On March 2, I referenced several sources advocating destroying hard drive platters as the only reliable means of permanently wiping the data. As a follow-up, take a look at this movie gallery of shredding demonstrations that includes CD’s/floppy discs, computer circuit boards, and whole computers (requires Flash player). [blogdex] Continue Reading
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Category Archives: PC Security
Symantec Granted Patent on Technology to Detect Viruses
Press release: “Symantec has been granted U.S. patent number 6,851,057 for a system that enables the detection of complex viruses, worms, and spyware. The technology, “data driven detection of viruses,” is employed throughout Symantec’s portfolio of industry-leading information security solutions at the desktop, server, and gateway for both consumers and enterprises.” Continue Reading
UK Government Launches Virus Alert Website
On February 23, 2005 the UK Home Office launched ITsafe “to provide both home users and small businesses with proven, plain English advice to help protect computers, mobile phones and other devices from malicious attack.” See the press release (PDF) and this page on alert services offered by email and mobile text messaging. Continue Reading
A Three Step Plan to Confront Phishing
Killing Phish. See also the continually updated reports on phishing and pharming available from The Anti-Phishing Working Group and the definitions from their site as follows: “Phishing attacks use ‘spoofed’ e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers,… Continue Reading
Industry Proposal to Score Security Problems
“Leading IT companies including Cisco Systems, Microsoft, and Symantec are promoting a rating system that will standardize the measurement of the severity of software vulnerabilities.” [Link] Continue Reading
Industry Group Formed to Promote VoIP Security
VoIP Leaders Form Alliance for VoIP Security Research and Testing: “The industry’s first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Security Alliance was launched today in conjunction with leading VoIP vendors, providers, security researchers, and thought leaders to discover and reduce VoIP security risks. A complete list of members can be accessed at www.voipsa.org.” Continue Reading
Junk Email Careens Out of Law’s Control
Law Barring Junk E-Mail Allows a Flood Instead. Another article joins the chorus complaining about the failure of the CAN-SPAM Act to stem the tide of junk email, and highlights how industry, government and advocacy groups continue to do battle against the threats. From the perspective of the spammers however, it is a lucrative business,… Continue Reading
Report on ID Theft Points to Greater Offline Threat
New Research Shows That Identity Theft Is More Prevalent Offline with Paper than Online: “The 2005 Identity Fraud Survey Report – released by the Better Business Bureau and Javelin Strategy & Research as an update of the Federal Trade Commission’s 2003 Identity Theft Survey Report and Javelin’s 2003 Identity Theft Report – shows that despite… Continue Reading
Survey Says Spyware An Increasing Threat to Networks
Press release: “A poll (686 respondents) conducted by WatchGuard Technologies, Inc…reveals that two-thirds of IT managers and administrators believe spyware will be the number one threat to network security over the next twelve months. Spyware is a growing category of malicious software that installs on a computer without the user’s knowledge and it can secretly… Continue Reading
New on LLRX.com
“Do you speak American cyberspeak?” by Lois C. Ambash FOIA Facts: Making Effective FOIA Requests, by Scott A. Hodes A Portable PC Backup Solution – Time Well Spent, by Brett Burney Law Firm Marketing: The Transformational Role of Marketing, by Andy Havens Continue Reading
Using Wireless Hotspots Securely
Securing Your Starbucks Experience, by Wayne Rash. See also this related article by Wayne, Five Tips For Boosting Wireless Security. Continue Reading
Who is Behind Spyware Software?
Newly published research from Ben Edelman: see Investors Supporting Spyware. He lists US companies who produce spyware, their investors and how much venture funding was provided to each project (along with links to relevant SEC filings). Associated research also from Ben: Media Files that Spread Spyware. Continue Reading
