Posts Tagged ‘Panda Security’
Thursday, December 15th, 2011
 Cyber-espionage, along with privacy violations and social networking attacks facilitated by the increased use of mobile and tablet devices, will be the source of increased security threats over the coming months, according to predictions of the top security trends in the coming year from PandaLabs, Panda Security‘s anti-malware laboratory.
Cyber-espionage targeting companies and government agencies around the world will dominate corporate and national information security landscapes, with the integrity of classified and other protected information on the line. Trojans are expected to be the weapon of choice for hackers focused on these highly-sensitive targets.
According to Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs, “We live in a world where all information is in digital form and is easily accessible if you know how. Today’s spies no longer need to infiltrate a building to steal information. As long as they have the necessary computer skills, they can wreak havoc and access even the best-kept secrets of organizations without ever leaving their homes.”
Consumers will continue to be targeted by cyber-criminals as they find ever more sophisticated ways to target social media sites for stealing personal data. Social engineering techniques exploiting users’ naivete have become the weapon of choice for hackers targeting personally-identifiable information.
“Social networking sites provide a space where users feel safe as they interact with friends and family. The problem is that attackers are creating malware that takes advantage of that false sense of security to spread their creations,” says Corrons. “It is very easy for cyber-criminals to trick users with generic messages like ‘Look, you’re on this video,’ for example. Sometimes, curiosity can be our own worst enemy.”
Following is a summary of what PandaLabs predicts as the major security trends of 2012:
- Mobile Malware: A year ago, PandaLabs predicted a surge in cyber attacks on mobile phones, and the fact that Android has become the number one mobile target for cyber-crooks in 2011 confirms that prediction. That trend will continue in 2012, with a new focus on mobile payment methods using Near-Field Communications (NFC) as these applications become increasingly popular.
- Malware for Tablets: Since tablets share the same operating system as smartphones, they are likely be targeted by the same malware. In addition, tablets might draw a special interest from cyber-crooks since people are using them for an increasing number of activities and are more likely to store sensitive data.
- Mac Malware: As the market share of Mac users continues to grow, the number of threats will grow as well. Fortunately, Mac users are now more aware that they are not immune to malware attacks and are increasingly using antivirus programs to protect themselves. The number of malware specimens for Mac will continue to grow in 2012, although still at a slower rate than for PCs.
- PC Malware: PC malware has grown exponentially over the past few years, and everything indicates that the trend will continue in 2012. Trojans, designed to sit silently on users’ computers, stealing information and transmitting it back to their handlers, will continue to be cyber-crooks’ weapon of choice; 75 percent of new malware strains in 2011 were Trojans.
- SMBs Under Attack: Financial institutions are fairly well protected these days against malware. But smaller businesses are easier and cheaper targets to attack, and their customer databases can be a real treasure trove for hackers, particularly if credit card and other financial data is stored “in the clear.” Unfortunately, many small to medium-sized companies do not have dedicated security teams, which makes them much more vulnerable.
- Windows 8: While not scheduled until November 2012, the anticipated next version of Microsoft’s operating system will offer cyber-crooks new opportunities to create malicious software. Windows 8 will allow users to develop malware applications for virtually any device (PCs, tablets and smartphones) running this platform, although this will likely not take place until 2013
Corrons concludes, “The malware game continues. As new technologies advance, cyber-crooks develop new modes of attack, often by simply adapting old techniques to the new platforms – which is an area software vendors need to pay attention to. In the end, though, it’s users’ false sense of security that is the hacker’s best friend.”
More information is available in the PandaLabs Blog.
Tags: cyber-espionage, Mac Malware, malware for tablets, mobile malware, Panda Security, PandaLabs, PC malware, privacy violations, Security trends to watch in 2012, social networking attacks, Window 8
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Mobile, Security, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Telecommunications | Comments Off
Thursday, June 9th, 2011
 Be proactive and take measures to protect your mobile devices With app security breaches in the news, this new report by Orlando-based Panda security on the current and future state of smartphone malware is very timely. Panda also offers seven tips on how to keep your mobile devices secure.
Panda Security , the Cloud Security Company, has released the report in participation with other members of Spain’s National Cyber-Security Advisory Council(CNCCS) on the history, current state and future of mobile malware.
Now available for the first time in the United States, the “Smartphone Malware Report” aims to raise awareness of the threats affecting mobile devices as well provides tips individuals can follow to avoid falling victim to mobile threats.
“One of the major challenges security vendors face is user mobility,” said Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs. “Enhancing the security of cell phones — through anti-malware, data protection, management and security audit functions — is a major challenge for any security department, and we must tackle this threat as soon as possible in order to help protect users’ information and businesses.
“Even though cell phone malware is not a priority for cyber-crooks yet, we are starting to see the first major attacks on these platforms. We predict that the next few months will see significant growth in cell phone attacks, especially on Google’s Android operating system.”
“Security vendors have long warned about the fact that cell phones would overtake PCs as the primary cyber attack target, and 2010 has showed the first signs of that. We believe 2011 will really mark a turning point in this field,” explained David Barroso, director of e-crime at Council member S21sec.
Smartphone Malware Report Overview:
Key topics covered in the report include:
- The history of mobile devices, and the evolution of the smartphone market from its onset to the present day
- Mobile device security issues and threat vectors
- The history of threats targeted the platform, including Cabir, WinCE.Brador.A , Skulls, Pbstealer, CxOver, Ikee.A and Ikee.B, Droid09 and modern Man-in-the-Mobile attacks
- Predictions for the future, including schemes that target mobile banking applications and capture sensitive information, programs that track users’ locations through GPS, advanced social engineering attacks, and mobile worms that scan all devices connected to WiFi networks and exploit vulnerabilities to transmit malicious code to other system.
How Can You Protect Your Mobile Device?
Lack of security awareness among cell phone users and carelessness are two of the most important risk factors for smartphones. It is extremely important to understand that a smartphone is far more than just a phone and should be treated more like a computer due to the valuable information it stores.
To protect your mobile device, the CNCCS offers a series of best practices. These include:
- Enable access protection measures such as a PIN or password
- Configure the smartphone to automatically lock after a minute or so being idle
- Disable features not in use such Bluetooth, infrared or WiFi
- Before installing or using new smartphone apps or services, check their reputation and only install applications from trusted sources
- Keep your operating system and software applications up to date
- Be wary of any files, links or numbers received from unsolicited email or SMS messages
- Avoid using untrusted WiFi networks
Tags: current and future state of smartphone malware, FL, Orlando, Panda Security, seven steps to protect your smartphone, smartphone malware report
Posted in Florida, Internet/New Media, IT, Security, smartphones, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
 ORLANDO, FL – How are cyber criminals snaring their victims? A new study from cloud anti-malware firm Panda Security says they’re using videos, installers, “cracks” and social media most often.
According to the research, 25 percent of sites used video and multimedia content as bait; 21.63 percent referred to installers or program updates; 16.53 percent claimed to contain cracks and keygens and 16 percent were social media URLs.
A crack is a small software application that serializes a piece of commercial software and enables users to operate any software application. It also enables hackers to illegally modify software, such as remove protectors like the trial/demo version, serial number, CD checks and any other software protection method.
“Users continue to fall victim to malicious links offering to take them to an exciting video or the new episode of their favorite TV show. This technique has become a weapon of choice for hackers as it requires minimum investment and attracts a large number of victims,” said Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs. “Most of these sites download Trojans onto users’ computers without their knowledge. Therefore, a good security solution capable of blocking them proactively is extremely helpful for users who, in most cases, can’t distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘malicious’ websites.”
eBooks are in fifth place on the list comprising 5.25 percent of occurrences, followed by Peer-to-peer (P2P) downloads and adult content. The ranking rounds out with sites offering software programs, operating systems, browsers, videogames and antivirus software (all of them used in less than three percent of cases). For detailed graphical analysis of these ranking, please visit: press.pandasecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/URLTable.jpg and press.pandasecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/URLGraph.jpg
Most Blocked URLs in Q1
The three most blocked sites by Panda Security in Q1 2011 were three Brazilian web pages. The first was a video released by the Japanese consulate showing the rescue of a group of tsunami survivors; the second, a video supposedly showing a short circuit causing the death of 15 people; and the third supposedly contains footage of a police officer being fired because of his Internet activities.
“Attackers exploit hot topics and users’ morbid curiosity,” explained Corrons. “Who isn’t interested in watching the latest footage of such a devastating natural disaster as Japan’s recent earthquake?”
Popularity Ranking
The study shows user preferences in relation to the malware lures used. When taking a look at P2P applications, Panda found that the most popular program is Ares, followed by Torrent and eMule. As for social networks, Facebook tops the list ahead of Messenger, Tuenti and MySpace.
The most searched for operating system is Windows, followed by Mac and Linux. Finally, Explorer still dominates the web browser market, with Firefox and Chrome trailing behind.
“There are no hidden secrets when it comes to finding out if a website is legitimate or not, but it is becoming increasingly complicated for users to differentiate them. Unfortunately, many users don’t know if their security system is good enough to protect their systems, which is where a lot of these problems originate,” said Corrons.
TechJournal South is a TechMedia company. TechMedia presents the annual conferences:
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Internet Summit: www.internetsummit.com
Digital East: www.digitaleast.com
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Tags: cracks, FL, hackers, Orlando, Panda Security, social media, video
Posted in Florida, Internet/New Media, IT, Security, social media, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Friday, March 4th, 2011
ORLANDO, FL – You don’t often hear good news about online security, but here’s some. Malware infections fell 11 percent last month, according to Orlando-based Panda Security.
Panda Security, a Cloud Security Co., says that during the month of February, data gathered by Panda ActiveScan, the company’s free online scanner, found that only 39 percent of computers scanned in February were infected with malware, compared to 50 percent last month.
Trojans were found to be the most prolific malware threat, responsible for 61 percent of all cases, followed by traditional viruses and worms which caused 11.59 percent and nine percent of cases worldwide, respectively.
Personally, I’ve noticed that Trojans targeting java have been prevalent.
These figures have hardly changed compared to similar data collected in January. A graphical representation is available at: press.pandasecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/FEB-Malware-ENG.jpg. The most prevalent malware specimens detected this February also remained consistent with last month’s findings. The CI.A, Downloader.MDW or Lineage.KDB Trojans continued to spread and infect systems in approximately the same numbers.
China, Ukraine, Thailand and Taiwan held the top four highest rates of infection (more than 50 percent of cases). Other countries such as Italy, the U.S. or France recorded rates below 40 percent, but ranked higher than last month.
Tags: Feb. 2011, FL, malware report, Orlando, Panda Security, Security
Posted in Florida, Internet/New Media, IT, Security | Comments Off
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Panda Security , The Cloud Security company, is providing guidance to small-to-medium sized businesses on ways to safely and securely integrate social media strategies into their businesses.
After conducting its 1st Annual Social Media Risk Index for SMBs last September, Panda Security discovered that 78 percent use social networking sites to support research and competitive intelligence, improve customer service, drive public relations and marketing initiatives and directly generate revenue.
However, corporate social media strategies and security policies usually overlook crisis management plans to face the challenges posed by social media, and authenticity, security and privacy continue to be of utmost concern.
Authenticity
Protecting brand or digital identity should be a priority for all businesses, but in reality, neither the top social media platforms nor companies themselves seem to pay much attention to it.
The fact that anybody can create a fake online profile in the name of a real business means that people can speak on behalf of a company without having anything to do with it. This could lead to the creation of communities of users tricked into believing that a corporate account is authentic. It could also lead to publication of information that could damage the brand and result in public relations disasters.
Only a few social media sites like Twitter allow users to show their account is authentic through a Verified Badge, but most of them do not include that option. It is therefore recommended to proactively register all company trade names on the main social media sites, clearly identifying a business official communication channel if there is no other verification mechanism available.
Security
Companies are affected by the same problems as individual users are who connect to social media sites. The main security concerns businesses should monitor for include:
- Identity theft: Administrators could become infected and have their profile login data and passwords compromised. This could result in anybody taking control of the corporate account to perform actions including scheduling events (on Facebook, for example) with malware links. Similarly, a malicious user that takes over an account could post information from a company’s official profile with disastrous effects.
- Infection risks: Attackers could take advantage of instant messaging applications or the timeline feature in microblogging platforms to send users information with hidden links to malware sites. In the case of large corporations, this could result in targeted attacks designed to infect users’ computers in order to penetrate networks and access confidential information. Similarly, malicious links can be posted on profile walls contributing to the spread of computer malware. Any of these actions could clearly compromise brand integrity.
- Platform vulnerabilities: 2010 saw a number of security exploits in popular social networks like Facebook or Twitter, putting millions of users at risk. As more users join these sites, there will be more researchers looking for security flaws, so users must be aware that the platforms will become more vulnerable as time wears on.
Following good password management practices like changing them regularly and strengthening them through the combination of alphanumeric characters can help protect corporate integrity. Security awareness and education as well as keeping oneself up to date on the latest security threats will help corporate profile administrators to stay alert and detect any irregular activities.
Privacy
The study showed that 77 percent of SMB employees use social networking during working hours and could share confidential information there. This information can potentially be used by malicious users to post information about corporate finances, practices or internal work processes, which becomes a major risk.
Adequate training programs and social media policies will greatly minimize the risk of confidential information leaks. According to Luis Corrons, Technical Director at PandaLabs, “In the past, most social media sites were for personal use, but now we are witnessing a boom of social media strategies in the corporate sector. Web 2.0. has proven to be an extremely efficient way to implement marketing, communication and customer service activities, but companies must understand the risks involved in these channels.”
“Corporate security plans, whether for large or small businesses, must include contingency action plans in the event of public crises caused by any of these online platforms and resulting in reputation damage and financial losses. It is clear that cybercriminals will start shifting their attention to companies using social media as corporations return much more benefits than individual users.”
To access the Social Media Risk for SMBs in its entirety, please click the following link: prensa.pandasecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/1st-Annual-Social-Media-Risk-Index-Slidedeck.pdf.
TechJournal South is a TechMedia company. TechMedia presents the annual conferences:
SoutheastVentureConference: www.seventure.org
Internet Summit: www.internetsummit.com
Digital East: www.digitaleast.com
Digital Summit: www.digitalsummit.com
Tags: FL, guide to social media security for SMBs, identity theft, Orlando, Panda Security, platform vulnerbilities, privacy, social media risk index
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Monday, January 31st, 2011
 ORLANDO, FL – Our vigilant friends at Panda Security have discovered two new security exploits taking advantage of popular social media sites Facebook and Twitter. In the last several days, two new malware strains have been wreaking havoc on Facebook users.
The first, Asprox.N, is a Trojan delivered via email informing users their Facebook account is being used to distribute spam and that, for security reasons, the login credentials have been changed. The email includes a fake Word document attachment, supposedly containing the new password, with an unusual icon and the filename Facebook_details.exe.
Deceiving victims by opening a .doc file upon opening the attachment, this file is really a Trojan that downloads another file designed to open all available ports, connecting to mail service providers in an attempt to spam as many users as possible.
The second new malware strain, Lolbot.Q, is distributed across instant messaging applications such as AIM or Yahoo!, with a message displaying a malicious link. Clicking the link downloads a worm designed to hijack Facebook accounts, blocking users’ access while informing that the account has been suspended.
To “reactivate” their account, users are asked to complete a questionnaire, promising prizes such as laptops and iPads. After several questions, users are asked to subscribe and enter their cell phone number, which is in turn charged a fee of $11.60 per week. Victims can restore access to their Facebook account only once they subscribe to the service and receive a new password.
“Once again cybercriminals are using social engineering to trick victims and infect them with malware,” said Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs. “Given the increasing popularity of social media, it is no surprise that it is being exploited to lure victims.”
To avoid security threats such as these, PandaLabs recommends users be wary of any unexpected messages with unusually eye-catching subjects and avoid clicking on external links, running executable files or entering personal data into unknown applications or web forms.
Tags: Asprox.N, facebook, FL, Lolbot.Q, Orlando, Panda Labs, Panda Security, security exploits, twitter
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
ORLANDO, FL – PandaLabs, Panda Security‘s anti-malware laboratory, infiltrated the cyber-crime black market and has released a fascinating report on what it found in the darker back alleys of the Internet.
It discovered a vast network selling stolen bank details along with other types of products in forums and more than 50 dedicated online stores. This is a rapidly growing industry and cyber-criminals are aiding and abetting each other’s efforts to steal personal information for financial profit. After posing as a cyber-criminal to infiltrate the network, PandaLabs made some alarming discoveries which are available in the full report .
The cyber-crime black market, which has traditionally centered on distributing bank and credit card details stolen from users around the world, diversified its business model in 2010, and now sells a much broader range of hacked confidential information including bank credentials, log-ins, passwords, fake credit cards and more. But as openly available as this information is, PandaLabs discovered that it can only be accessed by personally contacting the hackers who are promoting their information for sale on forums and in chat rooms.
Making the Sale
By having access to bank credentials, criminals can easily defraud any bank or credit card account long before the hack is discovered. Alarmingly, this data can be purchased for as little as $2 per card, but this level does not provide additional information or verification of the account balance available. If the buyer wants a guarantee for the available credit line or bank balance, the price increases to $80 for smaller bank balances and upwards of $700 to access accounts with a guaranteed balance of $82,000.
Prices are higher if the accounts have a history of online shopping or use payment platforms such as PayPal. For a simple account without a guaranteed balance, PandaLabs found prices starting at $10 and increasing to $1,500 depending on the platform and the guarantee of available funds. Similarly, these cyber-criminals also offer cloned credit/debit cards (from $180), card cloning machines ($200-1,000), and even fake ATM machines (from $3,500 depending on the model).
Money laundering, other services available
Additional products such as money laundering services (bank transfers or cashing checks) are available for a commission ranging from 10 to 40 percent of the operation. If buyers want to use stolen bank details to buy products online, but are wary of being traced through the delivery address, the cyber-criminals will make the purchase and forward the goods for a fee of between $30 and $300 (depending on the chosen product).
For more sophisticated cyber-criminals who want to set up their own fake online stores and use rogueware techniques to obtain both user details and also reap the money these unsuspecting victims pay for fake antivirus products, there are also teams available to deliver turnkey projects, design, develop and publish the complete store, even positioning it in search engines. In this case, the price depends on the project.
Prices for botnet rental for sending spam (using bot-infected zombie computers, for example) vary depending on the number of computers used and the frequency of the spam, or the rental period. Prices start at $15 and rise to $20 for the rental of a SMTP server or VPN to guarantee anonymity.
Tags: cyber crime, cyber crime black market, investigative report, Panda Labs, Panda Security, stolen credit cards, stolen passwords
Posted in Florida, Internet/New Media, IT, Security, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011
ORLANDO, FL – In 2010, cyber-criminals created and distributed one-third of all existing viruses, creating 34 percent of all malware that has ever existed and been classified by the company. So says Panda Labs, the antimalware laboratory of Panda Security, in its annual report for 2010.
Panda Security’s proprietary Collective Intelligence system, which automatically detects, analyzes and classifies 99.4 percent of all malware received, currently stores 134 million unique files, out of which 60 million are malware (viruses, worms, Trojans and other computer threats).
Despite these dramatic numbers, the report highlights some good news. PandaLabs discovered that the speed at which the number of new threats is growing has actually decreased when compared to 2009. Every year since 2003, new threats grew by at least 100 percent every year, but in 2010, the increase was approximately 50 percent.
Banker Trojans still dominate the ranking of new malware that appeared in 2010 (56 percent of all samples), followed by viruses and worms. In addition, a fairly recent newcomer to the malware landscape, rogueware (fake antivirus software) already comprised 11.6 of all the malware gathered in the Collective Intelligence database, and has become a category, that despite appearing only four years ago, has created great havoc among users.
For a visual representation of the breakdown of malware categories, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/panda_security/5299741783/ .
The countries leading the list of most infections are Thailand, China and Taiwan, with 60 to 70 percent of infected computers (data gathered from the free scanning tool Panda ActiveScan in 2010). To see a graph of how other countries ranked, see: www.flickr.com/photos/panda_security/5299741647/ .
2010 witnessed hackers exploit social media, the positioning of fake websites (BlackHat SEO techniques) and zero-day vulnerabilities as its primary methods of infection. Spam also kept its position as one of the main threats in 2010, despite the fact that the dismantling of certain botnets (like the famous Operation Mariposa or Bredolab) prevented many computers from being used as zombies to send spam. This created a positive effect in spam traffic worldwide. Last year, approximately 95 percent of all email traffic globally was spam, but this dropped to an average of 85 percent in 2010.
2010: Cyber-crime, Cyber-war and Cyber-activism
2010 was truly the year of cyber-crime, cyber-war and cyber-activism. Although cyber-crime has existed for many years, cyber-war became a much more active and aggressive part of the malware landscape. The most notorious was Stuxnet, a new worm that targeted nuclear power plants and managed to infect the Bushehr plant, as confirmed by the Iranian authorities.
Simultaneously, a new worm appeared called “Here you have,” that was created by a terrorist organization known as “Brigades of Tariq ibn Ziyad.” According to this group, their intention was to remind the United States of the 9/11 attacks and call for respect for the Islamic religion as a response to Pastor Terry Jones’ threat of burning the Quran.
And even though some aspects are still to be clarified, Operation Aurora was also in the spotlight. The attack, allegedly launched from China, targeted employees of large multinationals by installing a Trojan on their PCs that could access all their confidential information.
2010 also witnessed the emergence of new phenomenon called cyber-protests or hacktivism. This phenomenon, made famous by the Anonymous group, is not actually new, but grabbed the headlines in 2010 for the coordinated DDoS attacks launched on copyright societies and their defense of WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange.
Social Networks in the Spotlight
Besides offering information about the main security holes in Windows and Mac, the 2010 Annual Security Report also covers the most important security incidents affecting the most popular social networking sites.
Facebook and Twitter were the most affected, but there were also attacks on other sites including LinkedIn and Fotolog.
There were several techniques used for tricking users on these sites, such as hijacking Facebook’s “Like” button, stealing identities to send out messages from trusted sources, exploiting vulnerabilities in Twitter to run Javascript code and distributing fake apps that redirect users to infected sites.
The full report is available at press.pandasecurity.com/press-room/panda-white-paper/.
Tags: 2010 acccounted for one-third of cyber virues, annual 2010 security report, FL, Orland, Panda Labs, Panda Security
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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
ORLANDO, FL -Did the Internet feel like a more dangerous place this year? PandaLabs , the Panda Security anti-malware laboratory, reports that one-third of all malware in existence was created in the first 10 months of 2010. The average number of malware threats created every day, including new malware and variants of existing families, has risen from 55,000 in 2009 to 63,000 in 2010 – a rate increase of 14.5 percent.
The research lab also revealed that the average lifespan of 54 percent of malware has been reduced to just 24 hours, compared to a lifespan of several months that was more common in previous years.
We’ve noticed there is a constant, ongoing battle between security providers such as Panda and the malware makers.
Panda’s Collective Intelligence database, which automatically detects, analyzes and classifies 99.4 percent of the threats received, now has identified 134 million separate files, 60 million of which are malware (viruses, worms, Trojans and other threats).
According to PandaLabs, 34 percent of all active malware threats were created in the first ten months of 2010. Approximately 20 million new strains of malware have been created already this year; the same total for the year of 2009 in its entirety.
This shortened lifespan of malware and increased number of variants is proof of a significant shift in the cybercrime landscape: many malware variants are created to infect just a few systems before they disappear.
As antivirus solutions become able to detect new malware more quickly, hackers modify them or create new ones so as to evade detection. The quickly changing malware strains make it incredibly important to have protection technologies such as Collective Intelligence, which can rapidly neutralize new malware and reduce the risk window to which users are exposed during these first 24 hours.
A graph depicting malware growth is available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/panda_security/5198720136/.
“Since 2003, new threats have increased at a rate of 100 percent or more. Yet so far in 2010, purely new malware has increased by only 50 percent, significantly less than the historical norm,” said Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs. “This doesn’t mean that there are fewer threats or that the cyber-crime market is shrinking.
On the contrary, it continues to expand, and by the end of 2010 we will have logged more new threats in Collective Intelligence than in 2009. It seems hackers are applying economies of scale, reusing old malicious code or prioritizing the distribution of existing threats over the creation of new ones.”
Tags: FL, one-third of all malware created in 2010, Orlando, Panda Security
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Friday, October 29th, 2010
 ORLANDO, FL- PandaLabs, Panda Security‘s anti-malware laboratory, advises computer users to be careful this Halloween as they may be in for a trick thanks to malicious applications, fake websites, spam and Trojans disguised as Halloween treats by cybercriminals.
Hackers are taking advantage of popular Hollywood scary movies, such as “Paranormal Activity 2″ and “Friday the 13th,” to implement Blackhat SEO attacks that target unsuspecting online users through search results.
As the Halloween season ramps up, Blackhat SEO, scareware and spam incidents, using both old ‘rising from the dead’ and new seasonal tactics, have intensified.
In a Blackhat SEO attack, cybercriminals place links to malicious sites in the search results for popular terms, in this case the latest scary movies to arrive in theaters or party invitations for the Halloween season. Once users click on the link and access the site, they become vulnerable to infection by Trojans and other malware, which often come in the form of a fake antivirus program or rogueware, such as “Desktop Security 2010.”
Unlike Blackhat SEO attacks, which are truly malicious, Halloween-branded hoaxes look harmful but are little more than annoying pranks containing no Trojans or malware. Users downloading and installing these files will see a series of messages informing them that they have been infected by a Trojan or display a flash video simulating a wipe of the computer’s hard drive.
Tags: Blackhat SEO tricks, FL, Friday the 13th, Hacker Halloween tricks, malware, Orlando, Panda Security, Paranormal Activity 2
Posted in Business Briefs, Internet/New Media, Security | Comments Off
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