Category: Trends

Firstly, RuSpy.A is a Trojan that obtains user names and passwords for a range of programs including ICQ, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Outlook and The Bat! This information is then sent to the creator in an email message. To avoid detection, it tries to terminate several processes belonging to security tools (antivirus programs and files).

Another widespread fraud technique is to hijack computers. This is what the Tervserv.A backdoor Trojan does.

Finally, this week’s report looks at Banker.DZO. This is a Trojan that monitors Internet traffic generated when a user accesses the web pages of Banco de Brasil, Bradesco, CEF, GERENCIADOR, Itau and Brad.Juridico.

http://www.it-observer.com/news/6645/weekly_report_viruses_intruders/

This year’s report was sponsored by Aruba Wireless Networks. Wi-Fi, it turns out, is high on the “clout” list in enterprises. It tied with VPNs as the network technology (both wired and wireless) of top importance to enterprises over the next 18 months, both garnering a 5.6 aggregate score of importance out of a possible 7.

Wi-Fi has been now deployed in user offices and cubicles in 62% of the respondents’ companies.

And, not surprisingly, but valuable to verify, the primary architecture wars have pretty well been resolved: Nearly half the respondents said they are using or are likely to use thin access points (AP) with a controller for centralized management and security, compared to just 33% saying so last year.

Correspondingly, plans to use intelligent stand-alone APs with no centralized controller dropped by six percentage points over last year, and plans to use stand-alone APs with some centralized management decreased by about 7%.

http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/wireless/2006/0731wireless1.html

As businesses and home users have become increasingly savvy about traditional threats delivered via e-mail attachments, criminals are finding new ways to lure end users to consume their attacks, according to the report.

Researchers specifically cited a growth in the number of threats that use spam e-mail messages or IMs to distribute links to Web sites where malware or spyware is secretly downloaded to end users’ computers.

Criminals are also using data garnered from PCs already infected with their botnet virus code to refine their other spam and spyware efforts, said Paul Wood, senior analyst with New York-based MessageLabs. The attack uses a phishing e-mail in an attempt to persuade PayPal customers to call a phony customer service call center where they are asked to disclose personal information including their credit card details by an automated voice system. Using other common forms of converged attacks, criminals are creating Web sites that distribute small “dropper” malware files that secretly infiltrate PCs and later deliver larger Trojan viruses.

Botnet operators are also becoming more sophisticated, using spyware loaded onto the machines they control to garner personal information that can be used to help target other attacks, MessageLabs said.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1985999,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594

McAfee, Inc., the global leader in Intrusion Prevention and Security Risk Management, today announced a significant milestone in the growth of malicious threats faced by businesses and individual users. McAfee Avert Labs combine world-class malicious code and anti-virus research with intrusion prevention and vulnerability research expertise.

http://interestalert.com/story/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/0706001caaa04683.prn&Sys=siteia&Fid=COMPUELE&Type=News&Filter=ComputerandElectronics

“This is by no means a victory for the security industry over malware writers”, said James Kay, chief technology officer at BlackSpider. “What we are actually seeing is a switch in virus distribution tactics rather than a drop in viruses,” he said.

It’s more of an evolution than a new wave in internet crime,” said Thomas Raschke, senior analyst at Forrester Research.

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/news.aspx?CIaNID=34514

The report tracks annual VPN service revenue by service type, technology, remote access vs. site-to-site, intranet vs. extranet, and organization size, and tracks security services by service type and organization size.

http://www.infonetics.com/resources/purple.shtml?ms06.vs.nr.shtml
http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=98632&WT.svl=wire_2