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Mac malware is back in the news again. Last week, security firm F-Secure warned that it had discovered a Trojan built for OS X that was disguised as a PDF document. It’s not clear whether this malware is a present threat — it was apparently created earlier this year — but the mechanics of how … Читать далее
A security firm revealed today that mysql.com, the central repository for widely-used Web database software, was hacked and booby-trapped to serve visitors with malicious software. The disclosure caught my eye because just a few days ago I saw evidence that administrative access to mysql.com was being sold in the hacker underground for just $3,000. Web … Читать далее
Computer crooks and spammers are abusing a little-known encoding method that makes it easy to disguise malicious executable files (.exe) as relatively harmless documents, such as text or Microsoft Word files. The “right to left override” (RLO) character is a special character within unicode, an encoding system that allows computers to exchange information regardless of … Читать далее
A 23-year-old Arizona man arrested on Thursday in connection with the hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment last May was a model student who saw himself one day defending networks at the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency. Wired.com’s Threat Level, the Associated Press, and other news outlets are reporting that Tempe, Ariz. based … Читать далее
Adobe today issued an out-of-band software update to fix dangerous security flaws in its Flash Player products, including at least one that is actively being exploited. Patches are available for versions of Flash on Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris and Android operating systems. Adobe said one of the bugs, a cross-site scripting flaw, is being exploited … Читать далее
An ATM skimmer gang stole more than $400,000 using skimming devices built with the help of high-tech 3D printers, federal prosecutors say. Before I get to the gang, let me explain briefly how ATM skimmers work, and why 3D printing is a noteworthy development in this type of fraud. Many of the ATM skimmers profiled … Читать далее
CAPTCHAs, those squiggly and frustrating puzzles that many Web sites require users to solve before registering or leaving comments, are designed to block automated activity and deter spammers. But for some Russian-language forums that cater to spammers and other miscreants, CAPTCHAs may also be part of a vetting process designed to frustrate foreigners and outsiders. … Читать далее
If you use Windows or Adobe Reader/Acrobat, it’s patch time. Microsoft released five updates to fix at least 15 security vulnerabilities, and Adobe issued a quarterly update to eliminate 13 security flaws in its PDF Reader and Acrobat products. The Microsoft patches, available via Windows Update and Automatic Update, address security holes in Excel, Office, … Читать далее
In June 2011, Russian authorities arrested Pavel Vrublevsky, co-founder of ChronoPay, Russia’s largest processor of online payments, for allegedly hiring a hacker to attack his company’s rivals. New evidence suggests that Vrublevsky’s arrest was the product of a bribe paid by Igor Gusev, the other co-founder of ChronoPay and a man wanted by Russian police … Читать далее
Yesterday I wrote about the public storefront where anyone can rent access to computers infected with TDSS, widely considered one of the largest and most complex botnets on the planet. Today, I’ll take a closer look at a Russian individual who appears to have close ties to the TDSS operation. Tuesday’s story got picked up … Читать далее