COMPUTER VIRUS -- MOBILE SECURITY AND NETWORK SECURITY

One or Hacking

2012-01-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

An Israeli hacker calling himself Hannibal stole and exposed the Facebook login credentials of 85,000 Arabs earlier this week. It's the latest retaliatory strike in a politically motivated battle between Israeli and Arab hackers that's been going strong since the beginning of the month.Hannibal posted 20,000 Facebook users' email addresses and passwords of what he called "helpless Arabs" on Sunday (Jan. 15); the next day, he posted 30,000, followed by 10,000 on Tuesday and 25,000 on Wednesday, ZDNet reported. Hannibal posted the credentials on Pastebin, but his post has since been taken down.
In the post, Hannibal boasted of having 30 million emails, and said he would post 2,000 to 100,000 every day, depending "on my mood."
In keeping with the theme of the ongoing hacker battle, which began Jan. 3 when a Saudi Arabian hacker named 0xOmar posted 15,000 Israelis' credit card numbers, Hannibal announced the latest tactical strike with a political message."A warning to the State of Iran and Saudi Arabia," Hannibal wrote. "I have 10 million bank accounts of the countries of Iran and Saudi Arab . If Iran continues to threaten Israel and already this week I will publish the private bank accounts and thus make them billions of dollars in damages estimated."A post on the following day, Jan. 16, read, "State of Israel, not to worry, you're in the hands of the world's best hacker that I am. I will continue to support the government of Israel will continue to attack the Arab countries. In addition, I received thousands of emails helpless Arabs, who are begging me to stop publishing the Facebook accounts because it violates their browsing experience."Facebook sprung into action, automatically locking accounts that were exposed and forcing users to reset their passwords.Hannibal's handiwork comes amidst a turf war of sorts between Arab and Israeli hackers that, following 0xOmar's initial action, escalated quickly, with Arab hackers hitting the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and El Al Airlines websites, and another Israeli hacking group, IDF-Team, knocking the Saudi Stock Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange offline.
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10 Computer Threats You

2012-01-21T17:37:00.000-08:00

Strong anti-virus software and firewalls do a great job of protecting our computer systems. But even when virus definitions are fully updated and firewalls properly configured, there are still insidious threats that can worm their ways in, stealing your data or hijacking your PC and leaving you none the wiser.

Fake Tech-Support Calls

That job isn't fixing your computer. In fact, he's really just after your personal information.

If you receive a call like this, hang up, call the company the bogus technician claimed to be from, and report the incident to a legitimate representative. If there really is a problem, they'll be able to tell you; if not, you just thwarted a data thief.

DNS Redirection

Internet service providers (ISPs) such as Time Warner Cable and Optimum Online claim they're trying to help with DNS redirection, but the reality seems to come down to money. Domain Name System (DNS) redirection overrides your browser's normal behavior when you can't reach a webpage. Instead of displaying the normal 404 "File Not Found" error, the ISP sends you to a page of the ISP's choosing — usually a page full of paid advertising and links.

Innocent though that practice may be, computer viruses can do the same thing, redirecting your browser to a hostile page the first time you misspell a domain. With ISPs, you can opt out of their DNS redirection (you'll find links below all the ads); with viruses, stay on your toes. Make sure you know what your browser's default 404 page looks like, and take action if you see anything different.

Open DNS Resolvers

Another danger lies in the way some DNS servers are configured. An "open resolver" can offer information it isn't authorized to provide. Not only are open resolvers exploited in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, but an attacker can "poison" the DNS cache, providing false information and incorrect resolutions that must be detected to be corrected.

If your browser trips over a case of cache poisoning, the agents in charge of a hostile server can glean detailed information about your system — especially if you're in the middle of an important transaction. How can typical users solve this dilemma? The chilling answer: They can't. It's up to Internet service providers to address the problem.

Fraudulent SSL Certificates

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate reassures your browser that the site you've connected to is what it says it is. If you're looking at "HTTPS" instead of plain old "HTTP," you know there's security involved, such as when you log in to your bank account or pay your phone bill. The most trusted SSL certificates are issued by designated Certification Authorities worldwide.

But what happens if that trust between browser and website is exploited? Acquiring or creating fake SSL certificates is unlawful, but happens often enough that we need to be aware of it. On multiple occasions in 2011, the discovery of false certificates suggested an attempt to spy on Iranian citizens as they used Gmail and Google Docs. According to the website of computer security firm F-Secure, "It's likely the government of Iran is using these techniques to monitor local dissidents."

Session Hijacking

If you spend afternoons using your laptop in a café with an open Wi-Fi network, you might not be the only person logged into your Facebook or eBay account. Firesheep, an add-on for Mozilla's Firefox browser, lets its users sneak a peek at other people's browser activity if they're all on the same wireless network.

While the illicit observers can't get a glimpse of secured pages, many sites secure only their login pages; once you're logged in, your presence is maintained purely through cookies, packets of data that your browser stores to keep track of your browsing needs. But Firesheep lets its users copy your cookies, and after that happens the site you're logged into can't tell the difference between you and them.

Though it can be used for darker purposes, Firesheep should serve more as a warning to websites with private user accounts: They need to take security seriously. Guarding the main gate isn't the limit of their responsibilities; attackers don't need to storm the castle when a guest leaves the door open.

Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

While you're still sipping your latte on that unsecured network, even your encrypted messages may not be all that safe. A Man-in-the-Middle (MTM) attack occurs when an attacker intercepts communications and proceeds to "relay" messages back and forth between the lawful parties.

While the messaging parties believe their two-way conversation is private, and might even use a private encryption key, every message is re-routed through the attacker, who can alter the content before sending it on to the intended recipient. The encryption key itself can be swapped out for one the attacker controls, and the original parties remain unaware of the eavesdropper the entire time.

SQL Injection

Databases using structured query language (SQL) rely on specially formatted queries to locate and return requested data. Human or automated attackers can send requests that exploit the database's internal codes to alter the query as it's processed. This year alone, SQL injection was the culprit behind a number of notorious security breaches, such as hacker group LulzSec's alleged theft of data from the Sony Pictures server.

Once again, the solution to this problem isn't in the user's hands.

"Well-designed software avoids the problem by weeding out any queries that don't meet strict standards," said Beth Paley, a software training consultant and co-founder of Acrotrex Medical Business Systems in northern New Jersey.

Paley advises those who create and maintain database apps to "use whitelisting, not blacklisting," letting only specific data through instead of keeping only specific data out. That way previously unseen SQL injections won't get through.

Disguised Filenames

Modern operating systems accommodate speakers of languages such as Arabic and Hebrew by featuring codes which can reverse the direction of type to display such languages correctly: written right-to-left instead of left-to-right.

Unfortunately, these "RTL" and "LTR" commands are special Unicode characters that can be included in any text, including filenames and extensions. Exploiting this fact, a malware purveyor can disguise ".exe" files as other files with different extensions. Your operating system will display the "disguised" name, though it still treats the file as an executable — launching it will run the program and infect your computer. Practice caution with any and all files from unknown sources.

Banking Trojans

A Trojan is malicious software that disguises itself as innocent program, counting on you to download or install it into your system so it can secretly accomplish its malicious tasks. The infamous ZeuS Trojan and its rival SpyEye take advantage of security holes in your Internet browser to "piggyback" on your session when you log in to your bank's website.

These monsters are in the Ivy League of computer malware; they avoid fraud detection using caution, calculating inconspicuous amounts of money to transfer out of your account based on your balance and transaction history.

While financial institutions continue to increase the layers of security involved in large transactions, such as requiring confirmation through "out-of-band" communications — such as your mobile device — digital crooks have lost no time adapting to the changes, with banking Trojans able to change the mobile number tied to your account and intercept that confirmation request. If you're a tempting target, fear is an understandable response. It's just another part of a digital arms race that shows no signs of slowing down.

Facebook Everywhere

It's hard to find an individual who or a corporation that isn't on Facebook. The social networking site has become an ever-present hub for everything online. For some less savvy users, Facebook is the Internet.

With developments like Facebook Connect and Open Graph, Facebook is virtually opening its doors to any third party that wants in on the action. You may have already noticed that Facebook displays ads targeting your specific demographic information, based on the personal information you've posted and activities you've participated in.

What you might not have noticed is that other sites have started targeting your Facebook demographics as well. Any time you browse the Web without first logging out of Facebook, other sites can get access to any profile information you've marked as fit for public consumption.

Don't want every site on the Internet to see you coming a mile away? Just remember to log out of Facebook every time.

This story was provided by SecurityNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience.
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Wi-Fi networks under virus risk

2012-01-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

Indian computer security analysts have detected and alerted Wi-Fi users in the country against a possible virus attack that could lead to crashing and hacking of secure networks.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), country’s national agency to respond to computer security incidents, has found that the “Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) contains a design error that could allow a weaker-than-expected defence against brute-force attacks, which could allow an attacker to gain unauthorised access to the affected system.”
A brute-force attack, in computer terminology, is a programme that is used to crack and stealthily enter into an encrypted and password protected system while WPS is a popular method for setting up a new wireless router for a home network.
“The virus is streaming in the Indian Internet networks with a high severity. The combat mechanisms are being deployed,” a computer security analyst with a government agency said.
“An un-authenticated, remote attacker within range of the wireless access point could use the PIN (password) to gain unauthorised access to the device to retrieve the password for the wireless network or change the configuration of the device.
“Failed attempts to exploit the vulnerability could lead to a denial of service condition,” the CERT-In said in its alert to Wi-Fi users.
The agency also said that reports (with the agency) indicate that some WPS devices “do not implement any kind of lockout policy for brute-force attempts, which greatly reduces the time to perform a successful attack.”
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Hackers break into Rancho Mirage's website

2012-01-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

Rancho Mirage — The home page of the city of Rancho Mirage website was hacked late Monday by a group calling itself “Team ShadowSec” — which left a message in support of the Occupy movement and against a proposed federal anti-piracy law.
“Your security is inferior. Your website has been seized, because we come with an important message,” the statement began.
“I don't suppose it's a sign of super strength, but if they can break into the Department of Defense website, I guess we're all vulnerable to some extent,” Mayor Dana Hobart said of the breach.
Sarah Steepleton, information services manager for Rancho Mirage, said she was alerted first thing Tuesday morning, and the normal home page was restored by 8:05 a.m.
The message left by the hacker or hackers says the group will “defend Occupy by defacing sites with our message, releasing information of cops, hacking all number of .gov sites, taking down police infrastructure, and most dangerous of all, telling the truth.”
The statement went on to threaten similar actions against the Stop Online Piracy Act, which critics say could limit access to such sites.The message was signed by “Agent_Anon, for Team ShadowSec,” alongside a Guy Fawkes mask.A few scattered references to Team ShadowSec were found via a Google search Tuesday.One hacked page, on the website for Crown Parts and Machine Inc., had the same signature and Guy Fawkes mask, but no other text.Steepleton said no other pages on the city's site, www.ranchomirageca.gov, were hacked.
The website is hosted by Rancho Mirage-based firm e-work media. An employee said Tuesday that the company could not comment.Steepleton said Tuesday there had been no discussion of changing Web hosts.
“No, no talk of that, probably just reviewing our security and making sure it's up to date.”
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20120118/NEWS0801/201180318/Hackers-break-into-Rancho-Mirage-s-website

After Zappos hack, how to protect yourself online

2012-01-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

Another week, another computer security breach. Hackers broke into a Zappos server in Kentucky Sunday night, giving them access to personal records of 24 million Zappos customers -- which means if you've ever used the site, you're probably a victim too.
Actually, if you've ever been online, the chances are pretty good that some malevolent person has captured personal information about you and tried to break into your personal computer or credit card account.malware security.malware
Although the criminals were after more than your shoe size, they apparently did not get full credit card numbers, but an investigation is underway. More disturbing, Zappos is owned by Amazon, which demonstrates that even the biggest online players are vulnerable to attack.malware .malware
So what can you do to protect yourself? Here are some important reminders:
Use a Tough Password: Yes, we're always being reminded not to use the name of our pet snake or favorite fast food as a password, but who can remember 50 different passwords for all those Web sites that require registration? The best advice is to rotate through a series of passwords, changing them on a regular basis. But most important of all is to create one really difficult password and use it only for your e-mail account. malware .malware
The reason is that many sites check password changes or send account access confirmations to e-mail accounts. If a hacker has access to your e-mail, he'll basically have access to everything from your bank account to your Amazon shopping cart. To make your e-mail password tough to crack use a mix of letters and numbers that's at least 8 characters long. And, no, combining Fluffy's name with your birthday does not count.malware .malware
Get a Credit Report: You're entitled to get at least one free credit report a year, which will tell you if someone has opened a spurious credit card or loan in your name.[security]. You can also get a free report in many states if you've recently been turned down for a job (and who hasn't been rejected in this economy?[security].).[security]. These reports are absolutely free, so don't fall for that ad campaign that offers "free" reports but actually makes you pay. Just contact one of the three reporting companies--Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion -- yourself and get a truly free report. Better yet, put an annual reminder in your calendar so you don't forget next year.malware
Update Your Software: Several recent online security studies report that over 90 percent of successful malware and hacking attacks are the result of consumers using old software. You don't have to buy new software to stem the threat. All you have to do is install the free updates. The reason is that most of these updates include security patches for known holes that hackers use to access systems. Patching all your programs can be about as much fun as white-knuckling it through a snow storm. Fortunately, hackers mainly target four popular programs, which you should update regularly: Java, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Flash, and Microsoft's Internet Explorer.malware [security].
Get An Anti-virus Shot: It's true that if you're really careful, never use a social networking site, and never open a video or e-mail online, you can avoid viruses. The rest of us should use some sort of anti-virus software. There are free programs from reputable firms such as Avast and Bitdefender. Use one of their offerings.[security].
Don't Click That E-mail: Zappos is sending every one of its affected customers a warning e-mail. However, more often than not such "official" e-mails are from hackers (for example, "We've had a security problem. Please change your password.[security]."). These fraudulent e-mails can be virtually indistinguishable from legitimate missives, including identical graphics, logos, and authentic looking return e-mail addresses.[security]. I recommend never clicking on links in such e-mails. Instead, open a separate browser window and go directly to, say, your bank's official site. If there's a important notice, you'll find it there.malware security.[security].
shttp://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/01/16/zappos-zapped-hackers-steal-info-from-24-millionusers/?intcmp=related

Hackers attack two Israeli websites

2012-01-17T07:00:00.001-08:00

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Saudi hackers say in an e-mail they attacked the sites
Earlier Saudi hackers had exposed thousands of Israeli credit card numbers
Deputy foreign minister has his website hacked

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The websites of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and of El Al, the Israeli airline, were brought down Monday morning by an apparent hacking attack. An internet hacker who calls himself Ox Omar sent an e-mail to the Jerusalem Post Monday in which he claims that together with a hacking group calling themselves "Nightmare" that the websites of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and that of El Al would be brought down.
Idit Yaaron, the spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, told CNN that the main site of the stock exchange where the trading takes place was not harmed and operates on a very high level of Internet security. Trading has continued unaffected, she said. A secondary internet web site was affected for a short period of time.
El Al spokesman, Ran Rahav, released a statement saying, "El Al is aware that for the past two weeks a cyber war is raging against Israel. The company is closely monitoring the Saudi hacker activity. El Al is taking precautions regarding its website and as a result there may be disruptions in the activity of the website."
The "cyber war" started at the beginning of the month when a group claiming to be Saudi Arabian hackers posted the credit card information and other identifying data of thousands of Israelis on line, prompting an international investigation.
"Hi, It's Ox Omar from the group xp, largest Wahhabi group of Saudi Arabia" read a statement posted on an Israeli sports web site the group hacked into. "We are anonymous Saudi Arabian hackers. We decided to release (the) first part of our data about Israel." Wahhabism is an Islamic religious movement.
The Bank of Israel released a statement last Tuesday saying that, based on information from credit card companies, only around 15,000 credit card numbers were exposed and those credit cards were blocked for use in Internet and phone purchases.
Yoram Hacohen, who heads the Israeli Law, Information and Technology Authority at the Israeli Ministry of Justice, told CNN in a phone interview on Friday that he is more concerned about the private information that was released than the actual credit card numbers; he fears that the publishing of e-mail addresses, phone numbers and home addresses could lead to identification theft.
Hacohen said that hacking is a criminal act against citizens and the Israeli authorities have begun a criminal investigation, including a computer forensic probe to search for electronic evidence in an attempt to locate the group. The theft of personal information is a criminal act under Israel's Privacy Protection law.
Hacohen acknowledged that in the digital world, offenders are difficult to track and authorities are asking for international help in the matter.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, speaking at a public event, called the Saudi hackers attack "a breach of sovereignty comparable to a terrorist operation and (it) must be treated as such." A few days later his own website was targeted in a cyber attack. In a statement on his Facebook page, Ayalon wrote that "Muslim extremists" hacked into his website "to try and prevent me from continuing to do my work on behalf of the State of Israel, especially my online public diplomacy.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu created a National Cyber Directorate in 2011, noting the emergence of cyber attacks that could "potentially paralyze life systems -- electricity, communications, credit cards, water, transportation, traffic lights."
He said in December that the new agency -- along with a rocket defense system and a physical fence -- would help protect Israel against its enemies.
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/16/world/meast/israel-hacking-attack/?hpt=wo_bn8

Virus writers target children

2012-01-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

Virus writers target children with cartoon gaming websites that secretly infect their parents' PCs

Sites offering cute games secretly infect PCs
Sites with 'game' or 'arcade' in title pose danger
Infections remain until when parents log in
One site infected 12,600 users last month

Children are the latest target for writers of computer viruses - seen as an easy 'way in' to their parents PCs.Hackers are targeting children with sites that install malicious software on PCs, disguised as innocent-looking cartoon gaming websites. But the sites quietly load programs onto the PCs which lurk in the background, which can steal information from adults, long after the children have logged off.

Youngsters are seen as easy targets, because they will not stop and think before clicking on a link, whereas adults tend to be slightly more cautious.Children are targeted using sites that offer free games - with one.

'Games like these require clicking and children don’t think much about what they are clicking on,' said Ondrej Vlcek, CTO of AVAST Software. 'This makes them – or their parents’ computer – quite susceptible to malicous software.'
'Games like these require clicking and children don’t think much about what they are clicking on. This makes them – or their parents’ computer – quite susceptible to malicous software,' says Avast's CTO.Within the last month, the security firm identified 60 sites with the word 'Game' or 'Arcade' in the title which were infected with malicious software - either through the sites themselves, or infected adverts. The 'driveby downloads' infect the computer with trojan software that direct the PC towards sites which infect it with further malicious software.The way children browse the web - impulsively hopping between different sites - makes them easy targets, says Avast. 'If there is something dangerous, a child will find it,' said Mr. Vlcek.Most of the infected sites seem legitimate, although some may have been created specifically to distribute malware. There is no way to visually spot the danger.As ever, the solution is to ensure you are using an up-to-date browser and have security features such as warnings activated. Antivirus programs such as Norton can be set up to give warnings that a site may be infected, or even that individual adverts may pose a risk.'At a minimum, people need an antivirus program that looks for various kinds of malware and scans websites for infections.
s:-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2087257/Hackers-target-children--gaming-websites-secretly-infect-parents-PCs.html

Chinese 'attack US DoD Smart Cards' with Sykipot Malware

2012-01-15T02:46:00.000-08:00

A new strain of the Sykipot malware is being used by Chinese cyber criminals to compromise US Department of Defense (DoD) smart cards, a new report has revealed.
The malware has been designed to take advantage of smart card readers running ActivClient - the client application of ActivIdentity - according to unified security information and event management (SIEM) company AlienVault.
ActivIdentity's smart cards are standardised at the DoD and a number of other US government agencies. The cards are used to identify active duty military staff, selected reserve personnel, civilian employees, and eligible contractor staff.
As with previous Sykipot strains, the attackers use an email campaign to get specific targets to click on a link and deposit the Sykipot malware onto their machines. After identifying the computers that have card readers, the attackers install keystroke logging software to steal the PIN number that is used in concert with the smart card.
"When a card is inserted into the reader, the malware acts as the authenticated user and can access sensitive information," explained AlienVault's lab manager Jaime Blasco. "The malware is then controlled by the attackers and then told what - and when - to steal the appropriate data."
So far, AlienVault has seen attacks that compromise smart card readers running Windows Native x509 software, which is reportedly in commonplace use amongst a number of US government and allied agencies.
This new strain is thought to have originated from the same Chinese authors that created a version of Sykipot in 2011, which distributed a variety of spam messages claiming to contain information on the next-generation unmanned "drones", developed by the United States Air Force.
s:-http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/011412-chinese-attack-us-dod-smart-254927.html

Israeli hackers Vs Saudi hackers

2012-01-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

Israeli hacker known as “0xOmer” has already made headlines after publishing hundreds of Saudi credit card numbers in retaliation against Arab hackers, claiming to be Saudis, who published tens of thousands of Israeli credit card details on the Internet last week.
“This is just the beginning,” 0xOmer told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday.
“We have over 300 Saudi credit card numbers in our possession... and the personal details of over 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, including full names, e-mails and addresses. If they publish one more little detail on Israel, we will attack in full force and publish all of the credit card details.”
On Wednesday night, the Saudi hacker released what he said were 200 more Israeli credit card numbers, and called other anti-Israel online activists to step up web attacks.
Responding to the development, 0xOmer said he would release thousands of personal information accounts belonging to Saudis.
“They want force? No problem,” he wrote. “We have a further 300,000 working Saudi credit card numbers. We are seriously considering whether we should publicize them.”
The hacker provided a glimpse into how a developing cyber-war is being fought.
Last week, Israeli credit card companies and the Bank of Israel scrambled to cancel credit card numbers compromised by the actions of the anti-Israel hacker. Now, Saudi banks will have to take the same steps to protect their customers.
“I belong to a group of hackers named Israel Defenders,” 0xOmer said. The team, he added, is made up of four members who function like an organized cell with a clear division of labor.
“My role is to find and exploit security breaches at the highest levels,” he told the Post.
Another member of the team, code-named “7ukk1,” is in charge of defacing websites and handling foreign media relations; according to 0xOmer, he is an IDF soldier serving in Military Intelligence.
A third member specializes in breaking into servers. The fourth member helps 0xOmer identify security gaps.
“It’s very easy to be a hacker. It’s a matter of studying for two to three months and you can master the field,” he said. “The only difficulty is in finding Arab websites because they’re in a different language.”
But such websites have already been found in the form of a Saudi shopping website, where security breaches were identified.
The hackers are interested only in sending a warning to anti-Israel hackers at this stage, and stopped short of providing credit card information that can be used to make fraudulent purchases, 0xOmer added.
“I didn’t publicize the three-digit number on the back of the card [necessary for online shopping],” he explained. But if hostile Internet activists continue attacking Israeli targets, Israel Defenders will publish hundreds of credit card numbers, along with the three-digit code.
The four youths are taking up what they say is a deterrence posture in an online world that is increasingly being used as a battle arena.
The arena is dominated almost exclusively by the young.
“Many want to know how old I am, and some think I’m an adult. The right answer is that I’m 17,” 0xOmer said.
On his Twitter account he posted a link to a media report on the Israeli hacking group, adding, “Israeli pride!” He also directed expletives at “0xOmar,” the hacker who exposed the Israeli credit card numbers.
s:http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=253181

2012 Best Computer Protection Software Comparisons and Reviews

2012-01-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

Today, it isn’t uncommon for one person to own a smartphone, tablet, laptop and a desktop. These devices keep us constantly connected to the web, and they house our media collections, documents, files, software and other personal information. Because these computing devices contain so much of our personal lives, they have become prime targets for cybercriminals or virus. With identity theft ,cybercrime and virus affecting increasingly more people, it is crucial that you protect all your devices from virus so you can keep your personal information personal. To save yourself from virus, the hassle of finding a different application for each of your computing devices, sintuhack guide about all-in-one computer protection software.

All-in-one computer protection provides one license to protect all the devices you need to secure: computers, tablets and smartphones from virus and from cyber crimnal as well as from malware. Having similar antivirus computer security keeps a familiar and user-friendly interface consistent throughout all of your devices and offers a much larger selection of features and protection technology.

Why Buy All-in-One Computer Protection Software?

With identity theft and cybercrime and virus affecting increasingly more people, it is crucial that you protect all your devices from virus ,malware so you can keep your personal information personal. To save yourself from virus ,malware the hassle of finding a different application for each of your computing devices

Many of the best all-in-one computer virus protection apps can provide security for Apple products such as MacBooks, iMacs, iPhones and iPads. Even though Apple devices are less susceptible to being infected with malicious malware, it is better to be safe than sorry. Plus, having strong protection on your Apple product keeps you from inadvertently passing dangerous threats to other devices.

All-in-One Computer Protection Software: What to Look For

When it comes to keeping all your computing devices and the data stored within them safe from virus ,malware, your average computer security software will not do. You need to find an all-in-one application that will cover the wide range of devices you own and additionally shield your data from any known or unknown threat from virus ,malware. Antivirus software is only as good as the protection it offers from virus ,malware.

Devices Protected

The best computer protection offers security for both your PC and Mac from virus ,malware. You can install the application on all of your mobile devices including your Android tablet, iPad, iPhone or other smartphone platform. However, even if the software says it supports a device, make sure it is compatible with the operating systems on all your devices and that it will work when you update or upgrade your operating systems.

Performance

No matter how many features are included on the application or how easy it is to use, if the security software does not protect your devices from dangerous threats, it is simply taking up valuable space. The best applications will protect all of your computing devices from viruses, worms, Trojans and spam. There should also be strong antispyware and antiphishing tools featured on the software to protect your device from intruders.

Features

The features included with antivirus software add to its protection and security. The ability to protect your device on a wireless network, along with email and website protection are a few features offered on the best applications. Online backup is also an excellent tool and allows you to keep your data safe if something were to happen to your device. In addition, anti-lost and anti-theft features are must-have tools for protecting any data or personal information you have stored on your smartphone.

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Scare Tactics of Anti-Virus Company

2012-01-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

We've all seen the messages pop up on our screen. "Malware detected!" "Your computer is infected!" "Download this software now or cybercriminals will invade your privacy, steal your identity and obliterate your soul!" These are the tactics of third-rate scams, designed to have you click on them and - ironically - install viruses and malware on your machine, but I've always wondered how somewhat "trusted" antivirus companies got away with using similar methods. A new lawsuit alleges Symantec's Norton Antivirus performs scans that don't actually scan your computer but still warn of non-existent dangers in order to get you to pay $29.99 to upgrade. Further, the plaintiff James Gross contends that even if you pay the fee, Symentec's applications don't really do anything to help your computer at all.
"The scareware does not conduct any actual diagnostic testing on the computer," reads Gross's complaint filed in Northern California. "Instead, Symantec intentionally designed its scareware to invariably report, in an extremely ominous manner, that harmful errors, privacy risks, and other computer problems exist on the user's PC, regardless of the real condition of the consumer's computer."
Gross said he bought the upgrade based on the prompt and afterwards hired IT experts to look at his machine. They told him that the scans almost always returned a negative report and that the software could not fix what it said it could. The complaint continues, "The scareware does not, and cannot, provide the benefits promised by Symantec. Accordingly, consumers are duped into purchasing software that does not function as advertised, and in fact, has very little (if any) utility."
sourse-forbes

Facebook Calling Hackers for open Competition for keeping world secure

2012-01-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

Call it Mavericks for geeks. But instead of surfing waves, hackers from all over the world will get a chance to show off their creative programming skills at Facebook's third annual Hacker Cup, which starts with a 72-hour online qualification round later this month.
"It's really a chance to compete against the world's best programmers," Facebook spokesman Jonathan Thaw said.
Registration is now open for the contest, which starts Jan. 20 with the first of four online elimination rounds. For the finals, Facebook will fly the 25 highest-scoring hackers to California on March 16-17 for the last, two-hour competition at its Menlo Park campus.
"It's very intense," Thaw said. "You're working against the clock, trying to come up with an elegant and correct solution. It's a challenge."
The top prize winner gets $5,000 and bragging rights; the second and third place finalists get $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. In addition to the free trip and a behind-the-scenes tour of Facebook's headquarters -- including tech talks with company engineers and meals at its famed cafeteria -- the other 22 finalists will each get a crisp $100 bill.
How tough is the competition? Last year, 11,768 people from across the globe attempted the contest's first round of algorithmic coding challenges. The top 25 finalists -- all men -- came from China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States. In the end, 26-year-old
Advertisement.Russian developer Petr Mitrichev was declared the world champ.
While Thaw said he expects some of 2011's finalists will try again for the title this year, the growing popularity of hacking will entice some newcomers as well."There are some programmers that basically do these sorts of competitions as a sport," he said. "But we'll likely see some new faces too. Every year, there's a new supply of talented programmers.".Facebook employees and their immediate family members and roommates are not eligible to enter, according to the contest rules. Thaw said he doesn't know whether any former competitors ended up with jobs at Facebook.

source=www.facebook.com/hackercup

ATM malware spreading around the world

2012-01-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

IDG News Service - Cash machines around the world are hosting malware that can harvest a person's card details for use in fraud, a situation that could worsen as the malware becomes more sophisticated, according to a security researcher.Analysts at Trustwave's SpiderLabs research group were surprised earlier this year when it obtained the ATM malware sample from a financial institution in Eastern Europe, said Andrew Henwood, vice president of SpiderLabs's Europe, Middle East and Africa operation. Trustwave does forensic investigations for major credit card companies and financial institutions as well as penetration tests.
"It's the first time we have come across malware of this type," Henwood said..[malware]
The malware records the magnetic stripe information on the back of a card as well as the PIN (personal identification number)..[malware] That data can be printed out on the ATM's receipt roll when a special master card is inserted into the ATM that launches a user interface. It can also be recorded on the magnetic stripe of that master control card."We were surprised at the level of sophistication," Henwood said..[malware] "It does make us generally pretty nervous.[malware]."Most ATMs run security software, but financial institutions haven't focused on their security as much as other systems, Henwood said."ATMs were kind of an afterthought and were considered to be fairly stable," Henwood said. "I'd say there's not been enough focus in the past on ATM infrastructure."
Those who wrote the malware have detailed knowledge about how ATMs work, Henwood said. The sample they tested ran on ATMs using Microsoft's Windows XP operating system.[malware].[malware]
The sample did not have networking capabilities, but that may be a natural evolution. That's particularly dangerous since most ATM machines in developed countries are networked. The danger is that the malware could be engineered into a worm that, once on one ATM, spreads through all ATMs on a network, Henwood said.To install the malware, a person would need access to the inside of the ATM or a port in which software could be uploaded. That means insiders could be involved, or cybercriminals have picked a lock on an ATM in order to install the software, Henwood said.
taken from computerworld.
[malware].[malware].[malware].[malware].[malware]

Cyber espionage

2011-12-17T23:52:00.000-08:00

Cyber spying or Cyber espionage is the act or practice of obtaining secrets without the permission of the holder of the information (personal, sensitive, proprietary or of classified nature), from individuals, competitors, rivals, groups, governments and enemies for personal, economic, political or military advantage using illegal exploitation methods on the Internet, networks or individual computers through the use of cracking techniques and malicious software including Trojan horses and spyware. It may wholly be perpetrated online from computer desks of professionals on bases in far away countries or may involve infiltration at home by computer trained conventional spies and moles or in other cases may be the criminal handiwork of amateur malicious hackers and software programmers.
Cyber spying typically involves the use of such illegally gained access to secrets and classified information or illegally gained control of individual computers or whole networks for an unethical and illegal strategic advantage and for psychological, political and physical subversion activities and sabotage. More recently, cyber spying invovles analysis of public activity on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter

Cyber espionage Threat of 2012 computer security

2011-12-16T17:01:00.000-08:00

Cyber espionage (also spelled cyberespionage) involves the unauthorized probing to test a target computer’s configuration or evaluate its system defenses, or the unauthorized viewing and copying of data files.
Cyber-espionage, along with privacy violations and social networking attacks facilitated by the increased use of mobile and tablet devices, will be the source of increased security threats over the coming months, according to PandaLabs.
Cyber-espionage targeting companies and government agencies around the world will dominate corporate and national information security landscapes, with the integrity of classified and other protected information on the line. Trojans are expected to be the weapon of choice for hackers focused on these highly-sensitive targets.
According to Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs, "We live in a world where all information is in digital form and is easily accessible if you know how. Today's spies no longer need to infiltrate a building to steal information. As long as they have the necessary computer skills, they can wreak havoc and access even the best-kept secrets of organizations without ever leaving their homes."
Consumers will continue to be targeted by cyber-criminals as they find ever more sophisticated ways to target social media sites for stealing personal data. Social engineering techniques exploiting users' naivete have become the weapon of choice for hackers targeting personally-identifiable information.
"Social networking sites provide a space where users feel safe as they interact with friends and family. The problem is that attackers are creating malware that takes advantage of that false sense of security to spread their creations," says Corrons. "It is very easy for cyber-criminals to trick users with generic messages like 'Look, you're on this video,' for example. Sometimes, curiosity can be our own worst enemy."

major security trends of 2012:
Mobile malware: A year ago, PandaLabs predicted a surge in cyber attacks on mobile phones, and the fact that Android has become the number one mobile target for cyber-crooks in 2011 confirms that prediction. That trend will continue in 2012, with a new focus on mobile payment methods using Near-Field Communications (NFC) as these applications become increasingly popular.
Malware for tablets: Since tablets share the same operating system as smartphones, they are likely be targeted by the same malware. In addition, tablets might draw a special interest from cyber-crooks since people are using them for an increasing number of activities and are more likely to store sensitive data.
Mac malware: As the market share of Mac users continues to grow, the number of threats will grow as well. Fortunately, Mac users are now more aware that they are not immune to malware attacks and are increasingly using antivirus programs to protect themselves. The number of malware specimens for Mac will continue to grow in 2012, although still at a slower rate than for PCs.
PC malware: PC malware has grown exponentially over the past few years, and everything indicates that the trend will continue in 2012. Trojans, designed to sit silently on users' computers, stealing information and transmitting it back to their handlers, will continue to be cyber-crooks' weapon of choice; 75 percent of new malware strains in 2011 were Trojans.
SMBs under attack: Financial institutions are fairly well protected these days against malware. But smaller businesses are easier and cheaper targets to attack, and their customer databases can be a real treasure trove for hackers, particularly if credit card and other financial data is stored "in the clear." Unfortunately, many small to medium-sized companies do not have dedicated security teams, which makes them much more vulnerable.
Windows 8: While not scheduled until November 2012, the anticipated next version of Microsoft's operating system will offer cyber-crooks new opportunities to create malicious software. Windows 8 will allow users to develop malware applications for virtually any device (PCs, tablets and smartphones) running this platform, although this will likely not take place until 2013.
Taken From Internet

Facebook---Sexbook Virus

2011-12-15T03:31:00.000-08:00

Facebook get affected by orkut Type Virus so dont click if any post seen like following snapshot on your wall.If you click then it will automaticatlly post that link to all of yours friends wall.!!!!!!

Happy facebooking but be safe!!!!!!!

www.sintuhack.com

Computer Operations Security

2011-12-10T02:43:00.000-08:00

Operations security and controls safeguard information assets while the data is resident in the computer or otherwise directly associated with the computing environment. The controls address both software and hardware as well as such processes as change control and problem management. Physical controls are not included and may be required in addition to operations controls.
Operations security and controls can be considered the heart of information security because they control the way data is accessed and processed. No information security program is complete without a thoroughly considered set of controls designed to promote both adequate and reasonable levels of security. The operations controls should provide consistency across all applications and processes; however, the resulting program should be neither too excessive nor too repressive.
Resource protection, privileged-entity control, and hardware control are critical aspects of the operations controls. To understand this important security area, managers must first understand these three concepts. The following sections give a detailed description of them.

RESOURCE PROTECTION
Resource protection safeguards all of the organization’s computing resources from loss or compromise, including main storage, storage media (e.g., tape, disk, and optical devices), communications software and hardware, processing equipment, standalone computers, and printers. The method of protection used should not make working within the organization’s computing environment an onerous task, nor should it be so flexible that it cannot adequately control excesses. Ideally, it should obtain a balance between these extremes, as dictated by the organization’s specific needs.
This balance depends on two items. One is the value of the data, which may be stated in terms of intrinsic value or monetary value. Intrinsic value is determined by the data’s sensitivity — for example, health- and defense-related information have a high intrinsic value. The monetary value is the potential financial or physical losses that would occur should the data be violated.
The second item is the ongoing business need for the data, which is particularly relevant when continuous availability (i.e., round-the-clock processing) is required.
When a choice must be made between structuring communications to produce a user-friendly environment, in which it may be more difficult for the equipment to operate reliably, and ensuring that the equipment is better controlled but not as user friendly (emphasizing availability), control must take precedence. Ease of use serves no purpose if the more basic need for equipment availability is not considered.
Resource protection is designed to help reduce the possibility of damage that might result from unauthorized disclosure and alteration of data by limiting opportunities for misuse. Therefore, both the general user and the technician must meet the same basic standards against which all access to resources is applied.
A more recent aspect of the need for resource protection involves legal requirements to protect data. Laws surrounding the privacy and protection of data are rapidly becoming more restrictive. Increasingly, organizations that do not exercise due care in the handling and maintenance of data are likely to find themselves at risk of litigation. A consistent, well-understood user methodology for the protection of information resources is becoming more important to not only reduce information damage and limit opportunities for misuse but to reduce litigation risks.

Accountability
Access and use must be specific to an individual user at a particular moment in time; it must be possible to track access and use to that individual. Throughout the entire protection process, user access must be appropriately controlled and limited to prevent excess privileges and the opportunity for serious errors. Tracking must always be an important dimension of this control. At the conclusion of the entire cycle, violations occurring during access and data manipulation phases must be reported on a regular basis so that these security problems can be solved.
Activity must be tracked to specific individuals to determine accountability. Responsibility for all actions is an integral part of accountability; holding someone accountable without assigning responsibility is meaningless. Conversely, to assign responsibility without accountability makes it impossible to enforce responsibility. Therefore, any method for protecting resources requires both responsibility and accountability for all of the parties involved in developing, maintaining, and using processing resources.
An example of providing accountability and responsibility can be found in the way some organizations handle passwords. Users are taught that their passwords are to be stored in a secure location and not disclosed to anyone. In some organizations, first-time violators are reprimanded; if they continue to expose organizational information, however, penalties may be imposed, including dismissal.

Defense in depth...IT SECURITY

2011-12-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

Information security must protect information throughout the life span of the information, from the initial creation of the information on through to the final disposal of the information. The information must be protected while in motion and while at rest. During its lifetime, information may pass through many different information processing systems and through many different parts of information processing systems. There are many different ways the information and information systems can be threatened. To fully protect the information during its lifetime, each component of the information processing system must have its own protection mechanisms. The building up, layering on and overlapping of security measures is called defense in depth. The strength of any system is no greater than its weakest link. Using a defence in depth strategy, should one defensive measure fail there are other defensive measures in place that continue to provide protection.
Recall the earlier discussion about administrative controls, logical controls, and physical controls. The three types of controls can be used to form the basis upon which to build a defense-in-depth strategy. With this approach, defense-in-depth can be conceptualized as three distinct layers or planes laid one on top of the other. Additional insight into defense-in- depth can be gained by thinking of it as forming the layers of an onion, with data at the core of the onion, people the next outer layer of the onion, and network security, host-based security and application security forming the outermost layers of the onion. Both perspectives are equally valid and each provides valuable insight into the implementation of a good defense-in-depth strategy.
Security classification for information
An important aspect of information security and risk management is recognizing the value of information and defining appropriate procedures and protection requirements for the information. Not all information is equal and so not all information requires the same degree of protection. This requires information to be assigned a security classification.
The first step in information classification is to identify a member of senior management as the owner of the particular information to be classified. Next, develop a classification policy. The policy should describe the different classification labels, define the criteria for information to be assigned a particular label, and list the required security controls for each classification.
Some factors that influence which classification information should be assigned include how much value that information has to the organization, how old the information is and whether or not the information has become obsolete. Laws and other regulatory requirements are also important considerations when classifying information.
The type of information security classification labels selected and used will depend on the nature of the organisation, with examples being:
 In the business sector, labels such as: Public, Sensitive, Private, Confidential.
 In the government sector, labels such as: Unclassified, Sensitive But Unclassified, Restricted, Confidential, Secret, Top Secret and their non-English equivalents.
 In cross-sectoral formations, the Traffic Light Protocol, which consists of: White, Green, Amber and Red.
All employees in the organization, as well as business partners, must be trained on the classification schema and understand the required security controls and handling procedures for each classification. The classification of a particular information asset has been assigned should be reviewed periodically to ensure the classification is still appropriate for the information and to ensure the security controls required by the classification are in place.

Information System Security

2011-11-30T01:55:00.000-08:00

Information system security processes and invitees provide valuable input into managing IT systems and their development, enabling g risk identification, planning and mitigation. A risk management approach involves continually balancing the protection of agency information and assets with the cost of security controls and mitigation strategies throughout the complete information system development life cycle (see Figure 2-1). The most effective way to implement risk management is to identify critical assets and operations, as well as systemic vulnerabilities across the agency. Risks are shared and not bound by organization, revenue source, or topologies. Identification and verification of critical assets and operations and their interconnections can be achieved through the system security planning process, as well as through the compilation of information from the Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) and Enterprise Architecture (EA) processes to establish insight into the agency’s vital business operations, their supporting assets, and existing interdependencies and relationships. With critical assets and operations identified, the organization can and should perform a business impact analysis (BIA). The purpose of the BIA is to relate systems and assets with the critical services they provide and assess the consequences of their disruption. By identifying these systems, an agency can manage security effectively by establishing priorities. This positions the security office to facilitate the IT program’s cost-effective performance as well as articulate its business impact and value to the agency.Executing a risk management-based approach for systems and projects means integrating security early and throughout the agency’s established system and CPIC life cycles. Integration enables security to be planned, acquired, built in, and deployed as an integral part of a project or system. It plays a significant role in measuring and enforcing security requirements throughout the phases of the life cycle. Life cycle management helps document security-relevant decisions and provides assurance to management that security was fully considered in all phases. System managers can use this information as a self-check reminder of why decisions were made so that the impact of changes in the environment can be more readily assessed

Malware, trojans and threats

2011-11-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

Most PCs are now connected to the Internet and networks, making easier the spread of malicious software (malware), which includes trojans (also known as trojan horses), viruses, worms, spyware, adware, rootkits and other malicious or unwanted programs.
Like spyware and adware, trojans can get onto your computer in a number of ways, including from a web browser, via e-mail, or in a bundle with other software downloaded from the Internet. You may also inadvertently transfer malware via a USB flash drive or other portable media. It is possible that you could be forced to reformat your USB flash drive or other portable device in order to eliminate the infection and avoid transferring it to other machines. (After all, you don't want to be the one who infected your network at work because you were bringing in some music to listen to.)
Unlike viruses or worms, trojans do not replicate themselves but they can be just as destructive. On the surface, trojans appear benign and harmless, but once the infected code is run, trojans kick in and perform malicious functions to harm the computer system without the user's knowledge.
For example, waterfalls.scr is a waterfall screen saver as originally claimed by the author, but it can be associated with malware and become a trojan to unload hidden programs and allow unauthorized access to the user's PC.
Some typical examples of threats by trojans are as follows:
1.Erase, overwrite or corrupt data on a computer
2.Help to spread other malware such as viruses (by a dropper trojan)
3.Deactivate or interfere with anti-virus and firewall programs
4.Allow remote access to your computer (by a remote access trojan)
5.Upload and download files without your knowledge
6.Gather e-mail addresses and use them for spam
7.Log keystrokes to steal information such as passwords and credit card numbers
8.Copy fake links to false websites, display porno sites, play sounds/videos, display images
9.Slow down, restart or shut down your computer
11.Re-install themselves after being disabled
12.Disable the task manager
13.Disable the control panel

Malware types

2011-11-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Adware Malware
Adware Malware is the class of programs that place advertisements on your screen. These may be in the form of pop-ups, pop-unders, advertisements embedded in programs, advertisements placed on top of ads in web sites, or any other way the authors can think of showing you an ad. The pop-ups generally will not be stopped by pop-up stoppers, and often are not dependent on your having Internet Explorer open. They may show up when you are playing a game, writing a document, listening to music, or anything else. Should you be surfing, the advertisements will often be related to the web page you are viewing.
Spyware Malware
Programs classified as Spyware Malware send information about you and your computer to somebody else. Some Spyware Malware simply relays the addresses of sites you visit or terms you search for to a server somewhere. Others may send back information you type into forms in Internet Explorer or the names of files you download. Still others search your hard drive and report back what programs you have installed, contents of your e-mail client's address book (usually to be sold to spammers), or any other information about or on your computer – things such as your name, browser history, login names and passwords, credit card numbers, and your phone number and address.

Spyware Malware often works in conjunction with Toolbars Malware. It may also use a program that is always running in the background to collect data, or it may integrate itself into Internet Explorer, allowing it to run undetected whenever Internet Explorer is open.

Hijackers Malware
Hijackers Malware take control of various parts of your web browser, including your home page, search pages, and search bar. They may also redirect you to certain sites should you mistype an address or prevent you from going to a website they would rather you not, such as sites that combat malware. Some will even redirect you to their own search engine when you attempt a search. NB: Hijackers Malware almost exclusively target Internet Explorer.

Toolbars Malware
Toolbars Malware plug into Internet Explorer and provide additional functionality such as search forms or pop-up blockers. The Google and Yahoo! Toolbars Malware are probably the most common legitimate examples, and malware Toolbars Malware often attempt to emulate their functionality and look. Malware Toolbars Malware almost always include characteristics of the other malware categories, which is usually what gets it classified as malware. Any toolbar that is installed through underhanded means falls into the category of malware.

Dialers Malware
Dialers Malware are programs that set up your modem connection to connect to a 1-900 number. This provides the number's owner with revenue while leaving you with a large phone bill. There are some legitimate uses for Dialers Malware, such as for people who do not have access to credit cards. Most Dialers Malware, however, are installed quietly and attempt to do their dirty work without being detected.

Malware

2011-11-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

Malware is short for “malicious software." It includes viruses and spyware that get installed on your computer, phone, or mobile device without your consent. These programs can cause your device to crash and can be used to monitor and control your online activity. Criminals use malware to steal personal information, send spam, and commit fraud.
Avoid Malware
Scam artists try to trick people into clicking on links that will download malware and spyware to their computers, especially computers that don't use adequate security software. To reduce your risk of downloading unwanted malware and spyware:

Keep your security software updated. At a minimum, your computer should have anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall. Set your security software, internet browser, and operating system (like Windows or Mac OS) to update automatically.
Don't click on any links or open any attachments in emails unless you know who sent it and what it is. Clicking on links and opening attachments – even in emails that seem to be from friends or family – can install malware on your computer.
Download and install software only from websites you know and trust. Downloading free games, file-sharing programs, and customized toolbars may sound appealing, but free software can come with malware.
Minimize "drive-by" downloads. Make sure your browser security setting is high enough to detect unauthorized downloads. For Internet Explorer, for example, use the "medium" setting at a minimum.
Use a pop-up blocker and don't click on any links within pop-ups. If you do, you may install malware on your computer. Close pop-up windows by clicking on the "X" in the title bar.
Resist buying software in response to unexpected pop-up messages or emails, especially ads that claim to have scanned your computer and detected malware. That's a tactic scammers use to spread malware.
Talk about safe computing. Tell your kids that some online actions can put the computer at risk: clicking on pop-ups, downloading "free" games or programs, opening chain emails, or posting personal information.
Back up your data regularly. Whether it's text files or photos that are important to you, back up any data that you'd want to keep in case your computer crashes.
Detect Malware
Monitor your computer for unusual behavior. Your computer may be infected with malware if it:
slows down, crashes, or displays repeated error messages
won't shut down or restart
serves up a barrage of pop-ups
displays web pages you didn't intend to visit, or sends emails you didn't write
Other warning signs of malware include:
new and unexpected toolbars
new and unexpected icons in your shortcuts or on your desktop
a sudden or repeated change in your computer's internet home page
a laptop battery that drains more quickly than it should
Get Rid of Malware
If you suspect there is malware is on your computer, take these steps:

Stop shopping, banking, and doing other online activities that involve user names, passwords, or other sensitive information.
Update your security software, and then run it to scan your computer for viruses and spyware. Delete anything it identifies as a problem. You may have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
If your computer is covered by a warranty that offers free tech support, contact the manufacturer. Before you call, write down the model and serial number of your computer, the name of any software you've installed, and a short description of the problem.
Many companies – including some affiliated with retail stores – offer tech support on the phone, online, at their store, and in your home. Decide which is most convenient for you. Telephone and online help generally are the least expensive, but you may have to do some of the work yourself. Taking your computer to a store usually is less expensive than hiring a repair person to come into your home.
Once your computer is back up and running, think about how malware could have been downloaded to your machine, and what you could do differently to avoid it in the future.

Phishing

2011-11-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

Formate of Phishing Messages
You open an email or text, and see a message like this:
"click to login in orkut"
"Choose your net banking and login from your mailbox"
"We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity."
"During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn't verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information."
“Our records indicate that your account was overcharged. You must call us within 7 days to receive your refund.”
The senders are phishing for your information so they can use it to commit fraud.
How to Deal with Phishing Scams

Delete email and text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information (credit card and bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, etc.). Legitimate companies don't ask for this information via email or text.[Phishing]
The messages may appear to be from organizations you do business with – banks, for example. They might threaten to close your account or take other action if you don’t respond.[Phishing]
Don’t reply, and don’t click on links or call phone numbers provided in the message, either. These messages direct you to spoof sites – sites that look real but whose purpose is to steal your information so a scammer can run up bills or commit crimes in your name.[Phishing]
Area codes can mislead, too. Some scammers ask you to call a phone number to update your account or access a "refund." But a local area code doesn’t guarantee that the caller is local.[Phishing]
If you’re concerned about your account or need to reach an organization you do business with, call the number on your financial statements or on the back of your credit card.[Phishing]
Action Steps
You can take steps to avoid a phishing attack:
Use trusted security software and set it to update automatically. In addition, use these computer security practices.[Phishing]
Don't email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information.[Phishing]
Only provide personal or financial information through an organization's website if you typed in the web address yourself and you see signals that the site is secure, like a URL that begins https (the "s" stands for secure). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.[Phishing]
Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call to confirm your billing address and account balances.[Phishing]
Be cautious about opening attachments and downloading files from emails, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other malware that can weaken your computer's security.[Phishing]
Content Taken from other website

Latest computer security threat

2011-11-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Latest 10 virus alerts
1 Troj/Mdrop-DKE
2 Troj/Sasfis-O
3 Troj/Keygen-FU
4 Troj/Zbot-AOY
5 Troj/Zbot-AOW
6 W32/Womble-E
7 Troj/VB-FGD
8 Troj/FakeAV-DFF
9 Troj/SWFLdr-W
10 W32/RorpiaMem-A

Top 10 viruses in October 2011

1 Troj/Invo-Zip

2 W32/Netsky

3 Mal/EncPk-EI

4 Troj/Pushdo-Gen

5 Troj/Agent-HFU

6 Mal/Iframe-E

7 Troj/Mdrop-BTV

8 Troj/Mdrop-BUF

9 Troj/Agent-HFZ

10 Troj/Agent-HGT

Top 10 virus hoaxes
1 Hotmail hoax
2 Budweiser frogs screensaver
3 Bonsai kitten
4 Olympic torch
5 MSN is closing down
6 A virtual card for you
7 Meninas da Playboy
8 Bill Gates fortune
9 JDBGMGR
10 Justice for Jamie

How to kill malicious processes

2011-10-03T08:32:00.001-07:00

Using safe mode
Most of malicious processes are inactive when PC operates in safe mode with networking. To reach safe mode with networking, do following:
Reboot
Press F8 early on (you can press F8 couple times)
Choose Safe mode with networking (preferably) or safe mode from menu
On success you should not see any alerts that bother you under normal mode
Killing processes using task manager
The benefit of using task manager is that you do not need to download anything. Task manager is present in all windows computers, though it might be disabled and provides little control

Open task manager by either pressing ctrl+shift+esc or pressing ctrl+alt+del and choosing from menu. For best results, try doing so just after windows login, while other processes are still loading
If it fails, go to go to Start->Run and type taskmgr
If this fails, go to C:\Windows\System32, copy taskmgr and rename it to 1.scr , 1.com or other random name. Launch that file. You can try right-clicking on it and choosing Run as administrator on Windows Vista or Windows 7
Choose process TAB, choose to see processes of all users (optional)
Choose malicious process from the list, right click on it
Press End process
On successful stop of malicious processes alerts should disappear and you can continue to next steps of malware removal.
Killing processes using process explorer
Process explorer provides more information on how the processes were launched. Also it is not blocked together with Task Manager. If it is blocked from execution, try saving it as 1.scr, 1.com or iexplore.exe before execution.

Download Process explorer from here : http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/ProcessExplorer.zip and unzip.
Launch process explorer (procexp.exe )
Select malicious process and press DEL.
On successful stop of malicious processes alerts should disappear and you can continue to next steps of malware removal.

Removing Security Shield Virus

2011-09-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Removing Security Shield can be accomplished. You must use our custom made free program called nuke-M to disable the virus. After disabling the virus you need to run PC Tools to scan and fully remove the infection from your computer. Security Shield makes several registry modifications as well as system file modifications. PC Tools will fix all of the issues that the Security Shield virus has caused.
The instructions below are the fastest and easiest way to remove the Security Shield Virus.

Begin Virus Removal by Following the Instructions Below
Target Virus: Security Shield Virus
The removal process we are illustrating below has been proven to be the most effective way to remove the Security Shield Virus.
You must be on the infected computer when performing these steps.
1.On your keyboard, click and hold the Windows key, then press the R key. See keyboard diagram below.
2.After you have clicked the Window key and R key, the Run Box will appear. Type the following into the run box and click OK:
iexplorehttp://www.spywarehelpcenter.com/nuke
After you click OK, your computer will connect to our website and download nuke-M.
3.After you have saved the nuke-M file to your desktop, go ahead and run the nuke-M file by double clicking on it. If you computer asks if you are sure you want to run nuke-M, click OK. nuke-M will quickly disable the virus allowing you to install antivirus software. The virus should now be temporarily disabled. If the nuke-M file is blocked by the virus, rename the file to ‘iexplore’ or ‘explorer’ and try to open nuke-M again.
4.Now that the virus is not running it is time to begin removal. On your keyboard, click and hold the Windows key, then press the R key. See keyboard diagram below.
5.After you have pressed the Windows and R key, the Windows Run Box will open.Type the following into the run box and click OK:
iexplore http://www.spywarehelpcenter.com/remove
After clicking OK, your computer will connect to our website and download our recommended virus removal program called Spyware Doctor by PC Tools. When the download box appears click the Save button.
6.Open the PC Tools installation file from your desktop and perform the virus scan.
7.Once the virus scan is complete, PC Tools will have found Security Shield. Remove the Security Shield Virus by registering PC Tools. You must register PC Tools to remove Security Shield.
8.After you have registered PC Tools the Security Shield Virus should be completely gone.

Security Shield Virus

2011-09-23T04:46:00.000-07:00

It is program or software which is used to steal money from your computer.Almost all type of operating system has infected from from security shield virus.There is some way or set of rule to remove this virus from computer.To uninstall this software from computer we must know which type of file can infect from security shield virus as well as we must know what type of alert it will show

Security Shield infects your computer through the downloading of an infected file. The commonly named infected file for this particular virus is FastAntivirus2011.exe. If you have download this file, do not open or run it under any circumstances. If you run the infected file you will fall victim to the Security Shield Virus.Security Shield is specifically designed to make you believe that it is a real antivirus and security program. It will show numerous alerts, fake scans, fake scan results and more. All of the alerts and fake scans are a scare tactic. Security Shield will claim that you have numerous infections on your computer in an attempt to have you purchase it

The Security Shield Virus sole purpose is to steal your money. The entire charade of fake scans and fake infection alerts are an attempt to have you purchase the registered version of Security Shield. Please know that there is no such thing as a registered version of Security Shield. Do not enter your credit card information into the purchase display under any circumstances.

Computer Security

2011-09-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

1 Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
2 Know who you're dealing with.
3 Use security software that updates automatically.
4 Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date, and learn about their security features.
5 Keep your passwords safe, secure, and strong.
6 Back up important files.
7 Learn what to do in an e-mergency.
Access to information and entertainment, credit and financial services, products from every corner of the world — even to your work — is greater than ever. Thanks to the internet, you can play a friendly game with an opponent across the ocean; review and rate videos, songs, or clothes; get expert advice in an instant; or collaborate with far-flung co-workers in a "virtual" office.
But the internet — and the anonymity it affords — also can give online scammers, hackers, and identity thieves access to your computer, personal information, finances, and more.
With awareness as your safety net, you can minimize the chance of an internet mishap. Being on guard online helps you protect your information, your computer, and your money. To be safer and more secure online, make these seven practices part of your online routine.
1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
To an identity thief, your personal information can provide instant access to your financial accounts, your credit record, and other assets. If you think no one would be interested in YOUR personal information, think again. ANYONE can be a victim of identity theft. In fact, according to the Federal Trade Commission, millions of people become victims every year. Visit ftc.gov/idtheft to learn what to do if your identity is stolen or your personal or financial information has been compromised – online or in the "real" world.
How do criminals get your personal information online? One way is by lying about who they are, to convince you to share your account numbers, passwords, and other information so they can get your money or buy things in your name. The scam is called "phishing": criminals send email, text, or pop-up messages that appear to come from your bank, a government agency, an online seller or another organization with which you do business. The message asks you to click to a website or call a phone number to update your account information or claim a prize or benefit. It might suggest something bad will happen if you don't respond quickly with your personal information. In reality, legitimate businesses should never use email, pop-ups, or text messages to ask for your personal information.
To avoid phishing scams:
Don't reply to an email, text, or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, and don't click on links in the message. If you want to go to a bank or business's website, type the web address into your browser yourself.
Don't respond if you get a message – by email, text, pop-up or phone – that asks you to call a phone number to update your account or give your personal information to access a refund. If you need to reach an organization with which you do business, call the number on your financial statement, or use a telephone directory
Some identity thieves have stolen personal information from many people at once, by hacking into large databases managed by businesses or government agencies. While you can't enjoy the benefits of the internet without sharing some personal information, you can take steps to share only with organizations you know and trust. Don't give out your personal information unless you first find out how it's going to be used and how it will be protected.
If you are shopping online, don't provide your personal or financial information through a company's website until you have checked for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a website URL that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some scammers have forged security icons. And some hackers have managed to breach sites that took appropriate security precautions.
Read website privacy policies. They should explain what personal information the website collects, how the information is used, and whether it is provided to third parties. The privacy policy also should tell you whether you have the right to see what information the website has about you and what security measures the company takes to protect your information. If you don't see a privacy policy — or if you can't understand it — consider doing business elsewhere.
2. Know who you're dealing with.
And what you're getting into. There are dishonest people in the bricks and mortar world and on the internet. But online, you can't judge an operator's trustworthiness with a gut-affirming look in the eye. It's remarkably simple for online scammers to impersonate a legitimate business, so you need to know who you're dealing with. If you're thinking about shopping on a site with which you're not familiar, do some independent research before you buy.
If it's your first time on an unfamiliar site, call the seller's phone number, so you know you can reach them if you need to. If you can't find a working phone number, take your business elsewhere.
Type the site's name into a search engine: If you find unfavorable reviews posted, you may be better off doing business with a different seller.
Consider using a software toolbar that rates websites and warns you if a site has gotten unfavorable reports from experts and other internet users. Some reputable companies provide free tools that may alert you if a website is a known phishing site or is used to distribute spyware.
File-Sharing: Worth the hidden costs?
Every day, millions of computer users share files online. File-sharing can give people access to a wealth of information, including music, games, and software. How does it work? You download special software that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this software at one time. Often, the software is free and easy to access.
But file-sharing can have a number of risks. If you don't check the proper settings, you could allow access not only to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, like your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, or other personal documents. In addition, you may unwittingly download malware or pornography labeled as something else. Or you may download material that is protected by the copyright laws, which would mean you could be breaking the law.
If you decide to use file-sharing software, be sure to read the End User Licensing Agreement to be sure you understand and are willing to tolerate the potential risks of free downloads.
3. Use security software that updates automatically.
Keep your security software active and current: at a minimum, your computer should have anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall. You can buy stand-alone programs for each element or a security suite that includes these programs from a variety of sources, including commercial vendors or from your Internet Service Provider. Security software that comes pre-installed on a computer generally works for a short time unless you pay a subscription fee to keep it in effect. In any case, security software protects against the newest threats only if it is up-to-date. That's why it is critical to set your security software to update automatically.
Some scam artists distribute malware disguised as anti-spyware software. Resist buying software in response to unexpected pop-up messages or emails, especially ads that claim to have scanned your computer and detected malware. That's a tactic scammers have used to spread malware. OnGuardOnline.gov can connect you to a list of security tools from legitimate security vendors selected by GetNetWise, a project of the Internet Education Foundation.
Once you confirm that your security software is up-to-date, run it to scan your computer for viruses and spyware. If the program identifies a file as a problem, delete it.
Anti-Virus Software
Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your computer's performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account. It works by scanning your computer and your incoming email for viruses, and then deleting them.
Anti-Spyware Software
Installed on your computer without your consent, spyware software monitors or controls your computer use. It may be used to send you pop-up ads, redirect your computer to websites, monitor your internet surfing, or record your keystrokes, which, in turn, could lead to the theft of your personal information.
A computer may be infected with spyware if it:
Slows down, malfunctions, or displays repeated error messages
Won't shut down or restart
Serves up a lot of pop-up ads, or displays them when you're not surfing the web
Displays web pages or programs you didn't intend to use, or sends emails you didn't write.
Firewalls
A firewall helps keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. While anti-virus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking communications to and from sources you don't permit.
Don't Let Your Computer Become Part of a "BotNet"
Some spammers search the internet for unprotected computers they can control and use anonymously to send spam, turning them into a robot network, known as a "botnet." Also known as a "zombie army," a botnet is made up of many thousands of home computers sending emails by the millions. Most spam is sent remotely this way; millions of home computers are part of botnets.
Spammers scan the internet to find computers that aren't protected by security software, and then install bad software – known as "malware" – through those "open doors." That's one reason why up-to-date security software is critical.
Malware may be hidden in free software applications. It can be appealing to download free software like games, file-sharing programs, customized toolbars, and the like. But sometimes just visiting a website or downloading files may cause a "drive-by download," which could turn your computer into a "bot."
Another way spammers take over your computer is by sending you an email with attachments, links or images which, if you click on or open them, install hidden software. Be cautious about opening any attachments or downloading files from emails you receive. Don't open an email attachment — even if it looks like it's from a friend or coworker — unless you are expecting it or know what it contains. If you send an email with an attached file, include a text message explaining what it is.
4. Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date, and learn about their security features.
Hackers also take advantage of Web browsers (like Firefox or Internet Explorer) and operating system software (like Windows or Mac's OS) that don't have the latest security updates. Operating system companies issue security patches for flaws that they find in their systems, so it's important to set your operating system and Web browser software to download and install security patches automatically.
In addition, you can increase your online security by changing the built-in security and privacy settings in your operating system or browser. Check the "Tools" or "Options" menus to learn how to upgrade from the default settings. Use your "Help" function for more information about your choices.
If you're not using your computer for an extended period, disconnect it from the internet. When it's disconnected, the computer doesn't send or receive information from the internet and isn't vulnerable to hackers.
5. Protect your passwords.
Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain sight. Don't share them on the internet, over email, or on the phone. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) should never ask for your password.
In addition, hackers may try to figure out your passwords to gain access to your computer. To make it tougher for them:
Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A 12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.
Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word in the dictionary.
Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys on the keyboard as passwords.
Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).
Don't use the same password for each online account you access.
6. Back up important files.
If you follow these tips, you're more likely to be free of interference from hackers, viruses, and spammers. But no system is completely secure. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc or an external hard drive, and store it in a safe place.
7. Learn what to do in an e-mergency.
If you suspect malware is lurking on your computer, stop shopping, banking, and other online activities that involve user names, passwords, or other sensitive information. Malware could be sending your personal information to identity thieves.
Confirm that your security software is up-to-date, then use it to scan your computer. Delete everything the program identifies as a problem. You may have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
If the problem persists after you exhaust your ability to diagnose and treat it, you might want to call for professional help. If your computer is covered by a warranty that offers free tech support, contact the manufacturer. Before you call, write down the model and serial number of your computer, the name of any software you've installed, and a short description of the problem. Your notes will help you give an accurate description to the technician.
If you need professional help, if your machine isn't covered by a warranty, or if your security software isn't doing the job properly, you may need to pay for technical support. Many companies — including some affiliated with retail stores — offer tech support via the phone, online, at their store, or in your home. Telephone or online help generally are the least expensive ways to access support services — especially if there's a toll-free helpline — but you may have to do some of the work yourself. Taking your computer to a store usually is less expensive than hiring a technician or repair person to come into your home.
Once your computer is back up and running, think about how malware could have been downloaded to your machine, and what you could do to avoid it in the future.
Also, talk about safe computing with anyone else who uses the computer. Tell them that some online activity can put a computer at risk, and share the seven practices for safer computing.

Internet security

2011-09-02T04:54:00.000-07:00

1. Use a firewall
We strongly recommend the use of some type of firewall product for Internet security, such as a network appliance or a personal firewall software package. Intruders are constantly scanning home user systems for known vulnerabilities. Network firewalls (whether software or hardware-based) can provide some degree of protection against these attacks.
2. Don't open unknown email attachments[ Internet security]
Before opening any email attachments, be sure you know the source of the attachment. It is not enough that the mail originated from an address you recognize. The Melissa virus spread precisely because it originated from a familiar address. Malicious code might be distributed in amusing or enticing programs. [ Internet security]
If you must open an attachment before you can verify the source, we suggest the following procedure:

a. save the file to your hard disk
b. scan the file using your antivirus software
c. open the file
For additional protection, you can disconnect or lock your computer's network connection before opening the file.
Following these steps will reduce, but not wholly eliminate, the chance that any malicious code contained in the attachment might spread from your computer to others.
3. Don't run programs of unknown origin
Never run a program unless you know it to be authored by a person or company that you trust. Also, don't send programs of unknown origin to your friends or coworkers simply because they are amusing -- they might contain a Trojan horse program. These programs seriously hurt Internet Security.

4. Disable hidden filename extensions
Windows operating systems contain an option to "Hide file extensions for known file types". The option is enabled by default, but you can disable this option in order to have file extensions displayed by Windows. After disabling this option, there are still some file extensions that, by default, will continue to remain hidden.
There is a registry value which, if set, will cause Windows to hide certain file extensions regardless of user configuration choices elsewhere in the operating system. The "NeverShowExt" registry value is used to hide the extensions for basic Windows file types. For example, the ".LNK" extension associated with Windows shortcuts remains hidden even after a user has turned off the option to hide extensions.[ Internet security]

5. Keep all applications, including your operating system, patched
Vendors will usually release patches for their software when a vulnerability has been discovered. Most product documentation offers a method to get updates and patches. You should be able to obtain updates from the vendor's web site. Read the manuals or browse the vendor's web site for more information.
Some applications will automatically check for available updates, and many vendors offer automatic notification of updates via a mailing list. Look on your vendor's web site for information about automatic notification. If no mailing list or other automated notification mechanism is offered you may need to check periodically for updates.[ Internet security]

6. Turn off your computer or disconnect from the network when not in use
Turn off your computer or disconnect its Ethernet interface when you are not using it. An intruder cannot attack your computer if it is powered off or otherwise completely disconnected from the network.[ Internet security]

7. Disable Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX if possible
Be aware of the risks involved in the use of "mobile code" such as ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript. A malicious web developer may attach a script to something sent to a web site, such as a URL, an element in a form, or a database inquiry. Later, when the web site responds to you, the malicious script is transferred to your browser.[ Internet security]
The most significant impact of this vulnerability can be avoided by disabling all scripting languages. Turning off these options will keep you from being vulnerable to malicious scripts. However, it will limit the interaction you can have with some web sites.
Many legitimate sites use scripts running within the browser to add useful features. Disabling scripting may degrade the functionality of these sites.[ Internet security]

8. Disable scripting features in email programs
Because many email programs use the same code as web browsers to display HTML, vulnerabilities that affect ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript are often applicable to email as well as web pages. Therefore, in addition to disabling scripting features in web browsers, we recommend that users also disable these features in their email programs. It is important to Internet security.[ Internet security]

9. Make regular backups of critical data
Keep a copy of important files on removable media such as ZIP disks or recordable CD-ROM disks (CD-R or CD-RW disks). Use software backup tools if available, and store the backup disks somewhere away from the computer.[ Internet security]

10. Make a boot disk in case your computer is damaged or compromised
To aid in recovering from a security breach or hard disk failure, create a boot disk on a floppy disk which will help when recovering a computer after such an event has occurred. Remember, however, you must create this disk before you have a security event.[ Internet security]

11. Consult your system support personnel if you work from home
If you use your broadband access to connect to your employer's network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or other means, your employer may have policies or procedures relating to the security of your home network. Be sure to consult with your employer's support personnel, as appropriate, before following any of the steps outlined in this document.[ Internet security]
Taken from armor2net.com

Enterprise resource planning(ERP) Security

2011-08-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

Introduction
Every good hacker story ends with the line: "and then he's got root access to your network and can do whatever he wants." But the story really doesn't end there. This is just the beginning of the real damage that the hacker can inflict.While most information security initiatives focus on perimeter security to keep outsiders from gaining access to the internal network, the potential for real financial loss comes from the risk of outsiders acting as authorized users to generate damaging transactions within business systems.
The continued integration of enterprise resource planning software only increases the risk of both hackers who break through perimeter security and insiders who abuse system privileges to misappropriate assets - namely cash - through acts of fraud.
Security in the e-business, integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) world requires a new way of thinking about security - not just about the bits and bytes of network traffic, but about business transactions that inflict financial losses from systems-based fraud, abuse and errors.
The ERP market has matured to a point where heightened competition has brought declining sales. As a result, ERP vendors are committed to bundling new functionality, such as CRM and Web services-based architecture, to provide more value to their customers.
Historically, ERP security focused on the internal controls that aim to limit user behavior and privileges while organizations rely on network perimeter defenses - firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection, etc. - to keep outsiders from accessing the ERP system. However, increasingly integrated information systems with numerous system users require new levels of transaction-level security.
And while ERP systems allow enterprises to integrate information systems with trusted partners through supply chain management, the number of authorized users continues to grow. This effectively introduces new entry points to business systems from outside the traditional IT security perimeter. Enterprises must not only trust the actions of employees but also trust partners' employees and perimeter security.
Security in an ERP World:-For most enterprises, ERP security starts with user-based controls where authorized users log in with a secure username and password. Enterprises then limit a user's system access based on their individual, customized authorization level. For example, an accounts payable clerk should not have access to human resources or inventory management modules within the ERP system
Most ERP systems offer data encryption which limits someone's ability to export the database but does not address the need to protect authorized insiders from accessing unauthorized modules in the system.
Audit logs within an ERP system track individual transactions or changes in the system but provide little detail into the relevance of the transaction. With each transaction documented individually, the audit log does not consider the context of the transaction, such as the events that occurred before or after the transaction. Internal auditors can then sample the audit logs for irregular transactions.
However, about half of all organizations do not configure their ERP system to maintain audit logs because they are concerned about performance degradation and they don't think they need it. Regrettably, these organizations believe IT security only focuses on the layers of traditional perimeter security. In a compromise between security and performance, enterprises can avoid logging every detail of system activity and focus on meaningful information that's relevant to the transaction.For organizations that do utilize audit logs, system administrators can configure customized audit reports that employ simple logic to identify "outliers" - system transactions that fall outside of normal parameters, such as date and time, location of the user logging into the system and checks larger than a predefined setting.
While it's time consuming to customize these reports, they provide hundreds of data points to manually process and are invariably riddled with false positives. Each flagged event requires manual human analysis of the event because the audit reports cannot analyze the event to determine the cause for concern.
Security Failures
When you consider that the average business loses 3 percent to 6 percent of annual revenue due to fraud, most agree that the ERP security features listed above are not working. Worse yet, businesses suffer additional losses through duplicate payment errors. The average enterprise submits duplicate payments for 2 percent of its total accounts payable. Of these duplicate payments, 10 percent are never recovered, which leads to total losses equivalent to 0.2 percent of total accounts payable.
The fact remains that applications remain highly vulnerable to external security threats. Weak passwords can be broken with simple dictionary attacks; buffer overflows can flood an application until it allows a hacker in the door. However, some of the most damaging hacks come in the form of social engineering where users are tricked into freely divulging their credentials. And of course, the real danger of external hackers comes once they enter the system as authorized users with the ability to divert payments for their benefit.
Most organizations fail in their ERP security efforts because they implement systems with a plan that leaves controls design and implementation until the end of the process. However, ERP projects are invariably over budget and behind schedule, so strict internal controls are often glossed over to keep costs down and make up time.
Some organizations decide against stringent controls because internal controls can introduce additional overhead by making it hard for employees to do their jobs with process inefficiencies.
The biggest drawback of relying on internal controls for ERP security comes from the costly and time-consuming maintenance of those controls. As employees are promoted, reassigned or terminated, organizations must continually update their business systems with each employee's correct authorization level. The advent of new business partners, the creation of new business departments or entry into new markets also requires new or modified procedural rules. Maintenance of the ERP system can turn into a never-ending resource drain.
Taken from-internet solution

Speak ASIA: BUSTED Here is proof ?

2011-07-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

The company name is: SpeakAsia Online Pte Ltd.formerly known as : Haren Technology Pte. Ltd.formerly known as: PAN Automotives Pte. Ltd.(Compliance rating for this company is Non Compliant currently)Prior to this name they were operating under:

HAREN VENTURES PTE. LTD.
f.k.a HAREN AUTO PARTS PTE. LTD.
f.k.a HAREN MULTICONSULT TRADE SERVICES PTE. LTD.

Source: www.psi.gov.sg

I asked one of my CA friend that how frequently a company change it names and he said its very less and not done so frequently. There are 2 more companies with the same name whose status is either Cancelled or Terminated and again they keep changing their company name:

HAREN AUTO & HEAVY EQUIPMENTS
f.k.a HAREN AUTOMOTIVES & COMPONENTS And
HAREN MULTICONSULT TRADE SERVICES

And there is a defunct website too: http://www.hmtservices.com/ where we can find the products they were dealing before starting this business which is no where related to online surveys or dotcoms. Check out the page http://www.hmtservices.com/sparts.htm (probably they didnt had an active webmaster or the designer left work half complete due to several reasons)

b) When doing little more research on the address of the company the same address is used for different companies. A simple Google can throw a few names which I am listing below. Some of the companies having the same address are:

Valves.Com Pte Ltd
http://imageshack.us/m/573/8770/valves.jpg

SBS Consulting Pte. Ltd.
http://imageshack.us/m/805/5417/sbsgroup.jpg
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3762/unledrh.jpg ---> thanks metiz for the image

c) The company has a franchisee model so at the face of it you are not paying anything directly to the company "Speak Asia" and it goes in the name of the franchise (bank account) and who further pass that money to someone in Mumbai and all get to keep a certain % out of it. If its such a big company they should provide an option to pay online through credit card directly to them instead of making so m
d) If you watch YouTube for their Torch Bearers 2011 meet they are talking about opening a TV Channel by August 2011. Very nice and ambitious plan but doesnt it require a lot of regulatory processes and time and huge "money". But the ground reality is that they dont have a single registered office in India. There are claims that it will be open in May 2011 in Mumbai.

e) I found it amusing that they were using a hosted software at SurveyMonkey as their survey tool and only recently purchased Novi Survey. If its an established proven business with multi million dollars in revenue they should have built the survey system completely inhouse on which their entire business model works.

f) They claim they are established in Singapore / Malaysia / Indonesia but after doing a lot of research I didnt find enough evidence that proves that they are getting enough traffic from any of these countries to prove their claim. They are mainly in India and Bangladesh only.

i) Well many do beleive its a great opportunity and many feel its like a Ponzi scheme. If its the latter then how the whole thing works and how long it will last:

Well if we assume that company is not making money much out of these surveys and just running a ponzi scheme where the going is good till the flow of incoming people is great and keeps paying the subscribers them their own money and the new people who joined this affair. How will that work out:

For the first three month it is actually just paying out your own money back. So for the company there is always a buffer time of 3 months for the people to even realize how they have been gamed / duped. To keep the ship sailing they need to double their signups every quarter which is luckily happening for them So that they can pay the earlier and current customers from that money and keep some money for advertisement to maintain their signup targets.
So what will happen once the company falls short of their target of adding more people to its subscribers list?
The first thing will be that there will be a rate cut in the surveys. Secondly we see less frequent surveys and at the end there will be hardly any surveys. The company is liable to pay only when you participate and fill the survey and as an user you cant sue the company as they are not liable to pay anything to you in the event there are no surveys. The initial 11,000 (which is soon going to be 15000) is towards the E-Zine so you continue to get that E-Zine
What happens when the company stops Surveys or doesnt pay?

Well nothing can be done due to the following reasons:

The main company is registered in Singapore so to recover 11000 hardly anyone will travel to Singapore to file a case against them in Singapore Court.
The company is selling you E-Zine and you have paid 11000 towards that and not towards the Survey. Your payment of Rs.1000 / 2 surveys is toward the Surveys you fill. So on that ground too the company is safe.
Lets assume something goes wrong and the Indian authorities goes after this whole scheme and in that case the company can easily bail themselves out saying they have not recieved any money from them cause none of the payments is made in their name rather its in the name of the Franchisee who are paid a certain % to forward that to the main distributor and who further pass it to someone else. So the person you can only catch is the person to whom you made the payment. But sadly the problem is that even that person is the victim of this whole scheme.
Yes one do receive a online reciept for the money that one pays from Speak Asia and here is the screenshot. Earlier it was given from "Online Surveys Today" which I doubt that any such company even exists though the address was same as SpeakAsia Online Pte. Ltd. and later it is changed to Haren Ventures Pte. Ltd. but they changed the address to a new address.

So how can someone run such a huge thing without anyone noticing it:

This is India and anything is possible. We easily believe in such schemes and are really fond of such online money making schemes.
I leave the discretion of whether its an opportunity or a scam or something else on the readers to decide.
Well when we search the internet there are several bloggers who have voiced their opinion on whether it is some scam or an opportunity but they all have been bombarded by comments of people who have all the reasons to believe its a genuine scheme and do not want anyone to distrupt the ongoing party.Well till the point every one is getting paid who really cares what goes behind the scene. But we feel its important for us to ask some questions if we have reasons to believe that it CAN be scam in the making.

If you all feel that this story is worth sharing please share it with all your friends and on Social Networks and this might help us spread more awareness about this.

2011-07-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Working on orkut security, I know that fraudulent sites sometimes try to take advantage of orkut users like you and me. To help make sure that everyone is able to have a fun and safe experience on the site, I thought I'd share a few quick tips that I've picked up during my time on the orkut team. A bunch of these might seem like no-brainers, but hopefully you'll learn something new here as well:

Create a tough password: While "yourname123" is always a tempting password to create, keep in mind that it's just as easy for a malicious user to figure out as it is for you to remember. Try creating a password that involves a combination of letters and numbers that no one could easily guess, even if they know basic details about who you are. The same goes for your security question (the question that pops up if you forget your password)– you should try your best to pick a question that only you can answer.

Keep your private details private: Never share your orkut username and password with friends or on a site not authenticated by Google. orkut does not allow any external sites to store orkut login information and will never request that you enter it anywhere outside of the orkut login page. To be on the safe side, always check that your address bar reads "https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?....." and nothing else when sharing your orkut user name and password.

Leave the coding to the engineers: Never copy and paste code into your address bar, no matter what it claims to be able to do. Typically these scripts actually send messages (in your name!) to your friends trying to trick them into giving up their personal information.

Downloads and orkut don't mix: Never download any file off of orkut, especially those that end in '.vb' or '.exe'. These files are often viruses that can infect your computer and start sending thousands of spam messages on your behalf. Sites offering special orkut themes or skins are particularly risky.

Think twice about external links: Links to sites outside of orkut that appear in scraps or posts have not been verified by the orkut team, and could lead you to harmful sites. We'd recommend only clicking on links that go to trusted sites or those that are from other orkut users you know well.

Anti-Virus software is always a good call: Even the most conscientious orkuteer can fall victim to a phishing attack, so it's important to always be alert and prepared. Regularly scanning your computer with updated anti-virus software is a great way to keep your computer secure.

For new orkut features, check out apps!: Sometimes an unofficial site may claim to offer special orkut features, but these sites are known for taking over orkut accounts and directly violate our Terms of Service. If you're looking for fun new orkut functionality, check out the thousands of applications that we have available. All of these apps have been built by talented developers according to standards that we believe will help to keep you safe online. If you haven't visited the app directory recently, take a look– you might be surprised at how much cool stuff you find.

via orkut blog

Orkut Virus(BOM SABADO)

2011-07-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

Now a days orkut became a soft target of hackers and virus(like BOM SABADO) this is because orkut has huge network where he(virus(BOM SABADO),hackers) can spread easily.One more thing why orkut,this is because orkut members belongs to each section of society like professionals and non-professionals,young guys and child(from 8 to15).business man and technical expert behined this lot of guys dont know how set security and privacy on profile,some guys yet dint know why they will set security level,they came on orkut for enjoyment or nothing else what ever you will post his scarpbook they will click what they will get or lost on click this not matter for him,hackers and virus(BOM SABADO) make him target first after that they spreading his infected content on network.BOM SABADO is one of the virus.Here sintuhack try to expalin about---.
1.What is Bom Sabado
2.How Bom Sabado virus attacked or Hacked Orukt users?
3.What to do if my Orkut account has been hacked by Bom Sabado Virus?
What is Bom Sabado?
In Portuguese language Bom Sabado means ‘Good Saturday’. But it was really a very bad Saturday for most of the Orkut users as this Bom Sabado virus hacked the user accounts of many Orkut users, mostly of India and Brazil. Portuguese is the also the official language of Brazil. So the Virus was mostly targeted on Brazilian users.
How Bom Sabado virus attacked or Hacked Orukt users?
Orkut users affected by Bom Sabado virus are automatically posting virus scraps on the other orkut users’ scrapbook and also adding them to new Orkut groups. Within a short period of time this virus was spread to the accounts of many Orkut users. You don’t need to click any links to be infected by this Virus, but a near watching of an infected orkut profile or scrapbook with Bom Sabado virus is more than enough to get your account hacked.
What to do if my Orkut account has been hacked by Bom Sabado Virus?
If you found that your Orkut account has been hacked:---
Do not login Orkut from PC at this time.
Clear cache, cookies and history from web browser
Login Orkut by visiting http://m.orkut.com/ only from your mobile phone.
Revert your theme/style back to the old Orkut layout
Delete all the scraps with the message ‘Bom Sabado’
Un-join from Brazilian communities if you have any doubts on them.
Change your Orkut account password
Logout from Orkut
Have a coffee and relax
How to stay safe from Bom Sabado Orkut Virus?
The best thing to be stay safe from this new orkut virus Bom Sabado is not to login orkut, till Orkut team has fixed this security loophole.
Do not tell your friends to login orkut till Orkut team has fixed this.
Spread this article to all your Orkut friends through email, facebook, twitter etc and help them to be stay safe from this new Orkut vulnerability.

Orkut Auto Scrap Virus Security

2011-07-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Orkut is getting targeted by a new Brazilian scrap virus, the virus infects users on clicking of the scrap message claiming to show some kind of video but it contain some exe file wich will be install in your system on click.So Please dont Click simply delete this scrap.If you have clicked by mistake please follow following steps and uninstall this exe
This virus that claimes to be a video is a .exe file which infects users computer and sends the same scrap to all your friends on Orkut, the virus installs "orkutkut exe" and "imglog exe" on the infected computer, the virus can easily be disabled by following the steps below:
1.Kill both("orkutkut exe" and "imglog exe") the process from the 2.task manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC).
3.Remove startup entries using msconfig exe
4.Delete the two above mentioned files from system32 folder.
To secure yourself from such threats never click on unknown links in your scrapbook.!!!!HAPPY ORKUTING

How to Get Rid of a Computer Virus

2011-07-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

Computer viruses come in many forms and can cause various kinds of damage to your system. Fortunately, most viruses are easily dealt with and effective methods for eliminating them are often developed as soon as the viruses are discovered. If you think your computer may be infected, take any necessary steps to clear your system and avoid infecting other computers.
Instructions
1.Visit your virus-scan software manufacturer's Web site and install any virus updates that are available. Then run the software. The software may not be able to delete the virus, but it may be able to identify it.
2.Search the Web for information regarding your specific virus by typing the name of the virus or its associated file into a search engine followed by the word "virus." For example, "Melissa virus," "BubbleBoy virus," etc.
3.Download and install any patches or other programs that will help you eliminate the virus. Or follow any instructions you find on deleting the virus manually.
4.Run another virus scan to make sure the virus has been dealt with properly.
Tips & Warnings
If you think your computer was affected with an e-mail virus that mails itself to people in your e-mail address book, contact those people and tell them not to open the messages or attachments.

-Web based email usually has built in virus scanning so viruses never reach your machine.

-Generally, deleting the file that caused the virus isn't sufficient to eliminate the problem, since many viruses can create new files or corrupt existing files. Your best bet is to use anti-virus software or specific online instructions.

-Avoid sending out any e-mails until you have properly eliminated the virus. Many viruses can attach themselves to outgoing messages without your knowledge, causing you to unwittingly infect the computers of your friends and colleagues

Mobile Physical Security: How Anti-theft Software Works- part II

2011-07-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here is the another list of mobile physical security providers.

we had tried our best to provide the whole common list if any suggestion please post in comments

OVI Suite.

The world's largest mobile phone maker company NOKIA Corporation also provide online data
backup through its OVI suite.
Through OVI synchronisation you can upload your contacts data in Nokia Server. To store your datain Nokia server you need to make a free OVI account and go to contacts. Here you can see your
contacts which is synchronised from your mobile. You can also manage your account like Delete
contact, Add contact, Details etc.So if you are a Nokia user then use this free Nokia tool to avoid stolen of your personal contact/datawith your mobile.

NetQin Mobile Inc.

NetQin was one of the first companies to recognize the growing security threats targeting
smartphone users and is now a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider, serving both greater
China and global clients. The company focuses on serving clients in three key sectors: 1) mobile
security,It works on your Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Java phone etc.This is a free software with some limited functionality, In free version M guard you can filter calls,manage your applications/File/ Web etc. You can also optimised your mobile performance.

RSEVEN:

Rseven is a lifecache service where it can preserve all your daily activities as recorded by your mobile phone.It can record your incoming and outgoing voice calls made from your mobile, stores your recorded voice, SMS,Calender, Contacts online and when you need that data then you may restore it from rseven.This is a free tool from rseven with limited space, But if you need more space then you have to purchase it online.

WAVESECURE:

It ensures privacy in the event of theft and enhances the possibility of recovering yourAndroid, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Java phone. WaveSecure comes pre-installedWaveSecure is the complete mobile security service, that protects data on your phone,With some phone but if you not have pre-installed then you may buy it online for your phone.

Denial Of Service (DoS) Attacks

2011-07-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

A denial of service (DoS) attack is an attack that clogs up so much memory on the target system that it can not serve it's users, or it causes the target system to crash, reboot, or otherwise deny services to legitimate users.There are several different kinds of dos attacks as discussed below:-

1) Ping Of Death :- The ping of death attack sends oversized ICMP datagrams (encapsulated in IP packets) to the victim.The Ping command makes use of the ICMP echo request and echo reply messages and it's commonly used to determine whether the remote host is alive. In a ping of death attack, however, ping causes the remote system to hang, reboot or crash. To do so the attacker uses, the ping command in conjuction with -l argument (used to specify the size of the packet sent) to ping the target system that exceeds the maximum bytes allowed by TCP/IP (65,536).
example:- c:/>ping -l 65540 hostname
Fortunately, nearly all operating systems these days are not vulnerable to the ping of death attack.

2) Teardrop Attack :- Whenever data is sent over the internet, it is broken into fragments at the source system and reassembled at the destination system. For example you need to send 3,000 bytes of data from one system to another. Rather than sending the entire chunk in asingle packet, the data is broken down into smaller packets as given below:
* packet 1 will carry bytes 1-1000.
* packet 2 will carry bytes 1001-2000.
* packet 3 will carry bytes 2001-3000.
In teardrop attack, however, the data packets sent to the target computer contais bytes that overlaps with each other.
(bytes 1-1500) (bytes 1001-2000) (bytes 1500-2500)
When the target system receives such a series of packets, it can not reassemble the data and therefore will crash, hang, or reboot.
Old Linux systems, Windows NT/95 are vulnerable.

3) SYN - Flood Attack :- In SYN flooding attack, several SYN packets are sent to the target host, all with an invalid source IP address. When the target system receives these SYN packets, it tries to respond to each one with a SYN/ACK packet but as all the source IP addresses are invalid the target system goes into wait state for ACK message to receive from source. Eventually, due to large number of connection requests, the target systems' memory is consumed. In order to actually affect the target system, a large number of SYN packets with invalid IP addresses must be sent.

4) Land Attack :- A land attack is similar to SYN attack, the only difference being that instead of including an invalid IP address, the SYN packet include the IP address of the target sysetm itself. As a result an infinite loop is created within the target system, which ultimately hangs and crashes.Windows NT before Service Pack 4 are vulnerable to this attack.

5) Smurf Attack :- There are 3 players in the smurf attack–the attacker,the intermediary (which can also be a victim) and the victim. In most scenarios the attacker spoofs the IP source address as the IP of the intended victim to the intermediary network broadcast address. Every host on the intermediary network replies, flooding the victim and the intermediary network with network traffic.
Smurf Attack Result:- Performance may be degraded such that the victim, the victim and intermediary networks become congested and unusable, i.e. clogging the network and preventing legitimate users from obtaining network services.

6) UDP - Flood Attack :- Two UDP services: echo (which echos back any character received) and chargen (which generates character) were used in the past for network testing and are enabled by default on most systems. These services can be used to launch a DOS by connecting the chargen to echo ports on the same or another machine and generating large amounts of network traffic.

How Computer Viruses / Malware Attack?

2011-07-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

Computer users are facing all sorts of security threats these days, computer viruses, computer worms, hackers, phishing, spyware. Almost every computer is challenged by more than one type of malicious attack each day. Knowing how these malicious programs spread and work can help you avoid potential damage to your computer.
How Malware Attack

Computer viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are collectively known as malware. They spread on the internet via email, instant messages and file sharing. Computer viruses need a host program to run whereas computer worms are self-contained. Both can replicate and spread in enormous rate over the internet.

Computer viruses usually cause damage to boot sector, system BIOS, software or data files. Your system may fail to start, legitimate programs cannot run and data files are lost or corrupted.

Computer worms are usually designed to spread automatically via email program, causing major disruption of internet traffic. Some worms can create back door to allow authorized access to your computer.

Trojan horses usually do not replicate, they appear as some innocent programs, such as free games or free screensavers. This tricks you into downloading and running the Trojan horse. Trojan horses can open a back door, disable antivirus program and allow the download of other malware.
How Hackers Attack

Hackers are computer users who explore networks and computers, looking for vulnerabilities and infiltrate your system without your knowledge and permission. Some people argue that hackers may not have malicious intent, they are just curious about how computer network works. Nevertheless, unauthorized access to someone’s computer or network is not a moral act.

Malicious hackers gain access to your computer via different ways. For examples, hackers may use keystroke logger to record your every stroke, giving them enough information to infiltrate your system. They may hack your password by generating different combinations of numbers, letters and symbols. Hackers also search for unprotected network or enter your system via a back door installed previously by other malware.
How Spyware Attack

Spyware are usually downloaded from web sites, email messages, instant messages or file sharing network. Some legitimate programs may install spyware in your computer when you accept the End User License Agreement. Spyware does exactly what its name suggests: it spies on you by collecting personal or sensitive information or tracking your browsing and shopping habit. Some spyware programs can change your web browser's home page or install additional components to your browser without your consent.

Spyware can result in identity theft, computer slowdown and slow internet access. Spyware should not be confused with adware. Adware is a program that displays advertisements, usually in the form of pop up ads. Strictly speaking, adware is not spyware if no personal information and browsing habit is collected. It is a way for some software developers to reimburse their development cost by providing freeware to their customers.
How Spam Attack

Email spam is the electronic form of junk mail. Most spam messages are unsolicited advertising sent to a large number of recipients. Spam messages are not only annoying, some of them are dangerous. Some spam messages are used to deliver Trojan horses, viruses, spyware or links to offensive web sites with inappropriate content.

A new form of spam message is used to launch phishing attack. Phishers, pretending to be legitimate companies such as banks, financial institutes, PayPal, send out spam messages to a large number of recipients. They usually use scare tactic and ask you to update your personal information (login ID and password, account information, etc) immediately or your account will be suspended. Once you click on the link provided in the spam messages, you would land on phish sites which look remarkably similar to the legitimate company web sites where the phishers will steal your personal information.

Now that you know how malware, spyware, hackers and spam attack your computer, you can be more proactive in your defense. Be careful of free download, free scan, email attachment, file sharing and don’t click on the hyperlink of spam messages. Read the End User agreement carefully when you install any software. Keep track of unusual inbound and outbound internet activities. If you do all of these and install an all-in-one internet security program (antivirus, antispyware, firewall, spam control), you should be pretty safe from these malicious attacks.

How to remove a computer virus and spyware.

2011-07-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Symptoms that may be the result of ordinary Windows functions
A computer virus infection may cause the following problems:

    * Windows does not start even though you have not made any system changes or even though you have not installed or removed any programs.
    * Windows does not start because certain important system files are missing. Additionally, you receive an error message that lists the missing files.
    * The computer sometimes starts as expected. However, at other times, the computer stops responding before the desktop icons and the taskbar appear.
    * The computer runs very slowly. Additionally, the computer takes longer than expected to start.
    * You receive out-of-memory error messages even though the computer has sufficient RAM.
    * New programs are installed incorrectly.
    * Windows spontaneously restarts unexpectedly.
    * Programs that used to run stop responding frequently. Even if you remove and reinstall the programs, the issue continues to occur.
    * A disk utility such as Scandisk reports multiple serious disk errors.
    * A partition disappears.
    * The computer always stops responding when you try to use Microsoft Office products.
    * You cannot start Windows Task Manager.
    * Antivirus software indicates that a computer virus is present.

Symptoms of a computer virus

If you suspect or confirm that your computer is infected with a computer virus, obtain the current antivirus software. The following are some primary indicators that a computer may be infected:

    * The computer runs slower than usual.
    * The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
    * The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
    * The computer restarts on its own. Additionally, the computer does not run as usual.
    * Applications on the computer do not work correctly.
    * Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
    * You cannot print items correctly.
    * You see unusual error messages.
    * You see distorted menus and dialog boxes.
    * There is a double extension on an attachment that you recently opened, such as a .jpg, .vbs, .gif, or .exe. extension.
    * An antivirus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the antivirus program cannot be restarted.
    * An antivirus program cannot be installed on the computer, or the antivirus program will not run.
    * New icons appear on the desktop that you did not put there, or the icons are not associated with any recently installed programs.
    * Strange sounds or music plays from the speakers unexpectedly.
    * A program disappears from the computer even though you did not intentionally remove the program.

Note These are common signs of infection. However, these signs may also be caused by hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with a computer virus. Unless you run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, and then you install industry-standard, up-to-date antivirus software on your computer, you cannot be certain whether a computer is infected with a computer virus or not.

Symptoms of worms and trojan horse viruses in e-mail messages
When a computer virus infects e-mail messages or infects other files on a computer, you may notice the following symptoms:

    * The infected file may make copies of itself. This behavior may use up all the free space on the hard disk.
    * A copy of the infected file may be sent to all the addresses in an e-mail address list.
    * The computer virus may reformat the hard disk. This behavior will delete files and programs.
    * The computer virus may install hidden programs, such as pirated software. This pirated software may then be distributed and sold from the computer.
    * The computer virus may reduce security. This could enable intruders to remotely access the computer or the network.
    * You receive an e-mail message that has a strange attachment. When you open the attachment, dialog boxes appear, or a sudden degradation in system performance occurs.
    * Someone tells you that they have recently received e-mail messages from you that contained attached files that you did not send. The files that are attached to the e-mail messages have extensions such as .exe, .bat, .scr, and .vbs extensions.

What is Spyware?
Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge. These programs can change your computer’s configuration or collect advertising data and personal information. Spyware can track internet searching habits and possibly redirect web site activity.
Symptoms of Spyware
When a computer becomes affected by Spyware, the following may result:

    * Slow internet connection.
    * Changing your web browser’s home page.
    * Loss of internet connectivity.
    * Failure to open some programs, including security software.
    * Unable to visit specific websites, which may include redirecting you to another one.
How to remove a computer virus and spyware.
Even for an expert, removing a computer virus or spyware can be a difficult task without the help of computer malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted softwarereinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware have been detected and removed. Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software.

To remove a computer virus and other malicious software, follow these steps:

Install the latest updates from Microsoft Update:

   1. For Windows Vista and Windows 7:
         1. Click the Pearl (Start) button, then type Windows Update in the search box.
         2. In the results area, click Windows Update.
         3. Click Check for Updates.
         4. Follow the instructions to download and install the latest Windows Updates.
   2. For Windows XP:
         1. Click Start, then click Run.
         2. Click the Automatic Updates tab and hoose the Automatic (recommended) option.
         3. Click OK.

Symptoms of a computer virus

2011-07-11T21:56:00.000-07:00

A computer virus infection may cause the following problems:

    * Windows does not start even though you have not made any system changes or even though you have not installed or removed any programs.
    * Windows does not start because certain important system files are missing. Additionally, you receive an error message that lists the missing files.
    * The computer sometimes starts as expected. However, at other times, the computer stops responding before the desktop icons and the taskbar appear.
    * The computer runs very slowly. Additionally, the computer takes longer than expected to start.
    * You receive out-of-memory error messages even though the computer has sufficient RAM.
    * New programs are installed incorrectly.
    * Windows spontaneously restarts unexpectedly.
    * Programs that used to run stop responding frequently. Even if you remove and reinstall the programs, the issue continues to occur.
    * A disk utility such as Scandisk reports multiple serious disk errors.
    * A partition disappears.
    * The computer always stops responding when you try to use Microsoft Office products.
    * You cannot start Windows Task Manager.
    * Antivirus software indicates that a computer virus is present.

Symptoms of a computer virus

If you suspect or confirm that your computer is infected with a computer virus, obtain the current antivirus software. The following are some primary indicators that a computer may be infected:

    * The computer runs slower than usual.
    * The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
    * The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
    * The computer restarts on its own. Additionally, the computer does not run as usual.
    * Applications on the computer do not work correctly.
    * Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
    * You cannot print items correctly.
    * You see unusual error messages.
    * You see distorted menus and dialog boxes.
    * There is a double extension on an attachment that you recently opened, such as a .jpg, .vbs, .gif, or .exe. extension.
    * An antivirus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the antivirus program cannot be restarted.
    * An antivirus program cannot be installed on the computer, or the antivirus program will not run.
    * New icons appear on the desktop that you did not put there, or the icons are not associated with any recently installed programs.
    * Strange sounds or music plays from the speakers unexpectedly.
    * A program disappears from the computer even though you did not intentionally remove the program.

Note These are common signs of infection. However, these signs may also be caused by hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with a computer virus. Unless you run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, and then you install industry-standard, up-to-date antivirus software on your computer, you cannot be certain whether a computer is infected with a computer virus or not.

Symptoms of worms and trojan horse viruses in e-mail messages
When a computer virus infects e-mail messages or infects other files on a computer, you may notice the following symptoms:

    * The infected file may make copies of itself. This behavior may use up all the free space on the hard disk.
    * A copy of the infected file may be sent to all the addresses in an e-mail address list.
    * The computer virus may reformat the hard disk. This behavior will delete files and programs.
    * The computer virus may install hidden programs, such as pirated software. This pirated software may then be distributed and sold from the computer.
    * The computer virus may reduce security. This could enable intruders to remotely access the computer or the network.
    * You receive an e-mail message that has a strange attachment. When you open the attachment, dialog boxes appear, or a sudden degradation in system performance occurs.
    * Someone tells you that they have recently received e-mail messages from you that contained attached files that you did not send. The files that are attached to the e-mail messages have extensions such as .exe, .bat, .scr, and .vbs extensions.

What is Spyware?
Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge. These programs can change your computer’s configuration or collect advertising data and personal information. Spyware can track internet searching habits and possibly redirect web site activity.

Symptoms of Spyware
When a computer becomes affected by Spyware, the following may result:

    * Slow internet connection.
    * Changing your web browser’s home page.
    * Loss of internet connectivity.
    * Failure to open some programs, including security software.
    * Unable to visit specific websites, which may include redirecting you to another one.

How to remove a computer virus and spyware.
Even for an expert, removing a computer virus or spyware can be a difficult task without the help of computer malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted softwarereinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware have been detected and removed. Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software.

To remove a computer virus and other malicious software, follow these steps:
Computer viruses: description, prevention, and recovery

Mobile Physical Security: How Anti-theft Software Works

2011-07-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

Mobile Physical Security

In the presence of google and facebook , iphones and mobiles became more important component of life as these things are now widely accessed by these gadgets. As its importance increased, mobile security concerns also increased and the people are more searching for better security products. They are using antiviruses and antispyware for the software security but the physical security is also importance because your data can also be lost due to lost of your mobile.

So todays sintuhack Is going to describe about physical security of mobile phone and will explain about some antitheft software and their working procedure so that you can able to secure your mobile . This is a part of mobile physical security or you can say physical mobile security.

mGuard

This is a free java application which is available for Sony Ericsson mobiles

till may of this year. This only tracks for any kind of sim-card change in your mobile

and sends a sms to user predefined numbers. It can be downloaded via internet as well as can be transferred from computes via Bluetooth or data cables. This is a free antitheft software but you have to go its website (Vapssky.com)and register your mobile with its IMEI number to use it.

Find My iPhone

As per name it’s free software for recovering iPhones, but only available for iPhone 4 running iOS 4.2 directly. Other iPhone users can access it via Mobile ME subscription service. Its unique feature is that you can monitor it from web(Me.com) as well as from any other iPhone where this application is installed. This software also provides other facilities like locking phone or displaying text message or raising a finder alarm. You can also backup your all data remotely by using this and make you phone to restore it as factory level settings.

RoboLock

This is also a product of Vapssky.com but this is made for blackberry mobiles and runs on BlackBerry OS 4.2 and above. But it only supports Tour, Storm, Bold and 8xx models. The main advantage fo this is that you can remotely acesss you phone via email web or even via sms and then you can track its location on goggle map , recover your contacts or delete your data.you can also lock it remotely and raise a finding alarm which only be stopped when you unlock it

RecoveryCop

RecoveryCop" is made for Windows Mobile 6.x Devices and it’s a real time mobile physical security provider. This works like James bond and don’t leave any clue behind its working space so it’s completely untraceable by an unknown user of your mobile.it can record all the text messages send by stolen mobile. You can also take a call from this mobile and via its microphone you can hear the sound of surroundings .all other features are also available for this.

Yet the technology is its child stage as it is still unable to deliver complete mobile physical security provider software which can work for all type of mobiles and iPhones. The main hurdle behind this is the presence of different mobile makers and the lack of collaboration between them. So wait for that day when this will available and till then use different software as per your vendor

Cross site scripting

2011-07-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Cross site script is most common web attack.it basically attacks on application layer of web.
.its basically hits html and javascipt.
cross site scripting arises when web application take data from form of site and include in it
web page without properly validating the data.XSS vulnerabilities allow an attackers to execute arbitrary commands and display arbitrary content in a victim users browsers. when XSS attacks became a successful attack it take control of victim browser or victim web application. the potency of an XSS attack lies in the fact that thr malicious code executes in the context of the victim's session,allowing the attackers to bypass normal security restriction

Types of Cross Site Scripting Attacks :-

Reflective Cross Site Scripting :-

In this XSS attacks attacker send the victim a misleading mail with the link containing malicious
javascript,if the victim click the link ,the http request is intiated from the victim browsers
and sent to the vulnerable web application.Thw malicious javascript is then reflected back to the victim's browsers,where it is executed int the
context of of victim users session

Persistent Xss

Consider a Web application that allows users to enter a user name which is displayed on each user’s profile page. The application stores each user name in a local database. A malicious user notices that the Web application fails to sanitize the user name field and inputs malicious JavaScript code as part of their user name. When other users view the attacker’s profile page, the malicious code automatically executes in the context of their session.

Cyber Security

2011-06-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

As we know we are leaving in cyber world where technology and internet provide lot of benefits with huge dangers aspect.cyber world serves equally to both hackers and crackers.
It also provide lot of way of security hence we need to take precautions to protect(secure) yourself online.

What are some warnings to remember or some security tips to use?

Don't trust candy from strangers - Finding something on the internet does not guarantee that it is true.or secure or it will full fill all security criteria

Anyone can publish information online without checking it is secure(security) or not , so before accepting a statement as fact or taking action, verify that the source is reliable.or secure

It is also easy for attackers to "spoof" email addresses, so verify that an email is legitimate before opening an unexpected email attachment or responding to a request for personal information
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is - You have probably seen many emails promising fantastic rewards or monetary gifts. However, regardless of what the email claims, there are not any wealthy strangers desperate to send you money. Beware of grand promises—they are most likely spam, hoaxes, or phishing schemes . Also be wary of pop-up windows and advertisements for free downloadable software—they may be disguising spyware.
Don't advertise that you are away from home - Some email accounts, especially within an organization, offer a feature (called an autoresponder)
that allows you to create an "away" message if you are going to be away from your email for an extended period of time. The message is automatically
sent to anyone who emails you while the autoresponder is enabled. While this is a helpful feature for letting your contacts know that you will not be
able to respond right away, be careful how you phrase your message. You do not want to let potential attackers know that you are not home, or, worse, give specific details about your location and itinerary. Safer options include phrases such as "I will not have access to email between [date] and [date].
" If possible, also restrict the recipients of the message to people within your organization or in your address book. If your away message replies to spam, it only confirms that your email account is active. This may increase the amount of spam you receive Lock up your valuables - If an attacker is able to access or breaches your cesurity, your personal data, he or she may be able to compromise or steal the information.
Take steps to secure this information by following good security practices
Some of the most basic precautions or security include locking your computer when you step away; using firewalls, anti-virus software, and strong passwords security ; installing appropriate software security updates; and taking precautions or security when browsing or using email.
Have a backup plan - Since your information could be lost or compromised (due to an equipment malfunction, an error, or an attack),
make regular backups of your information so that you still have clean, complete copies
Backups also help you identify what has been changed or lost.

Cyber war: Google, China in fresh spat over email hacking

2011-06-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

BEIJING/SAN FRANCISCO: Suspected Chinese hackers tried to steal the passwords of hundreds of Google email account holders, including those of senior US government officials, Chinese activists and journalists , the internet company said.[sintuhack]

The claim by the world's largest web search engine sparked an angry response from Beijing, which said blaming China was "unacceptable," pointing to further tensions in an already strained relationship with Google.[sintuhack]

The perpetrators appeared to originate from Jinan, the capital of China's eastern Shandong province, Google said. Jinan is home to one of six technical reconnaissance bureaus belonging to the People's Liberation Army and a technical college US investigators last year linked to a previous attack on Google.[sintuhack]

Washington said it was investigating Google's claims while the FBI said it was working with Google following the attacks — the latest computerbased invasions directed at multinational companies.[sintuhack]

Andrew Davies of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute , an independent security and defence think tank, said governments needed to pay more attention to hacking no matter where it originated from. "I think there has been a certain lack of appreciation of the looming threat around the world," Davies said.

The hackers recently tried to crack and monitor email accounts by stealing passwords, but Google detected and "disrupted " their campaign, the company said on its official blog. Google said it had notified the victims.
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NOTE-- THE ABOVE CONTENT TAKEN FROM GOOGLE NEWS http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Cyber-war-Google-China-in-fresh-spat-over-email-hacking/articleshow/8705176.cms

Cyber law or It act of India

2011-05-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

Cyber laws are meant to set the definite pattern, some rules and guidelines that defined certain business activities going on through internet legal and certain illegal and hence punishable .Today sintuhack will explian some fact about cyber case (sintuhack). The IT Act 2000, the cyber law of India , gives the legal framework so that information is not denied legal effect, validity or enforceability, solely on the ground that it is in the form of electronic records.

One cannot regard government as complete failure in shielding numerous e-commerce activities on the firm basis of which this industry has got to its skies, but then the law cannot be regarded as free from ambiguities.(sintuhack)

The IT Act 2000 attempts to change outdated laws and provides ways to deal with cyber crimes. Let’s have an overview of the law where it takes a firm stand and has got successful in the reason for which it was framed.(sintuhack)

1. The E-commerce industry carries out its business via transactions and communications done through electronic records . It thus becomes essential that such transactions be made legal . Keeping this point in the consideration, the IT Act 2000 empowers the government departments to accept filing, creating and retention of official documents in the digital format. The Act also puts forward the proposal for setting up the legal framework essential for the authentication and origin of electronic records / communications through digital signature.(sintuhack)

2. The Act legalizes the e-mail and gives it the status of being valid form of carrying out communication in India . This implies that e-mails can be duly produced and approved in a court of law , thus can be a regarded as substantial document to carry out legal proceedings.(sintuhack)

3. The act also talks about digital signatures and digital records . These have been also awarded the status of being legal and valid means that can form strong basis for launching litigation in a court of law. It invites the corporate companies in the business of being Certifying Authorities for issuing secure Digital Signatures Certificates.

4. The Act now allows Government to issue notification on the web thus heralding e-governance.(sintuhack)

5. It eases the task of companies of the filing any form, application or document by laying down the guidelines to be submitted at any appropriate office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the government. This will help in saving costs, time and manpower for the corporates.(sintuhack)

6. The act also provides statutory remedy to the coporates in case the crime against the accused for breaking into their computer systems or network and damaging and copying the data is proven. The remedy provided by the Act is in the form of monetary damages, not exceeding Rs. 1 crore($200,000).(sintuhack)

7. Also the law sets up the Territorial Jurisdiction of the Adjudicating Officers for cyber crimes and the Cyber Regulations Appellate Tribunal.(sintuhack)

8. The law has also laid guidelines for providing Internet Services on a license on a non-exclusive basis.(sintuhack)

The IT Law 2000, though appears to be self sufficient, it takes mixed stand when it comes to many practical situations. It looses its certainty at many places like:(sintuhack)

1. The law misses out completely the issue of Intellectual Property Rights, and makes no provisions whatsoever for copyrighting, trade marking or patenting of electronic information and data. The law even doesn’t talk of the rights and liabilities of domain name holders , the first step of entering into the e-commerce.(sintuhack)
2. The law even stays silent over the regulation of electronic payments gateway and segregates the negotiable instruments from the applicability of the IT Act , which may have major effect on the growth of e-commerce in India . It leads to make the banking and financial sectors irresolute in their stands .(sintuhack)(sintuhack)
3. The act empowers the Deputy Superintendent of Police to look up into the investigations and filling of charge sheet when any case related to cyber law is called. This approach is likely to result in misuse in the context of Corporate India as companies have public offices which would come within the ambit of "public place" under the Act. As a result, companies will not be able to escape potential harassment at the hands of the DSP.(sintuhack)
4. Internet is a borderless medium ; it spreads to every corner of the world where life is possible and hence is the cyber criminal. Then how come is it possible to feel relaxed and secured once this law is enforced in the nation??(sintuhack)

The Act initially was supposed to apply to crimes committed all over the world, but nobody knows how can this be achieved in practice , how to enforce it all over the world at the same time???(sintuhack)

* The IT Act is silent on filming anyone’s personal actions in public and then distributing it electronically. It holds ISPs (Internet Service Providers) responsible for third party data and information, unless contravention is committed without their knowledge or unless the ISP has undertaken due diligence to prevent the contravention .(sintuhack)
* For example, many Delhi based newspapers advertise the massage parlors; and in few cases even show the ‘therapeutic masseurs’ hidden behind the mask, who actually are prostitutes. Delhi Police has been successful in busting out a few such rackets but then it is not sure of the action it can take…should it arrest the owners and editors of newspapers or wait for some new clauses in the Act to be added up?? Even the much hyped case of the arrest of Bajaj, the CEO of Bazee.com, was a consequence of this particular ambiguity of the law. One cannot expect an ISP to monitor what information their subscribers are sending out, all 24 hours a day.(sintuhack)

Cyber law is a generic term, which denotes all aspects, issues and the legal consequences on the Internet, the World Wide Web and cyber space. India is the 12th nation in the world that has cyber legislation apart from countries like the US, Singapore, France, Malaysia and Japan .(sintuhack)

But can the cyber laws of the country be regarded as sufficient and secure enough to provide a strong platform to the country’s e-commerce industry for which they were meant?? India has failed to keep in pace with the world in this respect, and the consequence is not far enough from our sight; most of the big customers of India ’s outsourcing company have started to re-think of carrying out their business in India .Bajaj’s case has given the strongest blow in this respect and have broken India ’s share in outsourcing market as a leader.(sintuhack)

If India doesn’t want to loose its position and wishes to stay as the world’s leader forever in outsourcing market, it needs to take fast but intelligent steps to cover the glaring loopholes of the Act, or else the day is not far when the scenario of India ruling the world’s outsourcing market will stay alive in the dreams only as it will be overtaken by its competitors.sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack

Online Survey Company Is Fraud Or Not-how to know

2011-05-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

Today, when there is hot dispute is already going on between the star news and online paid survey company Speak Asia after publishing the negative news about Speak Asia and their business behavior. sintuhack strongly feel that sintuhack should post an article to help you find the possible online fraud survey companies which are asking for money any how.

1. Whois Lookup:
A/c to sintuhack try to who is look up for the domain of official website of paid survey company you can easily find the following details.sintuhack also suggest you to know
Who is the owner of website domain?
From since long the website is active, means since how long the company is in survey business?
What is the registered official address? Where the company office is actually located.
All these info helps a lot to decide weather the company you are researching about is just another online scam or not.

2. SEO Research:
Seo research on the paid survey website can easily tell you the fact about how the website is popular in the world. You can look for number of backlinks, Google page rank and alexa rank for this. From alexa traffic analysis you can also find the location of main traffic toward the website so you can know where the website is doing more business in the world.

3. Online Complains and Scam Discussion boards:
One thing more a/c to sintuhack use google to know page rank of that website.
If you search in Google with the words like complain, fraud, scam along with the company name, you can easily find the various blogs or websites where people might have discussed about their issues or complaints with the company. Although every good company will also have some issues with clients but too much of them can really alarm you about possible online scam.

4. Make money online blogs and forums.
Here sintuhack talking about the blogs and forums where people are generally from the similar niche and discuss about how to make money online. It would be great source to find the exact information about such paid scams. If you are new to online money making niche and much not aware of the scams you can also post comments (here also) and threads in forum in similar niche to get reviews of experts in the same niche.

5. Think smartly, wisely and independently.
And last sintuhack guide you to use internet smartly wisely and independently
Think smartly to detect online scams
Its my own experience that people always get trapped in scams because they are always in search of quick rich formula and hence they generally do not think for the most important questions. So think like you want to investigate about the company and not want to invest in it, this way you can find most answers easily.

Pharming -- a new Way for Internet fraud

2011-04-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

Hackers appear to have an increasing interest in reaping financial reward from their actions and creations. If, until now, phishing -- using e-mails to lure users into entering data into spoofed online banking Web sites -- was one of the most widespread fraud techniques, 'pharming' now poses an even greater threat.
Basically, pharming involves interfering with the name resolution process on the Internet. When a user enters an address this needs to be converted into a numeric IP address as 21.15.63.87. This is known as name resolution, and the task is performed by DNS (Domain Name System) servers. These servers store tables with the IP address of each domain name. On a smaller scale, in each computer connected to the Internet there is a file that stores a table with the names of servers and IP addresses so that it is not necessary to access the DNS servers for certain server names.
Pharming consists in the name resolution system modification, so that when a user thinks he or she is accessing to bank's Web page, he or she is actually accessing the IP of a spoofed site.
Phishing owed its success to social engineering techniques, but since not all users take the phishing bait, its success was limited. Also, each phishing attack was aimed at one specific type of banking service, further reducing the chances of success. Pharming on the other hand, can affect a far greater number of online banking users.
In addition, pharming isn't just a one-off attack, as is the case with phishing e-mails, but remains present on the computer waiting for the user to access the banking services.
The solution against this new kind of fraud lies, as ever, in anti-virus security solutions. Pharming attacks depend on an application in the compromised system (this could be an exe file, a script, etc). But before this application can run, obviously it needs to reach the operating system. Code can enter the system through numerous channels; in fact, in as many ways as information can enter the system: via e-mail (the most frequent), Internet downloads, copied directly from CD or floppy, etc. In each of these information entry points, the anti-virus has to detect the file with the malicious code and eliminate it, provided it is registered as a dangerous application in the anti- virus signature file.
Unfortunately, the propagation speed of malware today is head-spinning, and there are more malicious creators offering their source code to the rest of the hacker community to create new variants and propagate even more attacks. The virus laboratories don't have enough time to prepare the malware detection and elimination routines for new malicious code before they start spreading to PCs. Despite the efforts and improvements from virus labs, it is physically impossible for them to prepare an adequate solution in time against some of these threats that can spread in just a few minutes.
The solution against these kinds of threats should not, therefore, depend, at least not in the front line of protection, on a reactive solution based on viral identifier files but rather systems that detect the actions that theses threats carry out. In this way, every time there is an attempted attack on the computer's DNS system (as in the case of pharming applications), the attack is recognized and blocked along with the program carrying out the attack.
However, there is an added danger with pharming, which lies in anonymous proxy servers. Many users want to hide their identity (their IP address) when using the Internet and use online proxy servers so that the connection is made under the server IP and not the client IP. In a worst case scenario, one of these proxy servers could have its name resolution system poisoned so that users trying to access their bank Web site, could actually be viewing a spoofed site, even though their local name resolution system is operating perfectly.
In any event, the threat that pharming poses is a serious one, although one that is easily resolved. Only with systems that can detect and block changes in IP address resolution systems in computers can we hope to prevent the avalanche of malicious code that will soon be upon us

Pharming Security

2011-03-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

PHARMING-- BY request of one my reader,i am trying to explain what is Pharming.Due to short of time i cant explain all about pharming.
Pharming is the exploitation of a vulnerability in the DNS server software that allows a hacker to acquire the domain name for a site, and to redirect that website's traffic to another web site. DNS servers are the machines responsible for resolving internet names into their real addresses - the "signposts" of the internet.

If the web site receiving the traffic is a fake web site, such as a copy of a bank's website, it can be used to "phish" or steal a computer user's passwords, PIN or account number. Note that this is only possible when the original site was not SSL protected, or when the user is ignoring warnings about invalid server certificates.

For example, in January 2005, the domain name for a large New York ISP, Panix, was hijacked to a site in Australia. In 2004 a German teenager hijacked the eBay.de domain name.

Secure e-mail provider Hushmail was also caught by this attack on 24th of April 2005 when the attacker rang up the domain registrar and gained enough information to redirect users to a defaced webpage.

Computer Hackers and Predators

2011-03-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

How computer hackers and predators are threat for your computer security?

People with bad mind, not the computers, create computer threats. Computer predators victimize unaware people for their gain. A predator having access to the Internet is exponentially bigger threat to your PC than the others. Computer hackers and predators are unauthorized users who break into others computer systems to steal, change or destroy valuable information, often by installing dangerous and harmful malware without your knowledge. The use of clever tactics and detailed technical knowledge help them to access the information you really don’t want to let them know.
What computer hackers and predators do to find you?
Everyone who uses a computer with a Internet connection is susceptible by the threats of computer hackers and predators. These online demons mainly use spam emails or instant messages, phishing scams, and bogus Web sites (fake or duplicate webpage which almost look like the original) to deliver dangerous and harmful malware to the computer and disable your computer security. They will also try to access your computer and thus your private information directly if you had not taken protection by configuring your firewall. They can also peruse your personal Web page or monitor your chat room conversations. Generally by using a fake identity, predators can fool you and make you into revealing sensitive personal and financial information.
Be aware: computer hackers and predators can do the following things to you.
With the help of malware transmitted by the hacker, he can get your personal as well as financial information without your knowledge. Then he can use this information for his benefit and it will harm you in the aspect of loss of money as well as private information and data. In either case, they may:
•    Know your usernames and passwords and will change it or use it according to him.
•    Using your info they can open credit card and bank accounts in your name
•    Steal your money and Ruin your credit
•    additional credit cards or Request new account Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) o
•    Make purchases form offline stores.
•    Add themselves or an alias that they control as an authorized user so it’s easier to use your credit
•    Obtain cash advances from your credit card
•    Abuse your Social Security number
•    Sell your information to such person who will use it for illegal purposes
Especially predators can pose a serious physical threat. Be extremely cautious when agreeing to meet an online “friend” or acquaintance in person.
Ways to know that are you in the net or not?
Regularly check the accuracy of your personal accounts, credit cards bills and other documents. Are there any unexplained transactions?
Questionable or unauthorized changes?
If so, the dangerous and harmful malware is already installed by predators or hackers in your computer.
What can I do about computer hackers and predators?
Read as much as possible about the articles on computer security threats on this blog and increase our knowledge about this. Although Hackers and predators pose equally serious and but very different threats you will wiser enough to avoid their tricks.
To protect your computer from hackers and predators:
•    Regularly check the accuracy of your personal accounts and deal with any discrepancies instantly.
•    Use extreme caution when entering any chat rooms or posting on personal Web pages
•    Put a limit on the personal information you post on a personal Web pages
•    Carefully monitor requests on social networking sites by online “friends” or acquaintances for predatory behavior
•    Keep personal and financial information out of any type of online conversations
Take these steps to protect your computer from hackers right away:
•    Switch to 2 way firewall.
•    Update your operating system on regular basis.
•    Increase your browser security settings.
•    Only download software from trusted sites you trust.
•    First carefully evaluate free software then use and do same in the case of file-sharing applications before downloading them.
•    Practice safe email protocol.
•    Don't respond messages from unknown senders, even don’t open it.
•    Immediately delete messages you suspect to be spam.
•    Make sure that you have the best internet security products installed on your computer.
•    Always use antivirus protection
•    Also Get antispyware software protection
An unprotected computer is a like a free gift for computer hackers and predators. To protect your computer from hackers and predators also use a spam filter or gateway to scan inbound email or IM messages. While free anti-spyware and antivirus downloads are widely available, they just can’t keep up with the continuous onslaught of new malware strains due to their limited functionality. Previously undetected forms of malware can often do the most damage, so it’s necessary to have up-to-the-minute updated and guaranteed protection.

How to Avoid Phishing Scams

2011-03-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

The number and sophistication of phishing scams sent out to consumers is continuing to increase dramatically. While online banking and e-commerce is very safe, as a general rule you should be careful about giving out your personal financial information over the Internet. The Anti-Phishing Working Group has compiled a list of recommendations below that you can use to avoid becoming a victim of these scams.

* Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information
o unless the email is digitally signed, you can't be sure it wasn't forged or 'spoofed'
o phishers typically include upsetting or exciting (but false) statements in their emails to get people to react immediately
o they typically ask for information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, date of birth, etc.
o phisher emails are typically NOT personalized, but they can be. Valid messages from your bank or e-commerce company generally are personalized, but always call to check if you are unsure
* Don't use the links in an email, instant message, or chat to get to any web page if you suspect the message might not be authentic or you don't know the sender or user's handle
o instead, call the company on the telephone, or log onto the website directly by typing in the Web adress in your browser
* Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information
o you should only communicate information such as credit card numbers or account information via a secure website or the telephone
* Always ensure that you're using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser
o Phishers are now able to 'spoof,' or forge BOTH the "https://" that you normally see when you're on a secure Web server AND a legitimate-looking address. You may even see both in the link of a scam email. Again, make it a habit to enter the address of any banking, shopping, auction, or financial transaction website yourself and not depend on displayed links.
o Phishers may also forge the yellow lock you would normally see near the bottom of your screen on a secure site. The lock has usually been considered as another indicator that you are on a 'safe' site. The lock, when double-clicked, displays the security certificate for the site. If you get any warnings displayed that the address of the site you have displayed does NOT match the certificate, do not continue.
* Remember not all scam sites will try to show the "https://" and/or the security lock. Get in the habit of looking at the address line, too. Were you directed to PayPal? Does the address line display something different like "http://www.gotyouscammed.com/paypal/login.htm?" Be aware of where you are going.
* Consider installing a Web browser tool bar to help protect you from known fraudulent websites. These toolbars match where you are going with lists of known phisher Web sites and will alert you.
o The newer version of Internet Explorer version 7 includes this tool bar as does FireFox version 2
o EarthLink ScamBlocker is part of a browser toolbar that is free to all Internet users - download at http://www.earthlink.net/earthlinktoolbar
* Regularly log into your online accounts
o don't leave it for as long as a month before you check each account
* Regularly check your bank, credit and debit card satements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate
o if anything is suspicious or you don't recognize the transaction, contact your bank and all card issuers
* Ensure that your browser is up to date and security patches applied
* Always report "phishing" or “spoofed” e-mails to the following groups:
o use the form on this page or forward the email to reportphishing@antiphishing.org
o forward the email to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov
o forward the email to the "abuse" email address at the company that is being spoofed (e.g. "spoof@ebay.com")
o when forwarding spoofed messages, always include the entire original email with its original header information intact
o notify The Internet Crime Complaint Center of the FBI by filing a complaint on their website: www.ic3.gov/

Bug disables 150,000 Gmail accounts

2011-02-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Gmail, with its huge storage capacity, is considered a store house of personal information for many, where many valuable informations are securely kept. But think twice before relying too much on keeping all your informations there alone.

Because, Google's email service has been affected with a bug and almost 150,000 Gmail account holders have reportedly lost their e-mail, attachments and Google Chat logs lost.
Google said it is investigating a glitch in the service of Gmail, which has caused the huge data lose for many users.
The bug reset the affected accounts and showed a welcome message to some users. Google said in a statement that the bug had affected less than 0.08 per cent of all Gmail users. Yes, percentage wise it is a small amount, but 150,000 not a small number too!
It said that their engineers are trying to solve the glitch and as soon as possible the accounts will be restored soon.
“Affected users will be temporarily unable to sign in while we repair their accounts. For those Gmail users reporting missing messages, our engineers are working to restore them as soon as possible,” Google said in a statement.

Firefox spoofing flaw reported

2011-02-27T02:54:00.001-08:00

Mozilla’s Firefox web browser is vulnerable to spoofing attacks, according to an Israeli security researcher. Aviv Raff reported on his blog on Wednesday that Mozilla Firefox v2.0.0.11 allows information presented in a basic authentication dialogue box to be spoofed, opening up the possibility of users being redirected to a malicious website. Earlier versions of the browser may also be affected.

According to Raff, when a web server returns a 401 status code, it causes Firefox to display an authentication dialogue box. The 401 status code is returned by the web server when it recognises that the HTTP data stream sent by a browser or bot is correct, but access to the URL requires further user authentication.

The authentication dialogue box displays the server URL in what is called the WWW-Authenticate header field. This URL is in part defined by the realm value and, according to Raff, it is possible for an attacker to create a specially crafted realm value that will look as if the authentication dialogue came from a trusted website. This is due to Firefox failing to sanitise single quotes and spaces in the WWW-Authenticate header field, after a legitimate realm value enclosed in double quotes has been given.

At least two possible attack vectors are opened by this reported flaw, according to Raff. Man-in-the-middle attackers could create a web page with a link to a trusted website such as a bank. When a victim clicks on the link on the malicious page, the trusted web page would be opened in a new window. A script would be executed to redirect the newly opened window to the attacker’s web server, allowing username and password details to be compromised.

Alternatively, an attacker could embed an image in an email or web page which, when clicked on, would return a specially crafted dialogue login from the attacker’s web server, again allowing authentication details to be compromised.

President of Mozilla Europe, Tristan Nitot, told ZDNet.co.uk that Mozilla is in the process of investigating the report, and so could not comment further at this time.

“We take security seriously,” said Nitot. “We are taking this report seriously, and are investigating.”

Computer security--Take Care When Downloading and Installing Programs

2011-02-26T21:15:00.000-08:00

When you buy an appliance, you give little thought to it doing you or your house any harm. Why? Because there are organizations like Undearwriters Laboratories that set standards and certify products. When you see a certifier’s label, you have more confidence that a product will be safer than a competing product that does not carry the same label. You’re willing to accept the risk because you believe the product has met some standards and has been certified by a respected authority.
Unfortunately, the Internet is not the same. There are neither standards nor many certification organizations. Anyone who writes a program can distribute it through any means available, such as through the web or by sending you a copy. Speaking of that, have you ever received a CD-ROM in the mail? How do you know that it contains what the label says? The answer is: you don’t know. More importantly, it’s difficult to know.

No matter how you acquire a program, it runs on your computer at the mercy of the program’s author. Anything, any operation, any task that you can do, this program can also do. If you’re allowed to remove any file, the program can too. If you can send email, the program can too. If you can install or remove a program, the program can too. Anything you can do, the intruder can do also, through the program you’ve just installed and run.
Sometimes there’s no explanation of what a program is supposed to do or what it actually does. There may be no user’s guide. There may be no way to contact the author. You’re on your own, trying to weigh a program’s benefits against the risk of the harm that it might cause.
What’s the problem you’re trying to solve here? You are trying to determine if the program you’ve just found satisfies your needs (say it provides a service that you want or you’re just experimenting) without causing harm to your computer and ultimately the information you have on the computer. How do you decide if a program is what it says it is? How do you gauge the risk to you and your computer by running this program?
You address these same risk issues when you purchase an appliance; you may just not have realized that’s what you were doing. When you make that purchase, you buy from either a local store you know or a national chain with an established reputation. If there’s a problem with your purchase, you can take it back to the store and exchange it or get your money back. If it causes you harm, you can seek relief through the legal system. The reputation of the merchant, the refund/return policy, and the availability of the legal system reduce your risk to a point where you make the purchase.

Apply these same practices when you buy a program. You should

* Learn as much as you can about the product and what it does before you purchase it.
* Understand the refund/return policy before you make your purchase.
* Buy from a local store that you already know or a national chain with an established reputation.
Presently, it is not as clear what the legal system’s role is for a program that causes harm or does not work as advertised. In the meantime, the LUB practices are a good first step.
Today’s Internet has a feature that standard products don’t have, or at least have but to a lesser extent. This feature is free programs. There is a multitude of free programs available for all types of systems, with more available each day. The challenge is to decide which programs deserve your confidence and are, therefore, worth the risk of installing and running on your home computer.
So then, how do you decide if a program is worth it? To decide if you should install and run a program on your home computer, follow these steps:
1. The Do test: What does the program do? You should be able to read a clear description of what the program does. This description could be on the web site where you can download it or on the CD-ROM you use to install it. You need to realize that that if the program was written with malicious intent, the author/intruder isn’t going to tell you that the program will harm your system. They will probably try to mislead you. So, learn what you can, but consider the source and consider whether you can trust that information.
2. The Changes test: What files are installed and what other changes are made on your system when you install and run the program? Again, to do this test, you may have to ask the author/intruder how their program changes your system. Consider the source.
3. The Author test: Who is the author? (Can you use email, telephone, letter, or some other means to contact them?) Once you get this information, use it to try to contact them to verify that the contact information works. Your interactions with them may give you more clues about the program and its potential effects on your computer and you.
4. The Learn test: Has anybody else used this program, and what can you learn from him or her? Try some Internet searches using your web browser. Somebody has probably used this program before you, so learn what you can before you install it.

If you can’t determine these things – the DCAL tests for short – about the program you’d like to install, then strongly consider whether it’s worth the risk. Only you can decide what’s best. Whatever you do, be prepared to rebuild your computer from scratch in case the program goes awry and destroys it. Task 5 - Make Backups of Important Files and Folders tells you how to make a copy of your important information should you need it.
Your anti-virus program prevents some of the problems caused by downloading and installing programs. However, you need to remember that there’s a lag between recognizing a virus and when your computer also knows about it. Even if that nifty program you’ve just downloaded doesn’t contain a virus, it may behave in an unexpected way. You should continue to exercise care and do your homework when downloading, installing, and running new programs.

Tools to Track & Recover Your Stolen Laptop

2011-02-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

Off late, in coffee shops, college campuses, hotel lobbies and even in cars, laptops and notebook computers are being targeted by criminals. And these incidents are increasing at an alarming rate.[sintuhack].As per FBI, 97% of the stolen laptops are never recovered. That is a staggering stat. But don’t worry, we can increase the odds of recovering / tracking your stolen laptop and that too for FREE![sintuhack]

Ways to Track and Recover your Stolen Laptop

1. Track your Stolen laptop with Adeona

Adeona from University of Washington provides an open source, [sintuhack].free and completely non-proprietary way to track your stolen laptop. [sintuhack].You can install Adeona on your laptop and go as there’s no need to rely on a single third party! What’s more, Adeona addresses a critical privacy goal different from existing commercial offerings. It is privacy-preserving. This means that no one besides the owner (or an agent of the owner’s choosing) can use Adeona to track a laptop. Unlike other systems, users of Adeona can be rest assured that no one can abuse the system in order to track where they use their laptop. You can read the detailed article on Adeona here

.[sintuhack].
2. Locate your laptop with LocateMyLaptop.com

LocateMyLaptop is a free service that offers a stealthy app on your laptop which reports its position whenever the computer is connected to the Internet.[sintuhack]. If it’s lost or stolen, you can issue a self-destruct command to erase all the data on the hard drive – but that requires upgrading to the Platinum Plan, which costs $3/month. But you do not need to pay anything until the disaster strikes. this is because, tracking of laptop is FREE, and you can upgrade to the platinum service only if your laptop gets stolen.

3. Browser Plugin to Track your stolen Laptop – Loki[sintuhack].

Loki is basically a service which can add location of users to any website.[sintuhack]. But it can be tweaked in such a way that you can log directly into Loki to see your laptop’s location on a map, or enable “sharing” – which blasts your location to a public Web page, to Twitter, Facebook, or a handful of other services.[sintuhack]. Only concern is, Loki is not always reliable as it sometimes fails to update the public page with laptop’s location.[sintuhack]. This issue is seen even when Loki browser plugin on the laptop knew where it is.[sintuhack]. Hopefully this issue should be fixed by the next release.[sintuhack]

4. Locate your stolen Laptop with LocatePC

LocatePC is FREE software which lets you track and finally get back your stolen computer or laptop back to you.[sintuhack]. LocatePC sends you a secret email message from your stolen computer or laptop with some crucial information. But again, we will be hoping that the thief will connect the laptop to the internet before formatting. Still, something is better than nothing right?[sintuhack]

computer security

2011-02-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

Computer security is the process of preventing and detecting unauthorized use of your computer. Prevention measures help you to stop unauthorized users (also known as "intruders") from accessing any part of your computer system. Detection helps you to determine whether or not someone attempted to break into your system, if they were successful, and what they may have done.

We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs. Although you may not consider your communications "top secret," you probably do not want strangers reading your email, using your computer to attack other systems, sending forged email from your computer, or examining personal information stored on your computer (such as financial statements).
Intruders (also referred to as hackers, attackers, or crackers) may not care about your identity. Often they want to gain control of your computer so they can use it to launch attacks on other computer systems.

Having control of your computer gives them the ability to hide their true location as they launch attacks, often against high-profile computer systems such as government or financial systems. Even if you have a computer connected to the Internet only to play the latest games or to send email to friends and family, your computer may be a target.

Intruders may be able to watch all your actions on the computer, or cause damage to your computer by reformatting your hard drive or changing your data.

Unfortunately, intruders are always discovering new vulnerabilities (informally called "holes") to exploit in computer software. The complexity of software makes it increasingly difficult to thoroughly test the security of computer systems.

Also, some software applications have default settings that allow other users to access your computer unless you change the settings to be more secure. Examples include chat programs that let outsiders execute commands on your computer or web browsers that could allow someone to place harmful programs on your computer that run when you click on them.

Remove virus – Trojan Horse Sheur2

2011-01-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

The Trojan Horse Sheur2 is a dangerous and harmful Trojan that infects Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows Vista, Windows 2000 computers. If your computer constantly raises speaker beep sounds, shows “Blue Screen” and reports that the error is produced by missing dll’s, registry keys, and Windows files, or your pop-up blocker is unable to block the pornographic and gambling related bulk popups then you are sure to have Trojan Horse Sheur2 on your computer.

The Trojan Horse Sheur2 is not just one computer infection. It comes in various forms and related infections. Some related infections are: SHeur2.hsf, SHeur2.FO, SHeur2, SHeur2.AS, SHeur2.MR, SHeur2.ISU, SHeur2.BBJ, sheur2.hsd, and SHeur2.CFT

SHeur enters your computer through backdoor without your knowledge. It usually gets into your computer due to browser security holes on your computer or if you visit questionable websites such as gambling, pornography, and hacking related websites.
Once installed on your computer, it hides itself on your computer as a legal software and the will start performing its various annoyances.

It drops malicious code to your local or network computer, disables the firewall and antivirus software configured on your computer, redirects your web browser to malicious websites, downloads malicious code, slowdowns the performance of your computer considerably, slowdowns Internet connection, and forwards passwords, login names and other confidential private information from your computer to remote computers.
How To Remove Trojan Horse Sheur2

You can remove SHeur2 Trojan using and automatic removal tool or manually. To remove it manually, you need to:

1.    Restart you computer Safe Mode.
2.    Open Internet Explorer and clean browser history and temporary internet files.
3.    Remove startup items.
4.    Remove Registry entries related to SHeur2
5.    Reboot your computer.

If the Trojan is still there you can try performing a System Restore to remove it. It is very difficult to remove SHeur2 manually because it re-installs itself if you have not completely removed its presence from your computer. Also it requires an expertise to handle system registry else you may end up in damaging your computer even more than it is damaged by this Trojan. It is therefore strongly recommended to use an automatic trojan Sheur removal tool to get rid of this virus from your computer

Document Viruses

2011-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

Document or “macro” viruses take advantage of macros – commands that are embedded in fi les and run automatically.

Many applications, such as word processing and spreadsheet programs, use macros.
A macro virus is a macro program that can copy itself and spread from one file to
another. If you open a file that contains a macro virus, the virus copies itself into the
application’s startup files. The computer is now infected.

When you next open a file using the same application, the virus infects that file. If your
computer is on a network, the infection can spread rapidly: when you send an infected
file to someone else, they can become infected too. A malicious macro can also make
changes to your documents or settings.

Macro viruses infect files used in most offices and some can infect several file types,
such as Word and Excel files. They can also spread to any platform on which their host
application runs.

Macro viruses first appeared in the mid-1990s and rapidly became the most serious
virus threat of that time. Few viruses of this type are seen now

Denial of Service attack (DoS)

2011-01-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

A denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevents users from accessing a computer or website.

In a DoS attack, a hacker attempts to overload or shut down a computer, so that
legitimate users can no longer access it. Typical DoS attacks target web servers
and aim to make websites unavailable. No data is stolen or compromised, but the
interruption to the service can be costly for a company.

The most common type of DoS attack involves sending more traffic to a computer than
it can handle. Rudimentary methods include sending outsized data packets or sending
email attachments with names that are longer than permitted by the mail programs.[sintuhack]

An attack can also exploit the way that a “session” of communications is established
when a user first contacts the computer. If the hacker sends many requests for a
connection rapidly and then fails to respond to the reply, the bogus requests are left in
a buffer for a while. Genuine users’ requests cannot be processed, so that they can’t
contact the computer.[sintuhack]

Another method is to send an “IP ping” message (message requiring a response from
other computers) that appears to come from the victim’s computer. The message goes
out to a large number of computers, which all try to respond. The victim is flooded with
replies and the computer can no longer handle genuine traffic.[sintuhack]

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack uses numerous computers to launch the attack. Typically, hackers use a virus or Trojan to open a “back door” on other people’s
computers and take control of them. These “zombie” computers can be used to launch
a coordinated denial-of-service attack.[sintuhack]

Browser Hijackers

2011-01-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

Browser hijackers change the default home and search pages in your
internet browser.

Some websites run a script that changes the settings in your browser without your
permission. This hijacker can add shortcuts to your “Favorites” folder or, more seriously,
can change the page that is first displayed when you open the browser.

You may find that you cannot change your browser’s start page back to your chosen
site. Some hijackers edit the Windows registry so that the hijacked settings are restored
every time you restart your computer. Others remove options from the browser’s tools
menu, so that you can’t reset the start page.

In every case, the intention is the same: to force you to visit a website. This inflates
the number of “hits” and the site’s ranking with search engines, which boosts the
advertising revenue that the site can earn.

Browser hijackers can be very tenacious. Some can be removed automatically by
security software. Others may need to be removed manually. In some cases, it is easier
to restore the computer to an earlier state or reinstall the operating system.Browser hijackers change the default home and search pages in your
internet browser.

Some websites run a script that changes the settings in your browser without your
permission. This hijacker can add shortcuts to your “Favorites” folder or, more seriously,
can change the page that is first displayed when you open the browser.

You may find that you cannot change your browser’s start page back to your chosen
site. Some hijackers edit the Windows registry so that the hijacked settings are restored
every time you restart your computer. Others remove options from the browser’s tools
menu, so that you can’t reset the start page.

In every case, the intention is the same: to force you to visit a website. This inflates
the number of “hits” and the site’s ranking with search engines, which boosts the
advertising revenue that the site can earn.

Browser hijackers can be very tenacious. Some can be removed automatically by
security software. Others may need to be removed manually. In some cases, it is easier
to restore the computer to an earlier state or reinstall the operating system.Browser hijackers change the default home and search pages in your
internet browser.

Some websites run a script that changes the settings in your browser without your
permission. This hijacker can add shortcuts to your “Favorites” folder or, more seriously,
can change the page that is first displayed when you open the browser.

You may find that you cannot change your browser’s start page back to your chosen
site. Some hijackers edit the Windows registry so that the hijacked settings are restored
every time you restart your computer. Others remove options from the browser’s tools
menu, so that you can’t reset the start page.

In every case, the intention is the same: to force you to visit a website. This inflates
the number of “hits” and the site’s ranking with search engines, which boosts the
advertising revenue that the site can earn.

Browser hijackers can be very tenacious. Some can be removed automatically by
security software. Others may need to be removed manually. In some cases, it is easier
to restore the computer to an earlier state or reinstall the operating system.

Bluesnarfing---security threat

2011-01-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

Bluesnarfing[sintuhack]
Bluesnarfing is the theft of data from a Bluetooth phone.Like Bluejacking, Bluesnarfing depends on the ability of Bluetooth-enabled devices to detect and contact others nearby.[sintuhack].In theory, a Bluetooth user running the right software on their laptop can discover a
nearby phone, connect to it without your confirmation, and download your phonebook,[sintuhack],
pictures of contacts and calendar.Your mobile phone’s serial number can also be downloaded and used to clone the phone.[sintuhack],A great euphonious in every box
You should turn off Bluetooth or set it to “undiscoverable”.[sintuhack] The undiscoverable setting
allows you to continue using Bluetooth products like headsets, but means that your
phone is not visible to others.[sintuhack]

HOW to Track and Recover Your Lost/Stolen iPhone

2011-01-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

iPhone is the world’s best smart phone available today without any doubt. People carry their phones everywhere they go, and hence there is always a chance of them forgetting their iPhone somewhere or the iPhone getting stolen. Learn how to track, message, erase and recover your lost or stolen iPhone.

1. Track your iPhone via MobileMe

Apple has announced a new service called Find My iPhone that will allow iPhone owners to remotely locate their lost or stolen iPhones using the iPhone’s GPS. The service will be available as part of Apple’s MobileMe online subscription service.

Find My iPhone will pinpoint the iPhone’s current location using Google Maps and let owners send and display a message on the iPhone even if it’s locked, presumably to provide information on how to return the phone to the finder of the phone.

2. iPhone anti-theft solution – iLocalis
iLocalis has the following uses-

    * Never lose you iPhone: If it is missing just log onto the iLocalis site and you’ll know where it was located last.
    * Retrieve a stolen iPhone: If your iPhone is stolen you can log into the site and check out where it’s at. Extra features built into iLocalis allow you to send text messages or make calls on your iPhone when you don’t even have it with you. If you iPhone is stolen log in and send yourself a text message. If the thief changed the sim card you’ll have their phone number!
    * Allow your family and friends to know where you are: iLocalis will send a message to your friends when you are near by. You can also set it up to allow your friends to locate you. If your friend also has iLocalis you can send messages to each other for free. No txt messaging charges.
    * iLocalis can also be used for a business that needs location services for their employees. Employees carrying iPhones with iLocalis can be tracked via the web site easily.

Computer Security Threats--Backdoor Trojan

2010-12-26T01:38:00.000-08:00

A backdoor Trojan(security threat) allows someone to take control of another user’s
computer via the internet without their permission.
A backdoor Trojan(security threat) may pose as legitimate software, just as other Trojan horse programs
do, so that users run it. Alternatively – as is now increasingly common – users may
allow Trojans onto their computer by following a link in spam mail.
Once the Trojan is run, it adds itself to the computer’s startup routine. It can then
monitor the computer until the user is connected to the internet. When the computer
goes online, the person who sent the Trojan can perform many actions – for example,
run programs on the infected computer, access personal files, modify and upload files,
track the user’s keystrokes, or send out spam mail.
Well-known backdoor Trojans include Subseven, BackOrifice and, more recently,
Graybird, which was disguised as a fix for the notorious Blaster worm.
To avoid backdoor Trojans, you should keep your computers up to date with the latest
patches (to close down vulnerabilities in the operating system), and run anti-spam
and anti-virus software. You should also run a firewall, which can prevent Trojans from
accessing the internet to make contact with the hacker.Backdoor trojan computer security threat is one of
danger security attack.so be aware about this security threat.

Computer Security Threats

2010-12-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

We are living in a digital world, were computers are not just an ordinary thing anymore but a “necessity” to our everyday lives. Most of us only knew a little about computer security threats, the most common were “virus” and “worm”. But did you know that there are 34 different types of Computer Security Threats? A lot huh? You’ll know more about them below, so keep reading and i hope that you’ll be more cautious and knowledgeable in using your computer.

1. Adware

Adware is software that displays advertisements on your computer.

Adware, or advertising-supported software, displays advertising banners or pop-ups on
your computer when you use the application. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Such
advertising can fund the development of useful software, which is then distributed free
(for example, the Opera web browser).

However, adware becomes a problem if it:

installs itself on your computer without your consent
installs itself in applications other than the one it came with and displays advertising
when you use those applications
hijacks your web browser in order to display more ads (see Browser hijackers)
gathers data on your web browsing without your consent and sends it to others via
the internet (see Spyware)
is designed to be difficult to uninstall.

Adware can slow down your PC. It can also slow down your internet connection by
downloading advertisements. Sometimes programming flaws in the adware can make
your computer unstable.

Advertising pop-ups can also distract you and waste your time if they have to be closed
before you can continue using your PC.

Some anti-virus programs detect adware and report it as “potentially unwanted
applications”. You can then either authorize the adware program or remove it from the
computer. There are also dedicated programs for detecting adware.

THIS IS FIRST COMUTER SECURITY THREAT,I WILL POST ALL 34 COMUTER SECURITY THREAT ONE BY ONE,DUE TO CRISIS OF TIME I CANT POST ALL AT ONCE SO KEEP TOUCH WITH THIS BLOG,THIS IS MY PROMISE TO ALL OF YOU,I WILL COLLECT ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT COMPUTER SECURITY THREAT FOR YOU.

UP COMING POST ON--- Backdoor Trojans.SECURITY THREAT.WITH BEST WAY TO SAVE YOUR COMPUTER

Types of Computer Viruses

2010-12-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

Computer Virus is a kind of malicious software written intentionally to enter a computer without the user’s permission or knowledge, with an ability to replicate itself, thus continuing to spread. Some viruses do little but replicate others can cause severe harm or adversely effect program and performance of the system. A virus should never be assumed harmless and left on a system. Most common types of viruses are mentioned below:

Resident Viruses
This type of virus is a permanent which dwells in the RAM memory. From there it can overcome and interrupt all of the operations executed by the system: corrupting files and programs that are opened, closed, copied, renamed etc.

Examples include: Randex, CMJ, Meve, and MrKlunky.

Direct Action Viruses
The main purpose of this virus is to replicate and take action when it is executed. When a specific condition is met, the virus will go into action and infect files in the directory or folder that it is in and in directories that are specified in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file PATH. This batch file is always located in the root directory of the hard disk and carries out certain operations when the computer is booted.

Overwrite Viruses
Virus of this kind is characterized by the fact that it deletes the information contained in the files that it infects, rendering them partially or totally useless once they have been infected.

The only way to clean a file infected by an overwrite virus is to delete the file completely, thus losing the original content.

Examples of this virus include: Way, Trj.Reboot, Trivial.88.D.

Boot Virus
This type of virus affects the boot sector of a floppy or hard disk. This is a crucial part of a disk, in which information on the disk itself is stored together with a program that makes it possible to boot (start) the computer from the disk.

The best way of avoiding boot viruses is to ensure that floppy disks are write-protected and never start your computer with an unknown floppy disk in the disk drive.

Examples of boot viruses include: Polyboot.B, AntiEXE.

Macro Virus
Macro viruses infect files that are created using certain applications or programs that contain macros. These mini-programs make it possible to automate series of operations so that they are performed as a single action, thereby saving the user from having to carry them out one by one.

Examples of macro viruses: Relax, Melissa.A, Bablas, O97M/Y2K.

Directory Virus
Directory viruses change the paths that indicate the location of a file. By executing a program (file with the extension .EXE or .COM) which has been infected by a virus, you are unknowingly running the virus program, while the original file and program have been previously moved by the virus.

Once infected it becomes impossible to locate the original files.

Polymorphic Virus
Polymorphic viruses encrypt or encode themselves in a different way (using different algorithms and encryption keys) every time they infect a system.

This makes it impossible for anti-viruses to find them using string or signature searches (because they are different in each encryption) and also enables them to create a large number of copies of themselves.

Examples include: Elkern, Marburg, Satan Bug, and Tuareg.

File Infectors
This type of virus infects programs or executable files (files with an .EXE or .COM extension). When one of these programs is run, directly or indirectly, the virus is activated, producing the damaging effects it is programmed to carry out. The majority of existing viruses belong to this category, and can be classified depending on the actions that they carry out.

Companion Viruses
Companion viruses can be considered file infector viruses like resident or direct action types. They are known as companion viruses because once they get into the system they "accompany" the other files that already exist. In other words, in order to carry out their infection routines, companion viruses can wait in memory until a program is run (resident viruses) or act immediately by making copies of themselves (direct action viruses).

Some examples include: Stator, Asimov.1539, and Terrax.1069

FAT Virus
The file allocation table or FAT is the part of a disk used to connect information and is a vital part of the normal functioning of the computer.
This type of virus attack can be especially dangerous, by preventing access to certain sections of the disk where important files are stored. Damage caused can result in information losses from individual files or even entire directories.

Worms
A worm is a program very similar to a virus; it has the ability to self-replicate, and can lead to negative effects on your system and most importantly they are detected and eliminated by antiviruses.

Examples of worms include: PSWBugbear.B, Lovgate.F, Trile.C, Sobig.D, Mapson.

Trojans or Trojan Horses
Another unsavory breed of malicious code are Trojans or Trojan horses, which unlike viruses do not reproduce by infecting other files, nor do they self-replicate like worms.

Logic Bombs
They are not considered viruses because they do not replicate. They are not even programs in their own right but rather camouflaged segments of other programs.

Their objective is to destroy data on the computer once certain conditions have been met. Logic bombs go undetected until launched, and the results can be destructive.

Best Antivirus Software----KBSMP CHOICE

2010-12-19T01:53:00.000-08:00

3>>>>> Norton Antivirus 2009

Main Features:

Advanced antivirus with anti-spyware
Best proactive protection
Rapid pulse updates every 5 to 15 minutes
Rootkit detection, two way firewall
Defends against Web-based attacks
Automatic Virus Pattern Updates

Hardware Security

2010-12-19T01:51:00.000-08:00

Security should be intertwined with every part of system; the hardware is no exception. The interaction between hardware and software must be carefully planned. In doing so, the security of the entire system is strengthened.

Trusted Computing

Systems rely on Operating Systems and hardware. This collection of components comprises the core of the Trusted Computing Base (TCB). Systems fundamentally trust all actions that take place within the TCB. As Operating Systems become increasingly more complex, they are prone to faults and vulnerabilities. Hence, researchers seek to shrink the TCB.
Recently, a consortium gathered to create an open trusted framework. The Trusted Computing Group'sTrusted Platform Module (TPM) has received much attention. While vendors such as Dell have announced the deployment of TPMs, privacy concerns remain. Such concerns must be addressed before wide-spread acceptance occurs. (TCG)
Our current research efforts aim to discover novel uses for the TPM while maintaining the privacy of users.

Securing Non-Volatile Main Memory

We propose a Memory Encryption Control Unit (MECU) to address the vulnerabilities introduced by non-volatile memories. The MECU encrypts all memory transfers between the level 2 cache and main memory. The keys used to encrypt memory blocks are derived from secret information present on removable authentication tokens, e.g., smart card, or other similar secure storage devices. This provides protection against physical attacks in absence of the token.
We evaluated a MECU-enhanced architecture using the SimpleScalar hardware simulation framework on several hardware benchmarks. The performance analysis shows that we can secure non-volatile memories with minimal overhead---the majority of memory accesses are delayed by less than 1 ns, with limited degradation subsiding within 67 us of a system resume. In effect, we provide zero-cost steady state confidentiality for main memory

uAndroid's Security Framework

2010-12-19T01:44:00.001-08:00

uAndroid's Security Framework

The Google Android mobile phone platform is one of the most anticipated smartphone operating systems. Android defines a new component-based framework for developing mobile applications, where each application is comprised of different numbers and types of components. Activity components form the basis of the user interface; each screen presented to the user is a different Activity. Service components provide background processing that continues even after its application loses focus. Services also define arbitrary interfaces for communicating with other applications. Content Provider components share information in relational database form. For instance, the system includes an application with a Content Provider devoted to sharing the user's address book upon which other applications can query. Finally, Broadcast Receiver components act as an asynchronous mailbox for messages from the system and other applications. As a whole, this application framework supports a flexible degree of collaboration between applications, where dependencies can be as simple or complex as a situation requires.

How to secure network

2010-12-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

NETWORK SECURITY
1. Perform regular network security testing.
2. Don’t provide more or unwanted access to any network user.
3. Must have an updated antivirus program.
4. Operating system should be regularly updated. If you have windows based operating system you can update it from the Microsoft website.
5. Keep inventory of your network resources such as devices and software applications.
6. Regularly scan TCP/IP services
7. Turn off your computer when you are away and don’t leave your computer unattended.
8. Put a strong network and system administrator password.
9. Implement a strong security policy.
10. Use a switched network, so that you can identify the problem very quickly.

Computer And Internet

2010-12-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

Have you seen any coin without head or without tell----NO.Same situation in computer and internet.In 1940 computer came in picture and In 1969 internet came into picture and after this both them became most important part society.
NOW The question come how computer and internet are related,how they work.before describing these two i want to define some terminology related computer and internet
What is internet-----The Internet, sometime known as Net" itis a worldwide system of computer networks -that is it is a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer.so when a computers connected to each other and when they allow to pass information or message to each other world wide known as internet.now a day internet spread in all section of world.computer and internet pool whole world in one field.
Today, the Internet is a public, cooperative, and self-sustaining facility accessible to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Physically, the Internet uses a portion of the total resources of the currently existing public telecommunication networks.
The most widely used part of the Internet is the World Wide Web(WWW).NO doubt computer and internet made our easy,and gave us lot of opportunity to earn money.
But as we know every good effect has some bad effect.internet and computer arised on crime known as CYBER CRIME.One interesting thing i want to tell in this crime,in cyber crime computer and internet used as weapon as well as victim.In whole world lacks of hacker hacks the website ,credit card number by using computer and internet,so we should know some tips to secure own data.For this there is no need to go any where computer and internet makes available lot of information for you.search it read it.and apply it for secure your data.and use computer and internet to make life easy

CBI website hacked by 'Pakistani Cyber Army'

2010-12-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

In a major embarrassment, the website of premier investigating agency CBI was hacked on Friday night by programmers identifying themselves as "Pakistani Cyber Army".

Intelligence agencies have been often warning the government that proper cyber security was not being ensured in government offices and that no security audit was being carried out.
The Pakistani Cyber Army has also warned that it would carry out "mass defacement" of other websites.
"CBI is aware that its official website has beden hacked and defaced. An inquiry has been launched and necessary remedial measures are underway to restore it," CBI PRO RK Gaur said.

In addition to the CBI website, the self-proclaimed Pakistan Cyber army claims to have hacked another 270 websites.

I READ THIS NEWS IN NEWSPAPER.AFTER THIS I SEARCH ED ON INTERNET AND I FOUND IT IS TRUE.WHAT THEY WANT TO SHOW AND WHAT PAKISTANI HACKER WANT .WHY THEY ARE DOING CHEAP TYPE BEHAVE,I THINK THEY ARE CONFUSE PEOPLE AND THEY DONT KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING.HACKING TO ANY WEBSITE IS NOT TOUGH TASK.ALL RELEVANT CONTENT WHICH IS SUFFICIENT TO HACK ANY WEBSITE IS AVAILABLE ON INTERNET IF YOU READ THESE MATERIAL AND HACK ANY SITE THIS IS NOT GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.SO I WANT TO TELL THEM YOU ARE NOT BEST,IF YOU WERE BEST THEN YOU MUST UTILIZE YOUR KNOWLEDGE TO SAVE THE CYBER WORLD AND TRY TO MAKE GOOD RELATION BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.AND LAST I WANT TO TELL ALL MY READERS HATE AND IGNORE THESE PEOPLE WHICH MISUSE HIS KNOWLEDGE.AND TRY TO DISTURB PEACE BETWEEN ANY COUNTRY.

Internet Security

2010-12-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

Tips for browsing internet safely
The concern for internet safety is a global phenomenon, mostly for those who are new-fangled to internet. While the prevalence of social networking websites, online communities and internet-enabled processes should be great news for individual, corporate and government users, the concern for safety remains a major source of concern. The 21st century is the age of computers and World Wide Web. Everyone starting from child to old is accustomed with web browsing. But the question arises how much we are safe on the internet? Hackers and malicious software is a great threat to our individual online privacy. So we need to protect our self from these dangerous aspects of internet. Following are some steps that can ensure a safe browsing practice.
1–Use Common Sense
To browse the internet safely, it’s best if you do so by using common sense. Do not click on advertisements that may harm your computer, and stay away from sites that promise “free” items, cash or other services simply by entering your personal information. Just because a website looks official, this does not mean that it can’t harm your computer.
2 – Use a Firewall
To improve the safety of your internet browsing, it’s highly recommended that you install some high-quality firewall software. Having a firewall can help prevent programs from infiltrating your computer, and may also protect against some hackers or internet criminals.
3- Use Strong Passwords
Ensure data security by using strong passwords for your online accounts and your system files. Do not use your name or birth date as a password since they are easy to crack. Instead, use a password that contains alphanumeric characters and is at least eight characters long. Also, do not store passwords on your system. If remembering all your passwords is difficult, use a password manager program to organize and manage your passwords.
4- Install Antivirus and Antispyware Tools
Use an antivirus and an antispyware tool to keep your system protected from malicious programs, such as viruses, worms, adware, and spyware. Configure these tools to perform regular full system scans on your computer.
5 – Be Aware
When other people are using your computer, it’s best if you supervise their activities. Even if a friend asks to check their email, its best if you have them login under a other account that you have created for others to use. Having a Guest account on your computer enables you to allow others to use your computer without having to worry about them installing potentially malicious software. When creating a Guest account, disable sharing of important files on your computer. In addition to this, you should always make sure that any sensitive files are password-protected. Don’t load non-essential programs off the Internet, especially things like toolbars, screensavers, or video programs. These programs normally install extra, malicious software that causes problems and often requires a repair to remove effectively. Don’t click on anything in a pop-up and unsolicited links received in email, instant messages, or chat rooms, as it might install malware.
6- Do Not Open Attachments from Unsolicited Emails
Attachments that come with unwanted emails can contain malicious programs, such as viruses and worms. These malicious programs often cause severe damage to your system. Therefore, it is best that you straight away delete any unwanted emails you receive. You must also scan the attachments that you obtain from known sources before opening them.
7- Lock icon in the browser doesn’t means it’s secure
When the lock icon appears in the browser, many of us believe we are opening a secure site. This is because the lock icon indicates there is an SSL encrypted connection between the browser and the server to protect the personal sensitive information. However, it does not present any security from malware. In fact, it’s the reverse because most Web security products are totally blind to encrypted connections: it’s the perfect vehicle for malware to penetrate a machine. There have been many cases where hackers emulate bank, credit card sites complete with spoofed SSL certificates that are difficult for a user to identify as deceptive. So keep away from the unknown site which shows lock icon.
8- Keep your Operating System, Software, and Drivers Up-To-Date