Tech Nukem

Surfing on the Internet sometimes can pose a danger as malware can easily violate the system without our knowledge. When we click away from one website, we could be led into another which compromises the security of our system. BitDefender QuickScan is a Google Chrome extension which can detect malware quickly and efficiently.

While a firewall or antivirus software application may easily detect common viruses, Trojan horses, worms or malware, some of the newer menaces may escape the net. BitDefender Quickscan can strengthen the security in the system without utilizing a great deal of the system’s resources. Besides, it detects active malware within a minute so that appropriate action can be taken by the user to eliminate the threat. However, BitDefender QuickScan does not offer a virus cleaning service and the user would have to use an antivirus software to remove the threat.

Misplacing the flash drive is a common occurrence due to its small size. The flash drive is portable and handy but losing important data may cost you a lot more than just inconvenience. The data you have backed up in your pen drive may be highly personal or important and you do not want them to fall into the wrong hands. To safeguard your private and confidential data from being leaked out when incidents like this happen, getting an encryption tool such as USB Safeguard can be a good idea.

USB Safeguard is a free and portable security application for Windows users to encrypt their data in the USB drive. This portable program does not require any installation. To protect and encrypt sensitive data files saved on the pen drive, users just need to download and save the application to the drive. Users can launch the encryption application from the flash drive itself and enter a security password when prompted with the application interface. Users can choose to encrypt the entire flash drive or select one or more folders to be encrypted. Users can just drag and drop the files in the drive for encryption. Users are given options of either keeping the original files after encrypting or deleting the original files with the built-in file shredder. USB Safeguard offers users a few options in case somebody tries to access the flash drive unsuccessfully. Users can set to delete the data stored or continue to leave the files there.

Besides the encryption feature, USB Safeguard also incorporates the ‘Safe Internet Browsing’ option which allows users to launch Internet Explorer from the flash drive safely without leaving any internet traces on the host computer such as cookies, URL history, passwords, etc. USB Safeguard also offers an on-screen virtual keyboard where users can enter their security password without using the physical keyboard when they use the flash drive on high-risk computers. USB Safeguard uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect users’ date.

The following video shows the features of USB Safeguard:



Download USB Safeguard via the link here.

Brightfilter Parental Control 2009 is a comprehensive intelligent parental control software that provide dual protection for family members and home computers to protect against pornography, identity theft, illegal sites, malicious software, potential abuse, and cyber bullying sites. Brightfilter Parental Control provides easy to use web protection and control over what sort of Internet sites that computers can access to keep user and family safe online. In addition, Brightfilter Parental Control 2009 features spam e-mail URL coverage, spyware protection, phishing protection, and default blocking of the IWF list of illegal Web sites. Furthermore, it also comes with real-time support and update 365 days a year on a 24/7 basis.


Features of Brightfilter Parental Control:

* One-click filtering.
* Brightfilter.
* Surf-time – Restrict web access by time of day.
* Protect privacy identity.
* Database updated 24×7 and used by over 20,000 organizations worldwide.
* Data gathered in over 60 languages.

Brightfilter Parental Control 2009 normally cost $24.99 for purchase. User who intend to try Brightfilter Parental Control free full version can directly download the Brightfilter Parental Control 2009 setup installer by using links below.

Direct Download Link for Brightfilter Parental Control 2009:

BrightfilterParentalControl2009.exe

After complete install, use the promotional code COMPACT2010 to register the software and activate Brightfilter Parental Control 2009.

Brightfilter Parental Control 2009 supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Norman Antivirus and Antispyware is an all-in-one security software that helps to protect against worms, viruses, Trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, Internet threats, malware, and spyware to prevent damage of the computer. Norman Antivirus and Antispyware comes with user-friendly interface that suitable for both professional and novice uses. The new Norman Anti-Virus has added SandBox system that provides advanced protection to find and eliminate new and unknown malware. Unfortunately, Norman Antivirus and Antispyware may cause slow down to the computer due to high usage of resources.



Features of Norman AntiVirus & Anti-Spyware:

* Email protection- all emails and attachments are instantly scanned for viruses and malware before they are received or sent to others
* Rootkit protection
* Live Statistics provides with an easy to read overview of the files scanned and the number of infected files discovered
* Norman SandBox
* Blocks cyber criminals for invading your computer and stealing your private information
* Protective screen saver
* Task scheduling
* Provides parental control systems with individual profiles to help protect children from websites with inappropriate content on them, or limit their time using the Internet

Norman AntiVirus and AntiSpyware normally cost $49.95 for a 12-month subscription. As part of promotional offer, anybody now can grab the Norman Antivirus and Antispyware with free 1-year genuine legitimate activation serial license key.

1. To get the free 12 months license key code, go to the following promotion page to register:

http://www.norman.com/support/auth/en

2. Enter the name, email address, OEM code WXPMASS12-UK and other information, then click “Submit” button.

Note: The OEM code is required to complete the registration.
3. Email from Norman Web team will be sent to registered email with a free registration key. Windows 7 users are requested convert above key by visiting http://www.norman.com/support/convertkey.

4. Download the Norman Antivirus and Antispyware by using link below:

Norman Antivirus & Antispyware 32-Bit: NormanSecuritySuite_730×86_ENG_R05.msi
Norman Antivirus & Antispyware 64-Bit: NormanSecuritySuite_730×64_ENG_R05.msi

5. Then install it and enter the activation key to enjoy the fully licensed Norman Antivirus and Antispyware for 12-month subscription.

Norman Antivirus and Antispyware support Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Computer forensic and auditing tool is used by law enforcement agency to gather and extract information, traces and usage evidences from a computer. One such tool is COFEE (Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor), a USB key flash drive-based application which is provided for free by Microsoft to police and investigators around the world.


However, there may be chance that hackers and people with malicious intents uses the COFEE computer forensic tool as a backdoor to access and track private or sensitive data, temporary files, online activity traces, browsing histories and decrypted passwords. Most anti-virus, anti-spyware or anti-malware probably won’t detect and show the forensic utility as a threat.

For users who want to be informed when such a forensic tool is been used or applied on the computer, DECAF is a light-weight application anti-COFEE tool that can detect and sabotage the COFEE suite of forensic utilities, which bundles more than 150 point-and-click tools to college digital evidence at crime scenes.

DECAF works by comparing against signature of COFEE application files or processes. When a USB stick or USB flash drive running COFEE is inserted or plugged into the computer’s USB port, DECAF can detect the presence of COFEE, and automatically execute a series of pre-configured countermeasures. The actions that can be taken include nuke and remove temporary files created by COFEE, clear all COFEE logs, disable USB drives, contaminate or spoof a variety of MAC addresses. Features that currently developers working on include ability to remotely lock down protected system on detection of COFEE.

DECAF can be downloaded from decafme.org, and click on Download link.

Accidentally visiting phony and phishing sites will be a serious nightmare for users especially when they realize that their sensitive information such as login name, password, credit card information, bank account details, etc have been stolen or divulged and critical damages have been done. Generally, internet users particularly the non-tech savvy can hardly determine whether a site they are entering is authentic or phony. The fake site basically looks and feels almost identical to the authentic or legitimate one. Users who are not aware or sensitive might easily fall into the trap and get cheated.


There are various ways for the criminal syndicate to fool and attract users to visit the phony sites. The phishing process has affected millions of internet users every year even though various public awareness campaigns and activities have been launched. If users are concerned they might become the next victim of this internet criminal fraud, one of the ways users can use is via anti-phishing and identity assurance tool to verify and authenticate the sites. Comodo Verification engine, a free security product from Comodo security series is a useful and database rich program which can help users to distinguish and identify a real website from an impostor.

Comodo Verification engine is a free and lightweight security application offered by Comodo which can be downloaded via the link here. The Windows based security software supports various web browsers including Internet Explorer 5.01 and above, AOL 1.1 and above, Netscape 8+ (IE mode), Firefox 1.0.7 and above, Netscape 7.2+ (FF mode) and Mozilla 1.7 and above. Once users have installed the free anti-phishing software, a small “v” icon will appear on the taskbar.


indicator

Every time users open a new website, Comodo Verification Engine will immediately check via its database. If the website is legitimate and is in Comodo’s database, users can see the browser’s border glow green and an arrow will point to the site’s verified logo. With this confirmation and verification, it is safe for users to continue with their browsing. If the green border doesn’t appear, users are advised to be more careful when proceeding. Comodo has created a database of over 500,000 legitimate websites with real internet addresses for verification.


greenborder

Comodo Verification engine provides a clear visual indicator about the level of SSL security on a site and warning if a site is using the type of SSL certificate favored by scammers. Users can click on the verification engine’s indicator on the taskbar to modify the options such as green border thickness, font size, etc.

McAfee Internet Security 2009 is a comprehensive and easy-to-use internet security solution package for Windows OS based computers. The security package generally covers four main areas of protection: computer & files, internet & network, email & instant messenger, and parental control. The built in features include anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, anti-phishing, two-way Firewall, web site safety ratings, identity Protection, parental Controls and data Backup. With this powerful features, the security software will give users a peace of mind against cybercriminals, spyware, hackers, etc when browsing the internet.



McAfee Internet Security 2009 costs $69.99 if users intend to purchase the complete package online from McAfee site. However, the security software developer offers users who are willing to try up its McAfee Internet Security 2009 a 30-day trial. The same offer has been extended to 6 months in some countries such as Malaysia, Philippine, etc if users are Lenovo laptops users who have registered with Lenovo.

If users refuse to spend money but prefer a longer period of trying instead of the standard one month period, users can grab the promotion offered by McAfee UK site. McAfee UK via its promotional page offers a full McAfee Internet Security 2009 completion version with license for 3 months or 90 days with full updates and support during the free period. To enjoy this special promotion, even though it is only for three months, users can login to the promotional page, fill in relevant information and they will be directed to the full download of the security software which will work only for 3 months.

The increase of the PDF format’s popularity has simultaneously increased the demand for the free Adobe Reader by the famous Adobe software. The high demand of Adobe Reader program has triggered attention from hackers. The chief research officer of the famous Finnish security expert F-Secure, Mikko Hypponen, has highlighted in the recent RSA Conference 2009 in San Francisco that Adobe Reader has replaced Microsoft Word to become the popular target attack by hackers. Mikko Hypponen has recommended that users should consider using other alternative programs instead to read and view PDF files.

According to Mikko Hypponen, of the targeted attacks so far this year, more than 47 percent of them exploit holes in Acrobat Reader while six vulnerabilities have been discovered that target the program. This is a critical figure indicating serious security problem in this program. Mikko Hypponen also added that in 2008, the favored targeted attack vector was Microsoft Word, which had 15 known vulnerabilities (compared to Acrobat Reader’s 19) and which represented 34.5 percent of the attacks (compared to 28.6 percent for Acrobat Reader).

Adobe Reader is amongst the popular and favorite tools used by many users which include businessmen, politicians and also many high-ranking individuals. The vulnerable security of the program will cause substantial damages if it is not managed and overcome immediately. Hackers might make use of the vulnerabilities and access high ranking individuals’ systems to steal important documents or spy on their PCs.

Users are advised to update their Adobe Reader from time to time to make sure important security updates have been installed to their version. Hypponen did not recommend a PDF reader, but said Acrobat Reader alternatives are listed on the PDFReaders.org Web site. Readers can refer to our earlier post highlighting on some alternatives to Adobe Reader which they can also consider.

Users who are using AVG anti-virus might have been alerted by the security expert that their iTunes program is infected by virus. A malware named Trojan horse small.bog is purportedly identified and detected hiding in iTunes files by the AVG antivirus after users have updated their latest virus definitions. As a security measure, AVG will quarantine these infected files and prevent iTunes from working. Apparently this security alert is a false alarm triggered by the famous free antivirus software. AVG has made a howler by identifying iTunes files as a Trojan horse. This error only happens when users are using the AVG Antivirus Free edition. If users are running the full AVG Security Suite or other antivirus programs such as Norton Antivirus, McAfee, etc, there is no alarm triggered.

Other than creating confusion amongst users, the false alarm, Trojan horse small.bog, doesn’t really jeopardize users’ systems. Users can disable the false alert by creating an exception in AVG:

1. Open AVG
2. Go to Resident Shield -> Manage Exceptions -> Add Path
3. Add C:\Program Files\iTunes and C:\Program Files\iPod

Since the late nineteenth century, fingerprint identification methods have been used by police agencies around the world to identify both suspected criminals as well as the victims of crime. The basis of the traditional fingerprinting technique is simple, that is by comparing the fingerprint pattern. Nowadays, the fingerprint technology has been used wisely in security fields.


finger_vein1

Hitachi has announced the development of a biometric cardless credit payment system which called as finger vein money. With this system, the shoppers can pay their purchases by using their fingertips. What make this technology special is it verifies a person identity by reading the pattern of the blood vessels in the fingers instead of reading the fingerprint pattern.

The credit card holders required to register their vein data by placing finger on vein reader that uses infrared LEDs and a special camera to capture the detailed image of their vein structure.

Before release to the consumer market, Hitachi will conduct a three months fields test of this technology beginning of September in which 200 Hitachi employees will volunteer to use finger vein money at the company cafeteria in Shin-Kawasaki.

Apple’s iPhones has been getting a good traction in consumer market but some may wonder how this device can be fitted into enterprise use where security and encryption are the major concerns. However, with the full rich of eco-partners and software
developers’ support, this device capability can be scaled up and extended to corporate and enterprise use. Just recently, RSA, the EMC’s security division has just announced its famous SecurID Software Token application dedicated for iPhones’ users so that the mobile device can be used as a secured access point when there is a need to access corporate network while away from desks.


rsa-securid-big1-22

By launching and tapping on the SecurID software with the right token seed, users can rest assured to have a secure channel accessing the corporate network without physically need to be located in the office. Good thing is, users don’t have to worry about losing theirs iPhones since the SecurID tokens can be revoked easily for convenience of users and most importantly, it eliminates the hassle to carry along a hardware authenticator with only one-time generated password that can be used to access VPN, WLAN and other encrypted applications.

The SecurID Software Token application is already available in App Store for free download. However, as usual, the organization has to spend some budget to purchase the SecurID token seed besides the need to have the Authentication Manager installed in their system.

Looking for a smarter, more secure way to shop online with your credit card? The leading edge of eCommerce solutions, NetSecure Technologies has launched the SmartSwipe, which the company claims as the world’s first truly secure personal credit card reader keeps PC safe while shopping online, protecting credit card information from malicious software attacks and even providing proactive protection against phishing sites.


smartswipe

As what you see in the photo, SmartSwipe features a simple plug and play installation, just plug it into computer’s USB port and swipe your credit card exactly like you would at a shop while online shopping, without the need to manually enter credit card information (saving time).

“Until now, there hasn’t been an affordable and effective solution for consumers to securely protect their credit card data while shopping online,” commented Daniel McCann, President of NetSecure Technologies. “Hackers have extremely sophisticated methods of circumventing traditional internet security to steal your personal information right from your computer. SmartSwipe facilitates transactions that leave no trace of credit card data, guaranteeing your information remains secure.”

The innovative SmartSwipe personal credit card reader that compatible with most major credit card and credit/debit card combination including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover is now available for about $88 ($100 CAD).

Symantec has recently released its latest Norton AntiVirus 2010 beta which claimed to be the faster and providing most proactive protection against viruses, Trojans and worms that they have ever offered. The Norton Anti-Virus 2010 has been enhanced to offer superior performance, improved protection and tools to help preserve the performance of the PC. The Norton AntiVirus 2010 comes with some significant changes as compared to previous version which including supports for Windows 7 and upcoming operating systems from Microsoft.


NAV2010

Highlight key features of Norton Anti-Virus 2010 Beta:

* Scans only files and processes at risk using Norton Insight.
* Installs in under one minute on average, requires less than 8 MB of memory.
* Delivers up-to-the-minute protection with rapid pulse updates every 5 to 15 minutes.
* Provides multi layered security through the Norton Protection System.
* Prevents bots from taking control of your PC.
* Detects and automatically removes malicious threats.
* Defends against Web-based attacks.
* Automatically detects and removes spyware, viruses, Trojans, bots and Internet worms.
* Recovery tool boots and repairs badly infected PCs. Delivers our most complete, deep cleaning scan possible.
* Norton Ongoing Protection provides continuous protection updates and new product features as they become available throughout your product subscription period, helping to keep your computer protected against the latest Internet threats and risks.
* Norton Automatic Renewal Service helps to ensure that you’re protected by automatically renewing your product subscription before it expires.
* Automatically schedules scans and updates to occur while PC is idle.
* Review the security status of every process on your PC.
* Silent mode helps ensures movies and games are never interrupted.
* Maps your wireless home network.

The beta version of Norton AntiVirus 2010 is now available for download.

In addition to Kaspersky Internet Security 2010, Kaspersky has also released its new Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 which provide a range of new features and options for the users to enjoy a safe and secure Internet experience. The new Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 comes with several new improved features such as urgent detection system to stop fast emerging threats, restore correct system settings after malware removal, and integrated special game mode to suspend alerts, updates and scans while users play game. In addition, the new version also comes with Kaspersky Toolbar for Internet browsers which to make aware for users about infected or unsafe websites and next generation proactive protection from zero-day attacks and unknown threats. The new version Kaspersky Anti Virus is more effective at detecting malicious programs. It perform a range of tasks 40% faster than their predecessors on the Windows Vista operating system.




Specification of Kaspersky Antivirus 2010

> Protection from hijacking of your PC
> Self-protection from malware
> Real-time scanning of files, web pages and e-messages
> Basic identity theft protection
> Color-coding of links to unsafe websites
> Disabling of links to malicious websites
> Identity theft by key loggers and screen capture malware
> Botnets and various illegal methods of taking control of your PC
> Blocking of suspicious programs based on their behavior
> Regular and emergency updates for always-on protection
> Restore correct system settings after malware removal
> Burn a Rescue CD to restore your system in case of infection
> Remove activity traces in your Internet browser (history, cookies, etc.)
> Enter logins and passwords using secure Virtual Keyboard
> Improved secure Virtual Keyboard
> Special Game Mode to suspend alerts, updates and scans
> Scan system and installed applications for vulnerabilities
> Tune up your OS and Internet browser settings for better security
> Support Microsoft Windows XP/Vista operating system


The new Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 currently available via Kaspersky Lab website from the starting price of $39.95. Interested users can directly download the Kaspersky Anti Virus free trial setup installer by using links below.

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Free Trial Direct Download Links:

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Version 9.0.0.459 (English) : kav9.0.0.459en.exe

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Version 9.0.0.459 (French) : kav9.0.0.459fr.exe

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Version 9.0.0.459 (German) : kav9.0.0.459DE.exe

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Version 9.0.0.459(Italian) : kav9.0.0.459it.exe

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Version 9.0.0.459 (Spanish) : kav9.0.0.459es.exe