Tag Archive for: Watch

Watch out for this new malicious ransomware disguised as Windows updates

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Is that really a Windows update you are about to click on? Or ransomware in disguise? As first documented by Fortinet FortiGuard Labs and followed up by Trend Micro, new ransomware is currently on the rise and disguising itself as fake Windows updates and Word installers as part of a malvertising campaign. Also, multiple variants of this ransomware have been discovered.

Here’s what we know so far and what you can do to protect yourself.

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The ransomware, which is called Big Head, infects devices and encrypts the device’s files by displaying a fake Windows update alert on the victim’s computer. Three encrypted executable files are deployed in the attack – one for propagating the malware, one for facilitating communications via Telegram, and one for encrypting the files and displaying the fake Windows update.

If a person clicks on this fake Windows update alert, Big Head will begin its attack by deleting backups, checking the virtualized environment, disabling the computer’s Task Manager to prevent the user from deleting it, and more.

Trend Micro flow chart

The ransomware, which is called Big Head, infects devices and encrypts the device’s files by displaying a fake Windows update alert on the victim’s computer.

There have also been variants discovered of the Big Head ransomware that are capable of stealing web browser history, directory lists, running processes, product keys and network information. Most of the samples of this ransomware have been submitted from the U.S., France, Turkey and Spain.

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RUSSIAN RANSOMWARE ATTACK SOFTWARE TARGETS APPLE MAC AND MACBOOK

Ransomware criminals will try to get you to pay money to them to get your files back. However, paying the ransom does not guarantee that you will regain access to anything a criminal takes from you and will only permit them to do it more.

Your best bet is to prevent an attacker from gaining access to your files altogether so that you don’t have to try to fight to get them back. Here are some of my tips for avoiding having your files stolen in a ransomware attack.

If you receive an…

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2 Security Stocks to Watch Amid the Industry Weakness

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Organizations are pushing back their investments in big and expensive technology products on growing global slowdown concerns amid the current macroeconomic challenges and geopolitical tensions, thereby making the outlook for the Zacks Security industry gloomy. Of late, supply-chain disruptions, component shortages and product cost inflation are some headwinds players in the space have been encountering. These, along with elevated operating expenses related to hiring new employees, and sales and marketing strategies to capture more market share, are likely to strain margins in the near term.

Despite such concerns, industry participants like Qualys, Inc. QLYS and Absolute Software Corporation ABST are likely to benefit from the rising need for IT security solutions due to a surge in the number of data breaches. Increasing requirements for privileged access security due to digital transformation and cloud migration strategies are also fueling the demand for cybersecurity solutions.

Industry Description

The Zacks Security industry comprises companies offering on-premise and cloud-based security solutions. The solutions can be used for identity access management, infrastructure protection, integrated risk management, malware analysis and Internet traffic management, to name a few. Industry participants offer different types of security solutions, most of which can be used interchangeably. These solutions can be roughly categorized into three types — Computer Security, Cybersecurity and Information Security. Computer Security solutions provide protection from vulnerabilities in both the software and hardware of a computer system. Cybersecurity includes sections like web security, network security, application security, container security and information security. Information Security is concerned with any form of data-security issue, be it physical or digital data.

Major Trends Shaping the Future of the Security Industry

Rising Cyber Threats Boost Demand for IT Security: Frequent cyberattacks are spurring the demand for security solutions. This trend has not only affected certain companies but also threatened the national security of some countries. The prevailing global health crisis…

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Father who hacked into 772 webcams to watch 47 women have sex was captured by the FBI after tip off

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  • Christopher Taylor was caught after the FBI was tipped off by IT specialists

A father-of-three who hacked into hundreds of webcams across the world so he could spy on women undressing and having sex is facing jail after IT specialists tipped off the FBI. 

Christopher Taylor, 60, was caught when IT staff at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta alerted the FBI after the malware was found on the laptop of a student at its aerospace laboratory.

Taylor had tricked 772 people in 39 different countries into unwittingly relinquishing control of their computers so he could monitor their private lives over a three-year period.

Police believe 47 women were secretly watched by the married man from his laptop at his £170,000 semi-detached home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, while engaging in sexual activity with their partners. 

A prosecutor said the malware was detected on a student’s laptop by the ‘sophisticated spyware systems’ at Georgia Institute of Technology. That enabled FBI agents to link it back to Taylor’s unassuming home in north west England.

Christopher Taylor, 60, pictured outside Bolton Crown Court, hacked into hundreds of webcams across the world so he could spy on women undressing and having sex
Taylor’s home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, where police believe he secretly watched 47 women

The investigation found Taylor had deleted thousands of files before his arrest.

When British police raided his home, Taylor – a full-time carer for his wife Wendy – told officers: ‘It’s just what I’ve been meddling with on the computer.

He faced extradition proceedings to face trial in the US for wire fraud and computer fraud, but the request was turned down after a judge in London ruled it would ‘negatively impact’ his ailing wife.

More than seven years after his original arrest, Taylor could be jailed today after he admitted securing unauthorised access to computer material and voyeurism.

Taylor also admitted possession of extreme pornography over obscene images found on his devices.

He lured in his unwitting victims with a phony link he placed on porn sites which, when clicked, would allow him full access to their laptop’s function, Bolton Crown Court heard.

He was found to have…

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Premio RCO-3000-CML Industrial Computer | Security Info Watch

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Greater Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA, March 22, 2023 – Premio Inc., a global leader in rugged edge and embedded computing technology, today reveals the RCO-3000-CML small form factor PC. Supported by Intel 10th generation Comet Lake embedded processors, the all-new RCO-3000-CML is a fanless industrial computer balancing processing performance and modular I/O configurability.

Demonstrations of this new system will occur in booth #3071 at the International Security Conference & Exposition 2023 (ISC West) at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, from March 29 – 31.

Newly integrated Premio EDGEBoost I/O modules offer modular expansion flexibility for increased connectivity, integration, and automation. Access to Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology allows both power and ethernet data to pass through a single cable. Cabling costs are reduced, and the system is poised for greater scalability – optimal considerations for security and surveillance analytics deployments, as well as computer and machine vision, industrial automation, and manufacturing applications. 

“Power-over-Ethernet is a key feature in many Industry 4.0 applications that connect to IoT sensors and cameras for computer vision and edge AI analytics,” said Dustin Seetoo, Premio’s product marketing director. “Security and surveillance applications benefit from a single, centralized rugged embedded computer – managing multiple devices through PoE, and creating a robust solution for real-time processing closer to IoT devices and sensors.” 

With PoE support, the RCO-3000-CML presents more options for wired connectivity to critical IoT sensors and peripherals. With the addition of Intel® 10th Generation CPUs in a low 35W TDP, the RCO-3000-CML series can support powerful multi-core CPU options ranging from Intel Core i3, i5, i7, and even Xeon-W processors.   

“By focusing on even greater processing power in a small form factor design, the RCO-3000-CML is an industrial computer that delivers x86 performance, I/O connectivity, and hardened reliability for the most intensive workloads at the rugged edge,” added Seetoo. “Our embedded engineers ensure a balance of key technologies…

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