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Cybercrime Risk a Perfect Storm Brewing, Warns AVG Report
A new report commissioned by the internet security company AVG reveals how the explosion in size and complexity of global cyber crime, combined with the surprising complacency of younger users, is putting lives at risk.
The report, authored by the research agency The Future Laboratory, reveals that while cybercriminals and malicious programs are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect, users are, alarmingly, becoming less vigilant about protecting their online devices. The combination of these two factors presents a potentially disastrous cybercrime scenario.
Also highlighted in the report is the phenomenon of so-called ‘wetware’, in which the weak link in the security chain is not the technology but rather the human user. The growing risk stems not just from technology (software or hardware) but increasingly from human action (wetware).
A third of Europeans surveyed by AVG and Future Poll don’t update their antivirus protection. It seems that increasingly cyber criminals are focusing on deceiving the human rather than the machine, fooling the user into downloading and installing malicious software by posing as anti-virus providers or another trusted source. This means of entering a user’s computer bypasses the normal security checks, and makes the ‘wetware’ the weakest link. Read more
AVG Internet Security 2012: Increased Protection, Improved Performance With Enhanced Ease of use
AVG Technologies announced the availability of AVG Internet Security 2012, the latest edition of its market leading internet security software. Adding new protection technologies, computer performance enhancements and content download acceleration, AVG 2012 is lighter, faster and smaller than any previous AVG product.
“Ease of use, value and trust equal peace of mind,” said JR Smith, CEO of AVG Technologies. “AVG is more than just an antivirus company. We’re a secure, community-driven digital ecosystem dedicated to helping consumers protect themselves and the things they care about the most. Computers and devices have become an extension of every individual at work and at play. In today’s world, we’re not just securing machines. We’re securing people’s digital life, or as we like to say: Providing Peace of Mind to the Connected World.”
In addition to AVG’s multi-layered protection, utilizing signature-based antivirus, heuristics and behavior-based threats detection, AVG 2012 comes with the all-new AVG Accelerator and AVG Advisor features as well as additional protection technologies.
AVG Accelerator optimizes file and video downloads on selected sites to minimize waiting time. Responding to our users’ request for a fast and smooth content download while online, AVG Accelerator enhances user experience to provide peace of mind.
AVG Advisor constantly monitors the computer and proactively advises the user with available remedies and optimization possibilities for various computer problems they may have.
“AVG has 98 million active customers who are constantly helping us improve our products. Their feedback was analyzed and leveraged on the development of new products that better serve their needs while connected online,” said Yuval Ben-Itzhak, CTO of AVG Technologies. “We enhanced AVG Internet Security 2012 as a result of listening to our users who asked for peace of mind, better security against threats and an optimized computing performance.” Read more
AVG Premium Security launched
AVG Technologies announced AVG Premium Security, the all-new and only Internet security solution that actively surveys the Web for incidents of stolen identity. Available now for US$69.99, the product includes AVG Identity Alert, AVG Internet Security and AVG Quick Tune.
Placing identity protection at the center of the new offering, AVG Identity Alert scours criminal web pages, chat rooms and bulletin boards to determine whether a customer’s personal information has been used, traded or sold online. By monitoring a user’s e-mail address and debit and credit card numbers—the three primary elements of an online identity—the system notifies the user if personal details appear somewhere they shouldn’t.
AVG Identity Alert also provides an Identity Theft Risk Score, which evaluates online theft risk based on behavioral characteristics, and an Identity Theft Restoration Kit, which provides documentation, sample letters and other tools for restoring an identity should it be compromised. Read more
AVG Warns of Malicious Crank Calls Coming to Your Computer Phone
Skype Users: Beware of New Voice and Text Attacks
AVG Technologies warned of newly emerging social engineering attacks on users of the popular Skype phone and messaging service.
Local reports are increasing of Skype users being targeted by so-called ‘vishing,’ a voice variation of e-mail-based spear phishing. This new kind of attack is particularly insidious in that it combines both voice and text to try and dupe users into thinking they are receiving legitimate calls.
Vishing plays out in the following sample scenario: While online, users receive automated voice messages via Skype saying their PCs have been checked for viruses and that a ‘fatal virus’ was found. The message then advises them to repair the problem by providing a link to a malicious web site. Read more
Internet Myths Putting Americans at Risk, According to G Data Security Survey
A new study released by G Data Software finds that Americans’ knowledge of Internet security is scattered with misconceptions and fallacies that expose PC users to a slew of online threats.
The G Data Security Survey 2011 entitled, “How do users assess threats on the Internet?,” surveyed nearly 16,000 PC users in 11 countries, including more than 5,500 respondents in the United States.
The international report found that Americans are dangerously out-of-touch with the sophistication of today’s threat landscape. When asked if they are more wary of being exposed to malware on porn sites or horseback riding sites, more than 40% of Americans said porn sites. However, in reality, hobby and amateur sites are far easier to attack than adult sites. Hobby sites are also much slower in removing malware — and with visitors not being careful on these sites — they pose a greater infection risk than adult sites, where visitors expect danger.
When it comes to how malware impacts computers, consumer expectations overwhelmingly haven’t kept pace with today’s stealthy threats. Nearly all Americans reported that contaminated computers would show signs of infection through slowdowns, crashes, or pop-ups. Yet, today’s malware is operated by professionals looking to surreptitiously steal sensitive information, without risking detection. The survey includes several other notable findings, including: Read more