Microsoft issued a record number of software updates today, releasing 14 update bundles to plug at least 34 security holes in its Windows operating system and other software. More than a third of flaws earned a “critical” severity rating, Microsoft’s most serious. Separately, Adobe released an update for its Flash Player that fixes a half-dozen security bugs.
Microsoft has released a stopgap fix to help Windows users protect themselves against threats that may try to target a newly discovered, critical security hole that is present in every supported version of Windows.
Thieves recently attached bank card skimmers to gas pumps at more than 30 service stations along several major highways in and around Denver, Colorado, the latest area to be hit by a scam that allows crooks to siphon credit and… Read More »
Researchers have discovered what appears to be a sophisticated new strain of malicious software that piggybacks on USB storage devices and leverages a previously unknown security vulnerability in the way Microsoft Windows processes shortcut files.
USB-borne malware is extremely common, and most malware that piggybacks on USB and other removable drives traditionally has taken advantage of the Windows Autorun or Autoplay feature. But according to VirusBlokAda, this strain of malware leverages a vulnerability in the method Windows uses for handling shortcut files.
Microsoft is warning that hackers have ramped up attacks against an unpatched, critical security hole in computers powered by Windows XP and Server 2003 operating systems. The software giant says it is working on an official patch to fix the… Read More »
A couple of readers have written in to say they recently received scam telephone calls warning them about fraud on their credit card accounts and directing them to call a phone number to “verify” their credit card numbers.
These sometimes-automated attacks prompt people to call a supplied telephone number — often a toll-free line. In most cases, the calls will be answered by bogus interactive voice response system designed to coax account credentials and other personal information from the caller.
A security vulnerability in Microsoft Windows XP systems that was first disclosed a week ago is now being actively exploited by malicious Web sites to foist malware on vulnerable PCs, according to reports. Last week, Google researcher Tavis Ormandy disclosed… Read More »
Microsoft is warning Windows XP and Server 2003 users that exploit code has been posted online showing attackers how to break into these operating systems remotely via a newly-discovered security flaw.
The security flaw has to do with a weakness in the way the Windows Help and Support Center processes links. Both Windows XP and Server 2003 retrieve help and support information from a fixed set of Web pages that are included on a whitelist maintained by Windows. But Google security research Tavis Ormandy discovered that it was possible to add URLs to that whitelist.
I am often asked to recommend security software, but I think it’s important to bear in mind that staying secure is just as often about removing little-used software that increases your exposure to online threats. At the very top of my nix-it-now list is Java, a powerful application that most users have on their systems but that probably few actually need.
Criminals have launched an major e-mail campaign to deploy the infamous ZeuS Trojan, blasting out spam messages variously disguised as fraud alerts from the Internal Revenue Service, Twitter account hijack warnings, and salacious Youtube.com videos.
