Adware Virus Turns Out Trick-Through Certificates

An adware family that has been active for several years used a new trick to disable virus scanners and other security software on computers, so it is regarded as a trojan. Once the active adware start a variety of tasks that show advertisements on the computer.

In addition, all shortcuts to be adjusted at the desktop, taskbar and Start menu. What is new is that the adware 13 certificates of anti-virus companies such as Avast, AVG, BitDefender, McAfee, and Malwarebytes, now classifies as 'not trusted'.Therefore applications such certificates can not be started. Because of this method, anti-malware Malwarebytes company decided to brand the adware henceforth as a trojan.

Video Ads On Popular Sites Spread Malware

Caption: Process flow for video-borne malware infection

The use of advertising to spread malware takes place for some time, but cyber criminals also convert video advertisements. Recently appeared on 3000 websites, including many in the Alexa Top 100 most visited websites, a malicious video ad, reports Media Trust.

The ad showed a pop-up in which a rogue security was offered, for example, Apple Safari. When users clicked on the pop-up was actually downloaded malware. The incident took place on 29 October and the infected ads were distributed 12 hours.According to Media Trust is the use of video ads attractive to cyber criminals because they are much harder to control. The use of such advertisements would therefore be on the increase.

Firefox Goes Ads Based On Behavioral Show

Firefox, this summer ads based on the user's surfing habits show. The browser will then when you open a new tab "Suggested Tiles" show. These are ads that are based on the user's browsing habits. This would be taken into account with the users of privacy. To make the ads relevant to a limited amount of data sent to Mozilla there.

Since then analyzed and shared with partners from Mozilla. According to the developer, the browser via Suggested Tiles possible to display relevant ads that users' privacy is respected and he or she maintains control over the data. "We believe that users should be able to easily understand what content is promoted, who it is and why they see it," said Mozilla's Darren Herman .

"It is the user who is the owner of the profile. Only a Firefox user can change its own surf history," he notes. Additionally, users can opt out of Suggested Tiles through two mouse clicks. According to Herman, the advertising function will ensure that advertisers with millions of Firefox users to get in touch. Suggested Tiles will soon be added to the beta version of Firefox and end up somewhere this summer in the final version of Firefox. This feature will first be rolled out among American Firefox users.

Oracle Is Silent On Ask Toolbar In Java Updates

Oracle does not want to know why the toolbar's search engine Ask.com combines with updates to Java and Ask.com will not talk about the cooperation with Oracle, as discovered a journalist from the LA Times. The newspaper interviewed a 71-year-old man who would have been about $ 450 spent to have it removed from his computer the Ask toolbar.

"It's just a bad guy who does not want to leave," Gary More informs, the man who for months has been trying to get the software from his computer. Also the helpdesk he turned has trouble. "They've tried everything. It's very, very difficult." When installing Java or Java updates will not install only the Ask Toolbar, but will Ask.com also the default search engine.Removing the toolbar would thereby offer no solution, since the search engine ever to Ask.com is put back.

"There is not really an easy way to remove it from your system and most people do not know how to do this," Eric Schlissel enables IT business GeekTek. The Ask Toolbar is labeled as adware by different parties. The toolbar uses the Ask search engine, which would be full of bad classified ads. Advertisements that are not of the "organic" results would be distinguished in most cases.

Reason for the LA Times to access Oracle, but the company does not know to want to respond to the Ask toolbar. Ask also wanted to give no official response. According Schlissel is all about money. "Nobody is more to Ask.com . So the only way to sell ads is by luring people there to. Oracle is paid by each downloaded toolbar by Ask or get a share of search traffic. "

Google Warns Of Sites With Unwanted Software

Google warned users of the search engine and Chrome all if they want to download malware or visit websites that attempt to install malware, but now the browser and search engine also show a warning when users arrive at websites that offer unwanted software.

This involves software that affects the Internet, for example, by adjusting the start or showing additional ads on websites. In the case of Chrome displays a prominent warning that explains the underlying website better can not be visited. To prevent Internet users through the search engine on these sites let reach Google Search now see signs that warn of this kind of misleading websites.

Finally, Google also has begun to turn off ads that lead to this kind of unwanted software. "We are constantly working to protect people on the Internet," says Google software engineer Lucas Ballard. Webmasters are advised to log on their website for the Google Webmaster Tools. This way Google can alert the webmaster if there are issues found on the website that people lead to unwanted software.

WhatsSpam - "Spamming Market Rises In WhatsApp"

The amount of spam that is sent to WhatsApp users has increased in recent times, which would also come by the end-to-end encryption that uses mobile messaging, say experts. By using this form of encryption WhatsApp can not see the content of messages and filter on, like many other messaging services do.

Adaptive Mobile security firm says that in recent months there is an increase in the number of spam messages has been to WhatsApp users. Indeed, it is quite cheap to distribute spam via the message. It would in particular be advertisements for luxury fakes. "

WhatsApp Investment Spam

WhatsApp Spam

WhatsApp Indian Spam

The total size of these individual spam attacks WhatsApp is difficult to determine, but it is clear that WhatsApp now one of the messaging services with a fully functioning and active spam ecosystem," said Cathal McDaid Adaptive Mobile.

He argues that WhatsApp in fighting spam is hampered by the use of encryption. Although commendable to encrypt messages from users is the end result that it is difficult to filter the contents of WhatsApp messages. McDaid argues that it is not the end of the world, but problematic. Also Martijn Grooten Virus Bulletin notes that end-to-end encryption, spam filtering is difficult.

According Grooten WhatsApp may see if some users send large numbers of messages, but it is not possible for example to watch sent linkers. One solution would be to look for example at the phone to the content, but if, for example linkers a blacklist of a third party comparison would bring this user privacy again questioning.

Great is like McDaid positive about the deployment of end-to-end encryption and hopes that more will follow. "But as with all measures that improve security and / or privacy, it has a price tag. We have to be more creative in our fight against spam."

Tinder plagued by spam bots

A number of users of dating app Tinder reports that they are matched a fake profile of an attractive woman.In reality the automated bots that users want to download. Mobile game "Castle Clash"

The bots display a link to the game via the URL "Tinderverified.com", making it seem like Tinder is the owner of the URL, or is involved in any case in one way or another to the action. This is not the case.

A Reddit user realized what was happening and posted a screenshot. This post now has a handful of responses from others who say they have experienced the same. Also on Twitter More and more reports from people who claim they are matched with a fake profile.

The bot first sends innocent messages like "hey" and "how are you?" then they tell the unsuspecting user that they have such a fun game on their phone, "Castle Clash, have you heard of?" The bot then informs the URL, no matter what was the response of the user.

It is still unclear who exactly is behind the fake accounts, even though the app developer IGG.com course obvious. The company offers dozens of games on the App Store and Google Play. However, it is also possible that the developer himself the victim of an aggressive promotional network as previously happened with the on-demand ride service Uber .

Tinder shows himself to be aware of the problem and said the necessary steps to remove the spam.

Symantec Detailed Report