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Filed under: Security, News

Satan gets frostbite, security providers form coalition to fight malware

Remember the other day when I said I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the security providers join forces for the greater good?

Sophos' Graham Cluely has this morning announced the formation of the Industry Connections Security Group under the umbrella of the IEEE Standards Association's Industry Connections program. Initially the group includes Sophos, Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, AVG, and Trend Micro.

While Cluely states that the security providers shared information in the past, he adds that it's been in a mostly "Here's a truckload of new malware samples, enjoy!" kind of way. One of the primary objectives of the ICSG is to standardize how information is shared and to develop "an electronic delivery mechanism that not only shares the malware samples, but can also include useful information such as the website where the samples were found."

The IEEE's ICSG website notes that while the bad guys have been doing this for ages - sharing toolkits and other code freely - the security providers have mostly been operating in isolation.

Now that they're organizing, here's hoping the collaboration can make a difference in the battle against malware.

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Security, Humor

Full power to the deflector shields! Sophos releases Klingon Antivirus

One thing that I always like to see in a corporate entity is the ability to have a little fun from time to time. If I was going to give an award for "Best Comedic Performance by a Software Vendor," it would go to antivirus developer Sophos, hands down.

Why? For their brand-new Klingon antivirus application.

The program is no joke - it's real Sophos AV, but it may not be a real benefit for you if you can't read Klingon. Of course, you can always improve your linguistic skills over at the Klingon Language Institute. Just make sure you pay attention to the compatibility notes:
"Runs on Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista.
This software has compatibility issues with the version of msxml4.dll used by cloaking devices on Romulan-modded D7-class battle cruisers. Installing this software on such vessels is punishable by ordeal of Ginst'a'Ed."
Sophos scores additional bonus points for the product's web page, which boasts such excellent touches as untouched "Lorem" text, the rarely-used <blurb> tag, and, of course, copious references to Star Trek.

Pics or it didn't happen, you say? Check out a few more screens after the break. Sorry for the lack of explanations, but my skills are limited to three human languages - English, Spanish, and bad English.

Read more →

Filed under: Internet, Security, Windows

Windows trojan horses outnumber viri and worms 4 to 1

Anti-virus maker Sophos recently released its 2007 Security Threat Report, a State of The Union for desktop security issues which, given a full read-through makes you shudder to think of the malware and nasties your PC could run afoul of any given time.

According to the report, Windows Trojans, which sometimes go undetected for long periods of time, outnumber viruses and worms by a factor of 4 to 1. Making matters worse, some malware purveyors are becoming ever-more sneaky with the ways in which they trick users. The report explains, "[Trojan writers] continue to place traditional spyware code on individual computers. However, they are also moving strongly towards a new method in which they spam out emails offering, for example, a plug-in to view videos or pornography or even offering free bogus security applications. "

I've received several trojan emails recently posing as bogus greeting cards from unnamed acquaintances but, being a jaded computer user, I'm not easily misled. With little imagination however, It's pretty easy to see how a less savvy user could be duped into inadvertently installing a trojan of doom. Like a bad one night stand, it only takes a single mistake to find yourself in the throes with some nasty creatures. It's a chilling reminder to stay vigilant and frequently run your anti-virus software of choice.

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