anti virus software

Security software has gaps

Judi Hasson — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:22:43 -0500

Security systems certainly have improved over time, but it is estimated that only about 40 percent of the anti-virus software programs actually can detect binaries during the period of greatest danger, the first few days when a variant starts being used by botnet builders. Stuart Staniford, chief scientist for FireEye, ran a test to see why the detection systems were being evaded. He uploaded a sample of 217 binaries culled from FireEye appliances on customer premises, and ran 36 anti-virus programs.

About half of the binaries picked up by FireEye were unknown to detection systems. Staniford said malware often uses 'polymorphisms'-- programs that are constantly changed very slightly to evade binary pattern detection. He said this makes it important that anti-virus programs can spot malware in the first week of its use. "The sample is likely to get discarded by the bad guys pretty soon after that," he told PCWorld.com.

For more on anti-virus security:
- see this PCWorld.com article

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HP ships infected flash drives

Mehan Jayasuriya — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:11:31 -0400

You'd think you could trust a USB key, especially one shipped to enterprise customers by the largest PC vendor in the world. But you would be wrong. Looks like HP Australia unwittingly shipped out a few viruses to enterprises--namely, Fakerecy and SillyFDC--alongside optional USB keys for the company's Proliant servers. Luckily, the two viruses in question are fairly old, pose a low-risk and should be caught by any up-to-date anti-virus software. Still, it goes to show that you can never be too careful where security is concerned.

For more on the mishap:
- see this article from the Register

Security pros: don't forget common sense

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

You can run as much anti-virus software as you can afford, but that's still no substitute for common sense. Remember: today's cyber criminals are continuously updating the malware that they have managed to install on a victim's computer. No safeguard is good enough if the computer user does not remember to stay away from links or open attachments that arrive unexpectedly via email or instant messaging. Also, remember that anti-virus programs are the most effective when part of a layered security approach. That includes frequent software patching and using a (hardware and/or software) firewall. Every IT department should have a secure system, using the latest technology and making sure that computer users are properly trained.

For more on the best kind of security:
- See this Washington Post article

Malware's $7 billion Hit

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:59:59 -0400

It turns out that phishing schemes and spyware are more than just annoying; they're both turning out to pack a serious wallop for the wallets of online consumers. A new study from ConsumerReports.com says that such malware apps have cost consumers a whopping $7 billion in losses for over the last two years. The report also says that consumers have a 1-in-4 chance of becoming a cyber victim. The good news is that these numbers are down over last year. The report notes that 38 percent of those surveyed reported a computer virus infection in the last two years, and 17 percent did not have anti-virus software installed. During the past six months, 34 percent of respondents' computers were exposed to a spyware infection. Meanwhile, the median cost of a phishing incident is around $200.

Learn more about the study:
- read the article in eWeek

From IT security to business risk

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Instead of focusing on IT security, focus on business risk. We have been trained over time to associate IT security with certain actions--protecting the perimeter of the data center, for example--and certain products--intrusion detection, encryption, firewalls, anti-virus software, etc.--that are all merely tactical and do not address any of the real strategic issues in protecting people and organizations from threats. By limiting our scope to IT security rather than risk, we ensure that the emphasis remains tactical rather than strategic. Thinking about risk prompts us to think larger: Who has the best shot at mitigating the router risk? Who is best qualified to shoulder the responsibility for owning the risk? The risk was, and is, in the data.

Read more about IT security and business risk:
- read the blog at CIO

Face threats head on

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Even with the requisite complement of data protection software, your data and networks might not be as secure as you think, thanks to more aggressive, smarter viruses and other security threats. One type of "smart" attack can occur within root kits, a type of Trojan horse software implanted into a computer to capture passwords and message traffic. These attacks will allow a virus to make its way into the depths of the operating system, allowing it to interfere with the anti-virus software before it has a chance to detect the threat. Other emerging threats include embedded image spam, more threats around Voice over IP (VoIP), and malicious code concealed in video content.

Read on for more threats to your business:
- see the article at Vnunet.com
- and for even more information, check out this article at SpywareHunter

Windows exec makes a unique Vista security claim

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 19:01:38 -0500

Whether it's just a marketing ploy or not, the fact that Windows co-President Jim Allchin lets his son work on a PC free of any anti-virus software is a statement that you can't ignore. As Allchin explains, he's so confident that Vista is secure that he doesn't think any other security program is necessary. Yet, as one security expert notes, the fact that his son is in elementary school and the machine is locked down with parental control features is somewhat of a unique situation. Security analysts say Vista requires anti-virus software as typical users are downloading files on a pretty regular basis.

For more on Allchin's Vista security claim:
- check out this item at InformationWeek

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SPOTLIGHT: Security lacking big-time in UK companies

Tue, 04 Jul 2006 20:01:34 -0400

End-point security isn't a big focus in the U.K., according to a new research report that claims half the country's enterprises don't use firewall technology and that a fifth of U.K. companies have data and networks exposed. The survey about end point security strategies, from Secure Computing, also states that 20 percent of businesses haven't even deployed anti-virus software. Article