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In this month's LN, find out how Lavasoft is working to keep you protected with updates to Ad-Aware, and how you can help yourself by learning to outsmart rogue security software. See what's happening in the industry with a look at the take down of a million dollar spyware op, and our monthly roundup of security news. Want to comment on an article you see in LN, or have an idea for a story you'd like us to cover? Write to editor@lavasoft.com.
Bringing You a Better Ad-Aware
Bypassing Bogus Security Software
FTC Brings Down Spyware Op
Frequently Asked Questions About 'Storm Worm'
Security Shorts
New Targets in Detection (October 2007)
Lavasoft Blog
Join the Lavasoft Team!
Bringing You a Better Ad-Aware At Lavasoft, we are committed to addressing your need for user-friendly security software to protect your privacy and security. You asked for it …you got it! Recent Ad-Aware 2007 software updates have delivered:
How do you get these updates? One of the new features in Ad-Aware 2007, Web Update, allows us to automatically upload the new functions and features that we have used to improve the 2007 version. That’s right - each time you update, you are downloading more power and better functionality. Take a more detailed look, below, at these improvements. You can expect continued enhancements and updates to Ad-Aware, as we address both new threats and the concerns of our worldwide consumers. Optimized CPU Usage To stay a step ahead of ever-changing security threats, the Ad-Aware 2007 engine was built as a service (a Windows application that is launched at system start-up and then runs in the background). However, many of our users viewed the service component as a cumbersome aspect of the new software. In direct response to your wants, in one of the most recent software updates, we have slimmed down the memory usage of the service component, vastly reducing the consumption. Ad-Watch Improvements Vista (32-bit) Compatible Bypassing Bogus Security Software While surfing the web, a pop-up appears, warning you that your computer is infected, and demanding that you clean up your PC. Supposedly, all you must do to fix the problem is buy a certain security program. Sound familiar? You may have been one of the many that have downloaded an anti-spyware or anti-virus program, only to find out later that you have been duped. As malware writers inundate the web with rogue programs, this kind of trickery is becoming more and more common. Today, there are many genuine anti-spyware and anti-virus programs to choose from, but users must be cautious to avoid the ‘rogue’ programs that exploit and prey on the insecurities and lack of education among computer users. Rogue security software comes in different varieties. Some products defined as “rogue” simply fail to provide the reliable protection that a consumer paid for. Others are far more sinister, masquerading as legitimate security software, and using deceptive tactics to con users into buying their products. The application may mimic trusted products like Ad-Aware, scare the user with false scan results, or even infect the user’s computer with spyware and adware. As cyber scammers make money from unsuspecting PC users, they continue to sell their bogus applications. There has been a sharp rise in the number of malware infections caused by rogue security software. Industry experts have reported a five-fold year-on-year increase in the use of these programs. Another related trick that online surfers need to be on the lookout for is rogue websites – sites that are intended to look legitimate in order to spread online scams. In mid October, researchers at McAfee broke the news of a fake Microsoft “anti-spyware center” website, promoting a rogue anti-spyware program called AntiSpyStorm. Along with that, there are also dozens of rogue websites that are popping up with pirated software, bundling it together and selling it as legitimate. How can you keep from downloading bogus security software? Below are practical tips from Lavasoft to make sure you rely on products with proven track records and reliability.
FTC Brings Down Spyware Op The United States federal government sent a clear message to spyware makers and purveyors this past month: you will be held liable for installing software through misleading End User License Agreements (EULAs) or without obtaining user consent. ERG Ventures, LLC settled Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that a scam which infected more than 15 million computers with destructive, intrusive spyware violated federal law, according to an October FTC press release. The Nevada, U.S. based company, along with its affiliates, will give up $330,000 U.S. in ill-gotten gains; that number will increase to nearly $3.6 million U.S (the total revenue from the scam) if the court finds that the defendants have misrepresented their financial status. The settlement also bars the company from installing software onto consumers’ PCs without disclosing its function and obtaining explicit consent, as well as from installing software that interferes with computer use. The case first came onto the FTC’s radar last autumn, when Media Motor, the software the company allegedly bundled with freeware, was originally brought under investigation. In November 2006, ERG Ventures was charged with tricking computer users into downloading Media Motor with free software, like screensavers and videos. The Media Motor program, according to the Commission’s report, was found to change users’ home pages, track Internet activity, alter browser settings, display pop-ups and pornographic advertising, and even disable anti-spyware and anti-virus software. Along with this, ERG Ventures was charged with using a deceptive EULA in its Media Motor software, giving users the option to stop the installation of the software, but installing the malware regardless of whether or not the consumer rejected or accepted the terms. While the halt of the Media Motor spyware scam is a definitive win for end users, there has been past debate in the anti-spyware community of whether or not current penalties are enough to deter cyber-criminals. According to spyware researcher Ben Edelman, the FTC’s efforts in investigating Media Motor is commendable, but the settlement’s payment seems inadequate considering the additional profits gained from the spyware scam. “Media Motor took in $3.5 million and will forfeit just $330,000. That sets remarkable incentives: on net, Media Motor made money from its malicious enterprise. A larger forfeiture would far better deter future similar schemes,” Edelman told Lavasoft News. Security Shorts Spammers Sentenced to Five Years in Prison Russian Firm Viewed as Online Crime Hub Severity of Security Breaches on the Rise International Scam Crackdown Nets $2 Billion U.S. Arrest Made in Two Alleged DDoS Attacks Spam Levels Soar in Asia |
By the Numbers
78% Percentage of consumer PCs in the U.S. that are not protected (defined as having up-to-date anti-virus, anti-spyware, and a correctly configured firewall) 93% Percentage of PC users who believe they are protected Source: National Cyber Security Alliance and McAfee Inc. study  
Term of the Month
Rogue security software masquerades as a helpful security program, but uses malware or malicious tools to advertise or compel users to pay for the removal of non-existent spyware. Rogue software makers often use social engineering to trick consumers into buying their fraudulent anti-spyware or anti-virus products. Source: wikipedia.org
Tech Tips
You have anti-spyware, anti-virus, and a firewall, so your computer must be secure, right? Wrong. Unless this software is enabled, updated, and properly configured, you are not protected from online threats. According to a recent industry survey, consumers overestimate PC safety – see our "By the Numbers" section for the stats. Make sure to maintain your security software; check that your security applications are both enabled and configured correctly. Keep in mind, the security software that was included with your PC when you purchased it may be a trial version that will expire if you fail to buy a subscription. Privacy Toolbox Lands Editor's Choice
Lavasoft Privacy Toolbox was selected as an Editor’s Choice product by Military Embedded Systems magazine for its September/October 2007 issue. |
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November is here, and with it, the holiday shopping season sets into full swing with the start of the annual hunt to find just the right gifts for friends and family. Many of us will avoid the crowds by shopping from the privacy of our own PCs. While computer security may be far from the minds of busy shoppers, the bustle of the holiday shopping craze is all the more reason to stay secure and stay protected; more web commerce means more web scams. If you plan to kick off your online shopping this month, make sure to have up-to-date security software on your PC and to surf safely!
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