Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Cisco releases free (but mostly useless) security information app for iPhone]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/cisco-releases-free-but-mostly-useless-security-information-ap/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/cisco-releases-free-but-mostly-useless-security-information-ap/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/cisco-releases-free-but-mostly-useless-security-information-ap/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cisco SIO To GoThis week Cisco released a new iPhone app called Cisco SIO To Go [iTunes link]. The application is primarily focused on delivering security and threat information via a number of freely available online feeds including Cyber Risk Report, Cisco Threat Outbreaks, Cisco Security Blog, and even some of Cisco's Twitter feeds. This information is available on the app's Security Alerts page.

All of this could be done in your favorite feed reader, so it's a little disappointing that this is the focus of Cisco SIO To Go. The application also features a Lookup page, which allows you to look up a domain name to look up its Email or Web Reputation score. This screen has some interesting-looking red, yellow, and green flashing lights with interesting labels like "Virus outbreak in progress", but unfortunately they don't seem to actually mean or do anything. Maybe they relate to the domain lookup, but if they do it certainly isn't clear how. None of the domains I searched seemed to be color-coded in any way.

While it's hard to complain about a free app, at the same time Cisco is in a unique position to offer some unique functionality like maybe push notifications when virus outbreaks or serious security vulnerabilities are discovered. There's nothing inherently wrong with Cisco SIO To Go, but there's also not much right with it. Cisco could do better if they wanted to.

[via InSecurity Complex]

Cisco releases free (but mostly useless) security information app for iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ciscocisco siocisco-sioCiscoSiocyber riskcyber-riskCyberRiskdodomain-lookupMon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone Rickroll exploit gets nasty, can now steal personal data]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/iphone-rickroll-exploit-gets-nasty-can-now-steal-personal-data/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/iphone-rickroll-exploit-gets-nasty-can-now-steal-personal-data/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/iphone-rickroll-exploit-gets-nasty-can-now-steal-personal-data/#commentsFiled under: ,

What started out as a mostly harmless annoyance coded by a young Australian lad to mess with his friends has turned ugly [Insert your own Rick Astley joke here].

Intego reports that the exploit used by the ikee worm - which only swapped out users' iPhone wallpaper for a mugshot of the ginger king of the 80s - is being used to steal personal data from affected devices.

The worms are only a concern for those running jailbroken iPhone and iPod touches, of course. Still, even at Intego's estimate of 6-8% of those devices being jailbroken that puts the number at risk at well over 2 million.

It's simple enough to protect yourself - all you have to do is change your root password to something other than the default 'alpine.' Our friends at TUAW posted the following instructions:
Type: ssh root@(iPhone IP address)
When prompted for the password type: alpine
Now you're connected the phone...
type: passwd
It should then prompt your for a new password -- type one that you'll remember. There's no easy way to reset it if you forget it.
Turning off SSH is an option, too, but you should still change the password as well.

iPhone Rickroll exploit gets nasty, can now steal personal data originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Send stealthy, encrypted missives via the web with Norbt ]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/send-stealthy-encrypted-missives-via-the-web-norbt/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/send-stealthy-encrypted-missives-via-the-web-norbt/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/send-stealthy-encrypted-missives-via-the-web-norbt/#commentsFiled under: , ,


I don't often need to send ultra-secure messages to people. There's just not all that much highly-sensitive information I need to communicate. If I did, though, Norbt would be a slick way to do it.

Norbt (not to be confused with Eddie Murphy's epic film character) uses client side, browser-based cryptography to secure your transmissions. Your recipient must correctly answer the secret question. Once they do, your note is decrypted and displayed for their eyes only.

You also need to provide a password when creating your Norbt - just in case you need to go back and change some of the details.

Even if you don't have a practical reason to use a service like Norbt, it's still a fun way for you and your pals to feel like you're part of some elite spy network.

This post will self destruct in ten seconds.

Send stealthy, encrypted missives via the web with Norbt originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>encrypted textEncryptedTextencryptionprivacysecretspyWed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[OS X 10.6.2 offers tons of fixes, breaks Atom support again]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/os-x-10-6-2-offers-tons-of-fixes-breaks-atom-support-again/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/os-x-10-6-2-offers-tons-of-fixes-breaks-atom-support-again/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/os-x-10-6-2-offers-tons-of-fixes-breaks-atom-support-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This Atom Hackintosh story's been flip-flopping like a dolphin at SeaWorld, but here's the final answer: OS X 10.6.2 is out, and it apparently does not run on machines with Atom CPUs. That's the bad news. The good news is that 10.6.2 offers an absolute smorgasbord of tweaks and fixes. Apple's release notes with one of these OS updates usually include some vague message about improved security and stability, and that's it. This time, there's a laundry list of improvements.

The update, which is around 160MB if you're upgrading from 10.6.1, corrects a few nagging issues in the Finder: Exchange contacts not showing up in Spotlight, flaky menu extras, wonky VPN connections and - this one was a personal peeve of mine - not being able to add photos to Address Book. Also, the problem with opening multiple downloaded files at once (a problem Apple never actually acknowledged) is now fixed. Hooray! The whole list is pretty long, and there's also an extensive list of potential exploits addressed by 10.6.2's security update.

OS X 10.6.2 offers tons of fixes, breaks Atom support again originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebug fixesBugFixesos xos x 10.6.2OsXOsX10.6.2securityTue, 10 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hundreds of Facebook groups hacked and hijacked - to prove a point?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/hundreds-of-facebook-groups-hacked-and-hijacked-to-prove-a-poi/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/hundreds-of-facebook-groups-hacked-and-hijacked-to-prove-a-poi/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/hundreds-of-facebook-groups-hacked-and-hijacked-to-prove-a-poi/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Facebook is under attack! Okay, maybe that's a little too dramatic.

Recently, however, hundreds of Facebook groups were exploited by a group of attackers known as "Control Your Info". The hackers promise they aren't doing this for any malicious purpose though. The purpose of the mass hacking is to point out a major problem with the way Facebook handles groups management.

So what's the problem? The guys that did this said the problem has to do with group admins. When someone decides they don't want to be an admin any longer, virtually anyone can take over the group and make changes to members, group information, and pictures.

Unlike completely malicious hackers, the group says it wants to raise awareness and make sure people think about security. The groups that were hacked had their names changed to "Control Your Info" and profile images modified. A message appeared on many of the groups that said "Hello, we hereby announce that we have officially hijacked your Facebook group. If we wanted, we could make you appear in a bad way which could damage your image severely."

The group promised not to "mess anything up" and will return the groups to their original state by the end of the week.

Hundreds of Facebook groups hacked and hijacked - to prove a point? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>administrationFacebookgroupshackerssecuritywhite hatWhiteHatTue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Panda CEO and CTO talk Cloud Antivirus 1.0 as download link goes live]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/free-panda-cloud-antivirus-windows-now-available-for-download/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/free-panda-cloud-antivirus-windows-now-available-for-download/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/free-panda-cloud-antivirus-windows-now-available-for-download/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Panda Cloud Antivirus is one of the more talked about releases of 2009. Its new spin on the traditional antivirus model -- like many new programs which embrace cloud computing -- has been met with both praise and criticism. Panda themselves are bullish on Cloud AV, and I was fortunate enough to speak about it with CEO Juan Santana and Senior Research Advisor Pedro Bustamante.

To Santana and Bustamante, Panda's beta testing period was huge success. One way they measured is by taking a look at what Collective Intelligence -- the remote muscle powering Cloud AV -- has processed so far. "Right now, there is about 25 terabytes of data in the Collective Intelligence database," said Santana.

"About 60% of that," he continued, "is malware. We're receiving about 120,000 new files a day, of which 60-70,000 are malicious." In total, Collective Intelligence has processed more than 80 million files so far and generates about 150 gigabytes of log files per day.

On top of that, Cloud AV scored an impressive 99.4% detection rate in a recent round of testing. That figure put it ahead of free favorites like Avira, Avast, AVG, and even Microsoft's new Security Essentials.

Continue reading Panda CEO and CTO talk Cloud Antivirus 1.0 as download link goes live

Panda CEO and CTO talk Cloud Antivirus 1.0 as download link goes live originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antivirusavbusinesscloud antiviruscloud avCloudAntivirusCloudAveducationfeaturesfree avFreeAvmsepandareviewsschoolsohoTue, 10 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 7 security defeated by 8 out of 10 malware applications]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/windows-7-security-defeated-by-8-out-of-10-malware-applications/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/windows-7-security-defeated-by-8-out-of-10-malware-applications/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/windows-7-security-defeated-by-8-out-of-10-malware-applications/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Leading up to its release, there was a lot of concern regarding Windows 7's default User Account Control (UAC) settings. Namely: it doesn't actually provide any damn security. Alas.

Basically, Microsoft went ahead and reacted to the public outcry regarding the Vista security confirmations. I think we can all agree that they were really annoying (and most power-users turn UAC off because of how irritating they are). As a result, there are significantly fewer UAC warnings in a default Windows 7 installation -- hooray! The problem is that the new default setting in Windows 7 leads you to falsely believe that you have a secure installation right out of the box. Sadly, this is not the case.

It's no surprise then that 8 out of 10 malware applications defeated the default Windows 7 UAC setting in tests.

So practice safe surfing (duh!) or go and hoik your UAC settings up to the most secure -- and annoying -- setting. Ars Technica has a great guide on patching up your UAC for new Windows 7 users -- or even an experienced user like myself that falsely believed the default setting to be secure.

[via ZDNet]

Windows 7 security defeated by 8 out of 10 malware applications originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>malwaresecurityuacwindows 7Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jailbroken iPhones in Australia getting Rickrolled by a worm]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/jailbroken-iphones-in-australia-getting-rickrolled-by-a-worm/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/jailbroken-iphones-in-australia-getting-rickrolled-by-a-worm/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/08/jailbroken-iphones-in-australia-getting-rickrolled-by-a-worm/#commentsFiled under: ,

If the possibility of having your jailbroken iPod Touch or iPhone held ransom for 5 Euros wasn't enough of a scare to make you change your root password, maybe this will. Users on an Australian forum site are reporting a new attack - one that's no stranger to love.

You guessed it, the newest attack on jailbroken devices is a wallpaper Rickroll. Along with Rick Astley's devilishly handsome headshot, the image also includes the message "ikee is never gonna give you up."

It's actually a pretty tame attack. There are no reports in the forum of sounds being replaced with that all-to-familiar opening verse or repeated, mind-numbing video assaults.

At least one variation has also popped up. In addition to Astley, one user commented that his image had been changed to a New England Patriots logo.

The moral of the story?

If you jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch, make sure you change the root password to something other than alpine so you can avoid the shenanigans.

Jailbroken iPhones in Australia getting Rickrolled by a worm originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphoneipod touchIpodTouchjailbreakjailbrokenrickrollwormSun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google hates passwords, wants you to sign up for sites without them]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/google-hates-passwords-wants-you-to-sign-up-for-sites-without-t/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/google-hates-passwords-wants-you-to-sign-up-for-sites-without-t/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/google-hates-passwords-wants-you-to-sign-up-for-sites-without-t/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Do you hate having to remember different passwords for every site you sign up for? Google sympathizes. They're working on a way to let you keep far fewer passwords in your life on the web. It's actually something that sites like Plaxo and Facebook already do: allowing you to register for a site by sharing information from an existing account (like your Gmail, for example).

The information never gets stored by the new site you're signing up for, so using your existing credentials is both convenient and secure. Plus, you don't get one of those annoying email messages asking you to confirm your account. (Is it just me, or do those things get marked as spam most of the time, anyway?)

Google's working on some code that will let companies offer this service - it's called "hybrid onboarding," technically - to their users. It's not going to have an immediate impact, but I hope this will cause more sites to get on board with hybrid onboarding and ditch the annoying signup processes and endless passwords.

[via AppScout]

Google hates passwords, wants you to sign up for sites without them originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookgooglepasswordplaxoregistrationWed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Forget malware infections, hackers want to ransom your files and devices]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/forget-malware-infections-hackers-want-to-ransom-your-files-and/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/forget-malware-infections-hackers-want-to-ransom-your-files-and/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/forget-malware-infections-hackers-want-to-ransom-your-files-and/#commentsFiled under: ,

These days, cybercriminals seem to have one thing on their mind: your money. Gone are the days where a virus would simply infect your .exe files and make your system hard - or damn near impossible - to use.

It's bad enough that the bulk of the malware and malicious web scripting we're confronted with on daily basis wants to trick us into installing rogue antivirus software - which tries to trick users into paying to register the useless scareware. Now, they're moving up to hostage taking.

Yep. Digital hostages could be the next big thing in cybercrime, whether it be your iPhone or your important .DOC files.

Ars Technica reported recently about one hacker who exploited vulnerabilities in jailbroken iPhones to gain access, alter the lockscreen to display the warning in the screenshot, and ask for €5 to leave users alone. He also promised to provide a link to instructions on how to prevent this particular hack.

In this particular case, the hacker had a change of heart and has now posted said removal instructions at no charge. If we hear about one, chances are good there are dozens more - many of whom won't show this kind of courtesy after-the-fact.

iPhone aren't the only thing under attack. Computer Associates have discovered a new ransomware variant called LoroBot which targets a PC user's data - specifically doc, xls, zip, mp3, txt, docx, xlsx, and others. Once a system has been infected, the malware then goes to work encrypting those files so you can no longer access them.

The only way to gain access again? Why, to pay the piper, of course. $100 will get you the necessary file to undo the encryption. Fortunately, CA has also provided a tool to do it for free (download here) if you've been victimized. Rogue antivirus apps were once fairly uncommon and now they're everywhere. Could ransomware be the next big thing?

One thing is for sure: if you're running Windows you're using the most popular OS in the world - and because of its massive market share, it's the number one target for malware. Make sure your system is fully updated and you're running a good antivirus app.

Forget malware infections, hackers want to ransom your files and devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ransomransomwareTue, 03 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Malwarebytes definition database stolen, misused by IOBit]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/malwarebytes-definition-database-stolen-misused-by-iobit/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/malwarebytes-definition-database-stolen-misused-by-iobit/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/malwarebytes-definition-database-stolen-misused-by-iobit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I make no bones about the fact that I'm a fan of Malwarebytes. It's easily the best free malware removal app in my toolkit, and it's the first program I turn to when cleaning up an infected system. The Malwarebytes team has worked incredibly hard since their application burst onto the scene, and countless technicians and PC users appreciate the phenomenal work they've done.

Now, for the past few weeks I've been reading numerous blog posts about how IOBit is giving away their security software for free. The offer was timed to coincide with the launch of Windows 7, and has popped up in my Google Reader several times since.

How do the two relate?

A few weeks ago, Malwarebytes staffers came across an interesting post on the IOBit forums. The post detailed a keygen for Malwarebytes and reported it using the same name MBAM reports. The crew dug further and found more evidence of copycat detections.

To confirm their suspicions, a fake signature implanted in the Malwarebytes database.
"The final confirmation of IOBit's theft occurred when we added fake definitions to our database for a fake rogue application we called Rogue.AVCleanSweepPro. This "malware" does not actually exist: we made it up. We even manufactured fake files to match the fake definitions. Within two weeks IOBit was detecting these fake files under almost exactly these fake names."
If this is proven to be true, I certainly hope that Malwarebytes is successful in prosecuting IOBit. For another company to use a tactic as underhanded as this - let's face it, it's outright theft - to build a product and label it as their own is appalling.

IOBit are, of course, defending themselves in their forums. They respond:
"We have never used the database of any other companies. And hope Malwarebytes stop spreading malicious rumors for hyping itself[...]A legal letter will be released later, which will prove that there is no problem with Intellectual Property Rights.

For the sake of avoiding dispute and possible problems, we have deleted all disputed items in our database temporarily, and have updated IObit Security 360's database."
Nevertheless, IOBit's reputation is taking a beating now on WebOfTrust - Malwarebytes supporters have been all too happy to head over and vote down IOBit's trust, privacy, and vendor reliability ratings.

Malwarebytes definition database stolen, misused by IOBit originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>failillegaliotbitmalwarebytestheftTue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WordPress Exploit Scanner helps you keep your install clean]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/wordpress-exploit-scanner-helps-you-keep-your-install-clean/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/wordpress-exploit-scanner-helps-you-keep-your-install-clean/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/wordpress-exploit-scanner-helps-you-keep-your-install-clean/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WordPress Exploit ScannerWordPress has become a victim of its own popularity. The blogging-based content management system powers a huge amount of websites, and has become a target for hackers. Site hacks have been around for a long time, but recently they seem to have evolved.

In the past hackers would gain control of a site just to prove that could, then typically post a quasi-incoherent message on the site to prove their hacking prowess and illiteracy. Now hackers have become more advanced, and hacking has become financially motivated. Hacks include embedding links (some hidden, some not) for the purposes of gaming search engines, and instead of crowing about their conquest, hackers are now trying to hide and cover their tracks as much as possible.

This means that site owners are losing their confidence that their sites have not been compromised. With recent highly publicized exploits that allowed hackers to take control of out-of-date WordPress installations, it became even more important to make sure your site is clean.

If you're running a WordPress site on your own server, one step you can take to make sure that it is clean is to install and run the WordPress Exploit Scanner plugin. Beware, the exploit scanner is very thorough, and it will likely report a lot (and I mean a LOT) of false positives. It essentially reports any hiding behavior, which some of the plugins on your site might be doing for very normal reasons.

Even with the false-positives, the WordPress Exploit Scanner is a useful tool in any blogger's toolbox.

WordPress Exploit Scanner helps you keep your install clean originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggerscontent management systemcontent-management-systemContentManagementSystemexpMon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Security Essentials rated best free antivirus for Windows]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/best-free-antivirus-for-windows-microsoft-security-essentials/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/best-free-antivirus-for-windows-microsoft-security-essentials/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/best-free-antivirus-for-windows-microsoft-security-essentials/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Thousands of downloads. Countless positive reviews on software blogs around the Internet. It's been quite a ride so far for Microsoft Security Essentials.

In AV Comparative's most recent report on malware removal, MSE was the only free antivirus rated Advanced+. That ranking placed it alongside big names like Norton, Kaspersky, and F-Secure. Security Essentials also beat out technician favorite ESET, which managed only an Advanced rating.

It's also worth noting that only three antivirus apps - Norton 2010, eScan, and Security Essentials - scored marks of good or better in removal of malware and removal of leftovers. So not only has MSE beaten free competitors like AVG (version 8.5 tested, not 9.0), Avira, and Avast, it also posted test scores equal to or better than a dozen antivirus programs you'd have to pay for.

Well done, Microsoft!

[via Ars Technica]

Microsoft Security Essentials rated best free antivirus for Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antivirusmalwareMicrosoft Security EssentialsMicrosoftSecurityEssentialsmorromsetrojanvirusSat, 31 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Phishing for the fail whale -- watch out, Twitterers!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/phishing-for-the-fail-whale-watch-out-twitterers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/phishing-for-the-fail-whale-watch-out-twitterers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/phishing-for-the-fail-whale-watch-out-twitterers/#commentsFiled under:


Courtesy of Twitter.

Warning! There's a Twitter phish-fest going on at the moment. Hopefully you'll read this before you become an ill-fated Twit...!

If you receive a DM that looks something like this:
hi. this you on here? http://blogger.djh****.com
Do not use the link!

It will redirect you to a copycat Twitter log-in page, and then forward you to a fake fail whale -- and then later, when you least expect it, your account will have its avatar replaced with a naked girl that seems to be enjoying a deliciously unsymbolic and in-your-face penis. You will then, unwittingly, tell your friends all about fantastic dating websites that you've had a lot of success with recently. I think you'll all agree that's a fate even worse than a celebrity not responding to your well-thought-out and poignant tweet.

[via Sophos]

Phishing for the fail whale -- watch out, Twitterers! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>phishingsafetysocial networkingSocialNetworkingtwitterWed, 28 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Fake Facebook password-reset emails are a botnet attack]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/fake-facebook-password-reset-emails-are-a-botnet-attack/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/fake-facebook-password-reset-emails-are-a-botnet-attack/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/fake-facebook-password-reset-emails-are-a-botnet-attack/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you didn't ask to have your Facebook password reset, think twice before opening an email that looks like it's from Facebook's support team. A lot of these fake password-reset emails have been going out lately, and the attachments they contain can take over your computer and add it to the Bredolab botnet, according to ZDnet.

Your first clue that these emails are sketchy is that they contain a zipped .exe file, which is a horribly insecure and inefficient way to send an account password. Although the mail looks like it comes from support@facebook.com, the address is just spoofed to fool you. The botnet behind this attack, Bredolab, is reportedly involved in some large-scale spamming and identity theft activities, so don't risk letting your computer become part of it.

[via ZDNet]

Fake Facebook password-reset emails are a botnet attack originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>botnetfacebookspamvirusWed, 28 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Web-based malware attacks growing at an astonishing rate]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/web-based-malware-attacks-growing-at-an-astonishing-rate/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/web-based-malware-attacks-growing-at-an-astonishing-rate/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/28/web-based-malware-attacks-growing-at-an-astonishing-rate/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Dasient, the web security firm founded by ex-Google staffers that launched in June of this year, have published a blog post which shows just how dangerous a place the web is becoming.

If you do any computer service - either as a job or a favor to friends and family - you've no doubt seen the end result of these attacks. Fake antivirus applications continue to be the biggest source of business at my day job. That's all thanks to a web that has been slow to adapt to the presence of these threats.

According to the data Dasient has gathered to date, they estimate the number of compromised web sites to be about 640,000. Netcraft puts the total number of sites on the Internet at around 240 million - so compromised sites only amount to .26% of the whole. Still, those 640,000 sites are serving as many many as 5.8 million infected pages says Dasient, up sharply from the 3 million pages earlier this year reported by Microsoft.

Continue reading Web-based malware attacks growing at an astonishing rate

Web-based malware attacks growing at an astonishing rate originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dasientdrive-bydrivebyexploitiframeinfectionjavascriptmalwaretrojanvirusWed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Panda Cloud AV beta 3 boasts faster scans, inches closer to RTM]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/27/panda-cloud-av-beta-3-boasts-faster-scans-inches-closer-to-rtm/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/27/panda-cloud-av-beta-3-boasts-faster-scans-inches-closer-to-rtm/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/27/panda-cloud-av-beta-3-boasts-faster-scans-inches-closer-to-rtm/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


When our list of six free antivirus apps for Windows 7 went live over the weekend, Panda's Cloud AV made the list. While it boasted the best detection rates of any of the available options, it's still in beta testing - so I can't really recommend it for use by the average user just yet.

Panda's plugging away though, and a full release could well be just around the corner. Beta 3 has just been made available for download and it fixes a number of bugs and performance issues. The latest release also boasts improved scanning performance (the biggest knock against previous versions) and lower resource utilization.

In addition to updating the app itself, Panda is also hard at work on a new web site. Sign up for a CloudAV account, and you'll have access to forums as well as "other free services which [Panda is] still building." I'll be talking with Panda Security CEO Juan Santana and Senior Research Advisor Pedro Bustamante next week to learn more about their plans.

An account is now required to use the app, but as Pedro informed one leery commenter "It's just a unique identifier that is tied to the Tech Support Forums to be able to provide better support. You can use a throw-away mailbox to activate it[...]"

Panda Cloud Antivirus beta 3 is available for download now at Cloudantivirus.com. If you're using it - or tried it out and switched - share your thoughts in the comments!

Panda Cloud AV beta 3 boasts faster scans, inches closer to RTM originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloud antiviruscloud avCloudAntivirusCloudAvmalwarepandatrojanvirusTue, 27 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to make Microsoft Security Essentials check for updates more often]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/26/how-to-make-microsoft-security-essentials-check-for-updates-more/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/26/how-to-make-microsoft-security-essentials-check-for-updates-more/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/26/how-to-make-microsoft-security-essentials-check-for-updates-more/#commentsFiled under: , ,


I've had plenty of good things to say about Microsoft Security Essentials to this point. On my own systems, it's been a good, lightweight layer of protection.

However, the folks over at H-Online have noted a bit of a problem. There are what H-Online refers to as "certain circumstances" under which Security Essentials seems to be forgetting to 1) update definitions and 2) notify users that their definitions may be as out of date as yet another Kanye West interruption joke.

By default, MSE only checks for updates once per day - when it's working, of course. Fortunately, making it check more often is a fairly simple task.

If you're comfortable editing your registry, read on after the break. If not, it might be best to wait for Microsoft to release a fix.

Continue reading How to make Microsoft Security Essentials check for updates more often

How to make Microsoft Security Essentials check for updates more often originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>definitionsfailfree antivirusFreeAntivirusmalwareseucirty-essentialstrojanvirusMon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Six free antivirus programs made for your Windows 7 system]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/24/six-free-antivirus-programs-made-for-your-windows-7-system/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/24/six-free-antivirus-programs-made-for-your-windows-7-system/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/24/six-free-antivirus-programs-made-for-your-windows-7-system/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Yesterday, I showed you a pain-free way to get rid of excess software that comes bundled on new systems and replace it with high-quality free programs. Those of you who want a bit more choice than what Ninite offers will probably do your installs manually -- so let's take a look at some antivirus options for your Windows 7 system.

There are plenty of pay-for programs you probably already about, like Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky and Trend Micro. I'm going to focus on the free options -- of which there are many!

Hey, you just paid for an OS or a whole new computer -- why not save a few bucks if you can?

Continue reading Six free antivirus programs made for your Windows 7 system

Six free antivirus programs made for your Windows 7 system originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antivirusavastavgaviracomodofreemalwareMSEsecurity essentialsSecurityEssentialstrojanvirusSat, 24 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sandboxie on sale for half price until midnight ET]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/20/sandboxie-on-sale-for-half-price-until-midnight-et/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/20/sandboxie-on-sale-for-half-price-until-midnight-et/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/20/sandboxie-on-sale-for-half-price-until-midnight-et/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Sanboxie is a great little program. It provides an extra layer of security by forcing applications to write to an isolated "sandbox" instead of directly to your hard drive's filesystem. It's long been a favorite with Download Squad readers.

One other great feature of Sandboxie is its licensing. You only have to pay once. Ever - your registration is good for a lifetime (yours, of course).

On top of that, you're also allowed to install the app on every system you personally own and use.

Even better, there's a sweet 50% off discount available until the end of today. Just head over to Bits Du Jour and you can score Sandboxie for $19. That's an excellent deal for an app that can provide a major security upgrade for your Windows system.

Sandboxie on sale for half price until midnight ET originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>sanboxingsandboxiesecurityTue, 20 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST