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Trojan
GSS Glossary - Trojan

Trojan

A type of malicious software that masquerades as a useful program or file to gain the user's trust and be opened is called a Trojan horse or trojan. Once opened, it executes malicious computer code.

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Trojan Related Products

F-Secure Anti-Virus Client Security

F-Secure Anti-Virus Client Security offers protection against new breeds of threats. It is a centrally-managed solution consisting of tightly-integrated virus protection, spyware protection, desktop firewall, and intrusion prevention and application control software for desktop and laptop computers.

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Mail Sentinel

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Websense Security Suite

The web-based threats facing organisations today are growing in number, complexity, and cost to organisations. Security products such as antivirus and firewalls play a significant role in combating these security threats; however, they have inherent time and technology gaps that leave organisations vulnerable. The Websense Web Security Suite complements existing security products to create a comprehensive security solution that protects your organisation from web-based threats – both internal and external to your network.

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ProxyAV 400 Series

The ProxyAV 400 Series is a purpose-built solution designed for quick integration with ProxySG 800 for deployment in medium enterprise or distributed environments. It provides scalable performance with a choice of antivirus engines from Sophos and McAfee.

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3e-010F-C-2 Crypto Client for Intel Centrino

The 3e-010F-C-2/3e-010F-A-2 Crypto Client software provides advanced interoperable 802.11i wireless data security with AES and 3DES encryption. These advanced security options include the standards as established by FIPS 140-2 Level 1 - the Federal Information Processing Standards mandated by the US Department of Defense for use in wireless environments.

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PatchLink VMS

In the face of a growing volume of security legislation and industry regulations, IT security organisations are challenged to understand and communicate their security posture and enforce policies and regulations, while IT operations struggle to keep up with the growing number of threats in a complex IT environment. The missing link lies between vulnerability assessment and an automated remediation process and the need for a comprehensive solution to bridge the two.

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Secure Firewall (Sidewinder)

Consolidating all major security functions under a single management interface, Secure Firewall (Sidewinder) Network Gateway Security appliances deliver industry-leading, application-layer performance and best-in-class security. With over a decade of successful deployments in the most demanding, high-security environments, we have gained a reputation for building the world’s strongest self-defending firewall/VPN.

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ProxyAV 510 Series

The Blue Coat AV510 Series is a purpose-built solution designed for simple integration with Blue Coat SG810 and SG510 series solutions for medium enterprise or distributed environments providing scalable performance with a choice of antivirus engines.

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ProxyAV 810 Series

The Blue Coat AV810 Series represents the next generation in highend appliance platforms for enterprise Web AV. The AV810 series is a purpose-built appliance designed for scalable, enterprise performance, enterprise manageability, and factory-built integration with the Blue Coat SG

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Secure Mail (IronMail) S-Class

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BorderWare SteelGate

SteelGate is a high-performance VPN firewall appliance that enables organizations to prevent attacks and block malicious behavior, control network traffic both inbound and outbound and centrally manage the perimeter defense infrastructure in a single security solution. SteelGate is a comprehensive firewall appliance that is based on the Common Criteria certified BorderWare Firewall Server software.

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Vital Security Web Appliance NG-5100

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Vital Security Web Appliance NG-6100

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SSG 5/SSG 20

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NetScreen Hardware Security Client

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NetScreen 5 Series

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SSG 140

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SSG 300 Series

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SSG 500 Series

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Trend Micro AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware 2008

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ScanMail Suite for Microsoft Exchange

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OfficeScan Client/Server Edition

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ServerProtect for EMC Celerra

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ServerProtect for Linux

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Sanctuary Application Control

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LinkProof

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Kaspersky Anti-Virus for File Server

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Kaspersky Anti-Virus for MIMEsweeper

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for MIMEsweeper integrates tightly with Clearswift MIMEsweeper to provide antivirus scanning and disinfection of incoming and outgoing traffic that passes through the security software.

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IDP 50/200/600/1100

Using industry recognized stateful detection and prevention techniques, Juniper Networks IDP provides zero-day protection against worms, Trojans, spyware, keyloggers, and other malware from penetrating the network and spreading from already infected users to others. In addition to protecting networks against attacks, Juniper Networks IDP provides information on rogue servers as well as types and versions of applications and operating systems that may have unknowingly been added to the network. Combined with granular level of control such as rate limiting, not only can administrators control the access of specific applications, but they can now ensure business critical applications receive a predictable quality of service.

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ISG Series with IDP

The Juniper Networks Integrated Security Gateways (ISG) are purpose-built, security solutions that leverage a fourth generation security ASIC, the GigaScreen3, along with high-speed microprocessors to deliver unmatched firewall and VPN performance. The Juniper Networks ISG 1000 and ISG 2000 are ideally suited for securing enterprise, carrier and data center environments where advanced applications such as VoIP and streaming media dictate consistent, scalable performance. Integrating best-in-class Deep Inspection firewall, VPN and DoS solutions, the ISG 1000 and ISG 2000 enable secure, reliable connectivity along with network and application-level protection for critical, high-traffic network segments.

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DefensePro

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Websense Hosted Web Security

Websense Hosted Web Security provides centralized web malware protection and granular web filtering. The hosted deployment model provides centralized policy management for any type of environment, including those with remote locations, home offices, and mobile laptops. Hosted Web Security provides is a complete solution or can be layered with existing on-premise security to provide additional layers of web malware protection. Guaranteed by industry-leading SLAs, Hosted Web Security eliminates the complexity and uncertainty of managing web-based threats, while simplifying policy administration for all users within the organization.

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Trojan Related Product Families

F-Secure

F-Secure Corporation protects individuals and businesses against computer viruses and other threats spreading through the Internet and mobile networks. Their key strength is the speed of response to new threats. Businesses can benefit from the centralised management of F-Secure solutions.

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Finjan

Finjan is a leading provider of secure web gateway solutions for the enterprise market. Finjan’s installed based comprises millions of enterprise users worldwide, including Fortune 1000 companies in the finance, banking, insurance, healthcare, airline, and high-tech sectors, as well as large government agencies. Through an award-winning web security appliances, Finjan protects customers’ vital data assets from the growing cybercrime threat.

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Trojan Related Industry News

Your worst security threat: Employees?

Your worst security threat: Employees? A government-backed report has found that employees are almost as big a security threat as external causes - and companies are finding and the cost per incident is rising. More than a third of the worst computer system security breaches at UK companies are from employees, according to government-backed research released on Tuesday. The Information Security Breaches Survey 2002, sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry and prepared by consultanc...... [more]

Windows 2000 hit by mysterious attacks

Windows 2000 hit by mysterious attacks Microsoft security experts floored A rash of attacks on Windows 2000 servers has left Microsoft security experts baffled. The software giant issued a security warning about the attacks, which seem to be based around Trojan horse programs, but unusually the firm has yet to suggest any protective measures. But more recent missives on the firm's website seem to indicate that the attacks are more likely to be the work of hackers rather than passive worm a...... [more]

Worm could be clearing path for DDoS attack

Worm could be clearing path for DDoS attack The Deloder worm is beginning to spread slowly on the Internet - leaving two Trojan horse programs in its wake A new worm that leaves behind two Trojan horse programs has begun spreading over the Internet, and may be paving the way for a crippling distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. The virus -- dubbed WORM_DELODER.A -- has made its way into a large number of machines in China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US, Trend Mic...... [more]

Spammers and virus writers unite

Spammers and virus writers unite Spammers are turning to tactics favoured by virus writers to get their unwanted messages into circulation. Anti-spam activists have found that some unscrupulous spammers are hijacking the e-mail accounts of innocent users to send millions of messages. The spammers take over the accounts using malicious e-mail messages that resemble computer viruses. As efforts to beat spam accelerate, many junk marketers are keen to cover their tracks and hide the real o...... [more]

What's the difference between a viral attack and a scan?

What's the difference between a viral attack and a scan? Infosec exhibitors were yesterday urged to check their systems for a virus after the performance of the security conference's network took a severe hit. Exhibitors received an advisory from eForce, which is responsible for the networking and security of Olympia, Infosec's venue, that warned of an attack linked to a Trojan called Deloader. According to exhibitor MIS Corporate Defence Solutions, the virus had "some effect on the per...... [more]

Fizzer Worm Wallops World

Fizzer Worm Wallops World Complex new virus spreading fast. The Fizzer worm, which first caught security experts' attention last Thursday, is hitting computer users across the globe early this week, spreading through email and popular file-swapping networks. Tonight on "Tech Live," get the very latest news on Fizzer, and see how to get rid of this new menace. Security firm MessageLabs says its scanners caught 18,000 email messages containing Fizzer on Monday alone. The virus spreads in m...... [more]

Students offered virus writing course

Students offered virus writing course Should make for an interesting edition of University Challenge A university course in Canada teaching students how to create computer viruses has been met with derision by angry industry watchers, who believe it will create a pool of future virus writers. The 'Computer Viruses and Malware' course will begin next autumn at the University of Calgary. It is described as focusing on "developing malicious software such as computer viruses, worms and Trojan...... [more]

Spam virus 'hijacks' computers

Spam virus 'hijacks' computers Spammers are sending out viruses that take over people's computers and turn them into junk mail machines, say experts. It is a worrying new development in the ongoing war against spam and could see a huge rise in the amount of unsolicited messages in inboxes worldwide. In a worst case scenario, it could overwhelm the entire internet system warn experts. UK spam filtering firm MessageLabs has found what it believes is the first example of a virus that has be...... [more]

New Breed of Trojan Raises Security Concerns

New Breed of Trojan Raises Security Concerns Security researchers believe they have identified a new breed of Trojan horse that is infecting machines on the Internet, possibly in preparation for a larger coordinated attack. However, experts have been unable to pin down many of the details of the program's behavior and are unsure how many machines might be compromised by the Trojan. The program scans random IP addresses and sends a probe in the form of a TCP SYN request with a window size...... [more]

Labour website hacked

Labour website hacked Security researchers believe they have identified a new breed of Trojan horse that is infecting machines on the Internet, possibly in preparation for a larger coordinated attack. However, experts have been unable to pin down many of the details of the program's behavior and are unsure how many machines might be compromised by the Trojan. The program scans random IP addresses and sends a probe in the form of a TCP SYN request with a window size that is always 55808. I...... [more]

'Good' worm, new bug mean double trouble

'Good' worm, new bug mean double trouble A "good" Internet worm and a new malicious mass-mailing computer virus are creating an enormous amount of network traffic, slowing some corporate systems, security experts said Tuesday. The Internet worm--called MSBlast.D, W32.Welchia or W32/Nachi--started compromising computers Monday and has overwhelmed some corporate networks with its aggressive scans for vulnerable hosts. Meanwhile, a new variant of the mass-mailing Sobig virus, called W32/SoBig.F, to...... [more]

Microsoft tweaks, new laws won't make '04 safer

Microsoft tweaks, new laws won't make '04 safer Looking back at security issues of 2003 and ahead to 2004 For computer security experts, 2003 started with the Slammer Internet worm and went downhill from there. The year, which included four major worm and virus outbreaks just in August, has been labeled the "year of the worm" and "the worst year ever" by more than one computer security expert. All that activity meant good news for antivirus software companies, such as Symantec. It was bad ne...... [more]

Almost half of Kazaa downloads 'threaten security'

Almost half of Kazaa downloads 'threaten security' Free software and files downloaded from P2P network Kazaa will pose one of the most significant threats to corporate security in 2004, according to research from risk management specialist TruSecure. Last year was reportedly the worst ever in terms of virus attacks, disruptive worms and security threats, but 2004 is likely to be even worse. TruSecure expects problems to arise from the sheer volume of both corporate and home users unknowingly dow...... [more]

Spammers not deterred by Can Spam Act

Spammers not deterred by Can Spam Act As expected, spammers don't seem too impressed with the US Can Spam Act, which was enforced on January 1. Nor have they changed their tactics. The US Can Spam Act attempts to regulate rather than ban the practice of spamming, but it outlaws so-called fraudulent spam, where spammers use open relays/proxies to send their messages. Falsified email headers can now also be punished with prison terms, as can sending sexually-oriented email which is not properly l...... [more]

Spam with Trojan horse attacks eBay users

Spam with Trojan horse attacks eBay users Virus authors are using spam e-mails containing a Trojan horse program to help spread the latest version of the Mimail e-mail worm. The latest threat, which targets customers of eBay's PayPal online payment service, highlights a growing trend in which online criminals combine computer viruses, spam distribution techniques, Trojan horse programs and "phishing" scams to circumvent security technology and fool internet users, said Carole Theriault, securi...... [more]

Handle security incidents in seven steps

Handle security incidents in seven steps Your possibility of encountering a security incident grows each day. You don't want to wait until you're in the middle of a crisis before you begin to develop a rational plan for handling an attack. Being prepared for an incident is essential to the survival of your network and its resources. Incident handling begins with planning and establishing policies and procedures. Developing a plan of attack for each type of security incident is crucial to the...... [more]

'Clean up this Internet effluent now'

'Clean up this Internet effluent now' Messagelabs CTO Mark Sunner claims that ISPs allowing unfiltered traffic to flow to customers is like a water authority pumping out raw sewage We are losing the malware war. Conventional antivirus and anti-spam countermeasures seem ineffective against an increasingly sophisticated enemy. The argument is that server- and client-side solutions draw the battle lines far too deeply inside their own territory, robbing computing, bandwidth and other resources. Wha...... [more]

Worms Hit Home

Worms Hit Home It's early in 2004 and Microsoft is sick with nearly 65,000 viruses, it's crawling with worms, and there are enough packaged trojans sitting around to wreak havoc on almost any virile computer. It would be nice for security professionals to afford a week off from the world of viruses, worms, trojans, and backdoors to enjoy a long overdue vacation, but we all know the malevolent attempts of the next major outbreak are just around the corner. The fact that each of us can only contr...... [more]

Hackers capitalizing on Mydoom's success

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Hacker pleads guilty to accessing, damaging computers

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Hacker Admits Damaging Qualcomm Computers

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Spam, scam, spoof and spyware: beware epidemic in Internet empire

Spam, scam, spoof and spyware: beware epidemic in Internet empire Spam, the circulation of unwanted electronic messages, is dangerous and expensive for businesses and individuals and is growing uncontrollably on an epidemic scale So says an official report prepared for an OECD-EU meeting on Monday and Tuesday. Confidence in the entire environment of Internet communications and electronic commerce is at risk. A simple answer is not at hand, says the report which has just been declassified by...... [more]

New version of MyDoom appears

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Adware ploy dupes IMers with bin Laden 'news'

Adware ploy dupes IMers with bin Laden 'news' Beware of instant messages bearing news of Osama bin Laden's capture Several victims told CNET News.com on Wednesday that a new Trojan horse advertising program, called BuddyLinks, masquerades as a news Web site with a story on the al-Qaida leader's capture in an attempt to fool users of America Online's instant-messaging program into downloading software and receiving advertising. Although the software has some of the properties of an Internet w...... [more]

Spam seen as security risk

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Is the Superworm a Mere Myth?

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Blaster Type Virus Attack Called 'Imminent'

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Perhaps latest virus was meant to send message

Perhaps latest virus was meant to send message Nothing stirs controversy better than issues with conflicting arguments. So why do viruses seem so controversial? Users, legitimate software developers, IT professionals and just about everybody else are basically on the same side of the fence. They don't like viruses. It's just a matter of how much ill sentiment each person feels. Is it just an inconvenience -- or a major problem? The public at large doesn't really understand the motives behind...... [more]

Spam's 'dirty dozen' exposed

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Automated kits fuel virus epidemic

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Blaster beats up British business

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Nuisance worms give helpdesks 'virus fatigue'

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NetSky, we hardly knew ye

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Trojans Send Confidential Information to Hacker

Trojans Send Confidential Information to Hacker Sophos Friday issued alerts for two Trojans, Troj/LDPinch-G and Troj/LDPinch-H, which send passwords and confidential information to a remote location and provides backdoor access to the computer. When first run the Trojans move themselves to the Windows folder and add its pathname to the following registry entry, to run itself on startup: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\putil The Trojans periodically attempts to sen...... [more]

Zombie PCs must die!

Zombie PCs must die! Comcast, the US cable giant, is threatening to disconnect customers whose infected PC are being used to relay spam messages. Up to 30 per cent of spam is now spewing from hijacked "zombie" PCs. Spammers use Trojan horses and worms to take over PCs and use them as spam engines, a practice that can severely disrupt the operation of ISPs. Recently, many Comcast customer IP addresses were recently blacklisted because of this spam-spewing zombies. The cableco has sent le...... [more]

Cyber security seminar offers tips to keep computers safe

Cyber security seminar offers tips to keep computers safe Someone you don't know and probably will never meet could be watching you as you type on your computer. He may know every key you strike. Learning your computer-using habits. Studying every site you enter and word you type. Stealing your passwords. And maybe your money and identity. In 2003, Floridians reported losing $25 million because they were victimized by some sort of security fraud, said Andrew Valentine, a cyber secur...... [more]

ISP Gets Tough With 'Zombie' Customers

ISP Gets Tough With 'Zombie' Customers Broadband provider Comcast is taking a tough new approach to targeting "spam zombies" -- those virus-infected, unwitting spam-sending computers among its broadband base. The ISP is telling customers to get virus-scanning and firewall software loaded or risk losing their high-speed connection until the problem of virus infections on their computer is fixed. In recent weeks, the cable broadband giant has been alerting surprised customers to the probl...... [more]

Phatbot primed to steal your credit card details

Phatbot primed to steal your credit card details Trojan horse-type computer virus called Phatbot can steal credit card numbers and launch denial of service attacks on Web sites. The new virus made its debut on the Internet on Friday (18 March), clogging bandwidth, stealing personal data and initiating denial of service attacks. Phatbot is a variant of a Agobot, a big family of IRC bots. It can steal personal information such as email addresses, credit card numbers, PayPay details and softwar...... [more]

Watch out: It's virus season again

Watch out: It's virus season again Like it or not, we're hot and heavy into the first active virus season of 2004, one that--if the past is any indication --should last until May, then resume again in early August. Despite the sheer number of medium-threat viruses on the loose this year, however--we've seen about 36 low- to medium-level threats so far since January 18, 2004--virus writers seem to be burning through their bag of new tricks with only limited success. Indeed, none of the recen...... [more]

Could NZ become a spam haven?

Could NZ become a spam haven? New Zealand has rocketed to the third largest producer of spam in the region, according to anti-spam company Brightmail. Spam claiming to originate from New Zealand accounts for 14% of the region's spam production, up from only 2% in January. The biggest offenders are China and Korea with 34% and 30% respectively. Japan is fourth with only 8%. Brightmail, which provides anti-spam filters to both Telecom and TelstraClear in New Zealand, tracks email traffic t...... [more]

New Netsky worms change their stripes

New Netsky worms change their stripes New versions of the Netsky e-mail worm are spreading on the Internet and may be the work of a different author than previous editions of that worm, according to anti-virus software companies. Netsky.S appeared on Monday and Netsky.T was detected Tuesday. They are the 19th and 20th editions of an e-mail virus that first appeared in February. Unlike earlier variants, the new Netsky strains open "back doors" on machines they infect, prompting at least one...... [more]

The Deadly Duo: Spam and Viruses, March 2004

The Deadly Duo: Spam and Viruses, March 2004 The volume of unwanted messages inched up another percentage point during March 2004, pushing the spam ratio to 63 percent. Of the 93 billion messages Brightmail's Probe Network filtered during the month, 58.6 billion were identified as spam. Unsolicited product-related messages continue to garner the largest piece of the spam pie, while scam messages experienced the biggest decrease. Despite the mounting volume, consumers are becoming increasing...... [more]

First Macintosh OS Virus Appears

First Macintosh OS Virus Appears Security experts on Friday slammed security firm Intego for exaggerating the threat of what the company identified as the first Trojan for Mac OS X. On Thursday, Intego issued a press release saying it had found OS X's first Trojan Horse, a piece of malware called MP3Concept or MP3Virus.Gen that appears to be an MP3 file. If double-clicked and launched in the Finder, the Trojan accesses certain system files, the company claimed. While Intego said the Tro...... [more]

EarthLink keeps tabs on spyware

EarthLink keeps tabs on spyware EarthLink is starting to keep score in its fight against spyware. The Internet service provider on Thursday said it found an average of nearly 28 spyware items on each PC it scanned during the first quarter. The company, in conjunction with Webroot Software, conducted a total of 1.06 million scans through its Spy Audit service. The majority of the items found were relatively harmless, EarthLink said, but some represented serious problems. The term "spyware" h...... [more]

PCs 'infested' with spy programs

PCs 'infested' with spy programs The average computer is packed with hidden software that can secretly spy on online habits, a study has found. The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year. Spyware is a broad term for programs that hide on a person's computer without their knowledge. It has become so pervasive that lawmakers in the US are looking into ways to prevent or regulate it. Hid...... [more]

New Phatbot worm may be on the loose

New Phatbot worm may be on the loose A new variant of the Phatbot worm may be on the loose and attempting to attack SQL Server ports, according to a warning the SANS Institute issued Monday. Last month, Phatbot made the rounds, attacking Windows systems by acting as a Trojan horse. Phatbot would then link infected computers into an underground network for sending spam or launching other attacks. SANS is currently in the process of attempting to capture a full packet of data--or an executable fil...... [more]

Cash Cow or Spam Sow?

Cash Cow or Spam Sow? A marketing firm that offers people cash in exchange for letting their computers be commandeered to distribute bulk e-mails has come under fire from antispam activists, who say the program is just a cover for a high-tech spamming operation. The program, operated by Sendmails Corp., offers members $5 for downloading and installing the company's VirtualMDA (mail delivery agent) software. The New Hampshire company promises to pay an additional $1 for every hour of computi...... [more]

Who's Taking the Bait: 'Phishing' Skyrockets

Who's Taking the Bait: 'Phishing' Skyrockets You might say everyone in the online scamming industry has gone "phishing," judging by skyrocketing statistics on the scam from MessageLabs and other online security groups. MessageLabs said e-mail scams by way of phishing -- those legitimate-looking e-mails that try to trick users into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft -- jumped by about 1,200 percent in the past six months. In September of 2003, the compa...... [more]

'Osama' Spam Onslaught Leads to Trojan

'Osama' Spam Onslaught Leads to Trojan A persistent new spam campaign that purports to show recipients pictures of Osama bin Laden being captured is in fact a ruse that could lead victims to download a malicious Trojan. The e-mails have been flooding inboxes all over the Internet since Thursday, carrying a subject line that reads: "Osama bin Laden Captured." The sending address is spoofed, and the messages often appear in tightly grouped batches of eight or 10 e-mails at a time. The text of...... [more]

Employers could be sued for porn spam

Employers could be sued for porn spam E-mail porn spam in the workplace could land European employers in court for fostering a hostile work environment, a Dutch researcher says. The broad wording of new European anti-spam legislation opens up a new breed of legal snares for Europe's corporate sector, according to Lodewijk Asscher. "European employers must be aware of the risk of new computer-related liabilities," said the researcher for the University of Amsterdam's Institute for Info...... [more]

Sasser spawns children, headaches

Sasser spawns children, headaches Variations appear on the Internet as rate of new infections begins to slow At least two new versions of a malicious computer worm that appeared late Friday were circulating on the Internet Monday, according to computer security experts and antivirus software companies. New variations of the Sasser Internet worm, named Sasser.B and Sasser.C were identified by antivirus companies, just days after the first version of the new worm appeared. Despite the new vers...... [more]

Sassar fix spreads worm

Sassar fix spreads worm Cure is worse than the illness Virus writers hoping to capitalise on the spread of the Sassar worm have hit on the cunning plan of disguising a less effective Trojan as its cure. Anti-virus companies are reporting that an email offering a cure to the Sassar worm has been circulated around the net. When people click on the link to download the fix they actually download the older Netsky-AC virus. Virus experts believe that it is likely that the two viruses were wr...... [more]

Companies taking computer virus attacks in their stride: security experts

Companies taking computer virus attacks in their stride: security experts Computer virus attacks have become so common that companies are taking them in their stride. Security experts that Channel NewsAsia spoke to say companies have accepted the fact that doing businesses on the Net will involve risks. And they are willing to take those risks. Once upon a time, computer viruses needed a user to activate them, by opening infected attachments in the email. Now, they are getting smart...... [more]

The hacker: an in depth look

The hacker: an in depth look Recently a German teen created havoc all over the world by a worm created by him, namely the Sasser worm. There have also been increased reports of hacker attacks recently. Techtree.com takes an in-depth look at the hacker. Who is a hacker? The term 'hacker' originally developed at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA) long before computers became common; a "hack" meant a simple, but often an inelegant solution. The term hack came to refer to any clever...... [more]

Child porn case highlights browser hijack risks

Child porn case highlights browser hijack risks Browser hijacking programs can redirect users to pornographic websites. But could these malicious programs also lead to false accusations of possession of child pornography? Malware such as CoolWebSearch (AKA CWS) can change browser start-up and search pages and generate pop-up pages - often punting illegal pornographic websites - on infected PCs. The program exploits IE vulnerabilities to slither onto unpatched PCs. Users would normally have...... [more]

SurfControl Says 'Brand Spoofing' Spams Up Nearly 500 Percent Since January

SurfControl Says 'Brand Spoofing' Spams Up Nearly 500 Percent Since January 'Brand spoof' spam scams increased nearly 500 percent since January, and by 51 times since May 2003, SurfControl, the world's number one Web and e-mail filtering company, reported today. The company also warned individuals and companies to beware of a new dirty trick employed by brand spoof spammers -- a fake address bar that appears in an e-mail recipients' Web browser -- that makes these e-mail scams look even more...... [more]

Phatbot suspect released on bail

Phatbot suspect released on bail The suspected author of the Phatbot Trojan was released on bail last Friday after spending a week in custody. German authorities arrested the 21-year-old coder - named only as Alex G in local reports - from Waldshut in southern Germany on 7 May at the same time as the author of the Sasser worm, 18 year-old Sven Jaschan. Police said the two operations were co-ordinated but unrelated. Emails from the suspect showed he wanted to leave Germany to avoid military...... [more]

Virus Suspects Arrested in Taiwan, Canada

Virus Suspects Arrested in Taiwan, Canada The latest spate of malware-related arrests continued this week with men apprehended by local authorities in Taiwan and Canada on suspicion of creating the Peep Trojan program and the Randex series of email worms. The Associated Press reported that a 30-year-old Taiwanese computer programmer has been charged with vandalizing public and corporate property, and could face up to five years in jail if convicted. He stands accused of creating Peep an...... [more]

Trojan Virus Author Busted for Making a Peep

Trojan Virus Author Busted for Making a Peep Taiwan authorities have arrested a computer engineer for authoring the Peep Trojan virus. Thirty-year-old Wang Ping-an is suspected of creating the data-stealing program, unsuccessfully trying to sell it, and then posting it on hackers' Web sites for free. Score another one for global cybercrime law enforcement: Authorities in Taiwan have arrested a computer engineer accused of creating the Peep Trojan. Taiwan's Internet crime investigation task...... [more]

Spam Trojans a Growing Problem for ISPs

Spam Trojans a Growing Problem for ISPs Most Spam Now Originating from Residential Broadband Networks Worms, Spam Trojans to Blame Spam traffic created and routed by spam "trojans" is clogging ISP mail servers, forcing unplanned network upgrades and stoking antagonism between large and small ISPs, according to an analysis by Sandvine Incorporated. Spam trojans are likely responsible for up to 80% of all spam. What used to be merely a nuisance is becoming a major headache for service provider...... [more]

Hackers 'recycling code' to spread worms

Hackers 'recycling code' to spread worms Although less new malicious code appears to be being written, viruses and worms are continuing to cause problems around the world, says Trend Micro Despite worms such as Sasser, Bobax and Wallon wreaking havoc throughout May, security vendor Trend Micro says it detected fewer examples of new malicious coding last month than it did in April. Trend Micro said it identified around 1,050 new computer worms, viruses, Trojans and other examples of malware i...... [more]

Zombie PCs generate 80 per cent of spam

Zombie PCs generate 80 per cent of spam Majority of junk mail coming from home PCs infected with spam Trojans Four-fifths of the spam clogging ISPs' mail servers and affecting businesses emanates from so-called zombie home PCs infected with spam Trojans, according to security firm Sandvine. The company found that Trojans, typically installed surreptitiously by worms or spyware, exploit vulnerabilities to bypass normal email routing and drop spam messages directly into end user machines....... [more]

Spam Gets Dangerous

Spam Gets Dangerous What isn't getting blocked is turning vicious, warn security experts at e-mail conference. ISPs and spam filters are blocking record amounts of unsolicited messages, but this electronic nuisance is hardly on the decline--and it's getting nastier. Security experts report a growing link between spam and viruses, according to e-mail vendors and analysts at the inaugural INBOX: The Email Event conference here this week. "You can't separate spam and viruses anymore," said Mark...... [more]

Zombie PCs spew out 80% of spam

Zombie PCs spew out 80% of spam Four-fifths of spam now emanates from computers contaminated with Trojan horse infections, according to a study by network management firm Sandvine out this week. Trojans and worms with backdoor components such as Migmaf and SoBig have turned infected Windows PCs into drones in vast networks of compromised zombie PCs. Sandvine reckons junk mails created and routed by "spam Trojans" are clogging ISP mail servers, forcing unplanned network upgrades and stoking...... [more]

Microsoft's anti-spam plan 'hijacked by zombies'

Microsoft's anti-spam plan 'hijacked by zombies' Microsoft's plan to reduce spam by forcing an email sender's machine to solve a puzzle may be defeated by the Internet's army of zombie PCs, say security experts One of Microsoft's plans to fight the spam epidemic is unlikely to adversely affect spammers or reduce the quantity of spam, according to security experts. Microsoft's chairman Bill Gates has been calling for the IT industry to work together and eradicate the spam problem. About six m...... [more]

Virus writers deploy bulk mail software

Virus writers deploy bulk mail software Hackers have used spamming software to distribute thousands of copies of a new Trojan. Email filtering firm MessageLabs alone has intercepted more than 4,000 copies of the Demonize-T Trojan over the last 24 hours. Demonize-T is a multi-stage Trojan that uses an object data exploit in Internet Explorer (patch here) to download and execute an encoded visual basic script from a website. The Trojan then creates an executable file which appears to download...... [more]

Another Trojan on the attack

Another Trojan on the attack A new password-stealing worm that uses social-engineering tactics has been intercepted by antivirus firms Antivirus companies said they intercepted several copies of a new password-stealing Trojan over the weekend. The new spammed multi-stage Trojan downloader uses an exploit to download and execute an encoded visual basic script from a Web site. The Trojan then creates an executable file which appears to download a malicious program from the same Web site as the...... [more]

Spam Explosion Set Off by Russians

Spam Explosion Set Off by Russians Russian gangs of spammers are so prolific that by December, junk e-mails could account for 90 percent of all messages sent via the Internet -- and Moscow does not want to do anything about it, a leading anti-spammer said Wednesday. Steve Linford, director of London-based Spamhaus, a research and lobby group that works closely with U.S. and European law enforcement agencies, said that Russian computer gangs are directly responsible for some two-thirds of th...... [more]

IE flaws open back door to adware

IE flaws open back door to adware A toolbar that triggers pop-up ads is being planted on victims' PCs through two new security holes in Internet Explorer An adware purveyor has apparently used two previously unknown security flaws in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser to install a toolbar on victims' computers that triggers pop-up ads, researchers said this week. One flaw lets an attacker run a program on a victim's machine, while the other enables malicious code to "cross zones," or run...... [more]

Aladdin enhances anti-spyware, identity protection features of security utility.

Aladdin enhances anti-spyware, identity protection features of security utility. Aladdin Systems is updating its Internet Cleanup for Windows, enhancing its security features to fight pop-ups, spyware, and identity theft. Internet Cleanup 4.0 is priced at $29.99 and is available immediately from Aladdin Systems. For a limited time, current users of Internet Cleanup 3.0 will be able to upgrade for $19.99. The upgrade and full version both include a one-year subscription to data updates for t...... [more]

Backdoor program gets backdoored

Backdoor program gets backdoored The author of a free Trojan horse program favored by amateur computer intruders found himself with some explaining to do to the underground last month, after his users discovered he'd slipped a secret backdoor password into his popular malware, potentially allowing him to re-hack compromised hosts. The program in question is Optix Pro (Backdoor.OptixPro.12), a full-featured backdoor that allows an intruder to easily control a compromised Windows machine remo...... [more]

Web outage blamed on zombies

Web outage blamed on zombies Akamai has blamed a 'bot net' of zombified PCs for the Internet downtime that affected sites such as Yahoo this week The attack that blacked out Google, Yahoo and other major Web sites earlier this week involved the use of a "bot net" -- a large network of zombified home PCs -- Internet infrastructure provider Akamai Technologies said Wednesday. The attack, which blocked nearly all access to Apple Computer, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo's Web sites for two hours on...... [more]

Hacker hits Korean defence

Hacker hits Korean defence A hacker has broken into computers at sensitive South Korean research institutes and government agencies. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the hacker had broken into computers at the Agency for Defence Development, which develops weapons, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Korea Institute for Defence Analysis and three other government agencies. "NCSC recently found some PCs at state agencies have been contaminated by a variation of...... [more]

Outlook's security compromised by spammers

Outlook's security compromised by spammers Spammers have found a way to bypass Outlook 2003's anti-spam security by embedding images into their emails Spammers who send pornographic pictures in the hope of enticing the recipient to signing up to an adult Web site have discovered a way to bypass Outlook 2003's security features, which are designed to stop potentially offensive content being automatically displayed in the preview window. The latest version of Microsoft's Outlook was built with...... [more]

Spammers use your cat's name to sell you Viagra

Spammers use your cat's name to sell you Viagra Spammers are using spyware to steal personal information -- such as a pet's name -- so they can send spam emails with personalised subject lines Spammers have started using spyware to steal personal information so they can customise the subject lines of unsolicited emails to increase their chances of being read. Research by email security firm MessageLabs has revealed that spammers are targeting companies and individuals with unsolicited messag...... [more]

Web site virus attack blunted

Web site virus attack blunted Web surfers are no longer playing Russian roulette each time they visit a Web site, security researchers say, now that a far-reaching Internet attack has been disarmed. The attack, which had turned some Web sites into points of digital infection, was nipped in the bud Friday, when Internet engineers managed to shut down a Russian server that had been the source of malicious code. Compromised Web sites are still attempting to infect Web surfers' PCs by referring the...... [more]

Web ads threat to bank security

Web ads threat to bank security Hackers are using pop-up ads to steal bank details from home computers, it was revealed yesterday. They have planted a 'trojan' virus inside the bogus ads, which appear on screen without any warning. Clicking on the close button to get rid of the advert triggers the virus, which then attempts to install itself on the computer. It waits until the user logs on to their Internet bank account, then it steals personal details such as passwords, by reading...... [more]

iPods are security risk, warns analyst

iPods are security risk, warns analyst Mobile storage devices could give thieves and hackers a back door into corporate networks Companies should consider banning portable storage devices such as Apple's iPod from corporate networks as they can be used to introduce malware or steal corporate data, according to an analyst. Small portable storage products can bypass perimeter defences like firewalls and antivirus at the mailserver, and introduce malware such as Trojans or viruses onto company n...... [more]

Bagle author releases 'dangerous' assembler code

Bagle author releases 'dangerous' assembler code Two new Bagle worm variants and the worm's original assembler source code were spreading around the Internet on Sunday - a dangerous development, according to security experts The author of Bagle started distributing two new variants and the mass-mailing worm's source code on Sunday, which could trigger another summer of misery for Windows users The Bagle worm first appeared in January as an email attachment and within months there were more th...... [more]

Password-stealing Trojan cut off at source

Password-stealing Trojan cut off at source A malicious program that tried to steal banking passwords has been stopped, says Symantec An attempt to pinch user information from banking sites using a malicious pop-up program has been nipped in the bud, says Symantec. Last week, security experts uncovered a Trojan horse -- dubbed PWSteal.Refest by the security software maker -- which installs itself through a pop-up advertisement when users logged onto the Web sites of any one of nearly 50 targete...... [more]

Reheated Bagle comes with side of source code

Reheated Bagle comes with side of source code The author of mass-mailing worm Bagle began distributing its source code and two new variants on Sunday, which could trigger another summer of misery for Windows users. The Bagle worm first appeared in January as an e-mail attachment. Within months, there were more than 25 variants. Infected PCs download a Trojan that effectively enlists that computer into the worm author's army of zombie PCs, which can be used to distribute spam and other malwa...... [more]

Web servers still doling out Scob code

Web servers still doling out Scob code No high-profile sites are affected More than 100 Web servers are still distributing the "Scob" malicious code, first identified two weeks ago as code used in a widespread attack to plant Trojan horse programs on vulnerable computers, according to one computer security company. That attack used compromised Microsoft Corp. Internet Information Services (IIS) Web servers to distribute the Trojan horse programs. Enterprise security software maker Websense In...... [more]

Identity of Chinese Hacker Confirmed

Identity of Chinese Hacker Confirmed The Munhwa Ilbo reported Wednesday that at least some of the hackers who hacked into the computers of major national institutions like the National Assembly, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and Korea Institute for Defense Analyses were Chinese. In particular, one of the Chinese hackers has some Korean ability and could send emails in Korean, and the paper reported that the government has secured this concrete information on the individual such as his...... [more]

Spam reveals its darker side

Spam reveals its darker side Spam is subtly shifting from nuisance to illegality, says a new report from security firm Clearswift. It has been measuring spam for the past year and has noticed a change in what is cluttering people's inboxes. It seems spam is a hotbed of financial scams as well as a black market for fake pharmaceuticals and software. "Spam is now being used as a channel for a plethora of malicious and illegal activity," said Clearswift's technical director, Alyn Hockey. In...... [more]

Service Pack 2: Patching the unpatchable

Service Pack 2: Patching the unpatchable Windows XP Service Pack 2 addresses many of the security problems of the past few years. But it can't do much about this year's model Two and a half years after promising a secure Windows, Microsoft is within a month - maybe - of releasing Windows XP Service Pack 2. It will do a lot to fix viruses and Trojans, but like a tired old general always fighting the last war it won't do much for the current and most lethal security threats we face. Spyware is mo...... [more]

UK companies in 'blissful ignorance' over spyware threat

UK companies in 'blissful ignorance' over spyware threat Fewer than one in seven UK companies recognise that malicious emails could expose their networks to a corporate spy, say MessageLabs UK companies are finally wising up to the importance of deploying software patches and keeping their antivirus signatures up to date, but the increasing threats from Trojans and spyware have still not sunk in, according to a survey conducted by email security services firm MessageLabs. According to the surv...... [more]

Re-invigorated Bagle virus springs to life again

Re-invigorated Bagle virus springs to life again A fresh version of Bagle has been seen in the wild. The new version, the Bagle.af or the Bagle.ab, depending on who you talk to, does the usual bagley things to compromise PCs and relay spam. But this edition comes with a UPX file compressor and uses various subject lines and attached files to spread via e-mail. It also attempts to spread via shared network files. It has a go at switching off 250 different security apps that may be ru...... [more]

Dell attempts to mitigate curse of spyware, trojans

Dell attempts to mitigate curse of spyware, trojans Giant PC Maker Dell has started a web site to guide the unwary about the wicked and annoying curse of spyware and viruses. The web page provides a guide to how you secure your PC, and it also gives a few packages you could buy to stop your machine from slowing down or worse. Not that Sunbelt, AOL 9.0 and Symantec may be the best software packages to prevent PC hell. What's true is that many people in our broadband ready PC-laden world are...... [more]

Osama 'death' pics hide Trojan threat

Osama 'death' pics hide Trojan threat Hackers prey on surfers' morbid curiosity to deliver Hackarmy malware Internet users have been warned that messages about the 'suicide' of Osama Bin Laden posted on internet message boards and usenet groups are hoaxes masking an attack on their computer. The messages attempt to persuade readers to download a file which contains the Hackarmy Trojan. The infection allows hackers to gain control of a computer remotely, and lurks in a file posing as photograph...... [more]

Schwarzenegger virus terminated

Schwarzenegger virus terminated Virus writers have moved on from using Osama bin Laden's "suicide" as a lure to trying the same trick with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Last Friday VXers seeded multiple Usenet groups with messages saying Osama bin had killed himself, pointing users towards "photographs" illustrating the momentous news. In reality these images offered only the Hackarmy Trojan. The Trojan has been around for some months and the Usenet trick gives the aging malware a second lease of lif...... [more]

Sophos Reports Bin Laden Suicide Virus Hoax

Sophos Reports Bin Laden Suicide Virus Hoax Virus experts at security software company Sophos, Inc. on Friday reported that thousands of virus-laden messages have been posted on newsgroups and message boards purporting to give access to pictures of terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden's dead body. The message claims that CNN reporters found Bin Laden's hanged body some time ago, but that the pictures had been suppressed while the U.S. government officially identifies the body and verifies his deat...... [more]

MyDoom Attacks Microsoft.com Through Back Door

MyDoom Attacks Microsoft.com Through Back Door As many security researchers feared after analyzing the code for MyDoom.O, a second, related attack began in earnest Tuesday with a new piece of code using the back door installed by MyDoom.O to spread itself and launch a DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack against Microsoft.com. MyDoom.O, also known as MyDoom.M or MyDoom.M@mm, installs a Trojan known as Zincite.A on every PC that it infects. The Trojan opens TCP port 1034 and listens for...... [more]

PDA Viruses Could Get Nasty

PDA Viruses Could Get Nasty Pests could easily run undetected on handhelds and spread quickly online, security expert warns. Viruses that target handhelds can be even more dangerous than their cousins that attack PCs, spawning self-replicating programs that hide easily, a security researcher told an audience of security professionals at the Black Hat Briefings conference here this week. The first virus aimed at Pocket PC handhelds, revealed last week, could be far worse if it were modified slig...... [more]

It's official: 2004 is year of the virus

It's official: 2004 is year of the virus It is officially the year of the virus, with a 21 percent increase in new viruses discovered in Australia in the first six months of 2004 compared to the last year. Nearly 4700 completely new viruses were discovered in the wild in 2004. However, all is not lost - Australians have quickly adopted myriad antivirus techniques and remained online, profitable and more importantly, patched. The Sasser worm was chiefly responsible for most of the attentio...... [more]

Net virus posing as Berg video

Net virus posing as Berg