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!

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!

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!

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

Be warned – there are a number of fraudulent email campaigns circulating that pretend to be the United Parcel Service (UPS) but are phishing attempts instead. We have received a series of these in our honey-pots, all similar, and all seem to lead to the same cybercrime cartel in Pakistan or Russia.

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 »

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 …
* Spammers turn to Yahoo, Google Picasa groups
* IBM X-Force Trends Report: Year of the Security Breach
* Feds Ban Spammer Who Sent ‘Mind-Boggling’ Number of Messages
* First-ever text message spammer nabbed
* Microsoft Security Tool IDs Chrome Browser as Malware
* Mobile Security Exploits To Double
* Wells Fargo customers warned of phishing scam
* City students targeted by phishing scammers
* Clever phisher almost tricks PhishTank
* Are Cybercriminals Getting Weaker, or Just Smarter?
. . . and more

Do you really need to pay for Internet security? Eric Geier sheds some light on free antivirus programs and whether or not they can adequately protect your computer and data.

In this edition, I’m mixing in some ICANN news concerning new TLDs, since launch of the new ‘.xxx’ will undoubetly generate another era of spam …
* Online red-light district opens
* How Internet Naming Authority ICAAN Plans To Double Its Revenues
* Generic top level domains ‘will only benefit trademark lawyers’
* Palm Beach firm selling first XXX domain names for porn sites
* There’s a world of crooks wanting to steal your identity
* Potential Phishing E-Mails Should be Handled with Suspicion
* Scam HMRC emails increase 300%
* Yahoo and Bing Adverts Distribute Malware!
* Nastier DroidDreamLight malware on the loose
* Ten years on from Nimda: Worm author still at large
. . . and more

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Couple of surprises this week … David Pogue looks at unsubscribing from spam, and those nasty ‘pump-n-dump’ schemes are back! But that’s not all —
* David Pogue: Rethinking the *Never Unsubscribe* Rule for Spam
* Protect Yourself From the Threat of Mobile Malware
* Comeback of Malicious Pump-and-Dump Campaigns
* New Analysis: Who Do You Trust? (2 Parts)
* Morto worm surprises again
* Serious gaps in security
* BBB warns of email scam
* Antivirus on a Mac
. . . and more

The actual title of this post is: “30+ Awesome Utilities to Boost Your Mac’s Functionality” it was written by Joshua Johnson on August 9th 2011 for the
appstorm.net web site. Yes, it is yet another list. But I love lists that give me new applications or apps for short. There are several here that are new to me, especially if you count the ones in the comment section.
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Catching up this week, I realized we haven’t had a Safenetting update in a month. My cache for articles to post had 127 items — and I knew I wouldn’t be able to fit all those. So, herein I attempt to touch on just about all the current issues …
* Twitter Phishing Scam Steals Passwords — Site Not Charging
* 6 Signs Your Computer is Infected … and 4 Ways to Fix It
* Microsoft’s August 2011 Patch Tuesday Serves 13 Patches
* Android Dogfighting App Infected with Pro-PETA Malware
* MacDefender taken down in raid by Russian authorities?
* 146 new phishing attacks hosted on government websites
* Rootkit Creators Annihilating Their Mutual Codes
* Gingerbread paves way for GingerMaster malware
* Koobface malware spreading via torrent
* Facebook issues Guide to Security
* Google: IP spoofing on the rise
* Fraud awareness week
* Spam wars heat up
. . . and more

This MobsJar article from February lists these Mac Utilities. (As you know, I love lists.) Here are a few of the ones they have: Continue reading »