Kaspersky Lab

The False Kaspersky Decade

August 20, 2015 — Leave a comment

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Here is a serious trouble for Kaspersky busy little bees. Two of its former employees had some troubling and compromising accusations to share with the rest of the world. According to them, Kaspersky has manufactured intentional malware for more than a decade. What for?

Well, this just could not be more obvious, could it? This is a nice way to hit two targets with a single bullet. On the one side, you can discredit your competitors, while at the same time, you can present your solutions as the most reliable and efficient ones. Sounds like a perfect plan?

We are not quite sure, if these former employees are telling the truth, but the damage has already been done. Now, Kaspersky has a lot explaining and convincing to do. The biggest trouble of them all, is that we keep asking ourselves the same question, all over again.

Can Kaspersky really do such an unfair thing? It is just like you are selling the cure for a disease you have previously created, as well. We just cannot wait to see what is going to be the most probable outcome of this security scandal. Have you really done it Kaspersky? Is it really true?

Happy ATM Monday

November 16, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Our new trouble has a name. It is called the Backdoor.MSIL.Tyupkin. Thanks to the busy little bees from Kaspersky Lab and the Interpol, we know that even the good old ATMs are not excluded from the malicious cyber intentions. With so many online opportunities for stealing money, who wants to be an ATM millionaire?

For what is worth, even the ATM can get infected with an efficient malware. This one empties an ATM in less than an hour. The funny thing about the way it operates, though, is that it allows you to withdraw the money at the very specific hour on Mondays. Why? No one knows for sure, but this is how it needs to be done.

We are not directly influenced as the ATM users. However, how can you feel confident when the financial system is not fully secured? Although, we do not love too much our banks and other financial institutions, we should not find joy in their misery. Who knows, we may easily turn out to be the next direct target?

Unfortunately, everything electronic can become extremely problematic. That is the hacker’s law. This should be an invaluable lesson for all of us. WE should not allow ourselves a luxury of thinking that there are machines out of hacker’s reach. Poor old ATMs, we should do something to protect them.

Nuremberg Star

November 14, 2014 — Leave a comment

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The biggest European IT security fair takes place each October in Nuremberg. If you care about the cyber security and Europe is your cyber neighborhood, you should definitely pay it a visit. If you want to hear something different, pay attention to the following story. You will be surprised.

Who says that big security names have to necessarily deliver the top cyber security solutions? On the other hand, we had a nice chance to witness the arrival some of the most unusual partners in crime. One Japanese and one Serbian IT security companies have teamed up to shake the cyber ground.

Their Tower Netdefender is an inspirational cyber bodyguard. It is very reasonable when it comes to the process requirements. On the other side, it is a fully automatized system. You can Google about the other relevant security features. We would like to use an opportunity of pointing out something else.

We have two partner companies from half across the globe, which have found a way to communicate in this matter. Quite successfully and efficiently. This should be something to follow and apply all over the world. Till the next time in the Nuremberg, and some new creative cyber partnerships and solutions.

Money Makes The Mobile Go Malware Round

November 12, 2014 — Leave a comment

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You do not have to be a rocket scientist to know that the numerous hacker groups are not the NGOs nor the non-profit organizations. They are after our money, that is for sure. They will do all what is necessary in order to get it. Kaspersky Lab has some bad news about this story. Are you prepared?

Your mobile will be used to make the money for your friendly neighbor hacker directly or as a resting place to a greater financial target. In the first case you are very likely to be infected by the Trojan SMS. In the second case, you will get some unexpected visitors, such as the Trojan Banker. Either way you lose.

What is even worse, you can easily end up with both of these on your phone. The Trojan SMS will use your phone to send messages and pay for services without your knowledge or approval. The Trojan Banker will get an access to all banking related data on your phone. Malicious busy little bees, aren’t they?

What can we do about it? It does not mean that Kaspersky is going to protect you necessarily, just for being able to warn you in time. You will have to do something about it yourself. For a start, make sure that your smartphone has only the necessary information. Do not put all eggs in only one mobile gasket.

Mobile Games, Real Pains

November 9, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Time for some Kaspersky Lab reports. You know how it goes, don’t you? After reading one, you can write off your day, because you will feel terrible for a good reason. This time the Kaspersky Lab has teamed up with the Interpol itself to draw our attention to some malicious mobile things happening in our neighborhood.

If the mobile users in your country are getting used to pay for various services on a huge scale, then you should be aware of the SMS Trojans for a change. These bad boys make you pay for the services you have not ordered in the first place. One in five smartphones gets some of these unwanted guests at some point in time.

So, what is the moral of this report? Follow the cash flow, and you will be able to see where a certain malware is very likely to strike next. It sounds simple, but somewhere on the mobile phone line, we got lost in translation. Our ignorance and reckless behavior are our worst enemies in the cyber world.

Until the next Kaspersky Lab report and some new how-to-ruin-your-mood discoveries. We hope that this next report will not catch by a surprise. It would be a nice thing to witness something like, oh I knew about this one and I am so lucky it has missed me. This was the best case scenario. How about the other one?

From Russia With Cyber Love

October 30, 2014 — Leave a comment

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If you want to be a true superpower, then you have to prove yourself in both real and cyber worlds. Take Russia for an indicative example. On the one side, we have the legendary Kaspersky Lab in the field of cyber security. On the other side, who do we have on the other side to represent the dark side?

How about the Sandworm Group? These Russian SF and cyber crime fans have definitely made their mark worth noticing. They were able to infiltrate into the very core Windows structure. And now, the entire Western Hemisphere trembles because of one tiny, but an extremely powerful cyber worm.

Now, you have it. All of the life changing knowledge, which can move the mountains being used for harmful causes. Does not this break your heart? There are some serious accusations that the Sandworm has the government’s support and logistics. Which government? Well you do not have to guess twice, do you?

On the other side, the funny thing in this story is that the USA accuses Russia for the same things it does with its cyber children. There is no safe place for us to be, is it? We wanted to rest a little bit from the horrors of the real world, but in vain. The cyber Ukraine is already waiting us there to haunt us.

KasperskyPOL

October 6, 2014 — Leave a comment

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Here is a breaking news in the world of cyber security. Kaspersky Lab has teamed up with Interpol and Europol. This can easily turn out to be a role model for the future private – public teams up. Undoubtedly, this is a dream team for the cybercrime field. So, what they can do together for real?

Well, with no exaggeration at all, the sky is the limit. On the other hand, what is the nature of this specific relationship itself? It is better to say partnership. Kaspersky Lab will involve all of its resources and even staff for the Interpol and Europol specific tasks. There will be so much work to do together.

On the other hand, we do not want to spoil the fun, but we need to ask some questions. If Kaspersky Lab remains to be the only Interpol and Europol partner, then this will not be a good thing for the cyber security itself. We would be more than pleased to witness more participants in this teaming up.

Why stop here? Let us bring FBI and other similar agencies to share their thoughts and requirements with the cyber security experts. If the hackers can hold their hands, or better to say fingers, while attacking our IT infrastructure, then how come our guardians cannot be on the same cyber page?

The “CosmicDuke” Hits Like A Nuke

July 9, 2014 — Leave a comment

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What do you know even the viruses have to be updated every now and then. It seems that the “white software” rules apply more or less in the same way for the “black software”. So, what happened? Well, the former MiniDuke has evolved into a CosmicDuke. And, that is only the beginning of this story.

According to the findings of Kaspersky Lab experts, we can expect improved features of this espionage Trojan. In addition, for these particular purposes hackers were willing to cooperate and even share the source codes among themselves. Apparently the CosmicDuke has borrowed, some things from an older malware guy called Cosmu.

This malware has a remarkable one.decade long history. It definitely has some useful materials to contribute in CosmicDuke’s unlawful quest. The funny thing about this one, though, is that the priorities have changed. While MiniDuke was targeted specifically the governments, its younger version CosmicDuke has different objectivess.

As a matter of fact, the CosmicDuke has a specific target group, which includes people involved in the distribution of hormones and steroids. Therefore, there are some rumors that a pharmaceutical industry is responsible for the very birth of the CosmicDuke. How about that for a change?