It's a new year and already the first Patch Tuesday of Microsoft's monthly Windows update schedule has come and gone. If you ignored the update notification sitting your system tray, take a moment to let Windows Update do its thing, and as a reward for kicking procrastination to the curb, Microsoft will get rid of a...
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Microsoft is looking to wrangle a handful of guinea pigs adventurous users to help test the next version of its 'Microsoft Security Essentials' (MSE) antivirus software. Beta registration for the next-generation build of MSE is currently open, and Microsoft said it will be selecting a "limited" number of people who...
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Apparently, another one of the somewhat all-too-common malware-related problems in the U.S. military has resulted in the systems used by pilots who control U.S. Air Force drones being infected by a "keylogger." Although detected by the military's security systems, they've been unable to wipe it off their systems, at least permanently. A source...
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The folks at Lookout Mobile Security released the 2011 Mobile Threat Report, which offers a sobering look at the current state of mobile threats. According to the report, mobile users are more likely than ever to experience a malware attack, and the tactics that cybercriminals are employing are increasingly...
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It's like the wild west all over again, only this time we have the Internet, modern technology, and plumbing. Oh, and Microsoft isn't asking anyone to bring back a head on a platter. The Redmond sheriff is simply asking for "new information that results in the identification, arrest, and conviction" of those...
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Mozilla is working on a project that could eliminate the need for passwords and the sign-up/verification processes on websites. Mozilla's BrowserID is an experimental way of logging in to websites. BrowserID uses the verified email protocol and aims to offer a streamlined user experience. After a user proves ownership of an email address,...
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Microsoft on Thrusday warned that scammers are now phoning home -- your home -- as one more way to get a fool to part with his money. The scam involves cybercriminals posing as security engineers calling people at home to tell them their PCs could be at risk for malware and offering free security checks, all while claiming to represent legitimate...
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If you have the misfortune of living in an area where dial-up is still the only option, you have our condolences. Not just because dial-up sucks, but also because you're not going to doing much of anything online next Tuesday other than downloading security updates. Microsoft is putting together its biggest patch ever, a record 16 security...
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We actually wondered what Microsoft would say if they got wind of Google's plans to phase out Windows machines in favor of Linux and OS X alternatives, and it looks like our wish has been granted. Microsoft recently published a response the rumor (which has still not been confirmed by Google), and the whole thing...
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If you've read any of our recent mobile reviews, you'd know that we're no fans of pre-installed security/anti-virus software. Too often, these suits are nagging, and they generally bog down a system that would otherwise run far faster. We have no issues with these applications being bundled on a disc, but having them on the HDD right out of...
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By now you've certainly heard of Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), the free antivirus program hailing from Redmond and intended to replace Windows Live OneCare. Looking to capitalize on MSE's brand recognition, there's a rogue program making the rounds called "Security Essentials 2010." If the screenshot above looks at all familiar to you,...
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While Symantec and other antivirus firms may make gibes at Microsoft's free Security Essentials antivirus, Microsoft reportedly offered the product in order to increase AV coverage in regions where people can't afford to pay for one. At least, that's the reason they gave, and at first glance it appears MSE is making...
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More than half of computer viruses last a mere 24 hours.Panda Security's malware detection laboratory, PandaLabs, has been analyzing the nearly 37,000 samples of new viruses, worms, Trojans and other security threats that it receives each day and found that 52 percent of them work for just 24 hours. "After that timeframe, they become inactive...
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Mac users who've been smug for years over how secure their OS is, could be in for a rude awakening if news out of the Black Hat Security Conference is true.As Macs have slowly gained market share on PCs — 9 percent of the market in the second quarter of 2009 and growing — the interest in hacking them has increased. The advances in security...
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Symantec, McAfee and Norton. What do all three of those have in common? A little something with Microsoft, now. For years upon years, the first three companies have been ruling the PC security roost, all while Microsoft scrambles to patch its own operating systems when new exploits are discovered and reported. At long last, the OS maker has...
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Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your computer ... Microsoft and Adobe inform their users they have all sorts of security flaws and even Mac users are affected.First, Adobe: Not only do the "critical vulnerabilities" in Adobe Reader 9.1.1 and Acrobat 9.1.1 "and earlier versions" cause the applications to crash, but they also can...
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Here's a way to get attention to your product: suggest that it can prevent consumers' PCs from becoming a "zombie." Believe it or not, a new report from McAfee suggests there has been a 50% increase in the number of detected "zombie computers" since 2008. You're terrified already, aren't you?According to a BBC report, a zombie PC is simply...
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Let's face it -- Microsoft has struggled with security, particularly on its operating systems and its Internet Explorer browser. Even as recently as this month, the Conficker virus was making its way around to Windows-powered machines as security experts scrambled to find a fix. Thus, it makes perfect sense to see Microsoft introducing a dedicated...
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With data theft seeming to be increasing in frequency (read this and this), a California legislator has introduced a bill that would make companies report more information to people affected by the breaches.State Sen. Joe Simitian's bill would require companies involved to report to the state attorney general any data breach that affected...
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Microsoft and nearly 20 other organizations and firms have joined forces to formulate a coordinated, global response to the Conficker (AKA Downadup) worm. At the same time, Microsoft announced a $250,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of the hackers behind Conficker. The last time Microsoft offered a reward was in 2004,...
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Malware writers sobbed Tuesday as Microsoft announced that it will cease sales of its security product, Windows Live OneCare, as of June 30th, 2009. Instead, Microsoft announced that it would begin shipping a free product, codenamed "Morro," in the second half of 2009. The new offering will be less of a resource hog, according to the press...
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Data breaches are becoming increasingly common and more sophisticated, putting consumers' personal information and financials at risk. Not only can these data breaches lead to identity theft, but some can even lead to money being siphoned out of bank accounts and illegal purchases made on credit cards. The responsibility for preventing these...
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