IT Security

Nintendo Malware Innuendo

July 18, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Ah, those merciless hackers, they always strike where it hurts us the most. It comes without saying that the modern hackers are reading their potential victims like a book. This is exactly, what is happening with a series of apps, which allow you to play your favorite games from the 1980s and 1990s.

It is really great to get this wonderful feeling back on your smartphone. However, we have to ask, is not the price for it a little bit too high? What are we talking about? It turns out that an Android app, which allows you to play old Nintendo games on your smartphone, is a notorious El Dorado of malware and viruses.

So, who is to blame? Do not blame it on Google. To tell you the truth, we believe that the busy little bees in Google have no idea what is happening with all those apps, due to the overwhelming abundance of new apps, which are pumping out at an unparalleled speed.

So, what are you supposed to do? Should you say no to all your nostalgic feelings? Here is a hint. You should do some checking first for each app you are about to use. This is the only way to have the right kind of a feeling, you are hopping to achieve. With no regrets, of course.

Avira Web Browser

July 15, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is a different approach to online security. Instead of special extensions for browsers, what do you say about a web browser, which is entirely dedicated to web security? As a matter of facts, how about a web browser, which is entirely designed, launched and run by the cyber security company?

We are talking about Avira. It seems that Avira got tired of its extensions. Therefore, they have decided to come up with something different and more powerful. Their browser is based on Google Chrome, and it is fully compatible with Microsoft, Mac, and Linux environment.

So, what is next? Kaspersky will also launch its own web browser? To tell you the truth. We do not care. We just want to be safe. Can Avira guarantee such a thing? Well, you will get a fair warning that a website you are trying to access is not reliable. This is supposed to ring a bell for you.

On the other hand, we are pretty much convinced that Avira is up to something serious. This is not supposed to be one more marketing trick. Either our cyber-guardians will have to come up with browsers of their own, or we will have to see some teaming up in order to keep us safe. There is no third option. Right?

When Experts Walks In, Security Walks Out

June 20, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is the thing with the cyber security experts. They talk too much. When you ask them to give you a couple of life saving tips, this is what you get as a result. The very first thing you are going to hear is that you should always walk on the safe side of the cyber cliff. What is that supposed to mean?

Use only legitimate software. Avoid suspicious websites. Do not do anything foolish while being online. Seriously? It is just like they are referring to the regular users of the notorious Silk Road. What else do these brainiacs have to share with us that can improve our security?

We are supposed to forget about all those ridiculous passwords, which include among other hard to believe “crown jewels” of pure ingenuity, such as password, 123456, 123456789, iloveyou, and similar. Do you feel safer already? What is the moral of this story about the top cyber security secrets?

Well, either these experts were in the bad mood mode, or we, the users, are helplessly naive and reckless. Maybe, we can really strengthen our cyber security position, with a few simple steps, we fail to apply over and over again. Maybe, the image in our cyber security mirror is too scary to look at.

On The Blue Cyber Danube

April 19, 2015 — Leave a comment

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What is happening under the Alps? For the most of us Austria is a dream vacation country. What can possibly go wrong in this peaceful country with the breathtaking landscapes? Well, it turns out that the hackers are extremely active in this small country with the huge business potential. How and why?

It is really hard to believe that only a handful of companies take care about their cyber security in the right way. On the other hand, one in four Austrian companies gets under a serious cyber fire. As a result of the malicious hacker’s attacks the average damage includes more than 400,000 Euros.

If this is not enough to make the Austrian busy little business bees reconsidering the involvement of the top IT security consultants, then we do not know what is. With the average damage sum of $400,000 or Euros you can do so much job in the field of cyber security for more than one company.

However, there is a catch. First, you have to take care of all prejudices, which rooted deeply in the minds of the Austrian business people. They tend to believe that these nasty cyber things happen to someone else by default. Yet, sooner or later, your cyber address got picked up for trouble. Right?

Ridding The TrustWave

April 15, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Who says that the most profitable transfers and takeovers in the cyber world are reserved for the luxurious world of social networks and apps. The Asian IT giant Singtel is to prove us all wrong. For what is worth, these busy little bees have decided to ride the TrustWave for a change. What is the goal?

Well, the TrustWave is one of the most recognizable names in the world of cyber security. This takeover was worth more than $800 million. Finally, someone has figured out that the IT security is both profitable and important. We dare to say that this is only the beginning of the eye-catching cyber security takeovers.

If you have not been secured, then how can you make profit in the first place? You want to cut costs and improve company’s efficiency, then there is no better and simpler way than through the cyber security field. Do you think that the Singtel paid too much for the TrustWave takeover? Seriously?

If you are one of those cyber bees, who think that the IT security is an unreasonable cost or even a luxury, then the next time your system gets infected you will realize how reckless was to have thoughts such as this one. Rest assured that the Singtel will make billions of dollars in the near future.

The French Cyber-Kiss

April 10, 2015 — Leave a comment

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One of the latest online surveys in France shed a surprising light on the behavior of the Internet users. It turns out that one in two French web users pays a visit to some of the financial websites, such as banks or insurance companies, at least once in a month. So, what is the big deal about it, you may ask?

Well, for what is worth, you should bear in mind that there are more than 50 million Internet users in France on a daily basis. That gives us more than twenty million visitors of the finance related websites. Or, to be even more precise, more than five million French cyber users hit a bank’s site each day.

The average time they spent on these websites is around seven minutes. If our math is correct that gives more than thirty million minutes for hackers to try something each day. We sure hope that someone has at least five minutes to spend for the potential cyber hazards. Too much to ask. Right?

That was France. What about Germany? We can expect the similar numbers, more or less. Can you imagine all of those millions and millions of unprotected cyber minutes? Oh dear, that is too much to handle. On the other hand, plenty of job opportunities for the busy European cyber security bees.

Smart Fitness – Dumb Security

April 10, 2015 — Leave a comment

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The busy little bees in Kaspersky Lab just had a new assignment. This time they analyzed the security performances of the extremely popular fitness mobile gadgets, which are obviously extremely insecure. Why? It is actually a surprisingly simple situation. The smart-bracelets are not to be blamed.

The manufacturers are running blindly for the additional profit. They do not have time nor nerves to bother themselves with the “trivialities”, such as the optimal security and privacy protection, among other things. Why is this so important? You do not have to be a rocket scientist for this one, do you?

If you do not solve the problem with the smart-bracelets, then you are going to get into deeper trouble with the smartwatches. Do not forget that the iWatch wave is about to hit our customer’s shores. We have just opened an additional unsecured and the unprotected door for hackers to exploit.

Does it really have to be this way? First, we come up with a new concept and imminently face the security crisis, then we are trying to figure out what to do about it. Seriously? What happened to the predictions in the cyber security field, as our main and most trusted tool? Obviously, too much to ask.

The Millennium Bug Has A Cousin

December 26, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Oh dear, just when we thought that the cyber things can get any worse than this. It turns out that there is one more Millennium Bug set for the 2038. In other words, somewhere during the January of this year our cyber world will meet its end, this way or another. Why? For the same reasons the millennium bug threatened us.

We will try to avoid the rocket science in this story as much as possible. This so-called the year 2038 problem targets specifically the 32-bit systems. For what is worth, the 64-bit crew can relax. At least for a while. On the other hand, what are we supposed to do in the meantime? How many years we have left?

Some 23 years, more or less. Right? Plenty of time to come up with a solution. Yet, what is going to happen to the cyber world as we know it today? Two decades are more than enough time to reinvent all what we know and use beyond recognition and the most optimistic expectations. What does it mean?

Maybe, in the year 2038 there will be nothing to damage for this bug, in the first place. Remind us what happened with the millennium bug in the year 2000? We are still alive and typing, as well. Right? Maybe, we are worrying too much. There are some other more dangerous things, which deserve our attention. More than this one.

Twitter Digits

November 27, 2014 — Leave a comment

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How to solve the annoying and time consuming problem with the numerous passwords for every user is definitely the next big thing. How to solve this one, get some additional profit and win the hearts of users? Well, Google has been seriously considering the two-step verification with a smartphone and SMS.

Twitter has a solution of its own, it is eager to share with us. The new service Digits is an open platform, which is not reserved exclusively for the Twitter users. How does it work? Well, for what is worth, you will need to register and once you get an SMS code, you will log by using your mobile phone number only.

It sounds lovely and simple. Yet, we are a little bit worried. If not secured properly, we have actually opened an additional door for the hackers to jump in. Now, our smartphone is a potential target. Instead of protecting what we have of privacy related data, we need to offer more in exchange.

If this one can solve all the troubles with the passwords and improve our so-called user’s experience, then go on with it our hats off to this. Somehow, it is too good to be true. Or, maybe we have lost our faith in simple and effective solutions. So, where can we download this app? Let us give it a try, shall we?

Online Fraud A Story Untold

November 3, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Sometimes, a bad news can bring you good and unexpected results. According to the findings of one of the most recent surveys the online frauds in the UK alone cost more than £670 million. In other words, that is almost one billion dollars, give or take. Then, how come this can be a good news for us?

Well, it turns out that the strongest motivation for the most serious actions in the field of cyber security comes from our wallet, and not from our concerns. The more it costs, the more likely is that we will finally do something about it with the truly effective results. This is our point you should accept.

This is obviously a way we like to think. With no severe financial damages we do not bother even to blink. It is a paradox, but in order to improve our security, we can only wish for more devastating financial effects of the cyber attacks. That will teach us a lesson better than any cyber security course.

Finally, someone will realize that is better to invest one million in the proper IT security measures, than it is to lose one billion in the aftermath of a serious cyber attack. We do not wish for some bad cyber luck, we only want to do something about the timely, affordable and above all cyber security prevention.