InfoManager_TM

As the cyberwars begin to heat up — I just talked to a person infected with malware, didn’t know it, sending millions of spams. Now there’s a virus that infects malware to create “Franken-ware” … people just don’t realize how bad it is — and it’s going to get a lot worse …
* New malware variant hijacks US Defense Dept.’s smart cards
* Better Business Bureau warns against computer virus scam
* Facebook sues alleged clickjacking spammer sparking row
* New viruses infecting worms to create ‘Frankenmalware,’
* Symantec Finds Huge Android Malware Infection
* Social Engineering: Hack Google Accounts
* Warning out vs ‘browser update’ malware
* Tax-related Scam E-mails Serve Malware
* Beware of Malicious QR Codes
* BBB Tip of the Week
. . . and more!

Here comes another of those web dilemmas : who is right? The guys who want to protect U.S. ingenuity and creativity from being ripped off by counterfeiters … or the liberal press and the web sites who stand to make the most money from online pirating? It’s a tough decision. Are you for or against SOPA and PIPA? Wait, stop! First look at some facts . . .

I don’t know how many of you noticed, but Romney and Gingrich were the ONLY candidates last night to mention the Chinese cyber-invasion against the U.S. While all the other issues, the economy, jobs, energy, and so forth are of vital importance, it is very foolish to ignore what could potentially be the most devastating issue of all. That’s not the only news in the world of Safenetting this week …
* Cyber threats likely to increase this year; phones at risk
* Better Business Bureau warns consumers about popular scams
* Google Chrome Finally Gets Malware Download Protection
* Microsoft refunds victim of Xbox Live phishing scam
* Mumbai is number one for banking fraud in country
* Sites knocked offline by OpenDNS freeze on Google
* Lecture: George Akerlof on “Phishing for Phools”
* Facebook Malware Blitz: 45000 passwords stolen
* Microsoft says phishing scams not due to hacker
* Strategic Security Primer for the C-Level
* Cyber Warfare and the Privacy Revolution
. . . and more!

Here comes a new year, and here come a slew of new threats for computer users. Big prediction for 2012: China will dominate spam, phishing and malware by virtue of having the most users online world-wide …
* Scammers Using Browser Extensions to Hack Facebook Accounts
* Latest Phishing Scams Target Users of New Christmas Gadgets
* Better Business Bureau: Your online order was canceled
* Chinese Government To Crack Down On Phishing Schemes
* As the new year begins, resolve to be savvy consumer
* Phishing sites using Extended Validation SSL
* Aggressive Phishing Attack Targets Military
* Phishing scam uses official’s email
* Digit’s Top Ten Trends of 2012
* China Has Hacking Problem
. . . and more!

By now, you’re probably finished with Christmas and working on the new year. Well, the cyber crime industry has not finished with YOU … Here are the headlines:
* Suspension of Disbelief: magicians’ friends targeted by phishing scam
* Sophos: most USB sticks lost on the subway are swimming in malware
* New zero-day vulnerabilities found in Adobe Flash Player
* Malware Programs Stuxnet and Conficker Interlinked
* Who would believe this is from Bank of America?
* Anti-spam law doesn’t seem to have an impact
* Hitting ‘reply’ to a spammer can cost you
* CyberThieves Market Fake Win 7 Security
* Student phishing scam: Two remanded
* G Data Internet Security 2012
. . . and more!

The cyber crime world seems to be heating up this season, from 400% increase in Android attacks to money-sucking cloud malware to the Twelve Scams of Christmas
* How far can foreign hackers go before Pentagon has to blow someone up?
* Microsoft seeks testers for limited beta of next-gen Security
* McAfee Warns Consumers of the “Twelve Scams of Christmas”
* DevilRobber now “improved”, still nasty malware threat
* Smart infrastructure plus malware equals disaster
* Hackers Make Malware Download Appear Legitimate
* DevilRobber Trojan now disguised as PixelMator
* Malware writer claims to hacked Windows 8
* Android malware explodes, jumps five-fold
* Avoiding the anti-malware trap
* Cloud: money-sucking parasite
. . . and more!

In this edition we find more Mac problem malware, and surprises! Here are the headlines …
* Fresh Mac Trojan Deactivates OS X Security Solutions
* India shuts server linked to Duqu computer virus
* Boxing Ticket Phishing Scam Making The Rounds
* ‘Tsunami’ trojan malware bot ported to OS X
* October 2011 Symantec Intelligence Report
* Method of Delivering Malware on Facebook
* New Tsunami Trojan Variant Discovered
* Combating Halloween malware threats
* Fast-Growing Mobile Malware Threat
* Hacker Infiltrates Phishing Site
. . . and more

In this edition we focus specifically on Mac problem malware! Here are the headlines …
* Phishing Attacks Aimed To Steal Your User-Ids On a Rise. Beware!
* Cyber-Crooks Malware Facebook Scams Following Steve Jobs’ Demise
* Air Force Drone Malware ‘Nuisance’ Rather Than Serious Threat
* Skimmed cards and stolen IDs: crime in the digital cloud
* NSTIC Lays Out a Compelling Identity Ecosystem Vision
* New Twitter phishing attack poses as reputation alert
* Twitter Phishing Scam Exposes Your Morbid Curiosity
* Norton blocks Facebook as ‘phishing site’
* Cyber security: Education is the key
. . . and more

In this edition we have another mixed-up bag of news, there’s really too much to report on in a single column, suggesting we break out the malware news into its own column! Here are the headlines …
* Microsoft’s botnet shutdown won’t stop Mac malware
* Mac malware disguised as Adobe Flash update
* Flashback Trojan poses as Flash Player installer
* Researchers warn of fake-PDF Mac Trojan
* Consumer interest in Apple not dampened by Jobs’ departure
* Kelihos Ring Sold ‘Botnet-As-A-Service’
* Hackers using QR codes to push Android malware
. . . and more

Continue reading »

Do not click on any email from Facebook. Yet another new malware attack has hit Facebook — this one with some twists. Continue reading »

As the days heat up, so too does cybercrime — it seems. Here’s this week’s mix of phishing and malware news
— this week’s notes:
[] Mac malware – top tips for avoiding infection
[] Apple Mac malware: A short history
[] Norton: The Android malware problem is just beginning
[] Amazon Web Services Hosting Banking Malware: Kaspersky
[] iPhone 5 ‘sneak peek’ spreads malware
[] Boy-in-the-Browser attacks evade anti-malware software
[] Detectives detail Facebook phishing scam
[] Sony warns of phishing attacks after latest hack
[] Google China Wars: How to Restore Brand Integrity
[] SPAM : 100 Billion industry
[] . . . and more

We had so many this week, I had to break this edition into two parts — the first of which deals with the Apple malware issue … How bad is the Mac malware scare? (FAQ)
* Remove Mac Protector (Uninstall Guide)
* Three Ways to Secure Macs at Work: Lessons from ‘MacDefender’
* Antivirus for Mac: It’s Time
* Quiz: Hackers and patches and malware, oh my!
* Apple Orders Technicians to Feign Ignorance About Mac Malware
* Apple Ignores Malware Support Calls, Just Want Your Money?
* Apple “refusing support” for Mac malware . . .

Cybercrime never lets up. With this week’s news about Apple, it’s no longer a one-pony show! This week:
* Study Sees Way to Win Spam Fight
* How to stop unwelcome SMS marketing
* Canada is the new global phishing hotspot
* Cyber fraud: How to avoid falling prey to online scams
* Hacker Mind Tricks Increasing Malware Downloads
* Is Android the new Windows?
* Six rising threats from cybercriminals
* New malware tricks users into thinking hard drive failure is imminent
. . . and more

MAC Defender rogue Anti-Virus for Mac OS X Analysis and Removal – MAC Defender is a rogue anti-virus program for Mac OS X being distributed via the web that will “detect” nonexistent threats as being present on the user’s system in an effort to persuade them to hand over their credit card information and purchase a “subscription” to the program. If the user does not purchase, the program will start popping up pornographic websites to create an actual problem on the system.