Information Protection and Security

The age-old tactic of fooling users into downloading fake and malicious antivirus software is still on the rise, and cyber-criminals are now more cunning than ever. To learn more, and for 4 tips for avoiding the threat.
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A researcher at Sophos reports putting Windows 7's User Account Control feature to the test and finding the technology failed to block numerous pieces of malware. Microsoft, however, stresses that UAC is only one part of Windows 7's security.
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Scientists from Wake Forest University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created an army of digital ants and their superior officers, digital sergeants and sentinels, to search out viruses, worms and other malware.

Many times attackers use social engineering tactics to trick victims into installing malware.  Malware is short for malicious software and includes Trojans, worms, viruses, etc. It can do any number of things to disable your computer and make life and computing frustrating.  To begin with, don’t be fooled by fake antivirus tools in pop-up windows, emails with embedded links and/or rusecuretelling you to provide confidential information (passwords, bank account numbers, etc) .  Stay away from links on social networking sites.  They’re a hotbed for the distribution of malware, often by sharing links by way of compromised accounts.  Spammers also send email looking like software upgrade advisories to trick you into installing malicious programs.  Stop. Think. Secure IT!

Repeated spikes of viruses that are not being detected by major antivirus engines were observed during the last quarter, apparently the result of hit-and-run tactics by virus writers to compromise large numbers of computers and then disappear before they can be countered.

Scammers tricked the New York Times' Digital Advertising department into placing a malicious ad for fake antivirus software on the NYTimes.com Web site over the weekend, the company confirmed Monday.
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Malware ghouls took just a few hours to begin preying on the death of actor Patrick Swayze with a new version of a familiar phony anti-virus scam.
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Aimed at everything from small- and mid-size businesses to enterprises, the new product includes protection against malware and spyware, as well as a firewall. It runs on OS X 10.4.6 or later, and it's available now.
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Microsoft has released its free antivirus software, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). As the name implies, Microsoft's new security software removes the bloated bells and whistles found in other products, like Microsoft's discontinued Windows Live OneCare, and provides only the essential protection.
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