Skip to Content

Get the latest on Wrath of the Lich King on WoW Insider!
AOL Tech

Posts with tag Symantec

Filed under: Internet, Security

1 million viruses, worms, and trojans on the loose

WormThe internet is a scary place. No, we're not talking about predators out to rob you or offer candy to your kids. We're talking about malware like viruses, worms, and trojans. According to security company Symantec, the amount of malware on the internet has reached an all-time high, with over 1 million malicious programs in circulation.

A surprsingly large number of those threats were developed in the last year, with 711,912 new pieces of malware coming out in 2007 compared with 125,243 in 2006.

The good news for Linux and OS X users is that most of these threats are targeted at computers running Windows. And the good news for Windows users is that most of these applications are variations of older threats, which means if your anti-virus software is up to date, you should be relatively safe.

Of course, Symantec puts reports like this out there in order to sell its own security software. But there are several excellent free anti-virus suites that will also help protect your computer from most threats.

[via BBC News]

Filed under: Business, Developer, Internet, Security, Web services, Symantec

Symantec to release Online Backup Service

symantec to offer online backup serviceA large expense, and head scratching issue many businesses face is data backup. Should they pony up the cash to develop an internal solution, or do they hunt out external solutions. Symantec, the well known protection company, has opened a solution for small to mid-sized businesses.

Symantec has released its Online Backup Service for beta testing, with a full release later this year. The system is aimed at businesses that have been facing challenges with data protection, offering them an affordable solution with a name they can trust. Symantec's data recovery and backup system would sync critical data to Symantec's data centers under a high level of security and backup systems.

There is no word yet on the cost of the Online Backup Service, but with Symantec's track record at protecting users and businesses, we can guess its going to be a great (if pricey) offering.

[via informationWeek]

Filed under: Developer, Internet, Utilities, Productivity, Web services, Symantec

Symantec bug exploits

symantecSymantec has collected evidence of an attack in progress from a new bot that is exploiting multiple bugs that have been around for a few months. Including a bug in Symantec's very own antivirus scanning engine. There have been seven exploits for seven different vulnerabilities from Spybot.acyr that were found in Microsoft Windows and in Symantec's antivirus application. The vulnerability has been around since May 2006, and customers that have updated their applications since then will remain unaffected. Symantec is monitoring a spike in traffic recently with activity mainly lying in .edu domains. Symantec is asking that all customers update their products to the latest available security updates to prevent against any possible attacks.

Filed under: OS Updates, Security, News, Microsoft, Symantec, Commercial

Microsoft is being cooperative, Kaspersky says

virusMcAfee and Symantec, among others have accused Microsoft of not cooperating with them by giving them access to Windows Vista's core so it can be tested and new products created to help secure it from the third party vendors. Microsoft's stigma is always that they are involved in anti-trust activities, which McAfee and Symantec could be trying to exploit here. Anti-Virus company Kaspersky doesn't think so. McAfee's open letter to Microsoft pretty much accuses them of wanting world domination over both the computing and security markets, but Kaspersky says Microsoft has remained cooperative despite McAfee and Symantec's whining. I don't doubt Microsoft's desire for maniacal dominance of the world, but every other company starts out wanting the same thing, so this is nothing new. Are they cooperating or not?

Filed under: Security, Windows, Microsoft, Symantec

Windows Vista's new network code vulnerable?

BugsOne of the many Windows Vista features Microsoft is eagerly touting is its networking code, which has been re-built from the ground up and promises superior performance to XP networking. Considering all the legacy cruft in Microsoft's products, fresh new code seems like something the be happy about, but according to CNet, Symantec feels otherwise. According to the networking company, scrapping the old "tried and tested code" and writing it anew has introduced fresh vulnerabilities and instabilities which its researches have observed in beta versions of the operating system. Microsoft calls Symantec's analysis is premature and that it does not accurate reflect the maturity of the product when it finally ships.

Filed under: Fun, Apple, Google

Google has very loyal followers

google has very loyal followersIn a recent study, Google was found to have some of the most loyal followers according to recent studies.

The studies looked at online services, computing, and consumer services divisions of the IT world. The surveys measured the importance in customer's eyes, and which overall services you would recommend.

Apple and Symantec were also ranked high on the Satmetrix survey.

Filed under: Security, Windows, Symantec

Symantec patches AntiVirus vulnerability

SymantecSymantec moved quickly to squash a security vulnerability in its AntiVirus Corporate Edition which was disclosed by eEye Digital Security last week, and according to CRN Australia an official fix is now being rolled out in the form of an IPS signature update. An unnamed executive from another security vendor, however, says they are "scratching their heads in disbelief" regarding the choice, because hackers could reverse-engineer the signatures and get "a blueprint of the vulnerability." It seems to me that any fix released could likewise be reverse-engineered, but it may be true that an IPS signature is easier to dissect. Let's just hope all of those Corporate users have their AntiVirus set to keep those signatures up-to-date.

Filed under: Security, Windows, Symantec

Security flaw puts Symantec AntiVirus users at risk

SymantecAccording to eEye Digital Security, the latest version of Symantec AntiVirus contains a security flaw that could be used to take control of the victim's PC "without any user action." eEye spokesperson Mike Puterbaugh describes the hole as "definitely wormable," i.e. malicious software could gain access to a machine, change or delete files at will, and spread itself to other machines. Symantec says they "are evaluating the issue now and, if necessary, will provide a prompt response and solution." Puterbaugh says no proof-of-concept code has been released, but warns that hackers may already know about the flaw.

Filed under: Internet, Security, Windows, Symantec, Commercial

Symantec to release subscription-based security mega-pack

SymantecSymantec is making loud noises about its new "Security 2.0" initiative, which will usher in "a new age of trust on the Internet." What is it? Well, it's some new products with a snappy name. The first product is an unnamed app resulting from Symantec's recent acquisition of WholeSecurity that's designed to prevent phishing. The second is a big new package Symantec is calling "Genesis," and which will go head-to-head with Microsoft's OneCare, providing "anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware, intrusion prevention, firewall, PC optimization and maintenance elements, the transaction security tools, and online/offline backup." Genesis will be a subscription-based product and is being readied for Windows Vista users.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Google

Google to introduce paid TV downloads

GoogleArs Technica is reporting that tomorrow Google will be announcing a new video service that will "allow users to buy video content for pre-determined prices," and they're also planning to announce partnerships with CBS and the NBA. Ars has lots of juicy speculation, including whether they'll be offering downloads or only streaming video, if they'll use Flash video as Google Video currently does, and if this means we'll finally see the long-rumored Google Wallet. Google also plans to announce Google Pack, a software bundle which, says Ars, will include the obvious Google software like Desktop Search, Picasa, Google Earth, Google Talk, and more, but also some third party tools including "Google-tweaked" versions of Firefox, Acrobat Reader, Symantec anti-virus software, the malware remover Ad-Aware, multi-network IM client Trillian, and RealPlayer. I agree with Ars: Those last two choices are very curious indeed.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
SXSWi 2008 Schwag Unboxing
SXSWi 2008 Day 1
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

BloggingStocks Tech Coverage

More Tech Coverage

Joystiq

TUAW

BloggingStocks

Autoblog

Xbox 360 Fanboy

Engadget

WOW Insider

Switched.com

FanHouse