The latest security report from Sophos suggests that more malware is hosted on U.S. websites and more spam is relayed from American computers, than any other country. As evidence of this, when an American Internet company, McColo Corp., accused of collaborating with spammers and hackers, was taken offline last month, there was a staggering 75% drop in global spam volume. more»
With business-minded malicious attackers embracing basic marketing practices like branding, it is becoming increasingly harder, if not pointless to keep track of all XYZ-Packs currently in circulation. How come? Due to their open source nature allowing modifications, claiming copyright over the modified and re-branded kit, the source code of core web malware exploitation kits continue representing the foundation source code for each and every newly released kit. more»
It's where you advertise your services, and how you position yourself that speak for your intentions, of course, "between the lines". There's a common misunderstanding that in order for a malware campaigner or scammer to launch a localized attack, they need to speak the local language. This misconception is largely based on the fact that a huge number of people remain unaware on how core strategic business practices have been in operation across the cybercrime underground for the last couple of years. more»
Virus writers are likely to unleash increasingly sophisticated strains of malware next year in an attempt to bounce back from some high-profile botnet shutdowns in 2008, according to new predictions from managed security provider MessageLabs. The company predicted that hackers will launch new attacks in which malware will exist as a virtualisation layer running directly on the hardware and undiscoverable by the operating system. more»
Working in the anti-spam and online malware fight can be depressing or at best invoke multiple personality disorder. We all know things are bad on the net, but if you want a dose of stark reality, check out Brian Kreb's fantastic 'Security Fix' blog on the Washington Post site... Speaking to an old friend who asked me what I was doing these days, I recently likened the fight against this relentless onslaught to having one's pinky in a dyke, and there are days when I don't even think we have a dyke! more»
From copycats and "localizers" of Russian web malware exploitation kits, to suppliers of original hacking tools, the Chinese IT underground has been closely following the emerging threats and the obvious insecurities on a large scale. They are either filling the niches left open by other international communities, or coming up with tools and setting new benchmarks for massive SQL injection attacks. more»
Web security company, ScanSafe reports that, in the past quarter, companies in the Energy industry faced the greatest risk of Web-based malware exposure, at a 196% heightened risk compared to other verticals. The Pharmaceutical and Chemicals industry faced the second highest risk of exposure at 192% followed by the Construction & Engineering industry at 150%. The Media and Publishing industry were also among those at highest risk, with a 129% heightened risk compared to other verticals. more»
Security researchers and PandaLabs have issued a security alert today revealing a direct correlation between the recent stock market volatility and the growth of new threats. According to firm, the two are tied together much more closely than previously thought and recent stock market instability has accelerated the volume of targeted cyber attacks and their relative impact on the economy over the last month and a half. In addition, analysts believe the recent spike in malware could be related to cybercriminals now having fewer possible targets as a result of consolidation within the banking industry. more»
Anyone concerned about the security of their computers and the data held on them might sleep a little uneasily tonight. Over the past few weeks we've heard reports of serious vulnerabilities in wireless networking and chip and pin readers, and seen how web browsers could fall victim to 'clickjacking' and trick us into inadvertently visiting fake websites. The longstanding fear that malicious software might start infecting our mobile phones was given a boost... And now a group of researchers have shown that you can read what is typed on a keyboard from twenty metres away... more»
Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GSTISC) today held its annual Security Summit on Emerging Cyber Security Threats and released the GTISC Emerging Cyber Threats Report for 2009, outlining the top five areas of security concern and risk for consumer and enterprise Internet users for the coming year... According to the report, data will continue to be the primary motive behind future cyber crime-whether targeting traditional fixed computing or mobile applications. "It's all about the data," says security expert George Heron -- whether botnets, malware, blended threats, mobile threats or cyber warfare attacks. more»
Together with Thorsten Holz, I recently published a paper on fast flux botnet behaviors, "As the Net Churns: Fast-Flux Botnet Observations," based on data we gathered in our ATLAS platform. Fast flux service networks utilize botnets to distribute the web servers to the infected PCs... One of the most well known fast flux botnets has been the Storm Worm botnet, which uses the zombies to spam, send out new enticements to infect users, and to host the malicious website which delivers the malcode. more»
A managed spam vendor always has to raise the stakes during its introduction period on the market. But what happens when a market follower starts using the market leader's proprietary managed spamming system, and is able to provide better spamming rates at cheaper prices? Market forces and unethical competition at its best. more»
The U.S. federal government cybersecurity team with primary responsibility for protecting the computer networks of government and private enterprise is facing challenges, according to a draft Government Accountability Office (GAO). Keith Epstein, a correspondent in BusinessWeek's Washington bureau reports: "...GAO draft report describes US-CERT as bedeviled by frequent management turnover, bureaucratic challenges that prevent timely sounding of alarms, a lack of access to networks across wide swaths of critical terrain, and an inability to fill large numbers of positions with qualified workers." more»
Rather than blathering on to the blogosphere about the superficial features of Google's new Chrome browser I've spent some time studying the available material and [re]writing a comprehensive Wikipedia article on the subject which I intend for anyone to be free to reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license rather than Wikipedia's usual strong copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL). This unusual freedom is extended in order to foster learning and critical analysis, particularly in terms of security. more»
Main Internet data carriers have stopped providing connectivity to Atrivo, an ISP notorious for serving a large number of scammers and spammers. Reporting on Washington Post's Security Fix, Brian Krebs uncovers thousands of domain names linked to spam and illegal activities that are registered through EstDomains, Atrivo's "most important customer". EstDomains is a reseller of Directi's registration services -- the ICANN accredited domain registration company which has also been under scrutiny as a result. more»
