Category Archives: Antivirus Vendors

Antivirus Vendors

Panda Security

Fernando Andrés appointed Global PAPS General Manager at Panda Security

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Panda Security today announced that Fernando Andrés has been appointed as the company’s new Global PAPS General Manager. Andrés’ mission will be to lead the global development of the PAPS business line, one of the flagships in the security vendor’s corporate strategy.

During his professional career, spanning over 20 years in companies such asSaleforce.com and Microsoft, Andrés has held key executive positions in the sales management, business development and channel development areas in the cloud computing, Internet services and applications sectors.

Fernando Andrés holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Castilla La Mancha (Spain), and completed the IESE Business School’s Advanced Management Program in Business Administration.

Global PAPS General Manager at Panda Security

Fernando Andrés

Extensive experience in the IT sector

From 2009 to 2014, Andrés held a number of management positions at Salesforce.com, including Corporate Sales Director for South Europe at Salesforce.com EMEA and Director of Channel Business Development at Salesforce.com Spain.

Prior to that, he held different positions at Microsoft for more than a decade, ultimately serving as SaaS Sales Director from 2004 to 2009.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Andrés was employed at ICL Fujitsu and Kodak.

“PAPS (Panda Advanced Protection Service) is a revolutionary product in the industry. It is a next-generation security solution with a completely new, disruptive approach that ensures maximum malware detection and security through an integrated management service. It is very exciting to be part of such an innovative, effective and successful project which will represent a huge leap forward not only for Panda Security, but also for the entire IT security sector,” said Fernando Andrés.

The post Fernando Andrés appointed Global PAPS General Manager at Panda Security appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

WhatsApp could confirm when messages have been read

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whatsapp doble check

The dream of some and the nightmare of others may soon come true. WhatsApp is apparently considering a system for notifying users when the messages they have sent have been read.

When the app first came out, many thought that the double check symbol meant the message had been read. However, it was made clear that the only thing that the two ticks represent is that the message has been delivered successfully.

The news was leaked after WhatsApp asked a user to translate some terms into Italian. These included: «reproduced by», «sent by», «delivered» and «birthday», though suspicions were raised by the phrase «read by» which has led to all sorts of speculation.

whatsapp read by

This feature is similar to the D (Delivered) and R (Read) messages in BlackBerry Messenger although it appears it is still in trial phase.

What do you think? Would you be in favor of WhatsApp telling you if a message had been read? Or would that be infringing on your privacy?

The post WhatsApp could confirm when messages have been read appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

ESET

Car hacking – are one-third of thefts ‘electronic hacks’?

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The UK government is to work with car manufacturers to prevent hackers using electronic means to break into increasingly hi-tech vehicles in Britain, after a spate of ‘car hacking’ in London, Computer World reports.

In a speech to independent think tank Reform, Home Secretary Theresa May said that thieves were using “sophisticated devices” to grab car key codes, and driving away in less than 10 seconds without using force, according to the Daily Mail.

The report claimed that “hackers” were behind a third of card thefts in London.

At the Black Hat security conference this summer two researchers launched a petition to change how car companies and technology companies work together. “We request that you unite with us in a joint commitment to safety between the automotive and cyber security industries,” the researchers said via Change.org.

Car hacking: A real risk?

In her speech to Reform, May said, “There have been reports that they could even use ‘malware’ to commandeer vehicle systems via satellites and issue remote demands to unlock doors, disable alarms and start car engines.”

“Because we have this understanding, we can now work with industry to improve electronic resilience, include this kind of resilience in the vehicle’s overall security ratings, and work out the extent to which the same threat applies to other physical assets such as building security systems.”

May’s speech echoes a series of presentations by security researchers which warn that as cars become increasingly ‘connected’, with up to 200 control units each, hacking such vehicles becomes easy.

Two researchers have concluded that this will become even easier once web browsers in cars become more common.

Hackers behind ‘third’ of crimes

Earlier this summer, a group of Chinese researchers showed off a hack which could open the doors on a Tesla S while in motion, as well as controlling other vehicle systems – and the car’s control panel, thought to run a modified version of Firefox, was claimed to be behind the hack.

Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek in their paper A Survey of Remote Automotive Attack Surfaces conclude that the danger of “hackable” cars is expanding – but is about to grow rapidly, as web browsers are added to cars.

“Once you add a web browser to a car, it’s open. I may not be able to write a Bluetooth exploit, but I know I can exploit web browsers.”

Last year a U.S senator urged auto manufacturers to change – and his open letter ignited a spate of commentary, with Market Oracle describing the crime as “cyberjacking”, and pointing out that the average family car contains 100 million lines of computer code, and that software can account for up to 40% of the cost of the vehicle, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

On the researchers’ page, I am the Cavalry, they say, “Modern cars are computers on wheels and are increasingly connected and controlled by software. Dependence on technology in vehicles has grown faster than effective means to secure it.”

 

The post Car hacking – are one-third of thefts ‘electronic hacks’? appeared first on We Live Security.

ESET

Credit card security fears – could Home Depot breach be biggest yet?

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Shoppers at Home Depot stores may have had their credit card security details leaked online, after a massive batch of card information went on sale on a criminal internet site this week, according to veteran security writer Brian Krebs, who reported the possible breach on his Krebs on Security website. Krebs claims the breach may be the biggest yet seen.

The credit card security breach could have begun as early as April or early May of this year, and may be linked to hackers responsible for the breaches at Target and P.F. Changs, according to Krebs. Separate batches of debit and credit card details from European and American shoppers have been offered for sale on a criminal website this week.

U.S.A. Today reports that the breach could dwarf even the Target Breach, in which 40 million debit and credit accounts were compromised.

Fox Business News reported that Home Depot has, as yet, not confirmed the scale of the breach.

Credit card security: The biggest breach yet?

“Protecting our customers’ information is something we take extremely seriously, and we are aggressively gathering facts at this point while working to protect customers. If we confirm that a breach has occurred, we will make sure customers are notified immediately,” spokesperson Paula Drake said in a statement.

The card data were offered for sale under the title, “American Sanctions,” which Krebs interpreted as related to the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine. Stolen information from European cards which had been used in the stores were sold separately as “European Sanctions,” Krebs reported.

Home Depot shares dropped 2.6% at the news, Fox Business reported.

Krebs’ spoke to several banks, and his latest update hints that this breach could be the biggest yet seen. “Several banks contacted by this reporter said they believe this breach may extend back to late April or early May 2014. If that is accurate — and if even a majority of Home Depot stores were compromised — this breach could be many times larger than Target, which had 40 million credit and debit cards stolen over a three-week period,” he says.

Mark James, security specialist at ESET says, “The news of another credit card hack is not surprising – but is no less worrying. It seems that no company is safe and if you have EVER used a credit card to purchase goods then you may be at risk.”

“It is thought the original team that targeted P.F.Chang’s and Target are also the perpetrators here, and due to the amount of data that has been stolen it stands to reason it will be used or released in batches over time.”

Card breach: What to do

ESET Malware Researcher Lysa Myers says, “Malware attacks on Point of Sale (PoS) systems are coming thick and fast right now.”

Myers offers a detailed guide for businesses concerned that they may be being targeted with POS malware.

ESET’s James says, “Nothing can be done about the data already stolen, but we could take some actions to lessen the impact of compromised credit cards. Don’t just have a single credit for all uses: for instance, separate your physical purchases (in store) and your online purchases by using different credit cards for each.”

“At least that way if one gets lost or stolen it’s not so much of an impact to get it stopped and replaced, also it’s always good practice to keep an eye on your credit statement for small or unusual payments, often small (under the radar) amounts are processed to test if the cards are valid. If they go through then larger amounts will follow.”

“If you spot something unusual notify your bank immediately. As always, it’s imperative the organization in question notifies all parties involved in any security breach so we the public can take action quickly.”

The post Credit card security fears – could Home Depot breach be biggest yet? appeared first on We Live Security.

Panda Security

Apple denies its services were hacked

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apple

 

“Celebgate” -as the theft and publication of private photos of more than 100 actresses and models has come to be known – is not only affecting the direct victims of the theft but also the companies that have been implicated in the affair.

Initially, it was thought that the leaks could be due to a potential security hole in iCloud, Apple’s virtual storage platform, but the company has announced that, after a 40-hour investigation, they have discovered that the accounts of these celebrities “were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions.” Adding that these attacks have “become all too common on the Internet.”

Apple denies that the hacking of the accounts of actresses such as Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst and Kate Upton was the consequence of a vulnerability in its iCloud or ‘Find my iPhone‘ services. Although some of the victims have already had their say on the issue.

kirsten dunst twitter

The company has also announced that it continues to work with the police to help identify the criminals involved and encourages all users to choose a strong password and double check their security systems.

More | How to create strong passwords

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Avast

Survey shows the person you trust the most may be spying on you

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People expect that they are being watched online in cyberspace, but who would expect to be spied on by the people closest to them? You better watch out – your partner may be spying on you more than the NSA: One in five men and one in four women admitted to checking their partner’s smartphone in a survey with 13,132 respondents conducted by AVAST in the United States.

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Playing detective

The survey found that while the majority of women check their partner’s device because they are nosey, a quarter of married women suspect their spouse is cheating on them and want to find evidence.

Married women are not the only ones who suspect their partner is cheating on them. The reason why most men pry on their partner is because they too are afraid their better half is being unfaithful and want to confirm their suspicions – especially if the relationship is fresh.

Caught red handed

One may think that people who snoop on their significant other to find evidence of cheating or lying are being paranoid. Unfortunately, the majority of them are not paranoid–their gut feeling is often correct. Seven out of ten women and more than half of men who turn to their partner’s device to find proof their partner is deceiving them, have found evidence. Which of the two sexes is more likely to confront their partner regarding their findings? Women. The survey revealed that women are 20% more likely than men to confront their partner with the facts.

“Picking” the mobile lock

Cracking their partner’s device passcode wasn’t necessary for the greater number of snoopers. A shockingly high percentage of respondents claimed they didn’t need a passcode to gain entry to their significant other’s device. Women did, however, have an easier time with 41% reporting their partner’s device did not have a passcode compared to the 33% of men. Coming in at a high second, both male and female respondents claimed to know their partner’s device passcode because their partner had shared it with them in the past, unknowingly setting themselves up to get caught.

An eye for an eye

More than half of men and women who check their significant other’s device think their partner checks their device as well. There seems to be a low level of trust between partners who feel the need to keep tabs on their significant other.

The survey results show that respondents who just started dating and check their new companion’s device are less likely to suspect their new love of doing the same, compared to snoopers in established relationships. People in long term relationships were the most likely to think their partner does the same behind their backs.

Tips to protect your privacy

Be it from your partner or somebody who finds your lost phone – you should always protect your mobile devices from prying eyes.

  • Protect your mobile devices with passcodes!

Everyone should protect their smartphones and tablets with passcodes, even if you aren’t worried about snoopers. Passcodes not only make it more difficult for nosey partners to access secrets and surprises, but can also protect your data should your device get lost or stolen.

  • Lock your precious apps

Apps that contain sensitive information deserve an extra layer of protection. With avast! Mobile Security’s app locking feature you can password protect your most precious apps.

  • Free your phone from old data – and back it up

Backing up your mobile data allows you to save your data to the cloud so you can delete old data from your phone. This not only prevents data loss, whether you lose your phone or accidentally delete data from your phone, but can prevent your partner from finding out about activity you want to keep to yourself. avast! Backup backs up your call log history, SMS, contacts and photos for free.
Thank you for using avast! Antivirus and recommending us to your friends and family. For all the latest news, fun and contest information, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ andInstagram. Business owners – check out our business products.

AVG

AVG Technologies Announces Intention to Acquire Location Labs

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Today, we announced our intention to acquire Location Labs, which is best known for its “mobile security for humansâ€.

AVG has been talking for some time about the need for a more holistic approach to security; one that protects not only devices, but also data and, ultimately, the people using those devices and data. Products that encompass all these elements must be easy to understand and easy to use.

AVG’s security for Android smartphones is one the top security apps on the Google Play store. Location Labs products, sold by major mobile operators and running on both the Android and iOS platforms, provide exceptional security and safety for people – you and those you care for.

Additionally, Location Labs’ mobile products and services draw on the value of the mobile operator network to provide features and functionality that are not possible otherwise. Having multiple distribution channels delivers good choices for customers. They may want to download our apps directly from App stores, or they may prefer to choose a service that has been validated and integrated with their network provider, including their billing and customer support services. Currently, AVG’s mobile offerings use the first method; Location Labs’, the second.

At AVG and Location Labs, we understand that for our customers, safety and security for connected devices is first and foremost about ensuring that their families, or those they care deeply about, are protected. This is where the combination of AVG Zen and the Location Labs’ products will really shine. With AVG Zen, customers can connect to, and manage the device and data security of their own, and others’, phones, laptops, and PCs.

With Location Labs offerings, they can also manage the content, applications, and permissions available on each of those devices, and see the location and status of the users. As massive numbers of mobile devices are adopted worldwide, and as we all connect more and more items to our own personal networks, this promises to be an important and growing market.

We are particularly pleased that the leadership and the team at Location Labs will be joining AVG. They have built a compelling business within the mobile industry – not an easy thing to do – and helped grow the company to over 1.3 million paying subscribers. We are looking forward to working with them to grow the business further to improve safety and security for all mobile users.

Today’s announcement is the first step in a longer journey and we believe it marks the start of a new approach to mobile security for consumers. We understand that to really enjoy the rich experience of today’s connected world, we all need to feel comfortable and safe, and to have confidence and trust in the smart devices that enable us to monitor and secure the people we care about. As we move forward, we’ll be working hard to make this vision a reality for our customers.

AVG

AVG to lead innovation sessions at The Pitch, London

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This Thursday 4th September in London, AVG will be attending the first of two small business boot-camps as part of The Pitch, UK. Now in its seventh year The Pitch is one of the UK’s longest running small business competitions and awards thousands of pounds worth of prizes to innovative startups.

The boot camps will be attended by 100 small businesses that made it through the first stage of the competition. These are split into two regional groups, North and South, who will attend boot camps in Manchester (on 18th September) and this week in London where after an intense day of mentoring their pitching prowess will be assessed.

As a main sponsor for The Pitch, AVG is delighted to attend these boot camp sessions and will be working directly with the competitors in one of the hands-on sessions. The boot camps will focus on the four key pillars of pitching:

  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Business model innovation
  • Pitching

AVG’s Director of Partner Enablement Mike Byrne will be leading the Business Model Innovation session aimed to provide candidates with some useful ideas about how to optimise their business models and sharpen their sales techniques using technology. Whether it’s managing relationships, assessing the competition, reducing sales cycle time/costs or simply making life easier, technology has a lot offer business sales activities.

AVG’s philosophy is all about empowering small businesses to manage their technology simply and reliably so they can stop worrying about their data and concentrate on growth in today’s fast changing, increasingly mobile workplace.

After the boot camps, the competitors will be narrowed down from 100 to 30 applicants to proceed to the final where a winner will be chosen by a panel of judges including AVG’s own Judith Bitterli.

 

The overall winner of The Pitch will win a priceless prize package that includes expert mentoring from business leaders and free access to world leading products and services including free AVG CloudCare services for two years.

Avira

What can actually happen #IfMyPhoneGotHacked

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Everybody will know what you did last summer

The danger of getting your data stolen might seem rather abstract to you as the word “data” usually makes you think of valuable information you would not have on your phone. With “data” we mean everything on your phone: photos, videos, documents and browsing information, regardless of their economic “value”. Remember the selfies you took with your phone this summer but never had the courage to share with your friends? How about the Justin Bieber playlist you secretly stored in a hidden music folder? Well, if your phone gets hacked, it will all become public. And do trust us when we tell you that the “I don’t know how they got there” argument doesn’t stand a chance.

PS: don’t even make us open up the Browsing History subject; once it’s compromised, no superpower can save you from what’s coming next. Moving to a different country might be the only option left.

I just called to say…who are you?

If only the thought of some strangers having your phone number scares you, imagine how it would be if those strangers could also access all of your contacts and your recent dials? Not only would they be able to store and even sell all this private information about your family, friends and colleagues but they might also bother them with all sorts of pranks. And no, texts are not protected either so make sure you don’t ruin the flirt you’ve got going on because of some disturbing replies coming from people controlling your phone. Some of them can have a pretty twisted sense of humor.

Peekaboo I see you

We all use the “Big brother is watching” expression often enough that it has become a matter of speech more than a matter of fact. What if your newest “big brother” is a hacker who can activate your phone’s camera and spy on you whenever he feels like? One thing is sure: you’ll regret not being able to separate yourself from your phone in no situation. Too many examples of exposing the smartphone to private…events come to our mind (we’ll let you think of the most uncomfortable ones yourself). Now imagine sharing those images with a bunch of strangers. In real time. Sufficiently awkward yet?

Social Networks come just as a cherry on top of any hacking scheme mentioned on the #IfMyPhoneGotHacked thread. All of your data could go public (and even viral depending on the level of compromising information you store on your devices) in a matter of hours after your phone gets hacked. Just make sure you stay protected.

The post What can actually happen #IfMyPhoneGotHacked appeared first on Avira Blog.

Avast

Think celebrities are the only ones that can get hacked? Think again…

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News broke on Sunday that nude photos of female celebrities were posted on the photo sharing site 4Chan. Along with the news came many theories and discussions as to how the hacker managed to collect intimate photos and videos from a long list of celebrities. While figuring out how the hacker accessed these intimate files will hopefully patch vulnerabilities, there are general steps that everyone should take now to protect their personal data.

Don’t blame the cloud

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One of the theories circulating on the Internet is that iCloud was hacked via a vulnerability in Apple’s “Find My iPhone” app. Kirsten Dunst, one of the celebrities whose private photos were hacked tweeted the following: “Thank you iCloud”. Should Kirsten and the other hack victims be blaming the cloud though? The iCloud hack theory is just a theory, the hackers could have gained access to celebrity accounts via phishing mails or gained passwords from celebrity insiders. The hackers could have gained access to celebrity email and password combinations through breaches like the recent eBay breach or Heartbleed, which affected nearly two-thirds of all websites, including Yahoo Mail, OKCupid and WeTransfer. If the celebrities whose photos have been exposed were affected by these breaches and used the same passwords on several accounts, including iCloud, it would have been easy for the hackers to steal their personal photos.

Even if the hacker got the data by hacking iCloud accounts, the cloud should not be blamed. The hacker, first and foremost, should be blamed. However, we all should know that there are bad guys out there and we need to protect ourselves and our personal data from them. The lack of cybersecurity awareness amongst these celebrities also deserves a portion of the blame.

Know where you are saving what

Back in 2011, when nude photos of Scarlett Johansson and Mila Kunis appeared, we learned that celebrities are not immune to hacks, in fact they were specifically targeted and will probably be targeted again. It seems that many celebrities did not learn the importance of cybersecurity from the 2011 hack. Every mobile user, celebrities included, should be learning a lesson from this awful and unfortunate event and be re-thinking where they are saving their intimate and personal data.

Many mobile users are unaware of the fact that their data is no longer only saved to their hardware. Many devices and apps come with automatic cloud back up features. Cloud based back up can be a very useful tool to prevent data loss, but if you want to delete intimate photos from your device you should also remember to delete it from the cloud. 

How to protect your accounts

 

Whether the hackers gained access to the data via an iCloud vulnerability, phishing scams, or by using brute force programs there is one common denominator: passwords.

Mobile malware specialist, Filip Chytry recommends the following to protect your accounts:

  • Use strong passwords – Strong passwords are critical when it comes to protecting online accounts. Strong passwords should be at least 8 characters long, contain a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Ideally, you should not be able to remember your own password the first time you try to log into your account with your new password. You should update all of your passwords every three months and after news of account breaches.
  • Use different passwords for each of your accounts – It is not easy to remember different passwords for all your online accounts, but it is vital that each online account has a different and strong password. Passwords need to be thought of as keys, you wouldn’t want your house key to open your car – passwords and online accounts should be no different. Password managers like avast! EasyPass can help you secure your passwords and accounts.
  • Enable two factor authentication – Many sites and services offer two factor authentication, meaning you are required to enter a pin number sent to your mobile device, in addition to your password, in order to gain access to your account. This helps verify that the person trying to log into the account is the actual account owner and in fact a real person (not just a program trying to hack accounts).
  • Download anti-virus protection for your mobile device – Anti-virus protection, such as avast! Mobile Security, not only protects your mobile devices from malware, but can also protects you from phishing links. Phishing sites look like legitimate sites designed to trick you into giving up your log in credentials, which may be how the hackers who published the nude photos gained access to celebrity accounts.

If it can happen to them it can happen to you

We often put celebrities on pedestals, but at the end of the day they are normal people just like you and I. No one is immune to hacks per se, but being aware of where you store your sensitive data and using the proper tools to protect your data can prevent hackers from accessing it. We should all take this situation as an opportunity to learn how to protect our very personal information.

Thank you for using avast! Antivirus and recommending us to your friends and family. For all the latest news, fun and contest information, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ andInstagram. Business owners – check out our business products.