DigiCom » Security

Internet hacking on the rise as more Kenyans go online

vika — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:56:36 +0000

The buzz that it created around the subject of internet hacking may have died down but Internet security experts are warning their clients to be on the lookout for Wikileaks types of attacks on their portals saying personal information leaks are set to rise this year as web speeds rise and attackers acquire new techniques of breaking into information sites.

Symantec, a global information security provider says it expects increased Internet penetration in Kenya to spawn cybercrime attacks as people spend more time online accessing and sharing information.

«It is inevitable that 2011 will see a larger number of people falling victims to cybercrime than ever before. Taking your online personal security seriously is vital as the number of high profile attacks witnessed globally is increasing consumer fears about the threats of time spent online,” said Kara Rawden, Symantec’s senior marketing manager Middle East and Africa.

The company which markets Norton security solutions has outlined five areas which it says will be the key drivers of cyber attacks this year; based on their research of current trends.

With the social media craze showing no signs of letting up, sites such as Twitter and Facebook are being billed as a major target this year since criminals are attracted by the large numbers they pool.

«Beware of unusual messages or requests from your friends online and never give out your password to anyone since this may lead to identity theft», Mrs Rawden said.

Other potential risks that ride on social media platforms- shortened Internet links and trending topics-are proving to be another cause of concern.

Trending topics refer to the popular topics found online that can be likened to top news. In some instances they go viral when everybody is sharing the same information or they are checking out websites relating to the issue in question at the same time.

Criminals too catch on to these issues and then «poison» search engine results relating to them

Shortened Internet links which are a «trimmed down» version of a normal website address are also being flagged as avenues which attackers will explore.

These links popularly referred to as shortened URL’s (Universal Resource Locator) are found online, but have gained a knack for use on social sites since they offer a less clumsier option when sharing web address.

Since they hide the full location of the web address, clicking on them may direct users to their intended site or one that installs dangerous software onto the internet-connected device.

With smartphones projected to surpass the sales of laptops by the end of this year, the usually low interest that cyber criminals’ have accorded mobile devices is expected to change as these devices morph into more complicated gadgets.

Tablet devices like the iPad are also expected to get onto the criminals’ radar screen as they are being used to store confidential data.

The last is pharming, a form of online fraud involves visitors to a site being redirected to a bogus website even though they type the correct website in the browser.

This form of attack has been of major concern to institutions that have online banking and e-commerce platforms on their websites since the replica sites lead unsuspecting users into transacting business as usual; leading to loss of money.

A study carried out by Norton last year showed that cybercrime strikes more than two thirds of all Internet users.

The report dubbed Norton Cybercrime report: The Human Impact investigated the emotional reaction of victims of cyber attacks and it showed that, only half of them were willing to change their behaviour once attacked and only 44 per cent of them reporting the crimes to relevant authorities.

The study was done on 7,000 web users in select countries across the world.

«Cybercriminals purposely steal small amounts of data to remain undetected but all these add up to critical figures. If you fail to report a loss, you may actually be helping the criminal to stay under the radar», Mrs Rawden said.

Despite the fact that the country has experienced several illegal cyber attacks, majority never see never see the light of day.

However, more Kenyans are taking the precautionary measures to protect themselves from future breaches.

Australia kicking US’s butt on Internet security

vika — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:52:22 +0000

Australia and New Zealand are «well ahead» of the United States in the roll-out of several key internet security initiatives thanks to better cooperation between internet service providers (ISPs) and the government, according to John Pescatore, a Gartner VP specialising in information security.

Secure domain name services (DNSSec), the deployment of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and the internet industry’s so-called «zombie code» for disconnecting infected computers were singled out as examples.

«In Australia the ISPs and the Federal Government already cooperate a lot more, have an ISP Code of Conduct, they’re talking about filtering more,” Pescatore told ZDNet Australia at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Australia and New Zealand’s roll-out of DNSSec is «about a year ahead in kicking it off» compared with the US, where deployment is only just beginning.

For more on this story, read Oz kicks US’s butt on net security: Gartner on ZDNet Australia.

Spyware Doctor

vika — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:56:50 +0000

PC Tools Spyware Doctor is a comprehensive anti-spyware utility that effectively scans and cleans PCs. This software has won many awards for its ability to find and defeat any kind of spyware. In fact, no other anti-spyware utility has a spyware library larger than that of PC Tools spyware doctor. This version of PC Tools Spyware Doctor includes spyware protection for up to three PCs; enough to cover the average household.

The software does more than just protect against spyware, it also seeks out and destroys trojans, adware, spybots, tracking threats and even the infamous keyloggers. These are all very serious threats that can result insubstantial financial or data loss. Aside from monetary or personal loss, these viruses also compromise system resources, thus slowing down the users computer. PC Tools Spyware Doctor seeks out and destroys all of these threats, thus restoring the system performance to a like-new state.

The main improvements made in this edition of PC Tools Spyware Doctor are internal adjustments within the program, therefore the main functions of the software have remained the same, thus minimizing the learning curve for regular users of PC Tools Spyware Doctor. Since the software is specifically designed to deal with spyware threats, it is far more successful at doing so than the standard antivirus program. Every wise computer owner will have a competent spyware suite installed on their machine, especially if they run an online business or commit banking activity online.

The internal reworking of the virus base has made the software unsurmountable in the anti-spyware industry, as it now has the ability to recognize viruses that have not yet been cataloged, based on code similarities and variations that are commonly seen in spyware. PC Tools Spyware Doctor not only finds and destroys spyware after it has infected the computer, but it also does an excellent job of preventing it as well.

Since the utility uses minimum system resources, it can be run constantly in the background of the users operating system with little to effect on computer performance. In fact, it is recommended to leave it running at all times to prevent spyware attacks. By leaving the program running, users can prevent malicious executable files from installing on their system. Since this package includes 3 licenses, it is capable of protecting most households.

Perhaps one of the most convenient improvements is the speed of spyware scanning, which is noticeably faster in this edition. Spyware Doctor’s long list of protective features, combined with its overall functionality and capabilities, have won it multiple awards since its release. In fact, many experts recommend this software over any other spyware prevention software.
PC Tools Spyware Doctor: What We Liked

* Scan times are much faster, and the program consumes minimal system resources.
* The preventative features of Spyware Doctor prevented every virus thrown at it.
* The support for the software is excellent.
* Is superb at suppressing threats, particularly the infamous keyloggers.
* This edition is by far the most efficient version of PC Tools Spyware Doctor.

PC Tools Spyware Doctor: What We Didn’t Like

* Although the installation is simple, it can be a lengthy process on some computers.

PC Tools Support

Support for all PC Tools software can be found at the PC Tools online support center. There users can find a variety of helpful resources that pertain to every PC Tools software. Each software has a different selection of help sections, however all of them contain a FAQ sheet, a sales and general inquiries section, an educational knowledge base full of tutorials, and access to direct technical support. Users can also search for a specific topic using the search bar underneath the aforementioned sections.
About PC Tools

PC Tools specializes in the development, production, and distribution of security utility software for Windows and MAC OS X. The company has become an industry leader of security software, providing more than 15 different security software titles. Originally founded as part of the WinGuides network, the division was later rebranded as PC Tools. PC Tools is headquartered in Ireland with offices is the UK, US, Australia, China and the Ukraine.

avast! Pro Antivirus

vika — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:54:17 +0000

There’s a major concern that’s often ignored by PC users — the possibility of a virus damaging or disabling their PC’s own antivirus software. Some of today’s most powerful viruses take an active stance towards protection, doing their best to eradicate virus protection as they invade the victim’s PC.


Avast! Antivirus 5 protects users from potentially devastating PC viruses by maintaining strong protection not just for user files and data, but for itself as a utility. This protection ensures that viruses are removed quickly and easily, without being given the chance to compromise virus protection and corrupt personal files.
Avast! Antivirus 5 can scan inside archives and compressed files, allowing users to check downloaded ZIP, RAR, and TAR archives before opening. Ideal for preventing 'on-open' malicious scripts and harmful software, this feature saves users from letting unwanted files ever enter their PC. If a harmful file is spotted in an archive, Avast! can neutralize or eliminate the file entirely.
With a simple user interface, Avast! is remarkably easy to control. Features and functions can be modified with a single click of the mouse, and virus scanning, elimination, and quarantine is all performed from a stylish and clear menu interface. For users with limited antivirus experience, Avast! proves one of the most clear and simple tools for maintaining computer security.
Of course, with any antivirus software there is a slight performance hit. While Avast! does use up a reasonable portion of system resources, it runs seamlessly in the background of all modern PCs. Updates are automatically installed without potentially annoying user-controlled prompts, and by and large, users are left to focus on their own tasks, rather than maintain their antivirus application.

Avast! Antivirus 5 Professional Edition: What We Liked
    * Clean and simple interface allows inexperienced users to control their antivirus software effectively.

    * Archive scanning prevents users from opening virus-filled .ZIP files, and minimizes the risk of viruses from browser-based downloads and P2P software.

    * Smooth performance and automatic updates keep Avast! running effectively without bothering users.
Avast! Antivirus 5 Professional Edition: What We Didn’t Like
    * Occasional problems with SSL email scanning can cause false negatives and leave potentially dangerous files unchecked.
ALWIL Support
ALWIL provide online support for Avast! users. A support forum is available, along with manuals and software documentation, how-to guides, and FAQs. Email support is available, and users with suspicious files may compress and email them to ALWIL for support.

About ALWIL
Best known for their Avast! Antivirus software, ALWIL Software are a Czech-based security software developer and publisher. Established in 1991, the company came into the public eye in 1998 with the release of their current major antivirus and PC security applications, now available in over 30 different languages.



Intel-McAfee Deal Could Mean Intel-Specific Antivirus Software
vika — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:15:37 +0000
Intel McAfee logo.JPGOne possibility of an Intel-McAfee partnership may be antivirus suites specifically coded for Intel hardware, according to an analyst briefed by Intel.
Both the semiconductor and security industries are both trying to understand what the proposed combination of Intel and McAfee will mean, as Neil Rubenking’s poll of security vendors and my own Intel-McAfee analysis point out.
Intel invited analysts to sit in on a conference call on Thursday, and one of my sources, chip analyst Nathan Brookwood of Insight 64, participated. It’s possible that Intel representatives may be hyper-sensitive to the proposed FTC antitrust settlement; in any event, they took pains to emphasize that the antivirus industry as a whole may actually reap the rewards of such a combination.
The thinking, according to Brookwood, is that over time Intel will begin to integrate more and more security logic into the microprocessor itself. (This has been done to some extent within Intel’s vPro corporate chipset line, although more and more functionality is being sucked into the microprocessor itself.)
This, in turn, will create a degree of security within Intel processors that rivals, including AMD and Via, lack. (AMD has been suspiciously quiet since the announcement.) Intel’s argument is that those security vendors will be able to charge more for a «increased security» version of their products that ties into that security logic. And that implies that a «generic» version of the software will be left for AMD-based machines.
Keep in mind that this is Inte’s own pitch, though filtered through another source. It’s a lovely piece of marketing, when you think about it; by convincing antivirus vendors to develop «premium» products for the Intel chips, Intel can use the antivirus vendors as free marketing, planting the seed that «Intel Inside» is itself a premium brand.
But that’s the consumer retail market. Within the enterprise market, such a move almost seems like a fait accompli.
«To say that enterprise antivirus is competitive is a great understatement — it is one of the most competitive segments in technology,” Alex Eckelberry, president and chief executive of McAfee competitor Sunbelt Software, points out in Neil’s story.
If that’s true, then eking out a few more dollars per seat will certainly be worth it, especially if Intel is helping to fund development with «marketing dollars» or merely development tools. And any IT director worth his salt will surely investigate the possibility of improved performance, especially if he has already committed to a stable of Intel-based PCs.
Granted, this could all be taken out of context. Naturally, I put a request for comment in to Intel. Representatives said Thursday that they did not have any executives available for comment, possibly because I wrote about Intel’s security focus months before.
Still, it’s an interesting future direction for the company, and a direction that Intel might have to carefully walk, given the FTC’s scrutiny.



Cybercrooks deceive users to uninstall their true anti-virus software
vika — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:01:12 +0000
A new malware was developed by cyber crooks to lure unwitting users into uninstalling legitimate anti-virus applications and instead using fake and useless software. A bogus package dubbed AnVi Antivirus generates a message that suggest that legitimate apps are «uncertified» and ought to be removed. Further the message threatens that if a user fails to take action his/her computer performance will degrade.
Besides, the fake application will also try to remove legitimate packages from the likes of Microsoft, AVG, Zone Labs and Norton even if users fail to comply with the bogus request to uninstall authentic quality security software. Certainly, the true anti-virus application will black such activity. But if your definition bases are obsolete the attack may work.
If successful, AnVi Antivirus will download fake anti-virus software that warns of multiple imaginary security threats in a bid to trick victims into purchasing worse-than-useless software.



Facebook brings privacy controls to your phone
vika — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:44:25 +0000
After facing much criticism over privacy concerns, Facebook is beefing up how users can control their information. It’s not just desktops though, as the world’s largest social network is bringing privacy controls to your handset.
On its blog, the company explained:
    You can get to privacy controls on mobile by going to m.facebook.com/privacy or by going to the Settings page and clicking the «Change» link next to the words «Privacy Settings.» Check it out for yourself to:
    * Select who can see the content you post by setting the simple control for sharing on Facebook to friends, friends of friends or everyone,
    * Fully customize your granular settings, if you want, and have them take effect instantly, and
    * Read through our comprehensive privacy guide, formatted for mobile devices.
It’s a good move for Facebook to bring these privacy controls to handsets because the company knows that mobile is their future. I do think the privacy flap was a bit overblown and amplified by a vocal minority but it’s a real issue that could really hamper the company’s ambitions.
What are those ambitions? It’s simple really: they want to remake the web. Instead of going to Google to find out what you want, the company wants your friends (and its advertisers) to influence your Internet experiences and decisions.
This could be incredibly powerful on the mobile side of things because the company wants to become a platform that influences other phones, apps and even app stores. We all know location-based services are coming in a big way, but the check-in model seems kind of limited and geo-fencing coupons can still be spam-like.
If you implement a strong social-networking layer like Facebook, these location-based services could become more useful. If I walk by a deli which has received praise from many of my Facebook friends, a mobile coupon from there would be more useful than just a random store that senses I’m nearby and shoots me a discount.
I could go on and on about Facebook, privacy and mobile, but I want to hear your thoughts in the comments.



Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009
vika — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:36:06 +0000
Advanced antivirus software with maximum spyware protection to guard against viruses, Trojans, and worms, spyware and adware, rootkits, identity theft and phishing attacks.
Kaspersky Lab has raised the bar once again. Kaspersky^® offers a thoroughly new approach to keeping you safe. Along with new enhancements to our top-rates detection technology, we’ve added important new layers of security designed to provide the greatest possible protection. And we did it while making version 2009 up to 7 times faster. It’s all about premium protection that lets you make the most of your computer’s power.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 Features

# Proactive Protection monitors all activity into and running on your PC to block malicious behavior.

# Application Security Rating System — Our unique Intrusion Prevention System ranks all applications like shareware and freeware as trusted, untrusted or restricted using the world’s largest registry of more than 6 billion applications.

# Vulnerability Assessment informs you of any applications that do not have their most up-to-date security patches and directs you to where to find them.

# Parental Controls limit online time and access to forbidden sites (with tracking).

# Automatic Hourly Updating of known malicious threats and recognized patterns of unacceptable behavior

# Fast & Light System Performance Exceptional scanning speeds that adjusts to your usage, with the option to scan only new or modified files. Great for demanding gamers!

# Anti-Spam Protection with an advanced self learning system to block unwanted e-mail.

# Two-Way Personal Firewall checks all incoming data and prevents any outgoing data leakage to hackers



Top Ten Antivirus Software Programs Review
vika — Fri, 07 May 2010 21:14:46 +0000
Protecting your mainframe from a virus is obtaining more thorny. Antivirus code is bettering to a mainframe’s picture to fend dump viruses and other depraved programs. These harvest are intended to obscure rail the margin of a virus to inject a laptop through transmit, web browsers, row servers and desktops.
The programs reviewed deep are the unequaled from around the microcosm. In the United State we are acquaintances primarily with the Norton and McAfee Antivirus programs, but there are many rare programs out there that sort important tribute.
Top 10 Recommended Antivirus Software Programs
Below are my skilled initiation antivirus code programs for 2007.
For a, much more colossal comparison layout on these goods you can touch to http://www.zunio.com/comparisons/antivirus_review.html

# 1) Editor’s Choice: BitDefender

Softwin, which owns BitDefender, has been around since 1990, and boasts an international organization of expert experts who strive to continuously enrich code and tell to youthful threats.

# 2) Kaspersky

Founded in 1997 by Eugene Kaspersky, the Moscow-supported sect has had decisive flying colors headmost the try in jaundiced-virus surety

# 3) Norton Anti-Virus

Owned by overall refuge lanky Symantec, Norton Antivirus is by low the most modern and widely utilised optimism making in the United States. Norton offers a meagre breadth of merchandise for the hamlet addict, slight firm hotelier and exigent transaction with 1000+ users.

# 4) McAfee is another titanic pressing in Internet reverie and a senior competitor for Norton Antivirus, although their prices are nearly the same.

# 5) F-Secure

Based in Helsinki, Finland, F-Secure has been in the mainframe refuge phase since 1988. The battery offers surety for the kinsmen processor, to suburb assignment users all the way up to corporations with multitudinal drawing of telecommuters strew all over the map.

# 6) Shield Anti-Virus 2007

PCSecurityShield offers refuge castigate viruses, hackers and privacy threats to maintenance home cooking you and your young aquatics undamaged.

# 7) Protector Plus

Proland Software offers virus defence with its Protector Plus embalm, undifferentiated with Windows Vista, XP, Me, 2000 and Netware. Protector Proland is self-respecting of its span of their engineers, who have been scene on gainsaying-virus code and notebook protection programs since 1989.

#  DefendGate

Canada-based DefendGate offers instrument from protection inveigh viruses and combination pilfering to donkeywork productivity suites and desktop accelerators.

# 9) PC DoorGuard

This array is PC DoorGuard is planned for those looking to reserve their message from spam, viruses, Trojans and worms.

# 10) CA Antivirus

On its website, CA Antivirus says it provides code to 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies and boasts that it was the number unparalleled antivirus code to be awarded certification with Microsoft Vista in 2007.
Virus Prevention Steps to take
A computer client should loiter close and repeat a, some confiding steps to curtain condemning the dare of a virus:

# 1.Evaluate your topical computer desire propriety. With the challenge of a vigorous clock of viruses variable to ruckus in a body politic of customs, the rubric of having in fact one antivirus software relation has amplified outdated.

# 2. Only endow antivirus software formed by a well-recognized, sound task. Because unheard-of viruses erupt bourgeois, it is expressive that you evenly update your antivirus software

# 3. Make it an appliance to forever subscribe to all original programs or papers no motive from where they extend.
# 4. Exercise sense when kick-off double, Word, or Excel documents of topical sources especially if they were established during an online colloquy or as a fidelity to an email.

# 5. Perform special backups in manner your situation is tainted. It haw be the only way to civilize your, the goods if infected.



Dr.Web CureIt Antivirus Software Review
vika — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:06:43 +0000
There is no antivirus software that will catch all viruses. Even the best security applications do not have a perfect detection rate which means that it can happen that a virus slips past them and infects the computer system. There are a few options to cope with this problem like sandboxing, using virtual machines or performing regular checks with additional antivirus programs.
Dr. Web CureIt is one of those antivirus programs that can be used to scan a Windows operating system. The program requires no installation and can be run right from the location it was downloaded to.
Dr. Web CureIt can detect and remove viruses, rootkits, trojans and other malicious or infected files from the system. Three types of scans are available. A quick, full and custom scan. A quick scan will only scan the most important locations of the Windows operating system including the boot sectors, startup objects, the Windows system folder and the user documents folders.
It is usually recommended to perform a full scan instead to scan all files and locations of the operating system. Objects that have been found as malicious during the scan can be cured, renamed, moved or deleted from within the program’s interface.
Dr.Web CureIt is an interesting program for users who want to quickly scan their computer system without having to install yet another antivirus software. The product is quite renowned for its detection and cleaning capabilities and a solid on demand scanner to catch malicious software that regular antivirus misses. The only downside are the popups that are displayed by the program that advertise the commercial version of the program.