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What is Fake Antivirus Software?

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Most of you know how important it is to have security software on your computers to stay protected from viruses, malware, spam and other Internet threats. Unfortunately, cybercriminals also know that it is critical to have security software, and they are using this knowledge to trick us into downloading fake antivirus software that is designed to do harm to your computer.

6DFake antivirus software is one of the most persistent threats on the Internet today. It masquerades as legitimate software, but is actually a malicious program that extorts money from you to “fix” your computer. And often, this new “antivirus” program disables your legitimate security software that you already have, making it challenging to remove.

These rogue programs often hook you while you’re browsing the web by displaying a popup window that warns the user that their computer may be infected. Often, the popup includes a link to download security software that offers to solve the problem, or redirects you to a site that sells the fake antivirus software. It is also often also called scareware since the hackers use messages like “You have a virus,” as a way to get you to click on their message.

Because the idea of having an infected machine is alarming to us—it can mean lost data, time, and money—most of us are eager to get rid of any potential problems, and this is what has made the bad guys who make fake antivirus software so successful.

And once you agree to the purchase, the cybercriminals end up with your credit card details and other personal information, and you get nothing but malware in return.

So here’s some steps you can take to protect yourself from the bad guys:

  • Never click on a link in a popup window. If you see a message pop up that says you have a virus or are infected, click the “x” in the corner to close it.
  • If you are concerned that your computer may be infected, run a scan using the legitimate security software you have installed on your device.
  • Make sure you have comprehensive security installed on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, which protects all your PCs Macs, tablets, and smartphones from online threats as well as safeguarding your data and identity.

While it is frightening to think that your computer may be infected, don’t fall for fake alerts that could compromise your personal and financial information. Take a minute to run a scan using your trusted security software rather than give more money to the bad guys.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Don’t Get Kicked By Football Players Online

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The biggest sporting event of the year just kicked off. If you’re not a football fan (that’s soccer for us Yanks), this is the ultimate goal and it’s just getting started. Many fans will head to Brazil to watch these games and their favorite players, but many more fans will flock online to find out information about the players and teams.

Cybercriminals once again are taking advantage of these large numbers and have pounced on the eagerness of fans of the world’s most popular sport. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro just barely edges other football stars as the world’s riskiest football player to search for online and tops the McAfee “Red Card Club.”

The McAfee “Red Card Club” is a list of eleven Brazil bound players whose web pages are considered to be risky for fans to search for online. Following Ronaldo are Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Spain’s Iker Cassillas, Brazil’s Neymar and Algeria’s Karim Ziani.

The sites most likely to be risky are those offering videos showing the athlete’s skills, and screensaver downloads. These rigged sites are just waiting to trick you into giving up personal information so that the thieves can steal your identity or get ahold of credit card information and max out your cards.

The study uses McAfee® SiteAdvisor® site ratings, which indicate which sites are risky when attached to football players’ names on the Web and calculates an overall risk percentage.

So what’s an excited football fan to do? While it’s probably not feasible for us to stop searching for information about these stars, we can make sure we are safe while doing so. Here are some tips for you to stay safe online:

  • Be suspicious — If a search turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers, it usually is.
  • Be extra cautious when searching on hot topics—Cybercriminals set up fake and malicious sites that dominate these time-sensitive search results.
  • Use web protection— Make sure to use a safe search tool that will notify you of risky sites or links before you visit them. McAfee SiteAdvisor software can be downloaded for free here.
  • Check the Web address—Look for misspellings or other clues that the link might be directed to a phony website.
  • Protect yourself—Use comprehensive security on all your PCs, Macs, smartphone and tablets, like McAfee Live Safe™ service, that comes with McAfee SiteAdvisor, a complimentary tool that protects your from going to risky websites and prevents malicious downloads.

Stay safe online!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

What is a Man-in-the-Middle Attack?

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There’s a reason why most people feel uncomfortable about the idea of someone eavesdropping on them—the eavesdropper could possibly overhear sensitive or private information. This is exactly the risk that computer users face with a common threat called a “Man-in-the-Middle” (MITM) attack, where an attacker uses technological tools, such as malware, to intercept the information you send to a website, or even via your email.

11DJust imagine you are entering login and financial details on an online banking site, and because the attacker is eavesdropping, they can gain access to your information and use it to access your account, or even steal your identity.

There are a variety of ways that attackers can insert themselves in the middle of your online communications. One common form of this attack involves cybercriminals distributing malware that gives them access to a user’s web browser and the information being sent to various websites.

Another type of MITM attack involves a device that most of us have in our homes today: a wireless router. The attacker could exploit vulnerabilities in the router’s security setup to intercept information being sent through it, or they could set up a malicious router in a public place, such as a café or hotel.

Either way, MITM attacks pose a serious threat to your online security because they give the attacker the ability to receive and request personal information posing as a trusted party (such as a website that you regularly use).

Here are some tips to protect you from a Man-in-the-Middle attack, and improve your overall online security:

  • Ensure the websites you use offer strong encryption, which scrambles your messages while in transit to prevent eavesdropping. Look for “httpS:” at the beginning of the web address instead of just “http:” which indicates that the site is using encryption.
  • Change the default password on your home Wi-Fi connection so it’s harder for someone to access.
  • Don’t access personal information when using public Wi-Fi networks, which may, or may not, be secure.
  • Be wary of any request for your personal information, even if it’s coming from a trusted party.
  • Protect all of your computers and mobile devices with comprehensive security software, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service to protect you from malware and other Internet threats.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Ransomware Attacks Small Businesses

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The rate of malware (ransomware) attacks on small businesses climbs at an alarming rate. The security firm McAfee warns that soon, attacks that come through social platforms will be “ubiquitous.” Small businesses are typically not able to subsidize the internal security placements to fend off these attacks, which mostly come from abroad.

6DRansomware blocks your access to data, and the DoS (denial of service) attack threatens to crash your website unless you pay an extortion fee. It’s more organized, it’s more efficient, it’s more automated, it’s more stealthy.

While some businesses give in to DoS extortion demands, others won’t have it. Attacks usually start with relatively small demands, such as $300, to see who’s game. The demands will get pumped up into the thousands quickly once a businessperson pays the initial demand: Pay once, and it’s never over.

If you get a DoS, roll with it; have the extortionist think you need time to prepare payment. Then collect all relevant e-mails and other information for your defense—but not for the police (who lack tech savvy) or the FBI (unless the loss exceeds $5,000), but for your website hosting provider.

The hosting company can collect traffic logs and often can activate DoS defenses or link you to a provider of advanced DoS resolution.

A virus, however, is a different story. Once the virus gets in there and attacks your information, it’s pretty much game over.

Bottom line: Don’t pay the ransom unless you want escalating demands or the strong possibility the extortionist won’t unlock your data after taking your money. A DoS attack will render your site down for days and can permanently lose data and upset visitors.

To avoid a DoS, go anti: virus, spyware, phishing, and use a firewall and run backups. Train your employees well. You have to be conscious of where you’re going and what you’re clicking on.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClearID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

What is a Backdoor Threat?

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Did you accidentally leave the back door open? This thought can be scary because you know that leaving the back door open at home could allow someone to enter your home and take your personal belongings.

6DThe same is true for a backdoor in the computer world. It is a vulnerability that gives an attacker unauthorized access to a system by bypassing normal security mechanisms. This threat works in the background, hiding itself from the user, and it’s very difficult to detect and remove.

Cybercriminals commonly use malware to install backdoors, giving them remote administrative access to a system. Once an attacker has access to a system through a backdoor, they can potentially modify files, steal personal information, install unwanted software, and even take control of the entire computer.

These kinds of attacks represent a serious risk to users of both computers and mobile devices since an attacker can potentially gain access to your personal files, as well as sensitive financial and identity information.

Say, for instance, an attacker uses a backdoor to install keylogging software on your computer, allowing them to see everything that you type, including passwords. And once this information is in the hands of the cybercriminals, your accounts could be compromised, opening the door to identity theft.

Here are a few tips to protect you from back door threats:

  • Use comprehensive security software on your computers and mobile devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, to protect you from malware.
  • Never click on an email attachment or a link sent from people you don’t know and watch what you download from the web.
  • Be careful about which sites you visit, since less secure sites could contain a so-called “drive-by download”  which is able to install malware on your computer simply by visiting a compromised web page. You can check the safety of a website before you visit it by using our free McAfee® SiteAdvisor® tool, which tells you if a site is safe or not right in your search window.
  • Only install programs that you really need, minimizing your exposure to potential vulnerabilities.

Make sure you don’t leave any back doors open. Stay safe online!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Malware at all time High

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Malware is everywhere and isn’t about to disappear. The latest PandaLabs report says that last year alone, of all the malware that ever existed, cyber crooks created and distributed 20 percent of that. Malware comes in the form of Trojans, worms, viruses, adware/spyware and miscellaneous, with Trojans leading the pack.

6DRansomware seems to be gunning for the top spot, though, with a recent resurgence.

What about 2014? The 2013 Annual Security Report anticipates that the Internet of Things and Android devices will head the headlines (Android continues to be a favorite target of cyber criminals).

PandaLabs foresees that Android will get socked by hundreds of thousands of new malware strains. In 2013, criminals unleashed over two million new malware threats for Android.

Another area of attack is social media, and in 2013, even large companies, movie stars and politicians were affected.

The Trojan is a true warrior, in that it’s responsible for three-quarters of attacks, says PandaLabs. There was a huge leap in the number of circulating viruses as well, and is attributed to basically two virus families: Xpiro and Sality, says Luis Corrons, the technical director for PandaLabs.

Sality has been around for quite some time, but Xpiro is the new virus on the block, and can infiltrate “executable files on 32-bit and 64-bit systems,” says Corrons.

We’re in the midst of the malware plague; never mind the Bubonic plague. The whole planet is under attack, but some countries more so than others. China is the most infected, along with Turkey and Ecuador: 54.03, 42.15 and 40.35 percent of compromised personal computers, respectively.

Of the 10 least harmed countries, nine are in Europe; the other is Japan. For Sweden, Norway and Finland, the percentage of infected personal computers is 20.28 percent, 21.13 percent and 21.22 percent, respectively.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClearID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

Phishing Alert: 10 Tips To Protect Your Business From Attacks

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It’s becoming too easy for criminals to get their hands on your banking information, due to your employees’ ignorance of phishing scams.

13DMalware attacks have soared recently, targeting banks for the purpose of stealing online banking information. Over 200,000 new infections occurred between July and September 2013—the highest jump in the past 11 years, according to a TrendsLab Security report. Cyber-criminals are ubiquitous on this planet, and phishing is a favorite among their arsenal of attacks, a way to gain access to computers, as well as infecting a computer.

ZeuS (aka Zbot) is a common malware planted on websites. If a website is infested with ZeuS, or other malware, and you visit that site, your computer will become infested with ZeuS. Once settled in, ZeuS steals online banking credentials, and then transmits these details to a remote server, where the cyber-criminals can access it. But for ZeuS to spread, that means someone is opening a phishing email and clicking on the link that leads to the virus-inhabited website.

Who’s clicking on these links? Unfortunately, some of your employees probably are. According to a recent eWeek article, 18 percent of phishing messages are opened in the workplace—and yes, this includes clicking the accompanying malicious link.

That’s not all—sometimes the numbers can go even higher. According to the report, one particular phishing campaign yielded a 72 percent clicking response on the link.

Furthermore, the report states, 71 percent of users’ computers have a higher susceptibility of infection due to having outdated versions of popular software such as Microsoft Silverlight and Adobe Acrobat.

How To Stop Your Employees

Monthly training of employees to avoid suspicious emails helps knock down the percentage of clicks to 2 percent, much better than quarterly training does (to 19 percent). The report adds that cleaning recipients’ invaded computers costs the company, even though 57 percent of companies rated phishing attacks as “minimal.” However, even “minimal” impact still means a lot of cleanup for a high volume of attacks, involving IT staff response and employee downtime during system restoration.

Those who take the bait are costing you money, and the potential risk to your business is enormous. The Anti-Phishing Working Group recommends the follow tips. Share them with your employees ASAP.

  • A big red flag should go with emails that request personal financial information. If the name of the company bank is mentioned, arrange a phone call to that bank regarding the suspicious email.
  • Be leery of exciting or worrisome statements designed to rattle emotions rather than sink in logically; think before you click!
  • Be highly suspicious of a message asking for a password, username, credit card information, date of birth or other very private details of yourself or your company.
  • If you don’t recognize the sender’s name or address, or have no idea what the message could pertain to, simply ignore it altogether. It’s never urgent to click a link; you won’t get fired if you don’t.
  • Never enter confidential financial (or personal) data in a form inside the email.
  • A special toolbar, installed in the Web browser, can help protect you from fraudulent sites. The toolbar compares online addresses with those of known phishing sites and will provide a prompt alert before you have a chance to click or give out private information.
  • The latest versions of Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer have optional anti-phishing protection.
  • Bank, debit and credit account statements should be regularly checked for suspicious transactions.
  • If any transactions look suspicious or unfamiliar, alert appropriate personnel to contact the relevant financial institution.
  • The computer browser should always be kept up-to-date. Security patches should be installed.

Robert Siciliano CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video.

What is a Denial-of-Service Attack?

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You may have heard news reports about popular websites such as CNN, Amazon and Yahoo! being taken down by a DoS attack, but have you ever wondered what DoS means?

3DThis common tech term stands for “denial-of-service,” where an attacker attempts to prevent legitimate users from accessing a website entirely or slowing it down to the point of being unusable.  The most common and obvious type of DoS attack occurs when an attacker “floods” a network with useless information.

When you type a URL for a particular website into your browser, you are sending a request to that site’s computer server to view the page. The server can only process a certain number of requests at once, so if an attacker overloads the server with requests, it can’t process your request. The flood of incoming messages to the target system essentially forces it to shut down, thereby denying access to legitimate users.

A distributed denial-of-service (DDos) attack is one where a site is attacked, but not by just one person or machine. DDos are attacks on a site by two or more persons or machines. These attacks are usually done by cybercriminals using botnets (remote computers that are under their control), to bombard the site with requests. Cybercriminals create botnets by infecting a collection of computers—sometimes hundreds or thousands—with malware that gives them control of the machines, allowing them to stage their attack.

There is also an unintentional DoS where a website ends up denied, not due to a deliberate attack by a single individual or group of individuals, but simply due to a sudden enormous spike in popularity. This can happen when an extremely popular website posts a prominent link to a second, less well-prepared site, for example, as part of a news story. The result is that a significant proportion of the primary site’s regular users–potentially hundreds of thousands of people—click that link in the space of a few hours, having the same effect on the target website as a DDoS attack. When Michael Jackson died in 2009, websites such as Google and Twitter slowed down or even crashed.1

While this can be an inconvenience to you, as you may not be able to complete transactions or access your banking site, there’s no real danger for you. But unbeknownst to you, your computer or mobile device could be part of the botnet that is causing a DDos attack.

To make sure you’re not part of a DDos attack:

  • Pay attention if you notice that your Internet connection is unusually slow or you can’t access certain sites (and that your Internet connection is not down)
  • Make sure you have comprehensive security installed on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service
  • Be careful when giving out your email address, clicking on links and opening attachments, especially if they are from people you don’t know
  • Stay educated on the latest tactics that hackers and scammers use so that you’re aware of tricks they use

1 “Web slows after Jackson’s death”. BBC News

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Ransomware demands Dollars for Data

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“Ransomware” is what holds data hostage by invading one’s computer when the user clicks on a malicious link in an e-mail or downloads an infected attachment. Visiting a fraudulent web site can also trigger an attack.

CRYRansomware then goes to work at putting your files on lockdown so you can’t access them—but the hacker sure can. The crook will then have full access to your computer and all of your private information stored in it.

Ransomware in some cases masquerades as “Anti-Adware” or “Browser Security” claiming that the security product license has expired. Ransomware on Windows shows as a full-screen “error alert” like message. Though ransomware is uncommon, it’s a rising star in the world of malware.

How can you protect your computer from an infection?

  • Ensure your computer is running the most up-to-date version of your chosen operating system.
  • Use updated antivirus software.
  • Never click links in e-mails. Always go to the source or use your password manager.
  • Never go to unfamiliar web sites, as they can initiate the virus cascade.

Keep in mind that although malware and ransomware usually affect PCs running on Windows, malware can be created for any operating system and for mobiles. In fact, Android malware has been picking up steam. But Mac users should not breathe easy; they too, should be on the alert, says the McAfee Threat Report.

The best way to implement protection of your computer and devices is to install a comprehensive measure of security—in addition to sticking to that never-repeated-too-often rule of never click a link in an e-mail.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.

McAfee Labs 2014 Predictions

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As we wind down the year, it’s a time to reflect, but also to look forward. Some of us may be thinking about resolutions and what we need to do in the upcoming year—exercise more, eat better, have better work/life balance, etc. Others of us will be thinking about how we’re going to ring in the New Year.

This time of year the McAfee Labs™ team is busy looking at what the new threats are going to be and what are new trends they expect to see. Today they released their 2014 Threat Predictions, and here’s what they believe will be in store for us:

Mobile Malware

While this is not new, this category of malware is growing like wildfire and McAfee Labs sees no slow down on this in 2014. And besides continued growth in this category (mostly on the Android platform), they believe that some  types of mobile attacks will become prevalent.

One of these growing attacks is ransomware targeting mobile devices. Once the cybercriminal has control of your device, they will hold your data “hostage” until you pay money (whether that’s conventional or virtual, like Bitcoin) to the perpetrator. But as with traditional ransomware, there’s no guarantee that you really will get your data back.

Other mobile tactics that will increase include exploiting the use of the Near Field Communications (NFC) feature (this lets consumers simply “tap and pay,” or make purchases using close-range wireless communications), now on many Android devices, to corrupt valid apps and steal data without being detected.

Virtual Currencies

While the growth of Bitcoin and other virtual currencies is helping promote economic activity, it also provides cybercriminals using ransomware attacks with a perfect system to collect money from their victims. Historically, payments made from ransomware have been subject to law enforcement actions via the payment processors, but since virtual currency is not regulated and anonymous, this makes it much easier for the hackers to get away with their attacks.

Attacks via Social Networking Sites

We’ve already seen the use of social networks to spread malware and phishing attacks. With the large number of users on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the likes, the use of these sites to deliver attacks will continue to grow.

In 2014, McAfee Labs also expects to see attacks that leverage specific features of these social networking sites, like Facebook’s open graph. These features will be exploited to find out more information about your friends, location or personal info and then be used for phishing or real-world crimes.

The other form of social attacks in 2014 will be what McAfee Labs calls “false flag” attacks. These attacks trick consumers by using an “urgent” request to reset one’s password. If you fall for this, your username and password will be stolen, paving the way for collection of your personal information and friend information by the hacker.

2014ThreatPredictions

Here’s some security resolutions to help you stay safe online in 2014:

  • Strengthen your passwords: If you’re still using easy to remember passwords that include your home address and pet’s name, it’s time to get serious about creating strong passwords that are at least eight characters long, and a combination of numbers, letters and symbols. Don’t include any personal information that can be guessed by hackers.
  • Don’t open or click on suspicious emails, text or links: By simply opening an email with a piece of ransomware within it you could be leaving your devices vulnerable to hijacking.
  • Be aware when downloading apps: Since apps are the main way mobile malware is spread today, make sure to do your research before downloading any app and only download from reputable app stores.
  • Limit your use of NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: If your phone has NFC capabilities, you may be unaware of default settings. Turning this feature off, as well as turning off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, will not only help you save battery life on your devices, but prevent attacks from hackers looking to exploit your wireless connections.
  • Check your bank statements and mobile charges regularly: This way, you can discover and report any suspicious charges
  • Install comprehensive security on all your devices: With the growing amount of threats that we’re seeing, you want to make sure that your all your devices (not just your PC) are protected. Consider installing security software such as McAfee LiveSafe™ service that protects your data, identity and all your devices (PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets).

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.