Security
Why we get so much spam
The reason our mailboxes are jammed with spam is that spamming pays. An amazing 29% of Internet users admitted to purchasing something from a spammer according to an article at AppScout that also says:
More than 150 billion spam messages circulate daily, accounting for more than 85 percent of the total number of emails sent throughout [...]
Exposé of a scam
The Internet is teeming with scam artists, One of the more insidious traps is malware that masquerades as anti-malware, a kind of digital wolf in sheep’s clothing. At the Register, Jesper Johansson takes us step-by-step through what he calls “a tale of trickery”. It’s worth reading. It makes it clear that the pop-ups like [...]
Computer virus in space
We hear about viruses being everywhere and now it seems they are even in space. According to the Telegraph (UK):
A malicious computer virus that steals passwords has been brought on board the International Space Station, Nasa has confirmed.
Dangers on the social networks
Social networks are a big thing on the Web. For many people, they are an important activity. Unfortunately, there are many security problems. Hackers have planted exploits at several social networks. However, an even bigger problem may be from social engineering. People who use social networks are looking for friends and people they can trust. [...]
Make software firms responsible
For some time, I have been writing and lecturing on what I believe is the mess in home computing. One of the problems I see is that software companies have gotten themselves absolved of any responsibility for badly written or insecure products. Security expert Bruce Schneier writes:
There’s no other industry where shoddy products are sold [...]
The missing Windows patches
We just had the monthly Microsoft patch Tuesday and quite a few security updates were made. However, there remain a number of known security issues that are unpatched. Ryan Naraine asks, Where on earth are these Microsoft patches?. He points out that at least 20 known, high risk security problems remain and concludes:
Microsoft has done [...]
More on the Vista security problem
There has been enough information made available by now to make a reasonable conclusion about the Vista security breach I posted about yesterday. To summarize: Vista is not as safe as it was thought to be but it’s still safer than XP. Certain security features can be gotten around but others are still in effect. [...]
Windows Vista security broken?
If a new report on security in Vista is true, Microsoft has a big headache. Neowin reports:
This week at the Black Hat Security Conference two security researchers will discuss their findings which could completely bring Windows Vista to its knees.
Mark Dowd of IBM Internet Security Systems (ISS) and Alexander Sotirov, of VMware Inc. have discovered [...]
The effect of anti-virus software on system performance
I have been pointing out for years that anti-virus programs can really slow down your system. I have often named Symantec’s Norton software as one of the worst offenders. Then Symantec supposedly rewrote its software and the product was said by reviewers like PC Magazine to be much less intrusive. However, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has just [...]
Fake news from CNN
I have been getting spam email purporting to be news headlines from CNN. Actually, these emails are part of a massive malware attack. Gregg Keizer reports:
More than a thousand hacked Web sites are serving up fake Flash Player software to users duped into clicking on links in mail that’s part of a massive spam attack [...]