Brian Prince

Apple Plugs QuickTime Vulnerabilities

Apple updated its QuickTime software to patch two security vulnerabilities. Among them is a fix for a dynamic-link library [DLL] loading issue affecting numerous programs running on Microsoft Windows. According to Apple, the vulnerability exists on unpatched versions of QuickTime on Windows 7, Vista, XP SP2 or later. “If an attacker places a maliciously crafted […]

Google Fired Engineer for Privacy Violations

Google confirmed today one of its engineers has been fired for violating the company’s privacy rules. The acknowledgment followed a media report that Google employee David Barksdale accessed the accounts of several teenagers in violation of Google policies. According to Gawker, Barksdale was let go in July for abusing his position as a site reliability […]

Microsoft IE 9 Adds Security to New Download Manager

Microsoft is mixing reputation-based security into the Download Manager feature in Internet Explorer 9 to protect Web surfers. Microsoft released a beta version of the browser today, putting an emphasis on speed and performance. In the latest edition of the browser, Microsoft has integrated its SmartScreen Filter with Download Manager. The SmartScreen Filter was introduced […]

Aster Data Adds Column Data Store to nCluster

Aster Data has included a column data store in the latest version of its flagship data analytics server. Added to Aster Data nCluster 4.6, the column data store will present more options for organizations dealing with large data sets, according to the vendor. “Database administrators can [elect] to store data in a row store, column […]

Sophisticated Stuxnet Worm Uses 4 Microsoft Zero-Day Bugs

Security researchers revealed today the Stuxnet worm has been exploiting four zero-day vulnerabilities in Windows in an attempt to infect industrial control systems. In the months since Stuxnet was first publicized in July, much of the attention focused on a now-patched Microsoft Windows bug tied to the way shortcut files are parsed on vulnerable machines. […]

Microsoft Releases Security Patches for 11 Vulnerabilities

Microsoft issued nine security bulletins for Patch Tuesday today to cover 11 security holes in Windows and other Microsoft products. Four of the bulletins are rated “critical,” including two Microsoft considers very likely to be exploited. Among these two bulletins is MS10-061, which addresses a publicly disclosed vulnerability in the Print Spooler service that could […]

RSA Reports Price of Hacker Goods and Services

Zeus Trojan kit – $3,000. SpyEye Trojan kit – $1,000. Bulletproof hosting – priceless, well not really. According to researchers with EMC’s RSA security division, bulletproof hosting goes for between $87 to $179 per month depending on the service level and up to $400 per month for certain infrastructures. That was just one of several […]

HP to Buy ArcSight for Security Event Management

Hewlett-Packard has agreed to acquire ArcSight for $1.5 billion, ending weeks of public speculation about the security vendor’s future. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. In late August, it was reported that ArcSight, a leading vendor in the security information and event management (SIEM) space, was shopping itself around […]

Adobe Flash Player Zero-Day Under Attack

For the second time in nearly a week, Adobe Systems is warning users about a zero-day vulnerability under attack. This time, the bug is in Adobe Flash Player. In a security advisory, the company said the flaw impacts versions 10.1.82.76 and earlier on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Solaris and Android operating systems. The same vulnerability also […]

YouTube Video Claims Here You Have Worm Targeted U.S.

A person claiming to be the hacker behind the “Here you have” worm posted a YouTube video Sept. 12 defending his or her actions. In the YouTube video, a hacker by the nickname Iraq Resistance, spoke with a computer-altered voice in a video published by “iqziad” and claimed responsibility for the worm. In an e-mail […]