Latest Computer and PC Security News

Microsoft Forefront Antivirus Security Bolsters Bolton Council Security
posted on 20/04/2007

Bolton Council is one of the best performing local authorities in the UK. In 2006, officers decided the council needed a better anti-malware solution. Bolton Council wanted to make much greater use of online services, including automatically transmitted e-mail. It also wanted a more secure environment to support mobile and remote working for its employees. Its existing solution relied on a single antivirus technology that was becoming increasingly risky. With 12,000 employees, Bolton Council also wanted to manage its growing estate of 5,500 mailboxes more efficiently. Bolton council has deployed Microsoft® Forefront™ Security for Exchange Server to provide a more secure environment for its upgrade to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 communications and collaboration server. The solution has cut two person-days a week in operating costs and prevented spam e-mails from threatening the network’s stability. Ray Crompton, Corporate ICT Account Manager, said: “We were blocking 2,000 to 3,000 ... [more]

How to beat the rootkit
posted on 19/04/2007

The nature of the ‘Rootkit’ Beast If you, or your clients, use a computer to browse the internet, open emails or instant messages, or to download files or programs, you are at risk of infection. And one of the most dangerous and prevalent types of infection today is the rootkit. A rootkit is a collection of tools that enable administrator-level access to a computer or computer network. Rootkits are not inherently bad, but they can be used for malicious purposes. A rootkit is often used to hide utilities such as “backdoors”, which can help an attacker access a system surreptitiously. Rootkits serve as a platform for spyware, Trojans, phishing software and other malware. Rootkits became a hot topic in Autumn 2005 when it was revealed that Sony BMG was secretly distributing rootkit software on music CDs. Sony BMG had included the rootkit as part of its digital rights management initiative in an attempt to prevent CD copying. The software was automatically installed on PCs when cus... [more]

Keep mobile devices secure
posted on 19/04/2007

Security managers invariably make compromises when selecting security solutions for their remote workers while trying to balance key dimensions including: · Strength of protection · Implementation and maintenance cost · Restrictions upon access to corporate data · Restrictions imposed on users to prevent them compromising the security solutions · Usability of the technology · Effect on mobile device performance With laptops sales outstripping PC sales for the first time ever, protecting the mobile workforce is heading to the top of the list of IT security concerns in 2007. As this trend for laptop use and wireless networking grows, the market has responded with a fast expanding range of products designed to protect networks from threats, which range from organised crime, Trojan horses, rogue access points, viruses, worms, hackers, malicious code writers and denial-of-service attacks. It is well known that the problem of coordinating and managing multiple client security techn... [more]

PowerPoint now the most common exploit vector
posted on 18/04/2007

MessageLabs has revealed new data on the levels, victims and sources of targeted email attacks in March 2007. Last month MessageLabs intercepted 716 emails in 249 separate targeted attacks aimed at 216 different organizations. Of these, almost 200 were one-on-one targeted attacks where the tailored attack comprised a single email designed to infiltrate one organization. These numbers represent a significant increase when compared to the same period last year when attack rates reached one or two per day. For the first time, PowerPoint has emerged as the most common exploit vector, likely driven by the large number of attacks perpetrated by one gang using the same attack file, mostly originating from an IP address within Taiwan. Achieving notoriety as a carrier of typical email viruses, .exe files only accounted for 15 percent of the targeted attacks, while the more familiar Microsoft Office suite accounted for 84 percent of targeted attacks in March 2007. Other characteristics of these... [more]

Aventail SSL VPN provides secure remote access to Wolverhampton City Council
posted on 16/04/2007

The Wolverhampton City Council provides local government services to the city’s current population of approximately 250,000. For the Council’s workforce to become mobile, ICT looked for a solution that could provide remote access from multiple end-point device types and operating systems, remote access to multiple application resources and platforms, and control of managed and unmanaged end point environments with robust availability. The solution had to ensure that end point devices were free of malware before allowing users to connect to the city’s network—and all remote users had to have different levels of authentication depending on both the device and the access to network resources required. Aventail has announced that the Wolverhampton City Council has selected and deployed Aventail’s SSL VPN platform to mobilize its workforce. City Councilors, employees and third party support personnel will have secure remote access to the applications and information they need via desktop... [more]

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