CyberSafety.co.za

• Panda Internet Security 2011 ranks above Symantec, ESET, AVG, Kaspersky and others
• Company’s cloud protection backbone also gets top honors in recent independent review from AV-Test.org

Global IT vendor Panda Security announced that Panda Internet Security 2011 obtained the Number One rank in the most recent Security Suites Performance Test from independent reviewer, AV-Comparatives.org. Panda Security received the highest certification level of Advanced+ and performed better overall than all of the competition including Symantec, ESET, AVG, Kaspersky, F-Secure and Trend Micro. This test released on August 23 reviewed the impact of security suites on system performance, and underscores the effectiveness of Panda’s proactive and cloud protection technologies in detecting new malware while minimizing impact on users’ PCs performance.

“It’s becoming increasingly important that antivirus software provides high detection and remediation rates without degrading system performance,” said Andreas Clementi, chairman, AV-Comparatives.org. “Panda Security’s approach in bringing malware detection and analysis into the cloud has proven to be an effective way to tackle this complex issue.”

All of the consumer and business solutions offered by Panda Security benefit from Collective Intelligence, the company’s cloud-based technology for automating the identification and remediation of malware threats instantaneously. Collective Intelligence leverages Panda’s global network of millions of users, referred to as the Power of Community, to deliver real-time protection against new and unknown threats.  This protection model decreases PC resource consumption significantly, and is the primary reason for the product’s high scores in PC performance impact. Panda Internet Security 2011 and Panda’s other consumer security suites boast a 50 percent improvement in performance on Windows 7 environments when compared to last year’s versions.

In addition to the performance impact review by AV-Comparatives.org, Panda Security has achieved top scores in many recent independent tests including:

•  Full Product Test by AV-Test.org (August 2010): Panda Internet Security 2010 received excellent scores in all categories, accomplishing top rank along with two other vendors.
• PC Security Labs Total Protection Test (August 2010): Panda Internet Security 2010 achieved both “5 Star” rating and a special award for “Top Detection” out of all tested solutions by the Chinese independent lab.
• Product Review by Computerworld (July 2010): Panda Internet Security 2010 was reviewed by Frank Ohlhorst who concluded that the product offers “maximum protection with minimum fuss.”
• Retrospective/Proactive Test by AV-Comparatives.org (May 2010):  Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 obtained the top score for its proactive capabilities, and detected impressive amounts of new malware using only heuristics and generic signatures.
• On-Demand Malware Detection Test by AV-Comparatives.org (February 2010): Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 achieved top scores, scoring 99.2 percent in the detection of the tests sample set.

“These independent test results demonstrate that it’s possible to lessen the impact of antivirus software on PC performance while at the same time increasing protection”, says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations.  “Panda is in a unique position to deliver excellent protection with minimum impact on computer resources because of our innovation with cloud-based scanning”, he concludes.

To find out more about Panda Internet Security 2011 please visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/internet-security/

-       Every year, thousands of users fall victim to Internet scams. Being able to identify them is the best defense

Panda Security has drawn up a list of the most widely used scams over the last few years. These circulating tricks all have the same objective: to defraud users of amounts ranging from R5000 and upwards.

Typically, these scams follow a similar pattern: initial contact is made via email or through social networks. The intended victim is then asked to respond, either by email, telephone, fax, etc. Once a user has made contact, criminals will try to gain their trust, finally asking for a sum of money under one pretext or another.

“As with all the classic scams that predate the Internet, many of the numerous users that fall for these tricks and lose their money are hesitant to report the crime”, says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “And if recovering the stolen money was difficult in the old days, it is even harder now as the criminals’ tracks are often lost across the Web. The best defense is to learn how to identify these scams and avoid taking the bait”.

Panda has ranked the most frequent scams of the last 10 years, based on their distribution and the frequency with which they are received. They are as follows:

Nigerian scam: This typically arrives in the form of an email, claiming to be from someone who needs to get a very large sum of money out of a country (normally Nigeria, hence the name). You are promised a substantial reward if you help to do this. However, those that take the bait will be asked to forward an initial sum to help pay bank fees (often around R 5000). Once you have paid, the contact disappears and your money is lost.  

Lotteries: An email arrives claiming that you are the winner of a lottery, and asks for your details in order to transfer the substantial winnings. As with the previous scam, victims are asked to front up around R 5000 to cover bank fees, etc.

Girlfriends: A beautiful girl, normally from Russia, finds your email address and wants to get to know you. She will always be desperate to visit your country and wants to come immediately, but at the last moment there is a problem and she needs some money (once again, around R 5000 should cover it) to sort out flight tickets, visas, etc. Not surprisingly, not only does your money disappear, but so does the girl.

Job offers: You get an email offering you a job from a foreign firm looking for financial agents. If you accept and hand over your banking details, you will be unwittingly used to help steal money from people whose bank account details have been stolen by the cyber criminals. The money will be transferred directly to your account, and you will then be asked to forward the money via Western Union. You become a ‘money mule’, and when the police investigate the theft, you will be seen as an accomplice.

Facebook / Hotmail: Criminals obtain details to access an account on Facebook, Hotmail, etc. They then change the login credentials so that the real user can no longer access the account, and send a message to all contacts saying that the account holder is on holiday (London seems to be a popular choice) and has been robbed just before coming home. They still have flight tickets but need between R 3000 and R 10 000 for the hotel.

Compensation: This is recent and originates from the Nigerian scam. The email claims that a fund has been set up to compensate victims of the Nigerian scam, and that your address is listed as among those possibly affected. You are offered a huge sum of money but naturally, as in the original scam, you will need to pay an advance sum of around R 5000.

The mistake: This has become very popular in recent months. Contact is made with someone who has published a classified ad selling a house, car, etc. With great enthusiasm, the scammers agree to buy whatever it is and quickly send a check, but for the wrong amount (always more than the agreed sum). The seller will be asked to return the difference. The check will bounce, the house remains unsold and the victim will lose any money transferred.

It’s normal that if you’re not aware of these types of criminal ploys, you might think that you have won a lottery or found true love on the Internet. So here are some practical tips that will help keep you out of harm’s way:

Have a good antivirus installed that can detect spam. Many of these messages will be detected and classified as junk mail by most security solutions. This will help you be wary of the content of any such messages.

Use your common sense. This is always your best ally against this kind of fraud. Nobody gives away something for nothing, and love at first sight on the Internet is a very remote possibility. As a general rule, you should be highly suspicious of these kinds of contacts from the outset.

The Internet is a fantastic tool for a great many things, but if you really want to sell something, it’s better to have the buyer standing right in front of you. So even if you make contact across the Web, it’s better to make the transaction in the ‘real world’, to verify the genuine intentions of potential buyers.

If however, you do fall victim to fraud, Panda advises you to promptly report the crime to the police. “Even though tracking down this type of crime can be complex, law enforcement agencies are becoming increasingly adept at dealing with cyber criminals”, concludes Matthews.

For more information about these and other threats, go to www.pandalabs.com

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.

-       48% of SMBs worldwide infected every year.

-       Third of infections caused by worms that spread on USB devices

According to Panda Security, 25% of new worms have been specifically designed to spread through USB storage devices. However, these types of threats can copy themselves to any device capable of storing information including cell phones, external hard drives, DVDs, flash memories, MP3/4 players, etc. 

The data gathered suggests that this distribution technique is highly effective. According to Panda’s Second International SMB Security Barometer, which surveyed 10,470 companies across 20 countries, some 48% of SMBs admit to having been infected by some type of malware over the last year. 27% also confirmed that the source of the infection was a USB device connected to a computer.

“Not only does the malware copy itself to these gadgets, but it also runs automatically when a USB device is connected to a computer”, says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “This has been the case with many of the major infections we have seen this year, like the Mariposa and Vodafone botnets”.

So far, these types of infection are still outnumbered by those that spread via email, but it is a growing trend. There are a growing number of devices on the market that can be connected via USB to a computer. Clearly, this is very convenient for users, yet all these devices have memory cards or internal memories. “This kind of technology makes it very easy for your cell phone, for example, to be carrying a virus without your knowledge”, adds Matthews.

How does it work?

There is an increasing amount of malware which, like the dangerous Conficker worm, spreads via removable devices and drives such as memory sticks, MP3 players, digital cameras, etc. The basic technique used is as follows. Windows uses the Autorun.inf file on these drives or devices to know which action to take whenever they are connected to a computer. This file offers the option to automatically run part of the content on the device when it connects to a computer and it is this feature that is being used by cyber-crooks to spread viruses. The Autorun.inf is modified with commands so that malware stored on the USB drive, for example, is run automatically when the device connects to a computer. The computer in question is then immediately infected.

To prevent this, Panda Security has developed Panda USB Vaccine, a free product which offers a double layer of preventive protection, disabling the AutoRun feature on computers as well as on USB drives and other devices.

“This is a useful tool as there is no simple way of disabling the AutoRun feature in Windows. The vaccine makes it simple for users and offers a high level of security against infections through removable drives and devices”, concludes Matthews.

Download Panda USB Vaccine free from: http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/downloads/usbvaccine/.

More information about the Second International SMB Security Barometer is available at: http://press.pandasecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2nd-International-Security-Barometer.pdf

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/

-       Panda AdminSecure, the nerve center of Panda Security’s traditional corporate security solutions, now has 20% more detection capacity thanks to Collective Intelligence

-       Users of any of the company’s corporate security suites will now enjoy real-time protection against new malware

Global IT vendor Panda Security has announced the launch of Panda AdminSecure (4.07), the nerve center of its traditional corporate security solutions. This new version includes a new anti-malware engine, with the major innovation of cloud connection and the transfer of scanning and malware identification processes to the Collective Intelligence technologies, Panda’s system for detecting, analyzing and classifying new and unknown computer threats.

This evolution of AdminSecure’s engine has increased the capacity to detect threats on workstations, laptops and servers by almost 20%, delivering protection in real time, without impacting network resources.

“Whereas previously clients had to download the signature file and deploy it across the network, the new version combines real-time access to the cloud  with traditional signature file protection”, says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “This means that clients will no longer  be exposed to ‘window period’ risks while downloading the singnature files.”

The engine has also been improved to drastically reduce the resource consumption of the local scan and identification processes, decreasing the impact on computer and server performance.

The new anti-malware engine also offers a new genetic engine, including new codes for identifying unknown malware, using new traces and indicators to recognize and automatically block threats, without user intervention, and with no false positives. This feature is of particular importance for remote and mobile users who may not always have an Internet connection or connection to the corporate network.

Two security suites

Panda AdminSecure is the solution that brings together the management of all Panda Security protection. It enables network-wide deployment, monitoring, configuration and maintenance of  protection from a single point. It adapts to any network topology and, in addition to its own security policy definitions, integrates transparently with third-party technologies.

The security suites that include the new version of AdminSecure are Panda Security for Business, offering SMBs protection for Windows and Linux file servers and workstations, and Panda Security for Enterprise, designed for large corporate environments, which also includes protection for perimeter and mail servers.

This new version of the Panda Security solution completes the company’s cloud security offer for the corporate market, which also includes the Panda Cloud Protection solutions for workstations, email and the Internet.

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.

 Blackhat SEO techniques are being used by cyber-criminals to position malicious links in top results in search engines

Other popular topics recently used include the last episode of Lost and the release of Iron Man 2

Global IT vendor Panda security has detected more than 200 spoof Web addresses using the name of Justin Bieber as bait to lure users. By including the name of this popular singer in malicious links, cyber-criminals are distributing the fake antivirus MySecurityEngine. This technique has been used many times before, taking advantage of popular topics such as the last episode of Lost or the release of the movie Iron Man 2.

Pic available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/panda_security/4903310831/

References to Justin Bieber in malicious links include amongst others:

justin bieber takes estrogen pills

justin bieber smoking weed

justin bieber born in 1998

justin bieber north korea

justin bieber arrested

justin bieber died

justin bieber drinking problem

justin bieber gender change operation

justin bieber hermaphrodite

There is nothing new about the way this infection operates. When somebody runs a search for this singer on the Internet, these fake websites have been indexed to appear among the first results displayed. If users click these links, they will be prompted to accept the download of a file, such as a codec, and the fake antivirus will be installed on their computers.

“These types of activities have become increasingly common”, says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “Any popular topic or issue is used by cyber-crooks to spread their creations. By positioning websites used to distribute malware among the first results in search engines, they can be sure that numerous Internet users will inadvertently download the fake antivirus”, he concludes.

Panda advises users to take precautions when searching for information on the Internet. They should ensure they have reliable antivirus software installed and use safe browsing tools, such as those offered free by Panda at http://free.pandasecurity.com.

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.

Panda detected 100% of malware scanned in the AV-Test report, in both private and In The Wild virus lists

Global IT vendor Panda Security has taken the top spot in AV-Test’s Q2 report (http://av-test.org/).  Panda Internet Security 2010 has received the prestigious laboratory’s certification, after passing with above average scores on all protection, cleaning and usability tests as well as those designed to test the solutions’ ability to repair computers infected with malware.  

In the protection test, Panda Internet Security 2010 achieved a score of 5.5 out of 6, as it did in the areas of cleaning and repairing computers infected with malware. The solution scored 5 out of 6 for usability.

In the first section of protection against malware infections, the most significant results came in the detection of the malware batch used by AV-Test as well as those in the ‘In the Wild’ list, where the solution detected 100% of samples. In the detection of 0-day malware attacks on the Internet, including Web and email threats, Panda Security scored 82%, 89% and 74% respectively in the three test months. In the dynamic detection testing, Panda detected 81% of the samples used, which is way above the industry average of 63%. 

Panda Internet Security 2010 also scored 100% in the detection and elimination of rootkits and hidden malware. In the section on cleaning and repairing computers infected with malware, Panda Security achieved 95% in the elimination of active malware components (according to the WildList), once again above the industry average. 

In the usability section, the impact ratio of the antivirus on computer performance was 101 seconds, less than half the industry average of 251 seconds. 

“These results illustrate the great detection capacity of Panda’s Collective Intelligence detection system” says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “More significantly, this detection power has no impact on users’ computers, as scanning and the classification of malware takes place in the cloud.”

Andreas Marx, CEO of AV-Test.org adds “At AV-Test.org, we have tested all products with all update functionality and ‘in the cloud’ protection enabled, so no product updates were frozen. This way, the products had to demonstrate their ‘real world’ capabilities using all components and protection layers in realistic test scenarios”.

Marx also spoke about the performance of the Panda solution during the tests: “Panda Internet Security showed impressively high results for the static and dynamic detection of new malware. Not only was the protection against, and removal of, new malware very high, but at the same time Panda had less impact on the system from the usability point of view”.

More information about the full AV-Test results is available at http://av-test.org/ and http://research.pandasecurity.com/

To find out more about the Panda Retail 2011 lineup, launched in July, go to http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/antivirus

• ‘Code 9’ advises kids and teenagers on how to stop parents from seeing what they are doing and writing on social networks

A few years ago, a technique called ‘Code 9′ was developed and spread among teens and children via email. These emails described techniques to help disguise and hide their chat messages and conversations from parents. Global IT vendor Panda Security has detected the resurgence of these messages, which are now being distributed across social networks like Facebook and Myspace.

According to the latest Kids on the Web security survey, published by Panda in June this year, one in three teenagers has contacted strangers across social networks, “Something that criminal minds are no doubt aware of and will exploit to contact children”, warns Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations.

“Interestingly, when you visit the profiles and pages created to spread ‘Code 9’ and you look at the followers and friends, there aren’t many young people. In fact it’s quite the opposite, which gives us an indication as to the sort of people who are interested in distributing this type of information”.

‘Code 9’ itself is really simple: It tells children/teens that to hide their conversations in chat rooms or messaging, all they need to do is mention or write the number ‘9’ whenever their parents or guardians are close by. The other person will then rapidly change the topic or delete any information exchanged.

Pic of a typical ‘Code 9’ message available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/panda_security/4879123608/

During the holiday periods, many children and teenagers spend more time than usual on the computer. This is a good time to ensure that our children are using the Internet safely and responsibly.

“We always advise that the best way to achieve this is for parents and children to have a relationship based on trust, so it is not necessary to be constantly monitoring kids while they’re on social networks and the like. It also helps to have an Internet Security product that allows parents to restrict access to unwanted sites”, concludes Matthews.  

Since 1990, Panda’s mission has been to detect and eliminate new threats as rapidly as possible, offering clients’ maximum security. To do so, Panda has an innovative automated system that analyzes and classifies thousands of new samples a day and returns automatic verdicts (malware or goodware). This system is the basis of Collective Intelligence, Panda Security’s new security model which can even detect malware that has evaded other security solutions.

Currently, 99.4% of malware detected by Panda is analyzed through this system of Collective Intelligence. This is complemented by the work of several teams, each specialized in a specific type of malware (viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, phishing, spam, etc), and who work 24/7 to provide global coverage. This translates into more secure, simpler and resource-friendly solutions for clients.

More information is available in the PandaLabs blog: http://www.pandalabs.com

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.

• Does your computer talk to you? Can’t use the Internet? Have your files disappeared? You might be infected…

Users are often advised to use an antivirus to check if their systems are infected, but with the current cyber-crime scenario, this is simply not enough.

“It takes a least a basic grasp of security issues to work out if a computer is infected, and many first-time users have little or no idea” says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “However, while many of today’s threats are specifically designed to go undetected, there are still some tell-tale signs if a system has been compromised.”

Global IT vendor Panda Security has produced a simple guide to the 10 most common symptoms of infection, to help users identify if their systems are at risk:

1. My computer speaks to me: There are all types of pop-ups and messages on the desktop either advertising things, saying that the PC is infected and needs protection etc. This is a typical, surefire case of an infection. There is either spyware on the computer, or it has been infected by a fake antivirus also known as “rogueware”.

2. My computer is running extremely slowly: This could be a symptom of many things, including infection by a virus. If it has been infected by a virus, worm or Trojan, among other things, which are running on the computer, they could be running tasks that consume a lot of resources, making the system run more slowly than usual.

3. Applications won’t start: How many times have you tried to run an application from the start menu or desktop and nothing happens? Sometimes another program might even run. This could be another type of problem, but it’s a symptom that tells you that something is wrong.

4. I cannot connect to the Internet or it runs very slowly: Loss of Internet communication is another common symptom of infection, although it could also be due to a problem with your service provider or router. You might also have a connection that runs much more slowly than usual. If you have been infected, the malware could be connecting to a URL or opening separate connection sessions, thereby reducing your available bandwidth or making it impossible to use the Internet.

5. When I connect to the Internet, all types of windows open or the browser displays pages I have not requested: This is certain sign of infection. Many threats are designed to redirect traffic to certain websites against the user’s will, and can even spoof Web pages, making you think you are on a legitimate site when really you have been taken to a malicious imitation. 

6. Where have my files gone? Hopefully nobody will be asking this type of question, although there are still some threats around designed to delete or encrypt information and to move documents from one place to another. If you find yourself in this situation, get help as quickly as possible.

 7. My antivirus has disappeared, my firewall is disabled: Another typical characteristic of many threats is that they disable security systems (antivirus, firewall, etc.) installed on computers. Perhaps if one thing shuts down it might just be a specific software failure; but if all your security components are disabled, you are almost certainly infected.

 8. My computer is speaking a strange language: If the language of certain applications changes, the screen appears back-to-front or strange insects start ‘eating’ the desktop; it is likely that you have an infected system.

 9. Library files for running games, programs, etc. have disappeared from my computer: Once again, this could be a sign of infection, although it could also be down to incomplete or incorrect installation of programs.

10. My computer has gone mad… literally: If the computer starts acting on its own, you suddenly find your system has been sending emails without your knowledge, Internet sessions or applications open sporadically on their own, your system is probably compromised by malware.

Panda advises all users, who have identified with one or more of the scenarios above, to look for alternative security applications to the one (if any) they have installed. Users don’t need to uninstall their existing application; but can simply use a free, online antivirus such as Panda ActiveScan. Alternatively, they can install an antivirus that is compatible with other engines, such as Panda Cloud Antivirus, which is also free.

“Getting a second opinion on the health of your PC could save your data, your privacy and in many cases, your money”, concludes Matthews.

More information is available in the PandaLabs blog: http://www.pandalabs.com

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.

• Vladimir Gneushev won the first phase of the Challenge, as the quickest of the 11 correct solutions
• No one fully resolved the second phase of the Challenge. Iván Otero was declared the winner after correctly solving the second part

Panda Security reports that nearly 5000 people from 91 countries took part in the 2010 Panda Challenge. Organised by PandaLabs, Panda’s anti-malware laboratory, this year’s Challenge involved two separate high-tech teasers.

The winner of the first phase of the Challenge, launched on July 17, was Vladimir Gneushev, the first person to send in the correct solution. Suprisingly, only eleven participants managed to correctly resolve the problem.

The second phase of the Challenge, published on July 24, comprised of two parts. The first challenge was to find a valid license key for a program. However, no participants managed to do this and so the prize was awarded to Ivan Otero, who was the first to send in the solution to the second section of the test.

“For the second year running we’ve been amazed by the great response to the Panda Challenge, particularly given the technical difficulty involved in these tests”, says Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations. “It’s incredible that, despite participants entering from all across the globe, no one found the complete correct solution to the second test”.

The winners will receive their prize of an iPad in the next few days.

More information is available in the PandaLabs blog: http://www.pandalabs.com

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.

Global IT vendor Panda Security is releasing its new 2011 consumer product line, featuring faster performance, better protection and less resource impact than previous versions. Panda’s new retail solutions, available at the end of August, include: Panda Internet Security 2011, Panda Global Protection 2011, Panda Antivirus Pro 2011 and Panda Internet Security for Netbooks. New features include complete remote access to home PCs, file shredding of deleted programs and a secure browser, to name a few.

All of the 2011 consumer solutions benefit from Panda’s Collective Intelligence technology, which leverages the network of millions of global users, or the Power of Community, to deliver instantaneous protection against new and unknown threats. Using these solutions, consumers can browse the Internet, make purchases online, and chat and share photos/videos with complete confidence that Collective Intelligence and the Power of Community are providing proactive and real-time protection against the latest malware threats. In addition, PC resource consumption is minimal and the 2011 solutions boast a 50% improvement in performance on Windows 7 environments when compared to last year’s versions.

The products are designed specifically for highly active users with the most demanding protection needs, and include many new features, such as the option to manage home networks, or run the protection in gaming/multimedia mode, to avoid interruptions for gamers.

Similarly, the interfaces have been simplified and made more intuitive across all the products, and the top of the range solution includes a series of utilities to transparently safeguard the digital life of users:

• Remote access - Lets you access your home or work computer from anywhere and share files securely across the Web.
• Virtual browser (sandbox) - 100% secure, based on a network of virtual machines running under Linux and without persistent memory storage.
• Virtual keyboard – To prevent passwords and other sensitive data entered on keyboards from being stolen with keyloggers.
• File encryption -  Keeps files safe from snoopers
• Definitive data removal - Elimination of all traces of deleted files or programs.

The new solutions maintain the features that have positioned them as market-leading security suites: a powerful antivirus engine to protect against all types of known and unknown viruses; firewall with WiFi security to block intruders and hackers; Panda USB Vaccine, to protect USB devices; confidential information filters to keep personal data safe; backup copying, as well as a PC tune-up feature to optimize system performance.

Free trial versions will be available soon from: http://www.pandasecurity.com/Southafrica/homeusers/downloads/

For more information about Panda, visit http://www.pandasecurity.com/.