Security Alert: Fee-Deduction Malware on Android Devices Spotted in the Wild

May 31, 2011 · Filed Under Security Software, Software News · Comment 

Events of this past weekend have raised concerns for Android smartphone users as NetQin Mobile Inc. found a malware  lurking within more than 20 Android applications circulating via various forums on the internet which auto-dials phone numbers to incur high user fees. The infected mobile applications include QQ Doudizhu, Voice SMS, Drag Racing, Trader, Donkey Jump, Jungle Monkey and Gold Miner among others.

Named BaseBridge, the Malware can be embedded in legitimate applications, and when the applications are being installed, the Malware prompts the user to upgrade, and once the user chooses to upgrade, the Malware is installed in the device under the software name “com.android.battery”. Then, another prompt would pop up to ask the user to restart the app to run it, and the Malware is formally activated upon restarting.

Upon activation, the Malware would activate three malicious services — AdSmsService, BridgeProvider and PhoneService — to communicate with a control server, from which it will download a configuration list to read related information and dial calls or send out SMS messages accordingly, incurring fees for the users. Meanwhile, the Malware also blocks messages from the mobile carrier to prevent users from getting fee consumption updates in time so that all malicious activities are undertaken stealthily without the user’s knowledge or consent. The Malware may also insert messages to the inbox of a mobile device at a designated time. Read more

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Panda Security Released New Beta of Panda Cloud Antivirus

May 30, 2011 · Filed Under Security Software, Software News · Comment 

Ten most active beta testers will receive $100 Amazon.com gift certificates and free license codes for Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro

Panda Security announced a new beta version of its popular Panda Cloud Antivirus, the first free cloud-based antivirus solution. Since its initial release in 2009, millions of users around the world have benefitted from award winning maximum antivirus protection and minimal resource consumption that Panda Cloud Antivirus provides with Collective Intelligence technology.

Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta 1.9 can be downloaded for free on the Panda Cloud Antivirus Support Forum: http://www.cloudantivirus.com/forum/ann.jspa?annID=50228. To encourage users to try the new program and report bugs, Panda Security is awarding ten $100 Amazon.com gift certificates to the most active beta testers, as well as free licenses for the PRO version of the program.

The new 1.9 beta version delivers all of the features of the PRO paid version out of the box, including behavior analysis, USB vaccination and automatic, transparent upgrades to future versions. It also includes new HTTP and POP3 network traffic interception features in order to build cloud-based firewall functionalities in future versions. Users will enjoy a new Process Monitor component capable of blocking processes by sending them to the program’s Recycle Bin, where they can be restored.

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SIIA Announces 2011 CODiE Awards Winners for Software Industry

May 27, 2011 · Filed Under Software News · Comment 

Thirty-one winners from 395 nominations recognized for industry excellence

The Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, today announced the winners of the prestigious CODiE Awards for products and services in the business software industry. The CODiE Awards—the industry’s only peer-reviewed rewards program—were announced today during a special luncheon held in conjunction with the All About the Cloud conference in San Francisco.

“For more than 25 years, the CODiE Awards have recognized the most innovative new technology products and services,” noted SIIA President Ken Wasch.  ”The software recognized today underwent an intensive review by industry peers, subject matter experts, analysts and journalists to make it into the winner’s circle. These products provide the business solutions that fuel our economy and solidify America’s place in the global marketplace. SIIA warmly congratulates all of the winners and nominees of the CODiE Awards.”

The CODiE Awards recognize excellence in the business software, digital content, and education technology industries. Through a rigorous product review process, subject matter experts in these industries score products based on industry-accepted criteria. Finalists are selected and then considered by the members of SIIA through a voting process. CODiE winners receive a significant level of industry validation that reflects excellence, conveys importance, and calls attention to their innovation and industry leadership. For more information about the CODiE Awards visit http://www.siia.net/codies/2011/.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Strikes November 8, 2011

May 25, 2011 · Filed Under Games, Software News · Comment 

Year’s Most Anticipated Entertainment Launch Stages World Wide Invasion

Global warfare is raging and the battle will begin on November 8 when the cultural phenomenon Modern Warfare returns with the worldwide release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the newest installment in Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) #1 first person action series and is being developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games.

“ Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is by far the most epic Call of Duty experience yet.  The teams at Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have worked tirelessly to create for the Call of Duty player a scale that is unimaginable with a level of polish and creativity that will push the genre forward,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc.  ”The passion and energy of our developers is reflected in everything about the title.  From the innovative gameplay, to the cinematic intensity, to the most advanced multiplayer ever, Modern Warfare 3 will raise the bar for this already incredible franchise.”

This game is not yet rated.

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IBM Unveiled Breakthrough Software and New Services to Exploit Big Data

May 24, 2011 · Filed Under Software News · Comment 

As companies seek to gain real-time insight from diverse types of data, IBM unveiled new software and services to help clients more effectively gain competitive insight, optimize infrastructure and better manage resources to address Internet-scale data. For the first time, organizations can integrate and analyze tens-of-petabytes of data in its native format and gain critical intelligence in sub-second response times.

IBM also announced a $100 million investment for continued research on technologies and services that will enable clients to manage and exploit data as it continues to grow in diversity, speed and volume. The initiative will focus on research to drive the future of massive scale analytics, through advancing software, systems and services capabilities.

The news comes on the heels of the 2011 IBM Global CIO Study where 83 percent of 3,000 CIOs surveyed said applying analytics and business intelligence to their IT operations is the most important element of their strategic growth plans over the next three to five years.

Today’s news further enables Smarter Computing innovations realized by designing systems that incorporate Big Data for better decision making, and optimized systems tuned to the task and managed in a cloud.

According to recent IT industry analyst reports, enterprise data growth over the next five years is estimated to increase by more than 650 percent. Eighty percent of this data is expected to be unstructured.

The new analytics capabilities pioneered by IBM Research will enable chief information officers (CIOs) to construct specific, fact-based financial and business models for their IT operations. Traditionally, CIOs have had to make decisions about their IT operations without the benefit of tools that can help interpret and model data.

With today’s news, IBM is expanding its portfolio and furthering its investments in analytics with: Read more

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