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Cyber Security Today, March 31, 2023 – World Backup Day advice, new malware targeting Linux and more

March 31, 2023/in Computer Security

World Backup Day advice, new malware targeting Linux and more

Welcome to Cyber Security Today. It’s Friday, March 31st, 2023. I’m Howard Solomon, contributing reporter on cybersecurity for ITWorldCanada.com and TechNewsday.com in the U.S.

Today is World Backup Day. I have a long story on ITWorldCanada.com which is tailored for IT department leaders in mid-to-large firms, so on this podcast I want to address IT leaders in small businesses. The good news is backup and recovery should be easier because your environment will be simpler compared to a multi-million dollar retailer. Still, some of the same rules apply: First, decide what data needs to be backed up, giving priority to sensitive information and how often it needs to be backed up. Second, make sure data is backed up off-site as well as on-site. And for extra protection, it should be encrypted. Third, make sure the off-site backup can’t be compromised by a hacker. One of the biggest failures of IT is to protect off-site backup from being encrypted, ruining any chance of data restoration. Fourth, document your backup procedures so when staff leave the knowledge doesn’t go with them. And last, have IT staff regularly practice restoring a backup. You’ll need that experience in a crisis.

Attention Linux administrators: New malware targeting Linux servers has been discovered. Researchers at the French firm Exatrack call it Melofee, and believe it was created by a group based in China. It drops a rootkit and a server implant. The implant can update itself, create a new socket for interaction, search for system information, read and write files and more. The implant hasn’t been widely seen, suggesting the attacker uses it only to go after high value targets.

University researchers say there’s a fundamental flaw in the Wi-Fi protocol that could affect devices running Linux, FreeBSD, Android and iOS. In a summary of the report, the Hacker News notes that the flaw could be used to hijack TCP connections or intercept client and web traffic. The power-save mechanisms in endpoint devices could trick access points into leaking data frames in plaintext.

Cisco Systems said attacks could be successful against its Wireless…

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This New Malware Has Increased by 239% Since 2020 / Digital Information World

March 25, 2023/in Computer Security

There are all sorts of malware that can impact your daily life, but stalkerware is one of the most dangerous out there with all things having been considered and taken into account. A study conducted by Avast revealed that stalkerware has seen a massive 239% increase since 2020, which makes it even more of a threat than might have been the case otherwise. Let’s take a look at what stalkerware actually is and how it can affect users of the internet.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that stalkwerware uses location tracking and activity monitoring on smartphones to develop a profile of the victim. Malicious actors can keep track of text messages that the user exchanges, calls that the user makes and much more.

According to a threat analyst working at Avast, this level of growth in stalkerware is concerning to say the least. The main issue here is that apps that contain stalkerware actually seem rather innocuous to the untrained eye. They can be anything from a simple calculator all the way to a child monitoring app, and they are facilitating a wide array of dangerous behaviors.

Users might find themselves getting stalked and harassed due to these apps, but in spite of the fact that this is the case not all that much work has been done to stem their seemingly out of control growth rate. Tracking apps should always be downloaded with caution because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up containing stalkwerware without your knowledge.

The only real way to protect yourself from stalkwerware is to go through the permissions that have been granted to each app. Unless you are absolutely certain that a given app is trustworthy, it is essential that you do what you can to delete it or at the very least rescind its permissions. The pandemic did a lot to give these apps a boost, and it might take a while before their growth rate starts to wind down and become more manageable.

Image: Freepik/rawpixel

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Urgent security warning for Android users over ‘dangerous’ new bug that’s spread across the world

March 16, 2023/in Mobile Security

A DANGEROUS malware bug is spreading across the globe and affecting Android users.

The so-called “Xenomorph Android” malware was first spotted last year, but has returned: and can endanger your bank applications.

A new malware is circulating around the globeCredit: Getty

Android users are encouraged to be extra alertCredit: Getty

Now, the bug is back, with worries that it’s spreading quickly without many knowing they have it on their device.

More than 400 baking applications and digital wallets are being targeted by the vicious virus.

Experts at TreatFabric said the malware can automatically hack accounts, including stealing bank account balances.

The bug can also make unauthorised transactions, and transfer money to other accounts without permission.

Xenomorph can now “completely automate the whole fraud chain”, from infecting software to making illicit transactions.

The attacks are concentrated with users in Spain, Turkey and the United States, but experts are worried it could spread.

Android owners have been warned to watch out when downloading any new applications.

Reading reviews and checking the names of developers on applications is a good way to ensure it’s reliable, and not malware.

This comes on the tails of Apple issuing a warning to iPhone users earlier this week.

Users are being urged to utilise the built-in security features on iPhone to protect your data and personal information.

The four part security checkup asks users to begin by setting a strong passcode.

Apple said: “Setting a passcode also turns on data protection, which encrypts your iPhone data with 256-bit AES encryption.”

Using Face ID or Touch ID adds an extra layer of protection, providing a secure and convenient way to unlock your iPhone, authorize payments, and sign in to third-party apps.

Turning on the “Find My” feature is a great help as it can find your device if it’s stolen.

It also allows you to erase your data if you can’t recover your device.

You can also control what features are available without unlocking your iPhone.

Disabling access to certain features can keep your device safer – for example, USB connections.

Android users are asked to be vigilant when downloading new applications

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AhnLabs Tops the List of Best Android Antiviruses for Home Users / Digital Information World

March 5, 2023/in Mobile Security

Using an antivirus just isn’t optional these days because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up protecting you from all sorts of malicious attacks. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that not all antiviruses are created equal. Some are better than others, and the folks over at AV-TEST recently conducted some assessments to provide an overview on which are the best of the best.

These antiviruses were tested based on the level of protection they provided, their performance as well as how easy they were to use. The tests were supposed to determine which antiviruses were most suitable for homer users with all things having been considered and taken into account.

It turns out that most antiviruses showed top notch performance in all metrics. AhnLab and Avast both received the maximum six points in all three areas for a grand total of eighteen. AVG, Avira and Bitdefender were also included at the top of the list, along with F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee and many more.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, some antiviruses ended up performing noticeably poorly. Case in point is Google’s Play Protect. The antivirus got the full 6 points in performance, but lost a point in the usability category. What’s more, the service scored a paltry 3.5 points in the protection tests which suggests that the antivirus might not do a lot to make your systems more secure than might have been the case otherwise.

Another conspicuously poor performer was Ikarus, with 15.5 out of 18. This is notably a whole point more than Google managed to get. Such a poor showing can be detrimental since it could make users lose trust in Google’s ability to keep them safe from various online threats.

All in all, users will likely see that virtually any antivirus can work quite well for them except for the ones provided by Google and Ikarus. This just goes to show how strong this industry truly is based on these tests.

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