Downloader Trojans hit world networks

E-mail security company MessageLabs is warning that an outbreak of Trojan horse programs is hitting networks around the world.

MessageLabs has blocked 54 000 copies of new Downloader Trojans in the past two days, reports News.com.

The e-mails containing the Trojan horse programs Downloader.abc and Downloader.xz purport to be spam reports from an IT administrator. The messages ask people to run an attached file to prevent their e-mail account from being shut down. MessageLabs warns that running the attachment opens a backdoor on the infected computer for hackers to use.

Yahoo has launched an easier to use, shortcuts-based search service for mobile users to find local businesses, weather, stock quotes and other Yahoo information.

The company has also expanded its mobile Web search to function with WAP browsers, says 24x7updates.com. The two Yahoo services are available to mobile users across the US.

Shortcuts reduce the number of characters that have to be typed to find information. For example, typing "w" and a city would retrieve the current weather. Yahoo hopes the innovation will boost awareness and use of mobile services.

Memory maker Rambus says it has improved its memory technology to enable memory chips to talk to graphics processors much more quickly than they do today.

The new XDR2 technology should lead to better pictures from games consoles and high-end PCs, reports PC World. XDR2 enables data rates in and out of DRAMs starting at 8GHz.

Current memory chips access data through a single path, but XDR2 uses a hyper-threading technology that provides multiple paths, making for greater speed and efficiency.

Hyperthreading is used in some processors to help performance, but Rambus claims it is the first to apply the technology to DRAMs.

More than 90% of Internet users in the US have altered their online behaviour significantly to counter the threat of spyware programs, according to a study released by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, reports eWeek.

The Pew report highlights the increased awareness of privacy and other threats presented by adware and spyware programs. The survey found that nine out of 10 of Internet users have made at least one change in their online behaviour to avoid unwanted software programs.

These behaviour changes include not opening e-mail attachments unless they are sure these documents are safe or not visiting specific Web sites that they fear might put unwanted programs on their computers.

A quarter of the respondents said they had stopped using file-sharing programs and 20% said they had switched Web browsers to avoid software intrusions.