Brian Prince

A security researcher has poked a hole in the sandbox implemented by Adobe Systems to prevent malicious Flash files from compromising computers. According to application security researcher Billy Rios, there is a way to bypass the local-with-filesystem sandbox utilized in Adobe Flash Player. “SWFs loaded from the local file system do face some restrictions. … […]

Malware writers had a busy year in 2010. According to Panda Security, during the year, cyber-criminals created and distributed more than one-third of all existing malware ever classified by the company. The finding was included in the company’s 2010 Annual Security Report, which listed banking Trojans as the most prevalent threat, representing 56 percent of […]

Recruiting money mules may not be the sexiest part of a cyber-crime operation, but it is among the most vital tasks-something underscored last year when the FBI arrested mules tied to a gang accused of looting millions from banks around the world. According to Fortinet, mule recruiters are putting more effort into targeting specific countries […]

Microsoft is kicking off 2011 with a small Patch Tuesday release that will feature fixes for three vulnerabilities in Windows. The bugs will be patched via two security bulletins, one of which is rated “critical” and affects all supported versions of Windows. The second bulletin, rated “important,” only impacts Windows Vista. Not included among the […]

Google is taking on spam with an extra layer of e-mail authentication for Google Apps users. The company announced Jan. 6 it is making it possible for all Google Apps users to sign their outgoing messages with DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) so that their mail is less likely to get stopped by recipients’ spam filters. […]

Sophos has detected a new AutoRun worm spreading under the guise of being an update for Microsoft Windows. It is an old ploy, but apparently one effective enough for attackers to keep trying. The malware comes in an e-mail with the subject line “Update Your Windows” as well as a supposed note from Microsoft exec […]

In their list of predictions for 2011, application security specialists at the Denim Group predicted software development teams will start to shift their focus to building extensions to software-as-a-service applications instead of writing custom software from the ground up. In the company’s crystal ball, business-to-business providers will lead the way in this, though extensions to […]

Sourcefire has acquired anti-malware vendor Immunet to build out its cloud-based security capabilities. The deal, completed for $21 million, combines Sourcefire’s intrusion-prevention technology with Immunet’s cloud approach. According to Sourcefire, the buy immediately allows the company to provide endpoint protection from client-side attacks, and enables the company to use a mix of reputation services, data […]

The minds behind the Storm and Waledac botnets are at it again, according to some security researchers. A botnet that may be linked to Storm and Waledac has been tied to a spam campaign blasting out e-cards celebrating the new year. “I have little doubt that this operation is a direct descendent of Storm and […]

Exploit code for a new Windows security bug has gone public, prompting Microsoft today to issue an advisory to warn users. So far, no attacks taking advantage of the bug have been seen in the wild, Microsoft reported. The vulnerability lies in the Windows Graphic Rendering Engine and, according to Microsoft, can be used by […]

Dell’s deal to acquire SecureWorks is another step on the company’s cloud road map as it looks to compete with Hewlett-Packard and IBM, analysts say. According to Peter Altabef, president of Dell Services, the purchase of SecureWorks complements a growing emphasis on expanding Dell’s cloud capabilities. The buy, being made for an undisclosed sum, follows […]

The crew behind the Kneber botnet that made headlines last year may have surfaced again in a malware campaign targeting employees of various governments. The botnet, which pushes out the Zeus Trojan, was spotted around Christmas time spamming out malware through a phony holiday message from the White House. Those who received the card and […]