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Malware certainly exists for Linux, but it's more frequently targeted at servers than everyday PCs. Unfortunately, regular users now have more reason to worry: a rare instance of a Linux desktop trojan, Hand of Thief, has surfaced in the wild. The code swipes banking logins and other web sign-in details, creates a backdoor and prevents access to both antivirus tools and virtual machines. It's known to work with common browsers like Chrome and Firefox as well as 15 Linux distributions, including Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu. Thankfully, Hand of Thief is partly neutered by its limited attack methods; it relies on social engineering to fool victims into installing the software themselves. Even so, the trojan is a reminder that we shouldn't be complacent about security, regardless of which platform we use.
[Thanks, Dreyer]
Filed under: Internet, Software
Via: ZDNet
Source: RSA
You could call it technological baptism of sorts... just not the kind Apple would want. A Russian scam app known as Find and Call managed to hit the App Store and create havoc for those who dared a download, making it the first non-experimental malware to hit iOS without first needing a jailbreak. As Kaspersky found out, it wasn't just scamware, but a trojan: the title would swipe the contacts after asking permission, send them to a remote server behind the scenes and text spam the daylights out of any phone number in that list. Thankfully, Apple has already yanked the app quickly and explained to The Loop that the app was pulled for violating App Store policies. We'd still like to know just why the app got there in the first place, but we'd also caution against delighting in any schadenfreude if you're of the Android persuasion. The app snuck through to Google Play as well, and Kaspersky is keen to remind us that Android trojans are "nothing new;" the real solution to malware is to watch out for fishy-looking apps, no matter what platform you're using.
[Image credit: C Jones Photography (wallpaper)]
Spam-happy iOS trojan slips into App Store, gets pulled in rapid fashion originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Having already pushed one patch to servers as part of its response to the recently discovered Flame trojan, Microsoft is making another adjustment on Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 machines. A new update going out lets revoked certificates be published and recognized much faster, which would protect against a vulnerability exploited by Flame to fake its way in as a legitimate update. Informationweek has more information on the old OCSP method used to set revocation status, and also points out another vulnerability in XML Core Services the folks in Redmond is warning people of this week and has already released a "fix it" solution for. Hit the source link to get all the details and grab the update, IT types may want to update their firewalls with the new URLs being put into use for the lists.
Windows updated with better checking for bad digital certs after Flame malware incident originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The fallout from malware like Stuxnet and Flame might soon be rearing its head at a Google Plus page or Gmail inbox near you. A post on its online security blog states that Google will now issue warnings in the form of a strip placed just below the upper menu bar to users being targeted by suspected state-sponsored cyber attacks. Google stressed that such warnings don't mean that its systems have been compromised but it does make it highly likely that the recipient may be the target of state-sponsored phishing or malware. How exactly does Google know this to be the case? The company declined to offer specifics, only saying that data from victim reports and its own analysis strongly point toward the involvement of states or state-sponsored groups. Google also didn't mention how often it sees such malicious activity, though coverage of Stuxnet and Flame certainly has put a spotlight on cyber warfare involving nations. In the meantime, feel free to hit the source link below for Google's tips on how to secure your account.
Google starts warning affected users about state-sponsored cyber attacks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkNew York Times | Google Blog | Email this | Comments 
Much ado was made when security experts found Stuxnet wreaking havoc, but it's looking as though the malware was just a prelude to a much more elaborate attack that's plaguing the Middle East. Flame, a backdoor Windows trojan, doesn't just sniff and steal nearby network traffic info -- it uses your computer's hardware against you. The rogue code nabs phone data over Bluetooth, spreads over USB drives and records conversations from the PC's microphone. If that isn't enough to set even the slightly paranoid on edge, it's also so complex that it has to infect a PC in stages; Flame may have been attacking computers since 2010 without being spotted, and researchers at Kaspersky think it may be a decade before they know just how much damage the code can wreak.
No culprit has been pinpointed yet, but a link to the same printer spool vulnerability used by Stuxnet has led researchers to suspect that it may be another instance of a targeted cyberwar attack given that Iran, Syria and a handful of other countries in the region are almost exclusively marked as targets. Even if you live in a 'safe' region, we'd keep an eye out for any suspicious activity knowing that even a fully updated Windows 7 PC can be compromised.
Flame malware snoops on PCs across the Middle East, makes Stuxnet look small-time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 17:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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