Worm poses as security patch
Net-security is warning of the latest social engineering trick being used to infect PCs with worms, more specifically the Stration worm.
It spreads via e-mail using a variety of disguises, including one which ironically poses as a warning that the recipient`s computer has been infected by a worm:
Security experts advise computer users to not open any e-mail coming from unknown sources as security patches can only be sent by the security company`s official Web site.
Slow spread avoids detection
According to Business Week, computer virus writers are now slowly infecting PCs to become part of their growing bot networks, as slow infection lessens the chance of being detected.
Security experts find that some are even taking measures to make sure their programs don`t spread too quickly or too broadly, lest they get detected and blocked.
Not too long ago, a single person took control of as many as 400 000 computers at once with the help of malicious programs. Today, the average is less than 1 000, making such networks more difficult to track and shut down.
Sony BMG`s virus suit
Those who bought Sony CDs pre-loaded with anti-piracy software that inadvertently opened their PCs to hacker and viruses have received compensation, Canada.com reports.
An Ontario court approved a settlement deal yesterday that has the music giant offering $8.40, a replacement CD and free downloads of selected CDs to hundreds of thousands of customers who bought the affected discs.
The settlement, which applies to all affected customers in Canada except those in Quebec and British Columbia, is similar to one reached in the US earlier this year.
Paid-for anti-virus still lucrative
Chron.com says despite the large number of free anti-spyware, anti-virus and firewall programs out there, paid-for protection is still a lucrative market.
One of the reasons being "free protection", although it knocks out about 90% to 95% of the risk, is simply not as secure as the paid-for versions.
Also, most people would rather install a package that does everything, not just one thing or the other, as most free protection software does.
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