This Patch Tuesday has much more significance than most. With only four security bulletins from Microsoft, it's relatively tame as far as Patch Tuesdays go, but today also marks the final patches and updates from Microsoft for Windows XP.
Tony Bradley | 09 Apr | Read more
There are no more lifelines. In a few days, Microsoft will pull the plug on Windows XP support for consumers. With no more updates or security patches available (other than some bare-bones malware support), it's forecast to be open season on the legacy operating system. But just how bad will the "Windows XPocalypse" be? We spoke to several security experts to find out.
Tony Bradley | 04 Apr | Read more
An organization can spend mountains of cash on best of breed network defenses and security tools, but it can all come crashing down with one click from a user. Users are the weakest link when it comes to network and computer security, but a new survey from Globalscape reveals that the users themselves aren't entirely to blame.
Tony Bradley | 03 Apr | Read more
As far as cyber criminals are concerned, tax season means open season. This time of year is a favorite for phishing scams and fraud, second only to the holidays. With a little awareness and common sense, though, you can avoid being a victim and make sure your tax refund ends up in your pocket.
Tony Bradley | 02 Apr | Read more
Each time there's a high-profile data breach, security experts exhort the same best practices: Create unique logins for every service you use, use complex passwords, vigilantly comb your credit card statements for anomalies. The advice is sound. Unfortunately, it obscures the fact that the safety of your personal information is ultimately in the hands of companies you share it with.
Tony Bradley | 21 Mar | Read more
Malware has been around for more than 40 years, but according to a report from Panda Security 20 percent of all of the malware that's ever existed was created in 2013. That's the equivalent of 30 million new malware threats in one year, or about 82,000 per day.
Tony Bradley | 18 Mar | Read more
Everything may seem happy and shiny as you flit about the Internet, surfing from Facebook to Netflix, and popping in every now and then to check your email. But just as there are dark alleys in a city, though, there is a seedy underside to the Internet as well. According to a new report from McAfee, the "Dark Web" has matured into a dangerous underground marketplace for cybercriminals.
Tony Bradley | 10 Mar | Read more
It's no secret that Android is the target for almost all identified mobile malware. Generally speaking, though, if you stick to the official Google Play store your odds of downloading something nefarious are significantly lower than when you download apps from a third-party app store. That isn't always the case, though, as AVAST claims to have discovered an app in the Google Play app store designed to steal your money.
Tony Bradley | 07 Mar | Read more
You may have heard that the NSA has been spying on just about everyone, everywhere without regard for whether or not they are an actual threat to national security. The allegation that RSA accepted a payment of $10 million in exchange for cooperating with the NSA led some to boycott the recent RSA Conference, or participate in the TrustyCon counter-conference that was hosted around the corner. As it turns out, though, most IT professionals don't seem all that concerned with the activities of the NSA.
Tony Bradley | 06 Mar | Read more
Once upon a time, Microsoft was the favorite target of malware developers. As Microsoft improved the defenses in its software, though, cybercrooks moved on to easier pickings. Adobe was a prime target for a while, but Adobe followed Microsoft's lead and made its software more secure as well. According to data from the 2014 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Quarterly Report, the favorite target is now Java.
Tony Bradley | 05 Mar | Read more
Are you still using Windows XP? In its latest Threat Report, security vendor F-Secure warns that a powerful zero-day attack against Windows XP is a matter of when--not if--and provides some guidance for those stalwart (or foolhardy) PC warriors who plan to ignore the April 8 "XPocalypse" when Microsoft support for the OS officially expires.
Tony Bradley | 04 Mar | Read more
Frankenmeat may not be the only spam in your refrigerator. A month or so ago, a smart refrigerator was identified as a source of malicious emails. That's just one example of the future we face as we connect millions of insecure devices to the Internet.
Tony Bradley | 03 Mar | Read more
Security and privacy are important concerns for anyone, especially in the wake of revelations about NSA intelligence activities and massive data breaches like the one at Target. A new study from Fortinet, however, indicates that security and privacy behavior differs significantly by generation.
Tony Bradley | 26 Feb | Read more
This tax season you may have more to worry about than how much you owe. A new study from Identity Finder finds the IRS is not properly protecting social security numbers in some tax returns.
Tony Bradley | 25 Feb | Read more
Security vendors have been preaching about the impending doom of mobile malware for a few years now. Each year seems to see a dramatic spike in detected malware over the previous year, but users are starting to get a bit cynical about the coming mobile malware apocalypse. A new report from Webroot once again highlights an increase in mobile malware and also sheds light on how iOS compares to Android.
Tony Bradley | 21 Feb | Read more