are the widely used modes of communication today since aside from saving on cost, they hold a wider coverage, thanks to the Internet which is available all throughout the world today.

Hence, such coverage offers a tempting way of making lives miserable and the computers a living hell. The discomforts that it would have would drive a person crazy since the need to remedy the situation may take some time. However, for some people there is always the option to format the whole system, something that is not needed by people who need to access their files regularly and have no backup copies.

[tags]yahoo messenger virus, spyware, instant messaging, hyperlinks, bad links[/tags]

Formatting May Be the Answer but Is not the Only Answer

By

People who own computers who have given up hope for remedying the problems that their workstation has solicited, either from viruses, Trojans or spyware will normally resort to formatting and re-installation of all programs to make things easier for them. This is usually the case for people who would not bother finding ways on solving such issues, the less technical savvy people who want the best and fastest solution to such issues.

Formatting Computers

People, often referred to as geeks would go at anything to be able to find alternative solutions without having to resort to the dreaded formatting decision since it will entail a lot of issues such as data loss and re-programming as well. While it is true that it is like doing a general cleaning for the entire workstation, historical files and programs will surely be missing one by one. But it is also like starting from scratch and locating the files and programs that a person has been used to having around.

[tags]computer, formatting, programming, viruses, spyware[/tags]