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Panda Security

Virus in the name of WhatsApp! Now via email!

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whatsapp for pc

Profits are not the only thing brought by the voice calls in WhatsApp. We are sure that some of you are also worried about this.

According to RedesZone, this new service has reactivated, and made more believable, an old scam. Do you want to know how does it work? We will tell you! If you wonder how it works, keep reading…

  • You receive an email which informs you that you have a pending voice message, supposedly/technically from a friend/ one of your contacts.
  • If we want to listen to it, we just have to click on the “autoplay” button in the email.

whatsapp voice message

 

If there was any doubt, you are not downloading a voice message, instead you are downloading malware.

That’s why, so you don’t fall for this kind of scams, you should take this into account:

  • WhatsApp doesn’t send notifications for pending messages.
  • If we look closely to the sender’s address: [email protected], we will see it doesn’t have to do anything with WhatsApp.
  • The application won’t never refer to itself as Whats App.

The best thing you can do is just ignore these emails and install in your computer the best antivirus, which will block the malware in your computer.

The post Virus in the name of WhatsApp! Now via email! appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

Russian models that fall in love with you… it’s a scam!

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“I want to chat with you” if you have received an email with this subject, or something similar, with the picture of a beautiful Miss Russia, just ignore it! She is not contacting you because she has fallen deeply in love with you.

The Spanish Internet User Security Office and the Spanish Civil Guard have warned about these scams, because as you might think their only purpose is to take all your money.

email scam

The Spanish Civil Guard warns via their Twitter account: Yes, we know that they are all crazy about you… but then they will ask you for money to come #SCAM

If you have already made some sort of contact, it is possible that they have already asked you for money so they can come to visit you, so you can finally meet in person,

In this case we recommend:

  • Don’t send money to anyone.
  • Stop all communications.

Spanish National Police warns us through their Twitter account about other kinds of scams similar to this one.

policia tuit fraude

As the tweet above says: someone answers to your add in which you are looking for concert tickets, a home for renting, etc. and they ask you for a deposit. Watch out, possible scam! Don’t take the bait!

Don’t fall for it!

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Panda Security

This is how Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn fight to protect your security

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social networks

Probably when you were reading about the privacy policy on Facebook or Twitter, you skipped the part of ‘how to protect yourself from cyber attackers’. Each time you download a new application you agree to its terms and conditions, and we are sure that you don’t stop to read them and never worry about how the applications manage your sensitive information.

Social networks strive to inform you on how they protect your information and what can you do to contribute to this task. That’s why they offer the information in the most understandable possible way.

Facebook the most complete

Facebook just had its guide to security redesigned and in the ‘How to Keep Your Account Secure’ section offers new recommendations on how to prevent cyber-attacks through interactive graphics. And to assure everyone can read these tips, they are available in 40 languages and you can share them on your profile.

The recommendations “focus on the tools we make available to help you secure your account, the steps we take to keep your information secure, and the ways you can recognize and avoid attempts to compromise your information” explained Melissa Luu-Van, product manager at Facebook. Van-Luu added in the same post that already millions of people have read the new privacy settings launched last November.

like facebook

Click on ‘help’ if you think your account might have been taken over by someone else, explain you that you have to log out if you are not using your habitual computer or inform you that you can report suspicious profiles and posts are some of the features included in the new security collection.

The guide also warns you of the possibility of a phishing attack. Facebook will never send you an email asking for your password, so if you ever receive an ‘email’ requesting this information could come from a cyber-attacker who created a fake web site to steal your information.

LinkedIn the less organized

Facebook isn’t the only social network which has improved its security information recently. LinkedIn has also a new ‘Security Blog’ with helpful guidelines. “We’ll use this site to share some of our security research, whitepapers on how we handle data and the security features and diligence we’ve built into our products. If you are responsible for information security at an enterprise that uses LinkedIn’s products” says Cory Scott, LinkedIn’s Information Security Director.

This professional network explains how your information is used and protected. For example, inform that they can hire third party companies to provide their services with limited access to your information. In addition its support center offers advice on how to better protect your account: changing your password regularly, check the privacy settings or activate the two-step verification to prevent phishing attacks, that many users have suffered in the last few months.  Nevertheless, this information is less organized than in Facebook, so you will have to dive deeper to find what you want.

Twitter the one that offers personal tips

Twitter also wants to show you its way of protecting your information. If you are interested to know more details, in their help center there is a wide security and protection section, you can access it from the tab of ‘help and support’ in your profile.

twitter

Here you can find out some tips on how to maintain secure account (similar to other social networks), or how to inform Twitter if you find your account has been violated. The company pays special attention to cyberbullying and includes custom security tips for teens, parents and teachers.

What about Google?

But not only social networks detail their security policy; google has been doing it for a while. A complete manual is included in the web ‘How to stay safe and secure online’ where explains how to prevent cyber-attacks protecting your passwords, checking your Gmail’s settings or verifying the emails’ sender if you think it might be a scam.

You can also dig through all the security and privacy tools offered, like two-step verification or who to browse through Chrome without your computer recording it in your browsing history.

So, if you ever wonder how the services you trust every day protect your information against cyber-attacks now you have no excuse, the answer is here!

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Panda Security

Mass emails without BCC and other unsafe (and illegal) habits

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computer on the table

Either by mistake or ignorance, your company may be facing a hefty fine. You may ask yourself why? The answer, the daily emails your employees send to multiple clients massively. Do they send them using blind carbon copy (bcc)?

Inside the Spanish Organic Law on Personal Data Protection (LOPD) lies the exact explanation to why one of those emails sent to multiple clients without concealing their addresses may cost your company dear.

When managing a company’s client data base the responsibility is to protect them. This consists on not sharing or selling their information to others, people or companies. Here lays the problem with emails sent without bcc, every recipient can see who has received that same email which according to the LOPD is a serious offense.

It can turn out to be a very expensive mistake, if any of the recipients decided to report your company. The law provides fines between 40.000 and 300.000 euros, although normally sanctions end up being lower, depending on the number of affected clients or on how many times the mistake had been committed.

How to avoid it?

If you want to avoid making this mistakes is as simple as paying a bit of attention when sending mass emailing. Just add the recipients’ addresses through the Bcc button which is on the email top bar. This way the recipients’ addresses will be hidden and won’t be visible to those who had received that same email.

BCC

However, mass mailing without adding the recipients to the Bcc list is not the only problem a company might have while communicating, their presence in social networks can play an important role if used without caution.

We find Twitter is the most problematic one. If a company decided to follow unilaterally other users it may be breaking the Spanish Organic Law on Personal Data Protection and the Law of Services of the Information Society. You may wonder why? The reason is that a simple “follow” on Twitter is considered a commercial communication. And if the communication hadn’t been previously approved by the other user we will be looking at a case of spam.

twitter

In this case the solution is also simple, though it may be a bit painful for companies that will no longer be able to follow thousands of Twitter users. To do so and not be considered spam, companies must previously obtain the other users’ consent. In this case, the user following the company’s Twitter account may be understood as the necessary consent.

The whole company must be aware of the information its employees handle daily, everyone else’s information must be also protected, especially online. Something as simple as sending emails using bcc or choosing who our company follows on Twitter, may be enough to protect the information of others, and to avoid penalty.

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Panda Security

Amazon-Gift: the latest virus in WhatsApp

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whatsapp virus

We are always saying that WhatsApp is the favorite platform for cybercriminals to play around. And if we add the name of a giant like Amazon, the scam is bound to be a success.

The Trojan known as Amazon-Gift tell users through a WhatsApp message that both companies have joined and they are offering a gift-card. And if the user wants to obtain the check he must click on a link.

According to Tecnoexplora, this hoax is expanding through Asia and it won’t be long until it reaches the rest of the world.

But cybercriminals have gone a little further, urging users to click quickly if they want to be one of the lucky customers to win the prize as there are only 18.000 gift cards available.

The prize is none other than a Trojan that will infect your mobile phone and add it to a network from which other cyber-attacks will be launched.

So, now you know if someone sends you an Amazon-Gift forget it and don’t click on the link!

The post Amazon-Gift: the latest virus in WhatsApp appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

How to clean up your computer for free

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free antivirus

There are some viruses that although they don’t completely block a computer, they can still affect its performance. Have you noticed your computer slowing down but don’t know why? Do you think it could be infected? Try Panda Cloud Cleaner, our disinfection tool, and you can resolve these and other issues.

Panda Cloud Cleaner is an advanced antivirus based on Collective Intelligence (scanning in the cloud) which removes malware that traditional antivirus solutions are unable to detect. This free disinfection tool will help you remove viruses such as the notorious Police virus.

How to clean up your PC with Panda Cloud Cleaner

Follow these steps to use our free disinfection tool, Panda Cloud Cleaner.

1. Download the free antivirus.

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Start

 

2. Follow the instructions in the program installer.

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Welcome

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Scanning

 

3. Wait until all installation files have been copied.

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Extracting

 

4. When this is complete, click Finish.

Free Antivirus

 

5. Click Accept and Scan in the Panda Cloud Cleaner window.

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Accept

 

6. When the scan is complete, Panda Cloud Cleaner will display a summary of the malware detected. Check the list of detections carefully to avoid deleting legitimate software and click Clean.

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Finish

Panda Cloud Cleaner - Success

 

Would you like to try our free antivirus on your PC?
Free Antivirus

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Panda Security

The White House has been hacked

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White House hacked

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes informed about a cyberattack to the White House.

Rhodes told the CNN that hackers gained unauthorized access to the computers non-classified systems and sensitive information, though their classified systems weren’t compromised.

Rhodes wouldn’t confirm or deny if the attack was carried out by Russian hackers or when it happened, but he hinted that it hadn’t been recently. (Wasn’t in the salt couple of days)

Without going into details, during his report he commented that a series of security measures to evaluate and mitigate the damage have been taken.

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Panda Security

WhatsApp: 6 scams you must pay attention to!

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security on whatsapp

The success of WhatsApp has a downfall: while the instant messaging service reached 600 million active users last summer, the numbers of frauds emerging around the app are also growing steadily.

What are the most common scams in WhatsApp? What should we do so we don’t take the bait?

WhatsApp: 6 scams you must pay attention to!

  1. A fake invitation to WhatsApp voice calls

With the arrival of WhatsApp voice calls a new fraud has emerged. While millions of users are waiting for an invitation to access this new feature, cybercriminals are distributing the malware via a link, which automatically downloads the malware.

whatsapp voice calls

To avoid falling into the new WhatsApp fraud, you should keep in mind that voice calls are only available for Android phones.

  1. Frauds via browser

After WhatsApp launched their browser platform, fraudulent websites were created to steal your banking data.

This fake webpages use different types of scams:

  • Asking for the phone number of the gullible users and then, subscribing them to downloading premium services which charge special rates.
  • Making users download an application in their computers, but actually is a Trojan that will allow cybercriminals to obtain confidential information, such as banking information.

In this case, one thing to remember is that the only browser version of WhatsApp is free, and you don’t need to download anything to your computer to use it.

  1. How to disable the blue double check

Scammers also tried to take advantage of WhatsApp’s double check launch. Before the instant messaging service allowed disabling this feature, in social networks we could find advertisements of fraudulent services for getting rid of the darned double check.

doble check azul whatsapp

Getting some users to sign up for a premium SMS service without knowing it, which has a special rate. Remember: you can disable the double check feature from the app.

  1. WhatsApp Gold

The Spanish National Police and Civil Guard reported a couple of months ago the existence of a scam that can be expensive, actually, 36 euros per month.

The fraud starts with a message via social networks in which WhatsApp users are invited to click on a link to update their app to the inexistent Oro version (Gold version), including supposed new and exclusive features.  The link takes the user to a web page where, if he wants to use these improvements, he has to give his phone number.

In fact, all those who gave their number will subscribe to a premium SMS service: each text message that you receive will cost you 1.45 euros, until a maximum of 36.25 euro per month. If you ever cross paths with this message, remember there is only one official version of WhatsApp. Common sense is, as usual, your best ally.

  1. The fake voicemail of WhatsApp

In contrast to the ones before, this scam doesn’t take the advantage of a recently launched service, it just invents one. It starts when a user receives an email, in which they inform him that he has an unread voice message in the WhatsApp nonexistent voicemail.

When he hits “Play”, there is no message, but it downloads malicious software that the scammers introduce to your device. From that moment on, text messages with special rates or the theft of confidential information can cause the user a great deal of trouble. Remember: there is no WhatsApp voicemail.

  1. WhatsApp’s Spy

We are aware of the existence of WhatsApp Public, an application that allows you to spy your contacts in WhatsApp, but there is a scam that goes one step ahead and offers( with a similar name) a service which allows anyone to read conversations of others. But it is just another way of infecting with malware the gullible user’s phone.

whatsapp spy

Obviously, you can’t spy other people’s conversations and the only change it will bring it will come in your phone bill, which will increase considerably.

Remember that it is important to maintain your cellphone’s security. If you want, you can download free of charge our antivirus for Android.

The post WhatsApp: 6 scams you must pay attention to! appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

Caution! New SMS scam!

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We have seen many scams involving text messages, the most recent one in Spain a few days ago; crooks sent innocent users this SMS…

sms scam

“Hello! What are you doing? You have forgotten about me, eh? Do you know who I am, or not? LOL… You didn’t answer to my SMS, uh?  Are you alright? XOXO (Answer WHO and …)”

This is what reads in the captured SMSs.

Have you received this type of text message?

This is happening in Spain, where the National Police has alerted in their Twitter account about these types of messages.

What is the criminal’s benefit? It’s an economic profit, evidently. How? There are two possibilities:

  • Subscription to SMS Premium services, which will increase your telephone bill.
  • Exchanging messages with a machine for hours, paying important amounts of money for each message.

So, if you receive a SMS like this on your cellphone, just ignore it! No acquaintance of yours would contact you like this.

Even if you are not in Spain, we advise you to be careful! You never know where the cybercriminals may strike again!

 

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Panda Security

Information regarding an issue with the signature file in Panda Cloud Office Protection and Retail 2015

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We inform you that we have had an incident with our signature file that might have affected our Panda Cloud Office Protection and Retail 2015 customers. This issue causes some files to be moved to the quarantine.

The signature file has already been replaced, so this situation should not recur. Nonetheless, we advise our customers not to restart your computer. At Panda Security we are working to restore the situation at the endpoint as soon as possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. We will keep you informed at all times.

*** UPDATE – Wednesday, 21:20 (CET)

The solution which restores the quarantined files has been automatically deployed in all the affected products. We are working on a tool to be installed on those computers which require a manual installation of the solution. We will update the information as soon as it is ready.

http://www.pandasecurity.com/uk/homeusers/support/card?id=100045

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