Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Alert

NEWS - December 26, 2012

by Carol~ Dec 26, 2012 12:36AM PST
Exploring the Market for Stolen Passwords

Not long ago, PCs compromised by malware were put to a limited number of fraudulent uses, including spam, click fraud and denial-of-service attacks. These days, computer crooks are extracting and selling a much broader array of data stolen from hacked systems, including passwords and associated email credentials tied to a variety of online retailers.

At the forefront of this trend are the botnet creation kits like Citadel, ZeuS and SpyEye, which make it simple for miscreants to assemble collections of compromised machines. By default, most bot malware will extract any passwords stored in the victim PC's browser, and will intercept and record any credentials submitted in Web forms, such as when a user enters his credit card number, address, etc. at an online retail shop.

Some of the most valuable data extracted from hacked PCs is bank login information. But non-financial logins also have value, particularly for shady online shops that collect and resell this information. [Screenshot]

Logins for everything from Amazon.com to Walmart.com often are resold — either in bulk, or separately by retailer name — on underground crime forums. A miscreant who operates a Citadel botnet of respectable size (a few thousand bots, e.g.) can expect to quickly accumulate huge volumes of "logs," records of user credentials and browsing history from victim PCs. Without even looking that hard, I found several individuals on Underweb forums selling bulk access to their botnet logs; for example, one Andromeda bot user was selling access to 6 gigabytes of bot logs for a flat rate of $150.

Continued : http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/12/exploring-the-market-for-stolen-passwords/

Discussion is locked

2 Posts
- Collapse + Expand Details
- Collapse -
Instagram's woes continue, now subject of a class-action..
by Carol~ Dec 26, 2012 1:15AM PST
.. lawsuit over ToS mess

Isn't this supposed to be the season of goodwill? An Instagram user from California has filed a class-action lawsuit against the photo-sharing service in response to proposed changes to its terms of service.

If Instagram was granted a single Christmas wish this year, it might be for the furor surrounding last week's proposed changes to its terms of service to shrivel up and die. But it seems the situation still has some legs in it.

According to a Reuters report on Monday, the photo-sharing site is now the target of a class-action lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court late last week in connection with its changed terms.

Brought by California resident and Instagram user Lucy Funes together with "other California customers", the lawsuit claims breach of contract - along with several other claims - and has been filed despite Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom last week clarifying the situation regarding the new terms, which are set to come into effect next month.

Continued : http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/instagram-subject-of-a-class-action-lawsuit-over-tos-mess/
- Collapse -
[INFOGRAPHIC] Windows 8 Steps Up with Security Features
by Carol~ Dec 26, 2012 1:16AM PST

From the TrendLabs Security Intelligence Blog:

Deviating from its usual window-style interface, Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system (OS) has excited customers with its tiled design and its promise of built-in security. The company released its new OS before November started, just in time to generate buzz before Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As a result, we saw Windows 8 devices making it to best deal offers from Sony, Costco, and Best Buy.

Now that Windows 8 is out in the market, the discourse turns from what's new to why bother. What's new is that Windows 8 offers a sleek computing experience while it answers longtime security problems, syncs to the well-loved cloud, and allows for easy sharing, among others. Some critics however find that many customers might not see the worth in shifting to the new OS, especially after they've grown to love Windows 7.

Still, security features in Windows 8 may just change the mind of many. We saw the platform offer several key security improvements, which, though mostly unseen by users, can be very effective in warding off threats. Our CTO Raimund Genes also mentioned this in his 2013 predictions, although he also noted that the improved security will be enjoyed mostly by consumers, since adopting to a new operating system is something that enterprises are known to have difficulty handling.

Continued : http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/infographic-windows-8-steps-up-with-security-features/

Back to Spyware, Viruses, & Security forum

CNET Forums

Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Brand Forums
Roadshow Autos
Off Topic

Other Forums

Forum Info