The FBI has published a list of tips to reduce the chance of ransomware being the ruin of your company – and is keen that you don’t pay the extortionists.
The post FBI: No, you shouldn’t pay ransomware extortionists appeared first on We Live Security.
Microsoft’s twice-annual SIR bellwether security report highlights malware, fraudulent login attempts and the staying power of really old software bugs.
A major online casino ran headfirst into a ransomware infection and learned about how simple mistakes can lead to complicated problems.
A few months ago, we reported on a white hack against Dridex where the malicious payload was removed and an Avira antivirus downloader added.
The post “I’m with Stupid” Locky network gets hacked and dissed appeared first on Avira Blog.
PandaLabs, Panda Security’s laboratory, outlined in this report the main cyber-security developments over the first months in 2016, showing statistics of malware and cyber-attacks in the first quarter of 2016. The amount of malware created continues to break records, with more than 20 million new samples identified, an average of 227,000 per day.
Cyber-criminals continue attacking without giving sensitive infrastructures the chance to take a break, as seen in the attack suffered by 21st Century Holdings, a clinic specialized in cancer treatments with headquarters in Florida. The clinic had to alert their 2.2 million patients and workers that their personal data might have been compromised.
The Rosen Hotels & Resort chain has been the victim of an attack that occurred between September 2014 and February 2016. The company alerted their clients who may have used a credit or debit card in their establishments over this time period that their data could have been stolen by the attackers.
Even the world’s most powerful governments haven’t been spared, such as the United States, where the Department of Defense has presented a rewards program called “Hack the Pentagon” in which rewards are offered to hackers who find security holes in the Pentagon’s web pages, applications and networks.
Smartphones are another easy target for cyber-criminals. SNAP is the name of a vulnerability that affects the LG G3 phones. The problem is due to an error in the implementation of LG notifications called Smart Notice, which allows JavaScript to be executed.
The growing sector, the Internet of Things, is also affected by this year’s criminal activity. In this area, we can see how something as innocent as a doorbell can be attacked. Manufacturers are becoming more aware of their product’s safety, in fact, General Motors just launched a new rewards program for hackers who are able to find vulnerabilities in their vehicles.
The PandaLabs study shows that Trojans continue to be in the lead of all malware samples. Out all malware samples created in 2016, Trojans are number one with 66.81% of the total (an increase compared to last year), followed by viruses (15.98%), worms (11.01%), PUPs (4.22%) and aware/Spyware (1.98%):
When we analyze the infections caused by malware worldwide, we find Trojans in the lead again. This is normal if we take into account the rise in ransomware infections, including the rise of Trojans, which is also one of the most popular attacks cyber-criminals use because it allows them to obtain money easily and securely. There are more and more companies whose networks are falling victim to these cyber-criminals and who are paying millions of euros to rescue their stolen information:
In this study we can find a table showing the countries with the highest and lowest infection rates in Q1 of 2016: Asia and Latin America (China leads the ranking with 51.35% of infections) are the most affected countries; while the Scandinavian countries have the lowest infection rates with (Sweden at the lowest at 19.80%).
If you want to know more about the specific attacks, be up to date with the latest research carried out by the FBI, and the latest news of the cyberwar, you can download the entire document here. We hope this is of interest to you!
The post PandaLabs identifies 227,000 malware samples per day in the first quarter of 2016 appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.
Privacy watchdogs are blasting Rule 41, a proposed change to the federal criminal procedures, saying it would allow the government to hack into phones and seize computers remotely.
It’s a very common occurrence to open your email box and say, “I’ve been spammed!” But it’s a much rarer occurrence to say, “My name’s been spammed!”
The post Locky and the fine art of namedropping appeared first on Avira Blog.
Ransomware has become an albatross around the neck, targeting businesses, hospitals, and personal computers worldwide and extorting Millions of Dollars.
Typical Ransomware targets victim’s computer encrypts files on it, and then demands a ransom — typically about $500 in Bitcoin — in exchange for a key that will decrypt the files.
Guess what could be the next target of ransomware malware?
Smartphones have become vital to our existence, accompanying us in our day-to-day lives, both at work and at home. Since May 1st is International Workers’ Day, we are celebrating by reviewing some of the top applications we believe are most useful for our professional success.
These app icons saturate our phone screens, but with good reason. Today, there is an app for everything. Apps offer a wide range of possibilities and solutions, helping us organize our tasks and merge our professional and personal lives.
Even though we do our best to make our Smartphones as secure as possible, sometimes there are vulnerabilities, like large amounts of malware waiting to take over your phone. As seen above, there are a variety of applications waiting to be downloaded and used to help you on your journey up the career ladder. However, we must keep in mind that there are some risks that come with installing anything downloaded off the internet.
Black Hats frequently use apps as keys to “get into” our phones. If you use them as work tools or to share sensitive and private data, you should think about downloading an antivirus.
We have some tips when downloading these applications. First of all, “avoid the black market” and download your apps in authorized stores that are reliable. Secondly, choose apps with official developers (these will always be more secure). Thirdly, pay attention to the number of downloads (if there are more than 1,000, we can consider it a popular app and reduce the possibilities of giving problems.) Lastly, review the feedback from other downloaders to make sure it is a good one.
Current Smartphone attacks have put device security and personal information in danger, which is especially hazardous when your devices are connected with your work-life. Prevention is the best possible thing you can do to guarantee your security.
Here at Panda Security, we hope you continue in the fight against cyber-threats and keep on protecting your work-life. Have a great weekend and a wonderful International Workers’ Day!
The post Tips to help protect your professional Apps appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.
In Brief
The US Supreme Court has approved amendments to Rule 41, which now gives judges the authority to issue search warrants, not only for computers located in their jurisdiction but also outside their jurisdiction.
Under the original Rule 41, let’s say, a New York judge can only authorize the FBI to hack into a suspect’s computer in New York.
But the amended rule would now make it
