How much does security software slow down your PC?
One of the main complaints that people express about security software is that it harms the performance of their PC. But how much of an effect does it really have?
Independent testing organization AV-Comparatives has conducted a test of 20 leading security products for Windows to assess their impact. Tests were performed on a 64-bit Intel Core i5 machine with Windows 8.1.
Arguably the best Anti-Virus for Windows is giving pirates a chance to turn into legit users for free
For years companies have been battling with vicious groups to prevent them from “cracking” their products and services and use them for free. Microsoft, for instance, has implemented several measures including product activation, to make it harder than ever to crack the Windows operating system versions and its Office suite. Several game companies have devised systems where, until a user connects and verifies the game title by them, it won’t play. But in a world where everyone is trying to crack down on piracy, a company is embracing it and giving pirates a chance to turn into legit users.
Security firm Malwarebytes announces Amnesty program, under which it is allowing users to enter the license keys they gleaned for cheap from shady dealers, or simply illegally obtained it from somewhere, and issuing them with a new serial key. The new license key in question will be unique to the user, the company says, and it will offer a 12-month subscription to the premium (paid) version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware security suite.
Security firm Kaspersky Lab hacked by a 'nation state'
Security firms are supposed to keep us safe from threats like malware and hacker attacks, but occasionally they fall foul of the bad guys too. A year ago Avast was hacked, and some 400,000 user details were stolen. Two years ago, AVG and Avira had their websites taken over by pro-Palestinian hackers.
The latest security firm to be hacked is Russian anti-virus software maker Kaspersky Lab.
MRG Effitas releases latest Online Banking Browser Security report
Security research company MRG Effitas has released its Q4 2014 Online Banking Browser Security report, awarding certification to the top four products: Kaspersky Internet Security, Quarri POQ, Webroot SecureAnywhere and Zemana Antilogger.
MRG also tested security suites from 14 other vendors: avast!, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender, ESET, F-Secure, G Data, McAfee, Microsoft, Norton, Panda, Trend Micro, VIPRE and Wontok.
Yet more aggressive Android adware found on Google Play
Google Play is supposed to be the safe place to download Android apps from, but that’s increasingly not the case. Three weeks ago security firm Avast detailed how it had found three popular Android apps riddled with Adware in Google’s store.
Today Bitdefender reports that it has found ten Google Play apps that are packed with aggressive adware that can do all sorts of nasty things.
New and nastier Android ransomware uses unique keys to lock data
The Simplocker ransomware targeting Android systems first appeared in mid 2014. Prior to Simplocker most ransomware only claimed to encrypt files but didn't actually do so.
Fortunately files locked by the malware were fairly easy to decrypt, but now researchers at antivirus company Avast have uncovered a new version of Simplocker with an even nastier trick.
Google fails to spot adware-riddled Android apps in Play store
If you want to steer clear of malware on Android, just stick to Google Play. I am sure you have heard this line before. And it makes sense, if you think about it, as Google subjects apps to security checks prior to approving them. So, it makes sense to hand out that piece of advice whenever new Android malware is discovered in the wild. But what if the malicious bits are found in Google Play itself? A change of tune is in order.
Security firm Avast details how three popular, seemingly harmless Android apps -- but, riddled with adware -- have been tricking users into visiting unwanted sites, installing other apps, to fix different non-existent issues, like fake malware infections, porn-filled storage (though, I have to say, it is far from an unlikely scenario, in some cases) and so on.
Badly secured routers leave 79 percent of US home networks at risk of attack
As many as four out of five internet-connected households in the US could be at risk of attack through their wireless router.
This is among the findings of a study by security specialist Avast which found that more than half of all home routers are poorly protected using default or easily hacked password combinations such as admin/admin or admin/password.
Protecting your PC is like defending a castle
Most people are aware that they need to have some form of protection on their PC if it's attached to the internet. Yet it seems that a lot of users still don't know how to properly protect themselves.
Many believe that the security software that comes with their PC is enough to protect them. Security company Check Point ZoneAlarm has released an infographic which shows that 71 percent don’t have both a firewall and antivirus solution on their PCs.
The best tools for removing malware 2014
Independent testing organization AV-Comparatives has released the results of its latest Real World Protection and File Detection tests showing which security products perform best at dealing with malware.
The Real World Protection test results are based on over 600 live threats including drive-by downloads, malicious URLs, and infected email attachments. 22 products were tested and rated against the 'out of the box' protection provided by Windows (80.4 percent).
Is your partner spying on you?
Google knows a lot about you, and the government may be snooping on your activities, but it's your significant other who may well be the one spying on you the most, according to a new survey by security firm Avast.
The company surveyed 13,132 adults in the United States and found that one in four women and one in five men regularly checked their partner's smartphone. Most of the women were doing so purely to be nosy, but a quarter of married women admitted to looking for evidence of infidelity.
Clean up after over 30 antivirus tools with Antivirus Remover
Antivirus software installations are often complex, involving many low-level alterations to your PC and its settings. Sometimes they don’t work as they should -- or the regular uninstaller fails to remove them completely -- and this can leave you with all kinds of frustrating problems and system instabilities.
Security vendors often have stand-alone tools to properly remove and clean up after their products. A quick web search should point you in the right direction, but if you’re regularly cleaning up other people’s PCs then the free Antivirus Remover could save you a little time.
How effective is security software at blocking exploits?
Much of the malware in circulation now focuses on using exploits in popular applications such as browsers and office packages in order to remotely execute code. Security suites and specialized anti-exploit tools are aimed at blocking these but how well do they work?
A new study by testing lab PCSL commissioned by Malwarebytes has set out to find the answer. It looks at the exploit mitigation capabilities of 12 different products: Avast Internet Security, AVG Internet Security, Bitdefender Internet Security, Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit from Microsoft, ESET Smart Security, HitmanPro.Alert3, Kaspersky Internet Security, Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Premium, McAfee Internet Security, Norton Internet Security, Panda Internet Security and Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security.
Cleaning up after viruses -- which antivirus solutions are best?
In an ideal world there wouldn't be any viruses at all but, since there are, the next best scenario is to have an antivirus program to protect you. But what happens once it's too late? If you get a virus infection how good are antivirus and clean up tools at repairing your system?
Independent testing organization AV-TEST set out to resolve this question with a comprehensive 10-month test using 17 different software packages.
Selling a smartphone? Here's how to securely wipe your personal data
As a test, Avast purchased 20 used and supposedly wiped Android phones and discovered that it was able to recover vast amounts of personal user data. My colleague Brian Fagioli reported the story here.
Google responded to the news, stating "This research looks to be based on old devices and versions (pre-Android 3.0) and does not reflect the security protections in Android versions that are used by the vast majority of users". It went on to offer users advice on how to make sure when selling an old mobile phone you aren’t also gifting your personal data to buyers.
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