Ryan Naraine

Whats the retail value of a security vulnerability in Microsoft Corp.s Excel spreadsheet program? At last check: $53 and counting. An unknown security researcher chose a novel way to issue a warning for a code execution flaw in Excel—posting it for sale on eBay. But the auction was pulled late Thursday after discussions between Microsoft […]

Microsoft Corp. has announced plans to ship two security bulletins on Patch Tuesday next week, and security analysts say its a safe bet that one will cover critical flaws in the Internet Explorer browser. As part of its advance notice mechanism, Microsoft said at least one of the two bulletins will be rated “critical,” but […]

A private security outfit has released a proof-of-concept exploit for a security flaw in Firefox 1.5, warning that the code can be modified to launch code execution attacks. However, officials at the Mozilla Foundation are downplaying the threat, insisting the bug is more of an “annoyance” than a serious security vulnerability. The exploit, which was […]

The sharp rise in rootkit detections on Windows machines is a direct result of adware/spyware vendors using sophisticated techniques to hide processes and prevent uninstallation, according to anti-virus vendor F-Secure Corp. The Finnish company, which ships an anti-rootkit scanner in its security suite, has identified ContextPlus, Inc., makers of the Apropos and PeopleOnPage adware programs, […]

A new malicious worm squirming through America Online Inc.s AIM network has the ability to carry on an instant messaging conversation with potential victims. Researchers at IMLogic Inc.s Threat Center spotted the new threat and warned that virus writers are continuing to push the social engineering envelope to trick computer users into downloading nasty malware […]

More than 20 percent of all malware removed from Windows XP SP2 (Service Pack 2) systems are stealth rootkits, according to senior official in Microsoft Corp.s security unit. Jason Garms, architect and group program manager in Microsofts Anti-Malware Technology Team, said the open-source FU rootkit ranks high on the list of malicious software programs deleted […]

Google Inc. has made an “adjustment” to its Google Desktop application to protect users from an unpatched design flaw in Microsoft Corp.s Internet Explorer browser. The bug, which was discovered and reported by Israeli hacker Matan Gillon, provides malicious attackers with an easy way to use Google Desktop or other Internet-facing applications to covertly hijack […]

More than two years after Blaster turned the summer of 2003 into an IT administrators worst nightmare, the worm is still very much alive and there are fears within Microsoft that thousands of Windows machines will never be completely dewormed. According to statistics culled from Microsofts Windows malicious software removal tool, between 500 and 800 […]

The browser patent spat between Microsoft Corp. and Eolas Technologies took another twist Friday with an announcement from Redmond that it will change the way Internet Explorer handles embedded content on Web pages. The start-stop-start-stop decision comes more than two years after Microsoft originally warned that the Eolas court ruling would force certain technical modifications […]

Researchers at eEye Digital Security have flagged another critical vulnerability in RealPlayer, the digital media software released by RealNetworks Inc. The Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based eEye said in a brief advisory that the flaw can be exploited by remote malicious hackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the logged-in user. The bug carries a […]

An unpatched design flaw in Microsoft Corp.s Internet Explorer browser could give malicious hackers an easy way to use the Google Desktop application to covertly hijack user information. Matan Gillon, a hacker from Israel, discovered the vulnerability in the cross-domain protections in Internet Explorer and published a proof-of-concept exploit to show how Google Desktop can […]

Microsoft Corp.s Windows OneCare PC security bundle is now available to the general public. The consumer-facing tool, which features virus scanning, firewall protection, data backup and PC cleanup tools, has been released to the Windows Live portal as part of Microsofts plan to extend the beta testing process to a wider audience. As previously reported, […]