Latest Computer and PC Security News

Ounce Labs Founder and CTO Jack Danahy To Present at RSA Conference 2008
posted on 31/03/2008

Jack Danahy, founder and CTO for Ounce Labs, the industry leader in software risk analysis, will present a session titled ‘Beyond the Coding Errors: The Complete View of Software Security’ at the RSA Conference 2008 next week. Jack Danahy is founder and chief technology officer of Ounce Labs as well as one of the industry’s advocates for software security assurance. Mr. Danahy will present on Tuesday, April 8th at 5:40 p.m. PT in Red Room 309 While security professionals and vendors typically focus on vulnerabilities caused by coding errors, they often overlook improper implementation of critical design elements that may cause even greater risk of exposure. This session will offer a checklist of baseline security and design policies as well as a step-by-step look at how to assess software security before it is deployed. The conference is being held on April 7-11 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. ... [more]

What firewalls do and don’t do
posted on 27/03/2008

Over the last few years, security threats to companies have grown and altered dramatically and so have the defences. Traditional firewalls, installed over three years ago, are often not best suited for current threats and don’t protect against a number of newer threats. What firewalls do A firewall is a system designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from a private computer network. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorised Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet (often described as intranets). All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria. You need a firewall to protect your confidential information from those not authorised to access it and to protect against malicious users and accidents that originate outside your network. One of the most important elements of a firewall is its access control features, which d... [more]

Critical security flaws in Microsoft Office products can affect Windows and Apple Mac users
posted on 25/03/2008

Windows and Apple Mac users are urged to take heed of a warning issued by Microsoft of critical security flaws in its Microsoft Office products. As part of its monthly "Patch Tuesday" schedule Microsoft has issued a number of bulletins about 12 security vulnerabilities in its software. Seven of the vulnerabilities affect Microsoft Excel, and could allow a hacker to gain remote control over a user's computer by a maliciously crafted spreadsheet. Alarmingly, the vulnerability is not just found in the Windows version of Microsoft Excel, but also for Mac Office 2004 and the recently released Office 2008 for Macintosh. The Excel flaws were discovered in January. Oorganizations should roll-out the patches as a matter of urgency, as some of them could enable hackers to access data on a vulnerable PC or Macintosh, or run malicious code such as a worm. Other flaws detailed in the Microsoft security bulletins affect other components of the Microsoft Office product suite. "Windows users ma... [more]

CubeByte laptop security lock fits all makes and models on the market
posted on 19/03/2008

A recent survey from Autosafe International found that in 56 laptops there were as many as 37 different security slots proving there is no such thing as a standard size. Autosafe cited changing lifestyles as the reason why more laptops are being stolen than ever before. Vulnerability is heightened by hot desking, working from trains, planes, internet cafes and a whole host of other public places. Autosafe International has launched CubeByte™, a new security lock that will fit all makes and models on the market. The launch comes in the wake of new research that links laptop theft to over 50 per cent of corporate crimes. Unlike conventional security locks that may fit only certain models, CubeByte™ features a patented mechanism that automatically adjusts to the depth of the security slot within the laptop. In tests, CubeByte™ is the only product on the market which has been proven to fit 100 per cent of all laptops. Gordon Frewin, sales and marketing director of Autosafe explains, "W... [more]

BeCrypt achieves RSA Secured Partner Program certification
posted on 12/03/2008

BeCrypt has announced that it has joined the RSA Secured® Partner Program to certify interoperability between its DISK Protect® v4.2 Standard data security solution and the RSA SecurID® SID800 hardware token and RSA® Smart Card 5200. DISK Protect v4.2 Standard is the latest version of BeCrypt’s full disk encryption solution, which has many additional features such as providing more flexible use of removable media devices and secure, automated removal of encryption keys allowing the safe decommissioning of computers that may have held sensitive data. Richard Brooks, Director of Sales EMEA at BeCrypt commented, “We originally certified DISK Protect with the RSA SecurID SID800 hardware token and RSA Smart Card in 2006. Today, we have certified the latest version of our product, DISK Protect v4.2 with these two products, showing BeCrypt’s commitment to providing our customers with a wide range of security solutions that continue to keep pace with the latest technology. We have seen a signi... [more]

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