Matthew Hines

Cyber-attackers have long employed the tactic of attempting to insert their nefarious URLs and related schemes into popular search engine results to lure potential targets, but security researchers contend that the model has evolved in new ways of late, making the technique even more powerful. By combining strategies involving subverted Web sites, zero day exploits, […]

There’s no question that social networks have become a serious source of security and privacy concerns for both individuals and organizations alike as cyber attackers use the popular online portals for everything from malware distribution to information gathering about their potential targets. However, apparently so many people are trying to break into other users’ social […]

Security researchers with software maker Sophos are following the trail of some new variations on the time-honored theme of phony AV programs that seek to infect end users’ devices. First off, Sophos experts noted in a recent blog post that they’ve uncovered a new malicious adware scanner that attempts to carry out JavaScript drive-by attacks […]

Experts in the field of click fraud – the use of phony traffic to drive up Web site statistics for advertising purposes – are reporting the use of a new botnet that has been designed specifically to propagate the phenomenon. According to researchers with Click Forensics, a sophisticated new botnet, dubbed “Bahama” is driving clicks […]

Security researchers with Trend Micro have released the results of a new study that paints a dire picture in terms of the continued spread of online malware, resulting in incredibly high numbers of endpoints ending up infected with botnet programs or some other form of unwanted or nefarious programs. Trend’s study maintains that not only […]

Many organizations may be trying harder than ever to protect their sensitive data, driven by the fear of cyber-theft and failed compliance audits, but they are still struggling to manage the fundamental issue of where all their critical information resides and who exactly has access to it, experts maintain. While emerging security and compliance programs […]

Un-patched client side software remains a huge problem in thwarting the efforts of cyber-attackers of nearly all stripes, but particularly those employing targeted threats, according to security training specialist SANS Institute, which released its latest list of top cyber-risks on Tuesday. End users and vendors may be doing a better job of keeping their operating […]

Attackers continue to find new manners to game social networking sites into becoming their devices for doing everything from prospecting for victims to distributing malware, and researchers at Symantec are highlighting another emerging technique that manipulates Web 2.0 — the use of the sites as command centers for backdoor Trojans. In the latest reported instance, […]

A newly published survey of IT professionals employed across a range of different vertical markets finds that the workers are becoming increasingly worried about malware while losing confidence in traditional security defenses. Conducted by Dimensional Research on behalf of CoreTrace, which specializes in applications whitelisting — one of the newer breeds of security systems that […]

A recent survey conducted by researchers at Trend Micro found that many smartphone owners remain oblivious to security risks despite using their handhelds for a growing range of applications that could introduce potential problems, such as Web surfing. According to the study, many users are under the impression that their phones are significantly more secure […]

The Koobface worm has earned a spot as perhaps the most noteworthy malware campaign aimed specifically at users of social networks to date, having laced itself onto major Web 2.0 properties including Facebook, MySpace and Twitter over the last year. But despite researchers best efforts to follow the attacks and help networking sites and users […]

Researchers are tracking the emergence of a new set of malware attacks loaded into Microsoft PowerPoint documents that take aim at a long-patched vulnerability in the application. Highlighting the success that many attackers still have in launching threats that prey on vulnerabilities that should have been fixed long ago, the new PowerPoint attacks seek to […]