Computer viruses have found a new method of infection
Virus-infected e-mail attachments ending with the extension “.rar” are slipping past antivirus scanners, causing computer users to assume the files are safe to open.
Solution: Do not open e-mail attachments ending with a “.rar” extension and do not open any e-mail attachments you are not expecting to receive, even if they were sent from a friend or loved one. Use trusted antivirus software and make sure it has been updated with the latest antivirus definitions.
Computer viruses have found a new method of infection: hiding inside “.rar” files attached to e-mails. A .rar is a type of digital container often used to compress and transmit large music and video files. Because .rar files have seldom been used in the past as carriers of viruses, many popular antivirus programs are not programmed to automatically search and block infected .rar e-mail attachments.
Do not to open any e-mail attachments unless you are expecting to receive them and unless you are 100% positive the attachments are safe. If you are uncertain whether or not a friend or loved one intentionally sent you an attachment, simply call him/her or send an e-mail inquiry. The possibility exists that his/her computer is infected with a virus or worm that has sent copies of itself to each e-mail address found on the computer.
The best way to ensure the privacy of the files, credit card numbers, financial statements, and other sensitive data stored on your computer is to patch the holes in Windows by visiting the Windows Update website; use a trusted antivirus program and download the latest antivirus definitions; and use a software and/or hardware firewall to make your computer invisible to hackers while you use the Internet.
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Saturday, February 12, 2005
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Phones, Car Engines Face Security Threats -- Report
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Daily computer security headaches such as viruses and spam threaten to spread to a far wider range of devices -- from phones to car engines, a survey to be published by IBM on Wednesday has found.
The report, published by IBM Security Intelligence Services, a consulting arm of the world's largest computer company, paints a picture of rampant, albeit controllable, security dangers.
The survey combines data from big business customers, government security statistics and observations from some 2,000 IBM security consultants, detailing the proliferation of computer security threats in 2004 and likely next moves.
Watch out for viruses that spread to mobile phones, handheld computers, wireless networks and embedded computers which are increasingly used to run basic automobile functions, the 2004 year-end "Security Threats and Attack Trends Report" report warns. Then again, the readiness of individuals and companies to confront these challenges has also evolved, the study said.
"It's difficult to say whether we are moving to a steady state," Stuart McIrvine, director of IBM's security strategy, said in an interview. "The threats are increasing, but consumers and businesses are getting a lot smarter."
IBM's report draws on data from 500,000 electronic devices.
It details a range of challenges that computer users faced in 2004 and extrapolates from early warning signs what sort of new threats electronics users are likely to face this year.
Known computer viruses grew by 28,327 in 2004 to bring the number of old and new viruses to 112,438, the report said. In 2002, only 4,551 new viruses were discovered.
Of 147 billion e-mails scanned by IBM for customers in 2004, one in 16, or 6 percent, contained a virus. During 2002, just 0.5 percent of e-mail scanned had viruses.
The average amount of spam circulating on global networks was 75 percent, the survey found. But during peak periods, spam accounted for as much as 95 percent of e-mail traffic.
The fastest-growing threat in 2004 was phishing -- a method of enticing computer users to submit personal information or fall prey to other Internet deceptions. Such e-mails grew 5,000 percent last year, with some 18 million phishing attempts recorded, according to IBM.
THREAT TO CARS
Looking ahead, McIrvine said cars were threatened by computer security threats, some malicious, others unintentional.
As the average new car runs 20 computer processors and about 60 megabytes of software code, the opportunity for malfunctions, wireless attacks and other security threats was multiplying, he said.
Another prediction is that Voice over Internet (VoIP) phone systems will be disrupted. As more companies move to replace traditional phone networks with VoIP systems, eavesdropping on callers and wholesale office network shutdowns carried out by remote attackers are likely to increase, IBM warned.
Kelly Kavanaugh, a computer security analyst with market research company Gartner Inc. of Stamford, Connecticut, said the IBM study highlights some newer threats such as phishing that will only grow more serious during 2005.
The report, published by IBM Security Intelligence Services, a consulting arm of the world's largest computer company, paints a picture of rampant, albeit controllable, security dangers.
The survey combines data from big business customers, government security statistics and observations from some 2,000 IBM security consultants, detailing the proliferation of computer security threats in 2004 and likely next moves.
Watch out for viruses that spread to mobile phones, handheld computers, wireless networks and embedded computers which are increasingly used to run basic automobile functions, the 2004 year-end "Security Threats and Attack Trends Report" report warns. Then again, the readiness of individuals and companies to confront these challenges has also evolved, the study said.
"It's difficult to say whether we are moving to a steady state," Stuart McIrvine, director of IBM's security strategy, said in an interview. "The threats are increasing, but consumers and businesses are getting a lot smarter."
IBM's report draws on data from 500,000 electronic devices.
It details a range of challenges that computer users faced in 2004 and extrapolates from early warning signs what sort of new threats electronics users are likely to face this year.
Known computer viruses grew by 28,327 in 2004 to bring the number of old and new viruses to 112,438, the report said. In 2002, only 4,551 new viruses were discovered.
Of 147 billion e-mails scanned by IBM for customers in 2004, one in 16, or 6 percent, contained a virus. During 2002, just 0.5 percent of e-mail scanned had viruses.
The average amount of spam circulating on global networks was 75 percent, the survey found. But during peak periods, spam accounted for as much as 95 percent of e-mail traffic.
The fastest-growing threat in 2004 was phishing -- a method of enticing computer users to submit personal information or fall prey to other Internet deceptions. Such e-mails grew 5,000 percent last year, with some 18 million phishing attempts recorded, according to IBM.
THREAT TO CARS
Looking ahead, McIrvine said cars were threatened by computer security threats, some malicious, others unintentional.
As the average new car runs 20 computer processors and about 60 megabytes of software code, the opportunity for malfunctions, wireless attacks and other security threats was multiplying, he said.
Another prediction is that Voice over Internet (VoIP) phone systems will be disrupted. As more companies move to replace traditional phone networks with VoIP systems, eavesdropping on callers and wholesale office network shutdowns carried out by remote attackers are likely to increase, IBM warned.
Kelly Kavanaugh, a computer security analyst with market research company Gartner Inc. of Stamford, Connecticut, said the IBM study highlights some newer threats such as phishing that will only grow more serious during 2005.
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