[2297] in Security FYI
[IS&T Security-FYI] SFYI Newsletter, June 28, 2010
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Monique Yeaton)
Mon Jun 28 12:11:27 2010
From: Monique Yeaton <myeaton@MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:10:28 -0400
Message-Id: <3615764F-45C3-4E69-8DFD-F8B19A3466C7@mit.edu>
To: ist-security-fyi@MIT.EDU
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In this issue:
1. Scareware Feeds off Windows Insecurity
2. Lag Time Between Website Threats and Fixes is Two Days
3. Tip of the Week: Don't Avoid Software Patches
-------------------------------------------------------
1. Scareware Feeds off Windows Insecurity
-------------------------------------------------------
According to a recent statement by the FBI, "more than 60 countries =
purchased more than one million bogus software products causing victims =
to lose more than $100 million." This was in response to the latest =
"scareware" malware scam, purported to be one of the largest so far.
The FBI filed federal indictments against an Ohio man and two foreign =
residents to halt this latest scam. Scareware typically fakes security =
alerts, forcing users who have installed the malware to remedy the =
situation by buying similarly fake anti-malware repair programs, which =
only worsen the problem. The bogus software products can cost as much as =
$70.
Microsoft teams helped the FBI and US Dept of Justice investigate =
damages caused by the scheme. The software company has a stake in =
catching these criminals, as many of the bogus products mislead =
consumers to think they're purchasing legitimate Microsoft products. As =
consumers are warned of security issues with Microsoft products on a =
regular basis, it is not surprising that so many consumers are duped.=20
Read the full story: =
<http://www.esecurityplanet.com/features/article.php/3885231/article.htm>
IMPORTANT: If this type of malware shows up on your computer, do not try =
to fix it yourself. Immediately contact your local IT support personnel =
or the IS&T Help Desk at <http://ist.mit.edu/support>.
=
--------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----
2. Lag Time Between Website Threats and Fixes is Two Days
=
--------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----
New research by NSS Labs has confirmed it can take an average of two =
days before major vendors block a website designed to attack a computer =
visiting it.
As many as 50,000 new malicious programs are detected every day, and =
companies targeted by customized malware are most at threat. But if no =
company sees or detects the malware targeting them, it could quietly =
circulate and potentially infect machines, even steal data.=20
NSS Labs tested 10 products and revealed their ratings in their report =
(which they sell for a price). The vendors whose products were tested =
are AVG, Panda, Eset, F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee, Norman, Sophos, =
Symantec and Trend Micro. If a site was not blocked within 48 hours, NSS =
Labs continued to test to see how long it took the vendor to add =
protection. Times ranged from 4.62 hours for the best vendors to 92 =
hours for the worst.
Read the full story: =
<http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/security-software-lags-explos=
ion-new-malware-801>
--------------------------------------------------------------
3. Tip of the Week: Don't Avoid Software Patches
--------------------------------------------------------------
Some computer users wonder why, if their computer is acting fine, they =
should apply the recommended patches. They figure, "If it ain't broke, =
don't fix it." Sounds like a good argument for skipping patches. There's =
just one problem. Today a recommended patch is often, even usually, =
meant to close a security hole. Not installing it is similar to parking =
your car in a bad neighborhood at 2 a.m. with the windows rolled down.=20=
Learn more about applying patches to your computer's operating system =
and software from these pages on the IS&T website:
Software & OS Patches: <http://ist.mit.edu/security/support/patches>
Steps for applying patches to Windows XP SP2: =
<http://ist.mit.edu/security/autoupdate>
Windows Automatic Update Service at MIT: =
<http://ist.mit.edu/services/os/windows/updates>
Linux Update Service: <http://ist.mit.edu/services/os/linux/rhn>
=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
Find current and older issues of Security FYI Newsletter: =
<http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/ehBB>
Monique Yeaton
IT Security Awareness Consultant
MIT Information Services & Technology (IS&T)
(617) 253-2715
http://ist.mit.edu/security
--Apple-Mail-26-934001730
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charset=us-ascii
<html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">In this issue:</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">1. Scareware Feeds off Windows =
Insecurity</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; ">2. Lag Time Between Website Threats and Fixes =
is Two Days</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; ">3. Tip of the Week: Don't Avoid Software =
Patches</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">-------------------------------------------------------</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">1. =
Scareware Feeds off Windows Insecurity</div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">-------------------------------------------------------</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">According to a recent statement =
by the FBI, "more than 60 countries purchased more than one million =
bogus software products causing victims to lose more than $100 million." =
This was in response to the latest "scareware" malware scam, purported =
to be one of the largest so far.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">The FBI filed federal indictments against an Ohio man and two foreign =
residents to halt this latest scam. Scareware typically fakes =
security alerts, forcing users who have installed the malware to remedy =
the situation by buying similarly fake anti-malware repair programs, =
which only worsen the problem. The bogus software products can cost as =
much as $70.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">Microsoft teams helped the FBI and US Dept of Justice investigate =
damages caused by the scheme. The software company has a stake in =
catching these criminals, as many of the bogus products mislead =
consumers to think they're purchasing legitimate Microsoft products. As =
consumers are warned of security issues with Microsoft products on a =
regular basis, it is not surprising that so many consumers are =
duped. </div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">Read the full story: <<a =
href=3D"http://www.esecurityplanet.com/features/article.php/3885231/articl=
e.htm">http://www.esecurityplanet.com/features/article.php/3885231/article=
.htm</a>></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; ">IMPORTANT: If this type of malware shows up on =
your computer, do not try to fix it yourself. Immediately contact your =
local IT support personnel or the IS&T Help Desk at <<a =
href=3D"http://ist.mit.edu/support">http://ist.mit.edu/support</a>>.</d=
iv><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
"><br></div></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">------------------------------------------------------------------------=
------</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; ">2. Lag Time Between Website Threats and Fixes =
is Two Days</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; =
">------------------------------------------------------------------------=
------</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">New research by NSS Labs has confirmed it can take an average of two =
days before major vendors block a website designed to attack a computer =
visiting it.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">As =
many as 50,000 new malicious programs are detected every day, and =
companies targeted by customized malware are most at threat. But if no =
company sees or detects the malware targeting them, it could quietly =
circulate and potentially infect machines, even steal =
data. </div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">NSS Labs tested 10 products and revealed their ratings in their report =
(which they sell for a price). The vendors whose products were tested =
are AVG, Panda, Eset, F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee, Norman, Sophos, =
Symantec and Trend Micro. If a site was not blocked within 48 hours, NSS =
Labs continued to test to see how long it took the vendor to add =
protection. Times ranged from 4.62 hours for the best vendors to 92 =
hours for the worst.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">Read the full story: <<a =
href=3D"http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/security-software-lags=
-explosion-new-malware-801">http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/se=
curity-software-lags-explosion-new-malware-801</a>></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">--------------------------------------------------------------</div><div=
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">3. =
Tip of the Week: Don't Avoid Software Patches</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
">--------------------------------------------------------------</div><div=
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">Some computer users wonder why, =
if their computer is acting fine, they should apply the recommended =
patches. They figure, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Sounds like a =
good argument for skipping patches. There's just one problem. Today a =
recommended patch is often, even usually, meant to close a security =
hole. Not installing it is similar to parking your car in a bad =
neighborhood at 2 a.m. with the windows rolled down. </div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; =
min-height: 17px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; ">Learn more about applying patches =
to your computer's operating system and software from these pages on the =
IS&T website:</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><br></div>
<ul style=3D"list-style-type: disc">
<li style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">Software & OS Patches: <<a =
href=3D"http://ist.mit.edu/security/support/patches">http://ist.mit.edu/se=
curity/support/patches</a>></li>
<li style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">Steps for applying patches to Windows XP SP2: <<a =
href=3D"http://ist.mit.edu/security/autoupdate">http://ist.mit.edu/securit=
y/autoupdate</a>></li>
<li style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">Windows Automatic Update Service at MIT: <<a =
href=3D"http://ist.mit.edu/services/os/windows/updates">http://ist.mit.edu=
/services/os/windows/updates</a>></li>
<li style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">Linux Update Service: <<a =
href=3D"http://ist.mit.edu/services/os/linux/rhn">http://ist.mit.edu/servi=
ces/os/linux/rhn</a>></li>
</ul><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; =
min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 14px/normal Arial; =
">=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top:=
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Find current and older issues =
of Security FYI Newsletter: <<a =
href=3D"http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/ehBB"><span =
style=3D"text-decoration: underline ; color: =
#2f69b5">http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/ehBB</span></a>></div><div><br>=
</div><br><div><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-family: =
Calibri; font-size: 14px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
"><div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"'Lucida =
Grande'"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: =
medium;"><br></span></font><div>Monique Yeaton</div><div>IT Security =
Awareness Consultant</div><div>MIT Information Services & Technology =
(IS&T)</div><div>(617) 253-2715</div><div><a =
href=3D"http://ist.mit.edu/security">http://ist.mit.edu/security</a></div>=
<div><br></div><br></div></div><br></div></span><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
<br></body></html>=
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