It seems that even the most innocuous machines in the workplace can serve as a security threat to companies. According to this report from CBS News, many office copiers save the images they copy on a dedicated hard disk installed inside them. This means that everything from mundane memos to your most sensitive information such as financial statements and contracts are stored – and could potentially extracted.

So the next time you dispose of a copy machine, if you’re not sure what’s stored on it and how to get it off – give us a call to help out.

To see the news report, watch this video.

Zeus banking virus is back warns security firm. Botnets such as Zeus target those using online banking. Zeus, a virus that steals online banking details from infected computer users, is more powerful than ever, warns a web security company. Ensuring you have appropriate Internet Security in place has never been more important. Trusteer says it has spotted the Trojan virus in one of every 3,000 of the 5.5m computers it monitors in the US and UK.

Zeus 1.6 can infect people using Firefox and Internet Explorer web browsers, the company claims. The malware steals login information by recording keystrokes when the infected user is on a list of target websites. These websites are usually banks and other financial institutions. The user’s data is then sent to a remote server to be used and sold on by cyber-criminals.

“We expect this new version of Zeus to significantly increase fraud losses, since nearly 30% of internet users bank online with Firefox and the infection is growing faster than we have ever seen before,” said Amit Klein, chief technology officer at Trusteer.

DIY virus

In March 2010, many parts of the command and control (C&C) system for the Zeus botnet were destroyed when the Kazakhstani ISP that was being used to administer it was cut off. However, it does not take long for malware controllers to spring up elsewhere, and toolkits for assembling botnets are readily available on the black market.

“There are plenty of opportunities for people to purchase access to these systems through underground chat rooms,” said Dr JD Marsters, from the department of electronics and computer science at the University of Southampton. “It’s a game of cat and mouse between anti-virus vendors and botnet developers.”

Computer users should ensure that their anti-virus software and operating systems are kept up to date, he advised.

If you have any problems which need attention, or are worried about your IT security then give us a call – we’ll be glad to help.

Related articles:

• Internet Security and Acceptable Use policy
• Managed Security Services

Published via BBC. Source.

Users beware of ransomware: malicious software that extorts money from users in exchange for freeing the user’s computer or data. One particularly nasty version came bundled with a software download called uFast Download Manager. The malware blocks Internet access for users until they pay the publisher a fee via SMS and is another demonstration of why Internet Security and Acceptable Use policies need to be considered for small businesses

Users who download the software are immediately infected, seeing a message posted in Russian demanding a ransom under the guise of activating the uFast Download Manager application.

To keep your computer environment safe, always be wary of downloading suspicious free software on the Internet. One way to deal with this is to ensure you have the correct Internet Security and Acceptable Use policy(s) in place. If you need help or are unsure, please contact us first so we can help!

Spanish authorities report that they have arrested the masterminds behind a string of online criminal activities using the botnet dubbed Mariposa. Mariposa is the original name of a commercially distributed Do-it-Yourself malware kit, sold online for 800/1000 EUR for “wannabe” hackers.  Along with the arrest, authorities seized sensitive data belonging to about 800,000 users in 190 countries, gathered from an estimated 12M+ infected host computers on the Internet.

What’s particularly interesting is that the cybercriminals arrested were not themselves the author of the malware, nor were they any more techincally adept than many ordinary users. They simply had access to malware widely available on the Internet, and were able to conduct a crime of such a wide scale and reach.

This illustrates that it’s become easier for many cybercriminals to conduct their nefarious deeds online, and highlights the need for more vigilance on the part of law-abiding netizens in keeping their network secure from hackers and malware.

Is your network safe? Well, Abussi have an Internet Security White Paper which offers some practical advice and we also provide an IT Healthcheck which can answer this most vital question. Why not contact us today.

Related articles:

• Internet Security White Paper - (An Abussi PDF)

IP telephony solutions of all kinds are now being taken up by both businesses and households, In-Stat has said. The market intelligence company recently predicted that for the US almost four out of every five businesses will be using VoIP phones by 2013.

David Lemelin, practice leader and senior analyst at market intelligence company In-Stat, said: “Many flavours of VoIP exist and are being embraced by entire enterprises as well as individual users”.

Broadband-based VoIP applications are particularly “attractive” to both employers and employees, he explained, because they can make flexible working schemes easier to initiate. Mr Lemelin predicted that all businesses will be using IP telephony “in one form or another” by the end of the decade.

He said that this could be “something as simple as” voice-enabled instant messaging (IM) or something much more sophisticated, like an IP PBX or hosted telephony solution. The VoIP provider market will even out this year after two years of sharp drops in revenue, Dell’Oro Group predicted recently.

The networking and telecommunications industry’s information source expects VoIP subscriber growth to accelerate in 2010 as economic conditions improve. Why not look at Hosted Telephony Services provided by Abussi to see how we can help you benefit from this flexible technology. Abussi also has as a PDF White Paper on VoIP for the Small Business which helps explain the options.

Microsoft recently released a number of security bulletins and patches addressing vulnerabilities in Windows and Office that are of high risk to users. It’s widely believed that many will be exploited by hackers within the next 30 days. One of them could potentially allow hackers or malware authors to easily compromise systems by tricking users to download malicious AVI-formatted files. Others require nothing more than just visiting a website. Another specifically targets Powerpoint Viewer 2003, and opening a malicious .ppt file could affect your system.

This latest round of patches and vulnerability updates is really nothing new – although the sheer number made public in one day is notable. This highlights the need for a comprehensive security policy, because vulnerabilities do exist in even the most mundane or old versions of software. Customers under our Managed Services plan can rest easy since we monitor and update their computers as soon as these patches and advisories are released. Find out more about what we do to make your systems safe and secure. Contact us today.

Related links:

• Patch Tuesday: Microsoft plugs critical Windows worm holes (zdnet)
• Internet Security White Paper - (An Abussi PDF)

A malicious piece of software making the rounds of news websites this week is believed to be behind the compromise of over 75,000 systems in over 2,500 international organizations – many of which are government agencies and large Fortune 500 companies.

Called the Knebner botnet after the name in the email used to register the initial domain used in the campaign to propagate the malware, the software infects computers and captures user login access to online financial services such as Paypal and online banks, social networking websites such as Facebook, and email. Infected computers can be centrally controlled from a master computer, which presumably harvests the data captured for nefarious means.

The Knebner botnet itself is not new. It’s based on the ZeuS botnet, and has gained prominence lately because it’s slipped under the radar of so many organizations. However, there are ways to prevent compromises from botnets – one of which is to have a proactive security system and policy in place. Our Managed Security customers have this assurance in place since we continuously protect their system from botnets and other malware. If you’re not sure that you’re protected, talk to us today.

Related articles:

• Internet Security White Paper - (An Abussi PDF)

In a report by security firm Websense, an alarming rise in the growth of malicious websites was identified in 2009 as compared to 2008 – almost 225 percent. The study also found an increased focus among hackers and spammers on targeting social media sites such as blogs and wikis. Social media or so-called Web 2.0 sites allow user-generated content, which can be a source of vulnerability. Researchers identified that up to 95 percent of user-generated comments to blogs, chat rooms, and message boards are spam or malicious – linking to data stealing sites or to downloads of malicious software. Email also continues to be a target for malicious activity with tens of thousands of Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo! email accounts hacked and passwords stolen and posted online in 2009, which resulted in a marked increase in the number of spam emails.

For our clients on our Managed Service plans, we work hard to ensure your systems are protected from harmful or malicious activity coming from the Internet. If you’re not under our Managed Service plans perhaps now is a good time to talk – let’s make sure your systems are safe in 2010. More details can be found in our Managed IT Services PDF

Related articles

• Top search results riddled with malware (v3.co.uk)
• Internet Security White Paper - (An Abussi PDF)

Mozilla, the organization behind the popular Firefox browser disclosed that two add-ons available for download on its website were vectors for Trojans that could compromise users’ computers. Add-ons allow users to extend and enhance the capabilities of Firefox beyond the default install. Normally they are scanned for malware before being uploaded onto Mozilla’s website, but apparently two of them managed to slip through Mozilla’s automated scans. The infected add-ons are Version 4.0 of Sothink Web Video Downloader and all versions of Master Filer.

Mozilla has since updated their scanning process, but as part of our ongoing security watch we are vigilant in continuously protecting our customers under our Managed Services program from malware – you can rest easy.

When managing your systems on your own, it’s highly advisable to be vigilant with security and always use antivirus software – even when downloading and using software from legitimate sources. If you have downloaded these Firefox add-ons, uninstalling them does not remove the trojans that they carry, and you’ll need to use antivirus software to remove any malware on their system. Need more information or help? Call us and we will be glad to assist you.

Related links:

• Mozilla Firefox hit by malware add-ons (zdnet)
• Trojan Horse Mozilla Firefox Addons (the firefox extension guru’s blog)
• Mozilla admits Firefox add-ons contained Trojan code (sophos)

Security firm Imperva recently released a warning to users of popular social networking website RockYou indicating that their accounts and passwords may have been compromised. According to the firm, a hacker may have accessed an alarming 32 million accounts. But what is more interesting in the wake of this news is an analysis made of the accounts and passwords stolen. From the data provided to researchers, it seems that a great number of users still use insecure passwords, such as those with six or less characters (30% of users); those confined to alpha-numeric characters (60%); or passwords including names, slang words, dictionary words, or trivial passwords such as consecutive digits, adjacent keyboard keys (50%). The most popular password? 123456. Are you using an insecure password? Let us guide you through best practices for information security. Contact us today.

Related links:

• Internet Security White Paper - A PDF for more details on protecting your business