antispam - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• Watch out for Adobe phishing scams

  There are phishing scams out there targeting Adobe users. Make sure you know how to recognize and avoid these threats when they arrive in your Inbox.

• Bin Laden news targets social networking weak spot

  The death of Osama bin Laden, the dramatic events surrounding the military operation against bin Laden's compound in a posh Pakistani suburb, and the resulting conspiracy theories and fear of retaliatory attacks from Al Qaeda are all very popular topics of discussion.

• Is the Stars Worm just a hoax?

  Iran claims to have discovered new malware it is calling the Stars worm attacking the nation's critical infrastructure. But, the lack of any sample of the new threat make many security experts skeptical.

• iOS 4.3.2 protects iGadgets against rogue SSL certificates

  Apple released yet another update to iOS this week. iOS 4.3.2 is the second incremental update for iOS in a matter of weeks following the launch of iOS 4.3. Like any incremental update, iOS 4.3.2. contains its share of minor tweaks and fixes, but iOS 4.3.2 is also important for the security of your iPhone or iPad.

• Deja vu all over again: Adobe reveals new Flash Zero day

  Do not adjust your Web browser. This may look like an identical post to the one from four weeks ago announcing a zero-day vulnerability in Adobe Flash, but it's actually a new one.

• Breaking dawn attack: How to avoid getting bit

  A new attack is spreading its way across Facebook, targeting fans of the epic vampire series Twilight. The clickjacking scam demonstrates just how easy it is to spread malware socially -- especially if the bait is a phenomenon like Twilight that has such a devoted fanbase.

• Phishing scams dupe the most active online users

  People who make a lot of online transactions, are popular online and who respond to most of the emails they receive are at the highest risk for being duped by malicious phishers, according to a multi-university study.

• 10 security tips to protect you during tax season

  You have an extra three days to file this year, but the April 18 tax deadline is fast approaching. Tax season can be stressful, or exciting depending on who owes who. Either way, the anxiety over income tax season helps attackers catch people off guard with spoofed IRS messages and other income tax related scams.

• Google Chrome browser will block dangerous downloads

  Forthcoming versions of Google Chrome will block downloads that Google considers dangerous. Upon clicking a questionable file, users will see a pop-up window saying the "file appears to be malicious," and asking if they want to cancel.

• Hacktivist Android Trojan designed to fight app piracy

  There's hacking, then there's hacktivism. There's malware, then there's Android Trojans like the latest "threat" discovered by Symantec. Android.Walkinwat is like the Batman of mobile malware -- a rogue vigilante seeking justice through means that also skirt legality, but for a good cause.

• Rustock botnet goes quiet, reason for takedown unclear

  Notorious spam botnet Rustock has gone quiet and security analysts aren't sure why.

• Adobe Fixes Zero-Day Flaw in Flash Player

  Adobe is releasing updates today to address a <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/222098/adobe_flash_hit_with_zeroday_exploit.html">critical zero-day flaw</a> in Flash Player--and the authplay.dll element used in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat--that was announced last week. Time to get patching.

• Rustock Botnet: Dead, or just dazed?

  The Rustock botnet--one of the most prolific sources of spam -- has gone silent. Microsoft worked with security vendors and the civil court system to pull the plug on Rustock. Some security experts question, though, if the absence of Rustock will have a significant impact on spam volume, or whether we have truly heard the last of Rustock, or if it is just dormant for a while.

• Notorious spamming botnet, Rustock, takes a fall

  A large network of hacked computers called Rustock, which was responsible for a great volume of spam, has shut down, perhaps as a result of another coordinated take down by security researchers.

• Botnets: Size isn't everything, says new report

  Published figures estimating the size and scope of botnets are often inaccurate and do not reflect the threat these compromised networks pose to security, according to research released this week by ENISA, the European Network and Information Security Agency.