Yahoo! News: Security News

Security News

• To Boost Security, Facebook Adds Remote Logout (PC World)

  PC World - Facebook users will soon have a new way of knocking spammers out of legitimate accounts.

• Botnet Takedown May Yield Valuable Data (PC World)

  PC World - Researchers are hoping to get a better insight on botnets after taking down part of Pushdo, one of the top five networks of hacked computers responsible for most of the world's spam.

• Huge Spamming Botnet Injured but Still Alive (PC World)

  PC World - A botnet responsible for a significant amount of spam has been crippled but may reconstitute itself in a matter of weeks, according to vendor M86 Security.

• Symantec 'Black Market' Event Highlights Perils of Cybercrime (PC Magazine)

  PC Magazine - On September 1, New Yorkers will have a chance to peer inside the sleazy world of cybercrime when the "Norton Black Market Experience" rolls in to Times Square via a converted semi truck.

• Jordan amends cyber crimes law after media outcry (AFP)

  AFP - Jordan on Sunday approved a temporary law on cyber crimes after amending it to appease the fury of journalists who said the legislation was a means to control local news websites.

  
  

• Hackers attack Philippine government website (AFP)

  AFP - The Philippines on Sunday ordered all government offices to tighten Internet security after its main information website was brought down by hackers.

  
  

• Defending the Internet: National Security v. Big Brother (PC World)

  PC World - In the wake of revelations that the US military network was compromised in 2008, and that US digital interests are under a relative constant threat of attack, the Pentagon is establishing new cyber security initiatives to protect the Internet. The Pentagon strategy--which is part digital NATO, part digital civil defense, and part Big Brother--may ruffle some feathers and raise concerns that the US Internet is becoming a military police state.

• Google Fixes Gmail Bug That Turned Email into Spam (PC Magazine)

  PC Magazine - Google has fixed an issue with Gmail that caused a small percentage of its accounts to repeatedly send email messages over and over.

• Gmail Bug Turned Some Users into Spammers (Mashable)

  Mashable - This week, a Gmail bug caused duplicate messages to be sent from some user accounts. In certain cases, the same messages were sent over and over for several days, which, as you can imagine, must have been extremely annoying to the recipients.

• Cracks in computer defenses abound: IBM (AFP)

  AFP - IBM on Wednesday reported that the number of discovered cracks that hackers could exploit in computer software surged in the first half of the year.

  
  

• Gmail Glitch Resends Messages Multiple Times (PC World)

  PC World - Gmail users have been reporting in droves that the Google webmail service is resending messages to their recipients, turning these users into accidental spammers who are unintentionally annoying friends, acquaintances and business contacts.

• Report: Cybercrime Increases As SMBs Fail To Fortify Security (PC Magazine)

  PC Magazine - A new study reveals that many companies aren't prepared to fight cybercrime.

• Rustock Botnet Responsible for 40 Percent of Spam (PC World)

  PC World - More than 40 percent of the world's spam is coming from a single network of computers that computer security experts continue to battle, according to new statistics from Symantec's MessageLabs' division.

• Baidu Sues Chinese Security Company (PC World)

  PC World - Baidu, operator of China's largest search engine, is suing domestic security vendor 360 for unfair competition alleging a version of 360's security software flags both Baidu Toolbar and Baidu Address Bar as malware.

• ICANN Asks Demand Media for Answers After Report (PC World)

  PC World - The group responsible for managing the Internet's domain name system is asking Demand Media's eNom division for answers following complaints from Internet security groups.

• Avoid Cameron Diaz, Breaking News, and Facebook (PC World)

  PC World - The fourth annual McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities report declares Cameron Diaz to be the biggest risk of all celebrity athletes, musicians, politicians, comedians and Hollywood stars on the Web when it comes to your computer security.

• Intel's Deal for 'Buggy Whip' Maker McAfee Will Impact IT (NewsFactor)

  NewsFactor - Security analysts are still digesting the implications of Intel acquiring McAfee for $7.68 billion. The purchase plan comes four months after McAfee was forced to apologize for an antivirus update that shut down Windows XP computers around the world -- including PCs at Intel.

• Protect Your Network from Facebook Malware (PC World)

  PC World - Reports are circulating of yet another malware scam targeting Facebook users. The sheer size of the social network, combined with the inherent trust users place in messages from friends and family through Facebook make it a prime target for malware attacks to exploit.

• Intel to buy McAfee as it eyes wireless market (AFP)

  AFP - Intel is buying Internet security firm McAfee for 7.68 billion dollars, as the computer chip giant seeks to expand its reach to mobile and wireless devices.

  
  

• Virus Fools People Into Uninstalling Their Antivirus Software (Digital Trends)

  Digital Trends - In a press releases issued today, Symantec warns that the AnVi Antivirus will give users a pop up telling them that there is a problem with their current antivirus software, then it will encourage them to remove it immediately.