Tag Archives: News

AVG

Managed Workplace 9.2 makes big debut

As we shared last week, Managed Workplace 9.2 is now globally available to our channel partners and offers our slickest remote management and monitoring (RMM) solution to date. Now with premium remote control integrated directly into our RMM platform at no extra cost, we’re making it easier than ever for our MSP partners to provide remote IT management services to their business customers.

The new platform is also catching press attention and our AVG execs have been busy sharing the highlights with tech and channel media reporters at ChannelBuzz, Channel Insider, ChanelLine, CRN UK, CRN U.S., Lanline.de, and MSP Mentor.

More interviews are scheduled across our markets over the next few weeks. The response has already been overwhelmingly positive, with press coverage describing our updated platform as ‘game-changing’ and also touting the new premium remote control, backup disaster and recovery, and Mac support features.

As with Managed Workplace 9.1, the development process was driven in large part from the input of hundreds of our partners around the world. We want to ensure that our products meet their evolving needs and we are proud to say that our latest version of the platform does just that.

In developing 9.2 and integrating additional features, we continue to partner with the best in the industry. Partners such as ISL Online, a Slovenian company with more than 200,000 customers in more than 100 countries helped us integrate premium remote control seamlessly into our platform. Our Backup and Disaster Recovery partner Infrascale is also a proven leader, recently named a Gartner Cool Vendor as ‘innovative, impactful and intriguing.’

The value of strategic partnerships like these can clearly be seen in the reaction to the end product. Initial feedback from our channel partners has been fantastic. Many have said using the updated platform will be a ‘no brainer’ for them. Some of our partners have already previewed the updated platform, with Advanced Technology Services (USA) providing feedback that “it works great on both Macs and PCs, features a new user interface that instantly shows all activity, and also enables us to seamlessly view user sessions.”

We recognize that our channel partners need IT simplicity and efficiency. The updates we have made to Managed Workplace 9.2 show our ongoing commitment to putting partners first.

We are listening and appreciate your feedback.

Panda Security

XcodeGhost: What it Is and How to Avoid it. The Sheen Comes off Apple’s Invincibility

apple malware

In what is a timely reminder that even the largest, and seemingly controlled, companies can face a cyberattack, Apple revealed that its Chinese App Store had been attacked by malware.

In what is thought to be the first attack on Apple’s App Store, the infection consisted of malicious code placed into iPad and iPhone apps that are popular in China. The hackers created a counterfeit version of Apple’s software for building iOS apps, which they then convinced developers to download. Once the apps were made and downloaded, the attackers were able to steal data about users and send it to servers they control.

The malware, known as XcodeGhost, could also allow the attackers to send fake notifications to users which could result in unsuspecting victims revealing valuable information. Cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks also states that is possible for the attackers to see log in information and other actions carried out on the device.

“In China – and in other places around the world – sometimes network speeds are very slow when downloading large files from Apple’s servers,” explained Palo Alto Networks. “As the standard Xcode installer is nearly three gigabytes, some Chinese developers choose to download the package from other sources.

Some of the apps that were affected by the attack include some that are available for purchase in App Stores outside of China, such as thee business card scanner CamCard.

“We’ve removed the apps from the App Store that we know have been created with this counterfeit software,” said Apple spokeswoman Christine Monaghan. “We are working with the developers to make sure they’re using the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps”.

How to avoid XcodeGhost

  • Having the operating system updated.
  • Only download applications from the official store. Of course, in this case the infected apps were in the Apple store, but they have been swiftly eliminated.
  • Use common sense – it’s one of the best ways to protect yourself
  • Also, connect your iPhone or iPod to your Mac and scan it for malware with our antivirus for Mac

The post XcodeGhost: What it Is and How to Avoid it. The Sheen Comes off Apple’s Invincibility appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

Trouble accessing Skype? The company has advised its users of a problem with its service across the globe

skype scam

Have you been unable to log onto Skype today? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one!

The company has informed its users that if they try to connect via the desktop application that they will appear “offline” and that their contacts won’t be able to communicate with them.

Skype recommends using the chat service available on its website which is functioning without any problems, and assure us that they are working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

The post Trouble accessing Skype? The company has advised its users of a problem with its service across the globe appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

Panda Security

As Adobe Flash gets phased out, we certainly won’t be pining after it

flash mobiles

This September 1 didn’t just bring with it the usual back-to-school (or work!) rush that we see every year, but also the ushering in of a hotly anticipated move from Google. Just last June, the company announced that its web browser, Chrome, would begin blocking the web content that used Adobe Flash technology. Basically, this means that animated ads and video players are a thing of the past.

This is what seems to be the final nail in the coffin for the much-maligned software which Steve Jobs criticized in 2010, when he chose not to allow it on Apple’s iPhones. It’s now been more than five years since the co-founder of Apple predicted that the boom of smartphones and tablets would take place without the need for Flash: “New open standards created in the mobile era, such as HTML5, will win on mobile devices (and PCs too)”.

His prediction about Adobe has been correct, although HTML5 is still fighting against apps for dominance on mobile devices. It’s been a long time since Flash posed a problem for mobile devices, as both Android and iOS blocked it a long time ago, and not its days are numbered on computers.

adoble update

In June, despite being a temporary measure that last only a few days due to a weakness in the program, Mozilla also blocked Flash. Now that Google has placed itself at the head of the pack, perhaps its competition in the browser market will enter into battle, and for good reason, too.

Flash has become the main cause of malware that can be installed on a laptop. The number of holes registered in Flash in 2014 by the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), reached 76, of which 65 were high-risk and 11 medium-risk. This means that, apart from web browsers themselves, Adobe has become the main entrance point for cybercriminals.

Because of this, Google decided to stop using it by default for YouTube and opted for HTML5 instead, following others similar actions taken by Netflix and Vimeo.

Adobe’s problems don’t end there, however, as Amazon also decided to prohibit ads in Flash format on its platforms, and Facebook’s Head of Security demanded to know “when will Adobe die”.

So, it destroys the battery of your laptop, makes pages load slowly, and above all, has a long history of allowing cybercriminals to run riot on your computer. When all is said and done, there won’t be many who miss it when it’s gone.

The post As Adobe Flash gets phased out, we certainly won’t be pining after it appeared first on MediaCenter Panda Security.

AVG

Understanding AVG’s new privacy policy

Our CEO, Gary Kovacs, announced at Mobile World Congress that AVG was developing a clear and simple version of its privacy policy for its users, and challenged the industry to do the same.

The new privacy policy does not come into effect until October 15th. We released the new privacy policy a month before it becomes effective to give our users time to provide any feedback they might have.

When creating our new policy format, we decided that our customers should have the ability to choose whether or not to participate in our anonymized data collection program.

We are currently adding this option to some of our FREE consumer products, and we can confirm that no sharing of data will happen until our customers are able to make this choice.

Most software products and websites collect usage data.

Usage data allows them to customize the experience for their customers and also share data with third parties that allow them to improve or develop new products.  Knowing that 10 million users like a certain TV program gives broadcasters the data to get producers to make more of that type of program.  This is also how taxi firms know how to distribute their fleets; and how advertisers know where to place banners and billboards, for example.  Even at AVG, we have published non-personal information that we have collected regarding App performance.

We do not, and will not, sell personally identifiable data to anyone, including advertisers. 

AVG has continually challenged the industry to simplify its privacy policies and provide an informative, one-page view. We are proud of our new privacy policy and intend to continue our drive for more transparency and greater user choice.