Tag: VIRUSES

We're sure you're all familiar with Conficker, but that's just one blip in the long and storied history of computer viruses. F-Secure put together a nine-minute video tracing the evolution of viruses from the very first (Brain), to non-destructive joke viruses of the early '90s (Walker), all the way up to the nuclear plant-crippling cyber-weapons (Stuxnet). ...

Need further proof that the Internet is turning us into anti-social, asexual balls of pathetic brain mush? Look no further than the results of a new survey from security firm PC Tools. According to the survey, 29-percent of American Internet users see no problem whatsoever with accessing the Internet during a wedding, 41-percent think it's perfectly acceptable to surf during family dinners, ...

Share We all know that there's nothing better than a beautifully lit sexy video to help pass the time spent in front of your office desktop -- except, of course, when said video turns out to be a filthy, disgusting piece of malware. Unfortunately for connoisseurs of libidinous cinema, that's the exact form in which the latest Facebook virus has manifested itself. You can easily identify the ...

Share If you get an e-mail with a subject line that reads, "Facebook password reset confirmation customer support," you can just go ahead and hit the delete button. That's because, if you open it, you may fall prey to the latest scam to hit Facebook, and divulge intensely personal password or banking information. The malicious e-mail bears an attachment that, the message claims, contains your ...

According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), computers could cease being the only technology susceptible to viruses. Researchers at Northeastern University suggest that, as mobile networks continue to develop, cell phones could become the next mass-market to be targeted. Marta Gonzalez, one of the study's authors, told the NSF, "We haven't had a problem so far because only phones with ...

The newest trend in Internet infection is growing at an alarming rate, according to Breach Security Lab's recently released Web Hacking Incidents Database (WHID) 2008 Annual Report. The attack is called an SQL injection and it works by corrupting the database layer of a Web site. This type of attack, once thought nearly obsolete due to the legwork required of the hacker, was resurrected when the ...

digg_url ='http://www.switched.com/2009/02/19/got-a-computer-virus-heres-what-to-do-and-not-do/'; Sometimes even the most cautious of us slip up, our PCs ending up with a nasty virus like the dreaded Conficker that's making its way around the Web right now. But even if you fall victim to a program written by a ne'er-do-well half way around the world, all hope is not necessarily lost. It ...

What is Conficker? Conficker, also known as Downadup or Kido, is the latest super virus to spread around the Internet and has security experts in a panic. When last we checked, about a week ago, Conficker had already spread to 9 million PCs, with little sign of slowing. Now it has infected at least 10 million PCs and experts believe there may be up to 350 million vulnerable computers out there. ...

Remember this nasty worm with multiple-personality disorder we reported on last week? Well, apparently, it is still spreading, and is now responsible for an estimated nine million infected computers! So far it hasn't done anything especially nasty, beyond finding its way onto machines, but that doesn't mean you want it lurking on yours! Security experts at F-Secure believe the piece of malware ...

As we've said countless times, you -- the user -- are the biggest security threat to your PC. While Windows has a well deserved reputation as being insecure, Macs are far from immune to attacks. While it may be more secure by the nature of its design, OS X can't force users to make smart decisions. It appears that the age old trick of throwing up a fake dialog box asking users to click "OK" to ...

We knew that Microsoft had gotten a tad complacent, but we didn't realize how bad it really was. Last week, Microsoft patched a security flaw that affects Windows XP, 2000, and Vista, as well as Server 2003 and 2008. The flaw, called an SMB relay attack, would allow a hacker to use the Windows file and print sharing feature to take control of a computer or network of computers. According to ...

We've talked about viruses hitting Facebook before, but it seems they're getting a little more serious now. A new one is making the rounds, W32.Koobface.A, which not only installs itself into the background on your PC, but takes over your profile on the site and sends itself to all your friends! The virus uses the same trick we've seen before, the fake-YouTube page that says you're missing a ...

Updating your computer to have the most recent software patches from Microsoft is almost always a good idea -- it doesn't take long for a system flaw to go from new discovery to critical exploit. However, as with everything else online, you have to be careful where you get those patches. Some malware pushers are currently doing their best to trick you into downloading a fake patch that, go ...

As more computer users become wise to viruses, the criminals behind them are often a few steps ahead. Some malware infects your computer without you ever realizing it and then can truly mess up your life. Others arrive as a result of user mistakes, then do their dirty work undetected. We've got the scoop on 12 of the most devious and crafty viruses currently out there, including information ...

2007 was a record-breaking year for the development of malicious software, such as viruses and Trojan horses (a virus disguised as a regular computer program), according to internet security firm Symantec. According to a report by the BBC News, Symantec reported that the number of malicious programs has passed the 1 million mark for the first time, although nearly half of these programs were ...