Week in review: Signs of computer infection, iPhone jailbreaking and Facebook mobile privacy
Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news and videos:
Web 2.0 security in the workplace
The use of social networking applications has significantly lowered the security posture for up to 82 percent of organizations, according to a new survey.
Big firms fail the test as social engineers demonstrate their abilities at Defcon
The social engineering capture-the-flag-style contest planned for the second and third day of this year’s edition of Defcon was executed without a hitch.
Microsoft patches the critical Windows LNK vulnerability
Those Windows users who have enabled automatic updating don’t have to do anything, but those who have disabled the option have to download the update and install it themselves.
55,000 machines compromised by Mumba botnet
A study discovered one of the Avalanche Group’s servers and revealed that more than 55,000 unknowing internet user’s machines were compromised with data stealing malware inserted on their machines by the Mumba botnet.
Summer holiday security checklist
Top ten tips for IT and security managers to minimize risk during the holiday season.
63% consider international cyber-espionage acceptable
Sophos published the mid-year 2010 Security Threat Report, revealing the findings of a survey into attitudes towards cyberwarfare and detailing other trends and developments in IT security for the first half of 2010.
BlindElephant: Open source web application fingerprinting engine
In this video recorded at Black Hat USA 2010, Patrick Thomas, a vulnerability researcher at Qualys, discusses the open source web application fingerprinting engine BlindElephant.
Facebook woes of less careful users
Until Facebook manages to think of a way to head off various scams when they first appear, users should hone their skills of detection and teach themselves to refrain from clicking on every funny/amazing/you-won’t-believe-it video or picture linked on a friend’s wall.
iPhone jailbreaking technique paves way for attacks
Since jailbreaking iPhones has been declared legal, security experts have been focusing on the techniques used and speculating about the fact that they can be used by criminals to mount attacks and compromise the devices.
Zero day initiative program updated
HP announced an enhancement to the HP TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative that calls for the publishing of vulnerability advisories no later than six months after flaws are detected and submitted to the program.
AV vendors detect on average 19% of malware attacks
Traditional AV vendors continue to lag behind online criminals when it comes to detecting and protecting against new and quickly evolving threats on the Internet.
Top 5 undiscovered vulnerabilities found on enterprise networks
A report by Lumeta highlights the five most prevalent undiscovered or unknown vulnerabilities commonly found on enterprise networks.
Fighting illegal content on the Internet
Detective Sergeant Michael Moran specializes in the domain of online child exploitation, and in this address he discusses the effect of the Internet on the abuse of children and explores the response of law enforcement authorities.
Facebook rolls out mobile privacy
Facebook is aware that users are becoming increasingly mobile, and to help them to change their privacy settings while on the go, privacy controls are now accessible from any browser-enabled mobile device.
How can I know if my computer is infected? 10 signs of infection
Users are often advised to use an antivirus to check if their systems are infected, but with the current cyber-crime scenario, this is simply not enough.
Facebook virus hoax spreading rapidly
A large number of users are currently forwarding inaccurate advice, warning others to beware of a “virus” that claims a girl killed herself over a post her father made on her Facebook wall.
Private browsing modes not as private as one might wish
Private browsing modes are designed to delete the most obvious signs of online activity such as cookies, browsing history and the browser’s cache, but is that enough to keep your surfing habits hidden from interested parties?