Emerging Information Security Threats

Article (119)

The 7 top threats to cloud computing
The Cloud Security Alliance has published a list of the seven worst security risks associate with cloud computing. At number one is bad guys exploiting the cloud.
How to prepare for the malware of the future
Security expert Nick Lewis predicts how infosec threats will evolve in the new year, and how you can fight back against new threats.
Shoud you bother reading vendors' security research?
Scarcely a day passes without one vendor or another issuing research about current Internet threats. Our columnist opines that you don't need to read them all, but that there is some useful information for security professionals.
Experts war over seriousness of SSL flaw
The discoverers of a new SSL vulnerability warn it could have dire consequences. But another researcher isn't so sure it's a big threat.
Sourcefire says applications the new security battleground, predicts “awesome” attack on Web 2.0 applications
The Senior Director of Sourcefire’s Vulnerability Research Team says criminals are turning away from exploiting operating system vulnerabilities, and are now targeting ubiquitous productivity applications.
Bahama botnet cashes in with click fraud
A newly-identified botnet could be fueling click fraud and and popups, say researchers at Click Forensics.
Dormant virtual machines are a security threat
Proliferating virtual machines create new security risks for your network.
Hosted office apps "the worst consumer IT threat" - Gartner
Hosted productivity applications are more dangerous to the enterprise than smartphones, says Gartner's John Pescatore, who warns that social networks can be used to deduce important information about an organisation.
Attacks on virtual machines get real
Theoretical exploits which attack virtual machines have become frighteningly real and IT professionals need to adopt new techniques to protect virtualized infrastructure.
Flawed XML libraries open door to attacks
XML libraries usde by Sun, Apache and others have flaws hat could lead to denial of service attacks or injection of malicious code.
Many vendors implicated in interoperability security mess
Researchers say interoperability vulnerabilities affect browser plug-ins and other components that transmit data between different components of an operating system.
Kaminsky's new bombshell: X.509 certificates are borked
After exposing the shonky state of DNS security, researcher Dan Kaminsky has unveiled his latest mess at Black Hat: X.509 certificates can be spoofed.
Adobe working on fix for poison PDF Flash flaw
A serious flaw in Adobe Flash Player could enable an attacker to take complete control of a computer. Security firms are reporting limited attacks in the wild.
Flash zero-day can lead to p0wnage via. poison PDF
Adobe has 'fessed up to the existence of a zero-day in Flash that uses PDFs to infect computers with malware.
Conficker crooks about to crank it up?
F-Secure researchers say that the owners of the Conficker botnet may be about to unleash the zombie machines they control.
Hackers harvesting unused SSL certificates, using their power for evil
Symantec says new phishing toolkits hack Web servers and use stored SSL certificates to masquerade as a legitimate site.
Microsoft, Oracle issue patches
Microsoft has issued six updates and Oracle 33. Get ready to start patching!
Office Web Components have a new vulnerability
The bad guys are already swarming all over a Spreadsheet ActiveX Control vulnerability in Microsoft Office Web Components. But worry not: a workaround is already in place.
Adobe fixes ColdFusion flaw
Users of ColdFusion 8 can apply a patch which blocks ongoing attacks compromising websites built with the application development platform.
Researchers to demonstrate new EV SSL man-in-the-middle hacks
The upcoming Black Hat conference will feature demonstrations of a new, offline, man-in-the-middle hacks against extended validation SSL certificates.
ColdFusion websites under attack
A flaw in Adobe's ColdFusion rich text editor is being actively exploited, Adobe says. Several high profile web sites seem to have been compromised.
0Day hits Microsoft DirectShow
Microsoft's DirectShow sofwtare is again under attack.
FTP credentials the target for new trojan
A new trojan harvests FTP logins and is now seeding compromised sites with malicious scripts.
Celebrity deaths exploited by spammers
The death of Michael Jackson has led to a new wave of spam and online scams
Conficker's not finished yet
Conficker has faded from the news, but the worm is still poorly understood and the botnet it controls could still perform dastardly deeds.
Attackers hit unpatched DirectShow flaw
Workarounds have been released to prevent an attack on Microsoft's DirectShow media streaming product.
Gumblar, Martuz drive-by attacks wreaking havoc
Two new exploits, Gumblar and Martuz, have corrupted websites and are spreading dangerous malware.
Adobe Reader borked again, patch issued
Adobe Reader can be exploited and code to do so is available in the wild. Thankfully, a patch has landed.
Security vendors willing to pay researchers for bug information
Security researchers want to be paid when they tell vendors about bugs. And vendors seem to be ready to write them a check.
PowerPoint zero day fix on the way
PowerPoint has been pwned by attackers, who are using the presentation graphics program to hijack computers.
Cyberwarfare and pinpoint attacks are a real threat
A malware expert says cyberwar and criminals creating highly targeted attacks are real threats to mainstream users.
Conficker wasn't all it was cracked up to be
Conficker's P2P network seems comprised of a trivial number of IP addresses, suggesting the worm is a tiddler not a whopper.
Spawn of Conficker hooks up with Storm botnet
The latest Conficker offshoot, "Conficker.E" has a new way to spread to your machines and a mission to send spam.
PowerPoint zero-day under attack
Microsoft is considering an out-of-cycle patch for a zero-day flaw in PowerPoint.
Conficker fizzles, leaves egg on security industry's face
Despite bountiful warnings, Conficker fizzed on April 1st. Eric Ogren wonders if the real lesson is that security vendors are alarmists?
Conficker cure on the way thanks to a bug in the worm
Conficker contains a flaw that makes it easier to detect - and quash - infections.Honeynet, Tenable, McAfee/Foundstone, Nmap, nCircle and Qualys have put it into action.
Get cracking crushing Conficker
Conficker will activate its botnet on April 1st. Sophos, Symantec, Webroot, BitDefender and other vendors say you should remove it ASAP before the real trouble starts.
vPro flaw revealed at Black Hat can be exploited
Flaws identified in Intel's TXT are hard to explot, but still worth protecting against to preserve the safety of virtual servers.
Conficker's pwned computers could be sold in chunks
Researchers say the botnet created by Conficker could be carved up into small pieces and sold by the wom's authors.
Excel zero-day flaw already being exploited
Security researchers are investigating reports of a zero-day flaw in Microsoft Excel being actively targeted by attackers.
Third party vendor patches Adobe zero-day
Security company Sourcefire has issued a fix for the unpatched buffer overflow vulnerability in Adobe Reader 9, beating Adobe to the punch!
Adobe zero-day flaw already attracting attention
Attackers are actively targeting a zero-day flaw in adobe Acrobat Reader software, according to a warning from Symantec.
Hacking method bypasses SSL, tricks users into giving up passwords
Moxie Marlinspike explains how his hacking technique fools Web users into thinking they are on an SSL-protected site, leaving them feeling quite safe, but pwned all the same.
Black Hat researchers demo flaw in Intel vPro
Security researchers Joanna Rutkowska and colleague Rafal Wojtczuk have found a way around Intel Trusted Execution Technology, one of the security pillars in its vPro management platform.
OpenDNS tries to cut off Conficker authors
OpenDNS and Kaspersky are trying to block domains known to be associated with the Conficker worm.
Conficker peaks, but the worst may be yet to come
Security researchers cannot yet say what damage the Conficker/Downadup worm will do to business networks.
QuickTime flaws patched
A flaw in Apple's QuickTime which could allow attackers to access to critical files has been plugged.
Enterprise attacks in 2009
John Strand explains what enterprise security pros will have to look forward to this year: new weapons, old vulnerabilities, and new takes on old attack techniques.
RIM fixes BlackBerry flaw
BlackBerry-maker RIM has patched an ActiveX flaw in its desktop software.
New worm hits Windows Mobile
Predictions of mobile malware come true, as the WinCE.Pmcryptic.A worm is identified.
SAP patches critical flaw
SAP has rushed out a patch to a critical flaw that could see an ActiveX control exploited to access sensitive data.
Acrobat attack!
Malicious PDF files are targeting a flaw in Adobe Reader.
Trojan targets Microsoft's emergency fix
A new trojan has emerged that targets the vulnerability Microsoft addressed in last week's emergency patch.
Adobe acts to stop clickjacking in Flash
Adobe has issued a fix for its Flash Player that prevents a known clickjacking attack.
Cilckjacking proof of concept emerges
The 'clickjacking' attack first thought to impact all graphical browsers has been shown to be worse than first thought.
Black Hat roundup: Vista security defeated; IOS rootkit; DNS flaw 'worse than thought'
Black Hat speakers says it is possible to kill Vista security, create rootkits for Cisco's IOS and worry the DNS flaw is worse than originally thought!
Oracle breaks its patch cycle to fix dangerous flaw
A dangerous flaw in an Oracle product will be fixed ASAP, instead of in the company's usual quarterly patchfest.
VIDEO: Dan Kaminsky explains the DNS flaw
Dan Kaminsky , the researcher who uncovered the DNS flaw recently patched by all major vendors, explains his research into the problem.
Is mobile malware real yet?
Mobile malware is nearly always posited as a looming threat. Now, however, it is becoming real, malicious and financially motivated.
Trojan infects MP3 and Windows Media files
A trojan that burrows its way into MP3 and Windows media (WMV) audio files - and WMV videos - has been found by the folks at Secure Computing.
Industry rallies to squash DNS flaw
Several vendors have worked together to issue patches that correct a significant flaw in the global DNS system.
Microsoft patches Bluetooth, Internet Explorer flaws
Microsoft has issued its monthly patch packet, while Apple has updated QuickTime.
Stolen data landing in Google's caches
Looking for some stolen information? Chance are, Google's cache has a copy you can access if you can be bothered learning a little search engine syntax.
Flash player zero day already being exploited
Researchers have found a flaw in Adobe's Flash player and more than 200,000 web sites are already exploiting the flaw.
More SQL injection attacks scare security researchers
One of the oldest security threats - SQL injection - is on the comeback trail.
NEWSFLASH: Debian and Ubuntu SSH and SLL bug leaves servers vulnerable
A serious bug in Debian's random number generator has been patched overnight. We cover the bug - and the fix - in a special edition of our Risky Business podcast.
Media file malware outbreak plagues file-sharing services
Poisoned media files are the latest threat lurking on file sharing sites.
NULL pointer deferences explained
In this week's security podcast, IBM's Mark Dowd explains the NULL pointer deferences flaw he discovered, while SImon Howard defends his "Race to Zero" competition.
IBM investigating virtualised security
IBM has created a project to develop new security techniques to protect the hypervisors that enable virtual computing. Includes a video interview with IBM researchers.
Trojan downloaders, droppers skyrocket, Microsoft says
The bad buys behind botnets are getting better, according to Microsoft research.
Cross Site Request Forgery attacks reach the wild
This week's episode of our Risky Business podcast reveals that Cross Site Request Forgery attacks have reached the wild
New hacking technique exploits common NULL programming error
High-level programming languages like C# may be just as vulnerable to memory corruption as their predecessors, researchers now believe.
Microsoft investigating new Windows zero-day
Another bug has emerged that effects the Windows family ... including Windows Server 2008.
Researchers uncover tool used to infect websites, spread malware
SANS Institute researchers point the finger at China as the origin for a tool that has been a major source of malware
Electronic Surveillance for Information Security Professionals Part I:
In part one of this special (and occasional) series, counter-surveillance expert Les Goldsmith warns information security experts should not neglect the security risk posed by eavesdropping technologies.
Finjan CTO discusses the latest hacking technqiues
VIDEO SPECIAL: Finjan CTO Yuval Ben-Itzhak discusses the tools and techniques hackers are using to conduct attacks and some of the latest threats to Web applications.
Three security problems and how to fix them
Patrick Gray looks at three neglected attacks and advises what to do to avoid being burned.
Inside the Winlockpwn Firewire crack
Patrick Gray interviews Adam Boileau to learn about the Winlockpwn firewire crack and more!
Researcher: Beware of massive IFrame attack
Hundreds of thousands of webpages have been corrupted with a new IFrame attack, redirecting visitors to malware-laden websites.
AusCERT: Web apps, social networks, virtualisation to attract more attacks
Three of today's most popular techs - web apps, virtualisation and social networks - will attract more attacks from online crims in 2008, according to AusCERT.
COMMENTARY: "Cold boot" BitLocker attack is over-hyped
An attack that relies on stealing and then cooling RAM to extract encryption keys is over-hyped, and the criticism of Microsoft's BitLocker is undue.
Maybe the dolphins wanted YouTube?
Just why have so many submarine cables, the backbone of the Internet, been severed in the Middle East? And what does it say about Australia's security?
PODCAST: Everything you need to know about the unpatched WPAD bug
The WPAD bug infects Microsoft and other software. Patrick Gray interviews the discoverer of the bug and offers advice on how to mitigate its effects.
Kiwicon Day Two - More choice exploits!
Patrick Gray travelled to the Kiwicon security conference in Wellington, New Zealand. The following is a summary of the second day of the event.
Podcast: Using PS3s to crack passwords
SearchSecurity.com.au has teamed with IT Radio to bring you the weekly 'Risky Business' Podcast. This week: how PlayStation 3 can be used to crack passwords.
SurveyWatch: Greatest Hits
A few of the scarier surveys we've received in recent months, so you have something to fear while TechTarget ANZ reflects on the meaning of labour on Monday.
VMWare emphasises security at annual conference
VMWare says it has a renewed emphasis on security and is aware of the special issues virtualisation creates.
Commentary: Cyber-spies should make IT Pros pause for thought
Allegations that China conducted a cyber-warfare attack against the USA should put IT Pros on alert for a new wave of threats, argues Patrick Gray.
Serious flaw found in BIND DNS software
The BIND DNS server, the Net's dominant DNS server, has a nasty flaw that could send users to malicious websites.
NEWS ANALYSIS: Vulnerability auctions are nothing new
Patrick Gray says the furore over Wabisabilabi's '0bay' Web-site is hype at its worst.
NEWS ANALYSIS: Do we need mobile security software?
AVG has released security software for mobile phones. Patrick Gray analyses if this class of software is a gimmick or a useful tool!
Son of Warezov sparks Malware Storm
A new Malware attack based on the Storm Trojan is creating a malware plague of proportions not seen since the Storm Trojan.
Mobile carriers admit malware attacks
Mobile security is a real issue, even for phones, says Sophos survey.
SurveyWatch: A menacing Yahoo! Vista
Our occasional series analysing and critiquing security surveys continues with a look at new data from PatchLink and McAfee.
Microsoft warns of actively exploited Word flaw
Microsoft is investigating active attacks on a database engine vulnerability being exploited through malicious Word documents.
Hacking body implants: Fiction or future?
A report about hackers attacking implanted devices like pacemakers hit home for security experts, who see such scenarios as a real threat in years to come.
Microsoft patches 12 Office flaws with critical updates
Attackers could take complete control of machines running versions of Microsoft Office, the company warned. Four updates were released to fix 12 flaws.
CSRF exploit could tarnish forensics
A former special agent will explain how attackers could take advantage of the vulnerability to muddle ongoing investigations.
Solving the RFID Dilemma
How do you pack enough security--cheaply--into those little chips?
New attack methods target Web 2.0, VoIP
Researchers have found attackers are targeting Web 2.0 applications and VoIP with increased vigor. Companies are ill-prepared to meet the threat, they say.
Install Microsoft IE, RPC patches first, experts say
On the heels of Microsoft's October security update, vulnerability experts are urging Windows admins to deploy the Internet Explorer and RPC patches first.
Cisco warns of critical IOS flaws
Attackers could exploit multiple flaws in Cisco's IOS to cause a denial of service or remotely execute arbitrary code.
Black Hat 2007: Vista users urged to beware of IPv6
A researcher warns that attackers could make trouble for Vista users by exploiting Teredo, an IPv6 tunnelling tool enabled by default in the latest Windows OS.
Black Hat 2007: Rootkit hunters caught in cat-and-mouse game
Is Joanna Rutkowska's infamous Blue Pill rootkit really undetectable? Researchers at Black Hat USA explain how to find it, but there's a catch: their method may not always work.
Mobile viruses evolving beyond just 'nuisance'
Mobile viruses are evolving beyond just a nuisance to create severe privacy and compliance issues.
Dynamic code obfuscation: New threat requires innovative defenses
Dynamic code obfuscation used to be a taxing effort, but now even the most junior-level malicious hackers have learned how to effectively hide their code. In this tip, Michael Cobb examines how dynamic code obfuscation works, why it's on the rise and what's needed to keep it from becoming today's biggest threat.
Early DST start causes security heartburn
IT professionals say the earlier start to daylight-saving time (DST) could have unintended security consequences, such as timing glitches in their forensic and auditing tools.
Solaris 10 has zero-day Telnet flaw
Attackers could exploit a zero-day flaw in Solaris 10's Telnet daemon to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized system access, security experts warn.
Vista exploitable, researcher says
Marc Maiffret, CTO and chief hacking officer of eEye Digital Security, said he has found a way to elevate system privileges by exploiting a flaw in Windows Vista.
New security vendors take on sophisticated attackers
Some security vendors are developing technologies that show promise in preventing unknown attacks and protecting machines with zero-day vulnerabilities.
Storm worm keeps spreading
Update: A Trojan that first exploited concerns about a storm that battered Europe last week has broken into new variants with new techniques and a wider range of fake headlines.
VoIP hacking exposed in new book
VoIP hacking is a reality, and in a new book, two VoIP security experts outline the tools and tricks to avoid a system-crushing hack.
Report: Spam, phishing attacks growing more sophisticated
Security researchers at MessageLabs and Symantec are reporting a significant rise in more sophisticated botnet and phishing attacks, putting a stranglehold on corporate communications.
RSS, Atom feeds ripe for attack
Black Hat: A researcher demonstrates how RSS and Atom feeds can spread the payload of a zero-day attack. His advice? Subscribe to feeds with care.
Possible Cisco zero-day exploit revealed at Black Hat
Details of an alleged flaw related to SIP and PIX appliances, briefly mentioned in a Wednesday Black Hat presentation, are being kept under wraps as Cisco and US-CERT investigate.
Social engineering's new tricks present bigger dangers
While social engineering has already helped many worms and viruses propagate, researchers believe attackers may soon escalate their assaults by exploiting end-users incompetence, naivety and greed.
Underlying patterns can reveal information security targets
The many electronic devices people use today may present a largely unrecognized information security risk. As George Spafford explains, data patterns from these devices may soon make it easier for attacker to exploit an organization's people and systems.
Novell patches eDirectory buffer overflow vulnerability
Novell has addressed a flaw in the iMonitor component of its eDirectory LDAP directory service that could be exploited to cause a denial of service.
SurveyWatch: Beware of Banks from Belize
It seems that scarcely a day passes without one vendor or another releasing some data about security in an attempt to identify the latest threat to - well it often seems like they want their data to spread doubt on our very survival. So here at TechTarget ANZ, we've decided you deserve to get as many of those numbers as possible, and that the folks who issue the data deserve to have us look at them very critically indeed.

News (48)

Adobe in trouble again, this time over a video flaw in Shockwave Player
Vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to infect victims with malware and take control of an infected machine.
Security expert predicts smarter botnets and IPv6 exploits
Arbor Networks' annual survey predicts a new wave of botnet attacks on corporate infrastructure.
Adobe Reader under zero-day attack
Adobe's Reader and Acrobat are under attack again, this time through malicious PDF files spreading via email attacments.
Christmas Koobface variant speads via. Facebook
It's a case of Ho, Ho, Nooooo! Security researchers have found a Koobface variant that spreads via. Facebook.
Criminals use Google's cloud computing facilities to host botnet control application
Security researchers have found a botnet control application hosted on Google's AppEngine and fear it is a sign that criminals are turning to cloud computing as a new way to mask their activities.
Webcams, home routers, print servers vulnerable to attack
Researchers at Columbia University have found security flaws in many common computing products. Long story short, the bad guys might be able to read your documents by hacking a webcam!
Internet Explorer under attack from password-stealing "Silon" malware
New "Silon" malware attacks Internet Explorer, steals login credentials and targets Internet banking fraud.
Facebook pwned by Pushdo phishing
A new hishing attack targets Facebook users and seeks to spread the Pushdo Trojan.
Gumblar Trojan on the rampage
The FTP harvesting Gumblar Trojan is spreading fast, inflicting drive-by attacks on Web applications and infecting unwitting users.
Adobe Reader, Acrobat under attack
Adobe's Reader and Acrobat are under 0day attack.
RIM warns of SMS attack against BlackBerry devices
Research In Motion (RIM) has issued a warning about an SMS attack that can trick BlackBerry users into visiting a dangerous website.
PDF, DirectShow flaws under attack
Advertising networks DoubleClick, YieldManager and FastClick supplied a series of malicious banner ads to popular legitimate websites.
Adobe fixes two Flash flaws
Flaws in Adobe Flash Player could be used by an attacker to gain access to system files and take control of a computer. Adobe recommends updating to the latest version.
Microsoft RPC worm spreads
A worm exploiting the Microsoft RPC vulnerability is causing trouble for those companies slow to deploy a patch.
Critical vulnerabilities found in Spring Framework
Two critical security issues have been found that can affect Java apps that use the Spring Framework.
Sophos finds patching issues through endpoint NAC tool
Companies using Sophos' Endpoint Assessment Test are discovering missing security patches, misconfigured firewalls and missing OS updates.
Flaw in HP update software
A flaw in HP's 'Software Update' can lead to all sorts of nasty consequences. HP has 'fessed up and issued a fix.
Top five VoIP threats revealed
VIPER Labs lists its top five security threats for 2007.
Microsoft July patches cover critical Excel, Windows and .NET flaws
Of the six security updates released Tuesday, experts expressed the most concern about a glitch in the .NET Framework that could leave clients and Web servers open to attack.
New malware threat 'piggybacks' on regular spam
Security provider Marshal has identified a new type of spam, labeling it 'Piggyback spam'.
Thoughts on the iPhone security hype
Does Apple's iPhone really present a new security threat?
Unpatchjed Mac Hack takes QuickTime route to data
A flaw in Mac OS X exploits a hole in the QuickTime media player and may have been uncovered in a hacking contest!
Microsoft DNS flaw looks bad
Yet another flaw from Microsoft is bad enough to warrant and out-of-cycle patch, experts say.
New spam attack mentions the war
A new wave of Spam uses similar tactics to the Storm Trojan and tries to lure users with news of war.
Bugwatch: Two A-V giants admit to issues
Symantec and Kaspersky have both patched problems in their products.
Mobile devices bring new attack vectors
Sipera VIPER Lab has identified several new vulnerabilities in mobile devices.
Customers want security before storage
Storage vendor Network Appliance "...takes more calls on security than on storage at the moment," according to Mark Heers, the company's Director, Marketing and Alliances for Australia and New Zealand.
Deloitte survey finds overconfidence, lack of planning on security
A survey of 100 tech, media and telecomms firms found that while IT pros are confident in handling future threats, half lack a formal security strategy.
McAfee plugs flaw
McAfee's E-Business Server contains a flaw that could be exploited to cause a DoS attack.
Exploit code targets RealPlayer, researchers warn
A zero-day flaw in the latest version of RealPlayer can be actively targeted with working exploit code, according to researchers at US-CERT.
AOL closes AIM attack vector, but risks remain
AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) 6.5 closes a recently reported attack vector, but one researcher warns that AOL has yet to address the core problem.
IBM patches security flaws in Tivoli Storage Manager
Attackers could exploit two security flaws in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager to access sensitive data, but the computing giant has released security updates.
Finjan: Attackers wild about widgets
Security firm Finjan says the digital underground will have no trouble finding flaws to exploit in the widgets most Web users take for granted.
Rootkit found in older Sony USB device
A rootkit has been discovered in Sony's MicroVault USM-F fingerprint reader software. F-Secure says it discovered the rootkit technology.
SANS: Attackers may be attempting Trend Micro exploits
SANS warns attackers may be targeting Trend Micro flaws to hijack machines.
Attackers target two Microsoft security flaws
Attackers target the unpatched Microsoft DirectX Media vulnerability and the Microsoft XML Core Services flaw patched in the MS07-042 security update.
Microsoft has six critical Windows patches in August
Remote code execution vulnerabilities continue to pile up.
Security update fixes Yahoo Widgets flaw
Attackers could exploit a Yahoo Widgets flaw to run malicious code on compromised Windows computers, but a security update is available.
Warning issued over unpatched Firefox flaw
Danish vulnerability clearinghouse Secunia and the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) issued advisories about the input validation flaw.
Apple iPhone crack discovered by security researchers
Researchers have found a way to take complete control of the Apple iPhone by sending a user to a malicious Web site.
New hacking technique exploits common programming error
Researchers at Watchfire say they discovered a new technique that exploits a common dangling pointer error.
AOL, Yahoo, Trillian IM applications under threat
Flaws in AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Trillian and Yahoo Messenger could be exploited by attackers to run malicious code on targeted machines or cause a denial of service.
CA backup bug exploitable on Vista
In what appears to be the first exploit for a third-party app running on Vista, a previously patched buffer overflow vulnerability in CA BrightStor ARCserve Backup has been exploited. One security firm says ISVs aren't taking advantage of Vista's new security features.
Microsoft Vista voice trick: More amusement than concern
This week in Security Blog Log: Much is made of a technique that could trick Vista's voice command feature into running malicious code. But it doesn't look like much of a threat.
Cisco fixes IOS flaws
Attackers could exploit three Cisco IOS flaws to cause a denial of service or launch malicious code. The networking giant has released fixes.
Security Bytes: Phishing worm spreads through MySpace
In other news: Security researchers warn of a new flaw in Microsoft Windows and EveryDNS is hit by a massive botnet attack.
Zero-day attacks target Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft has outlined a series of steps users should take to protect their machines from attacks that exploit a new zero-day flaw in Visual Studio 2005.
Malware taunts storage and caching servers
Malware is being found on storage and caching servers and a new wave of sophisticated Web 2.0 attacks are among the trends highlighted in a report from security vendor Finjan Inc.

Expert Answer (1)

Microsoft to customers: Next Conficker variant needs no special treatment
Microsoft has told its customers that the next version of Conficker deserves the same treatment as any other piece of malware.

Columns (1)

Attackers get shrewd, bypass old security defenses
Hackers are using Web-based attacks to bypass traditional protection. Since most security vendors unable to solve the problem, you have a lot of work to do.

Tips (18)

Intel TXT exploit method can hit virtual servers
Though the flaws identified in TXT take great expertise to exploit, IT pros should ensure critical system software and VM servers are under lock and key control.
Is SaaS the way to combat mobile malware?
Mobile antivirus programs are available, but the cloud could be the best place to protect against mobile malware.
Black Hat roundup: Social networking sites 'insecure by design'; How to bust Vista; Bluetooth hackable
In today's summary of presentations from the BlackHat security conference, we learn that Facebook and MySpace are insecure by design, elaborate on a new way to attack Windows Vista and explain how to crack Bluetooth
Could managed security services cause data woes?
In this podcast, we discuss managed security services, the increase of SQL injection attacks and whether secure software coding is improving.
Securing Santa
In this local Expert Tip, Verisign's Ed Eliff offers some advice on making sure that Christmas does not compromise anything other than your personal financial security!
Exploit research: Keeping tabs on the hacker underground
Information security threats expert Ed Skoudis outlines the top Web sites that can help security pros anticipate the attack techniques of tomorrow.
Enterprise security in 2008: Malware trends suggest new twists on old tricks
Ed Skoudis reveals five key threats that are likely to dominate headlines in 2008, and how enterprises can prepare in advance.
Enterprise security in 2008: Addressing emerging threats like VoIP and virtualisation
Mike Chapple looks ahead to 2008 and examines virtualisation and VoIP, two technologies growing in popularity -- and security vulnerabilities as well.
Building malware defenses: From rootkits to bootkits
There's an evolving form of malware on the scene that can silently and maliciously wreak havoc on operating systems. Meet the "bootkit" -- a rootkit variant reminiscent of the old-school boot sector virus.
Preparing for virtualization security unknowns
Server virtualization technology is revolutionizing enterprise data centers, but nobody knows just how it will affect enterprise information security. As security expert Mike Rothman writes, there are a number of potential dangers involved with making the switch from a physically distinct network of servers to a virtual environment.
How well does virtualization technology defend against malware?
Virtualization products can protect your host operating system from malware, but the their detection methods aren't foolproof. In this expert Q&A, information security threats expert Ed Skoudis explains how malware and its writers are catching on to VMware.
Plentiful VoIP exploits demand careful consideration
Enterprise VoIP vendors may tout "plug-and-play" products that are ready to run right out of the box, but those vendors may not be taking security into consideration. As information security threats expert Ed Skoudis writes, there are many potential VoIP threat vectors, but packet-based telephony services can be secured with due diligence and adherence to best practices.
File format vulnerabilities: Protecting your applications
From WMF to the latest Excel file exploits, it's clear that attacks targeting file format vulnerabilities are on the rise. In this tip, network security expert Mike Chapple examines why files have become a tempting vector, and explores what can be done to protect against them.
If a virtual machine is hacked, what are the consequences?
In our expert Q&A, information security threats expert Ed Skoudis explains how attackers can compromise a virtual machine.
Google Code Search -- Finding security flaws has never been easier
While Google Code Search may offer a number of benefits that will help improve application security, hackers have learned how to use the search giant's code-finding engine to exploit security weaknesses. In this tip, Ed Skoudis examines how malicious hackers use Google Code Search, how it affects the open source and commercial software communities and how enterprises can defend against Google Code Search abuse.
RFID credit cards are a bad idea
RFID chips are touted as the next big thing in In this tip. But as Joel Dubin explains, RFID credit cards provide a gateway for malicious behavior, including credit card fraud and identity theft, and recommends measures credit card consumers can use to protect themselves.
Does blogging pose enterprise information security risks?
Blog popularity has continued to grow, now even reaching the corporate world as an effective communications and marketing tool. Blogs carry enterprise risks, however, and few companies are taking the proper precautions. Expert Mike Chapple raises policy questions that your company should consider before operating an official corporate blog.
Expert Tip: Does VoIP create new security worries?
In this expert tip Security Expert Ed Eliff addresses the security issues created by voice over IP.

General Content (3)

Virtual Honeypots: From Botnet Tracking to Intrusion Detection
In Chapter 11 of their Virtual Honeypots book, authors Niels Provos and Thorsten Holz get inside the botnet and reveal some interesting conclusions.
Social engineering
The fith tip in our series "How to assess and mitigate information security threats," excerpted from Chapter 3: The Life Cycle of Internet Access Protection Systems of the book "The Shortcut Guide to Protecting Business Internet Usage," published by Realtimepublishers.
Malware: The ever-evolving threat
The first tip in our series, "How to assess and mitigate information security threats, excerpted from Chapter 3: The Life Cycle of Internet Access Protection Systems of the book The Shortcut Guide to Protecting Business Internet Usage published by Realtimepublishers.

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