Windows 7 is moving from Beta stage to RC (Release Cantidate) stage and it should be no surprise that the Release Candidate for Windows 7 will have quite a few changes, many under the hood so to speak but also many visible. So far they are mentioning about 36 changes on the MSDN Blog. I am really excited about Windows 7 , and I can’t wait to get my hands on the new build rumered to released the end of February. So hopefuly today is the day.
Microsoft released a patch to correct the “disable autorun registry key” enforcement. These features were not correctly disabled if you followed previously published guidance. Disabling autorun is important to help stop the spread of maliciouse code such as the conficker worm.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/967715
Be sure to visit Windows Update regularly to keep your computer secure.
A potential vulnerability has been identified in Adobe Flash Player 10.0.12.36 and earlier that could allow an attacker who successfully exploits this potential vulnerability to take control of the affected system. A malicious SWF must be loaded in Flash Player by the user for an attacker to exploit this potential vulnerability. Additional vulnerabilities have been addressed in this update. Adobe recommends users update to the most current version of Flash Player available for their platform.
Adobe recommends all users of Adobe Flash Player 10.0.12.36 and earlier versions upgrade to the newest version 10.0.22.87 by downloading it from the Player Download Center, or by using the auto-update mechanism within the product when prompted.
Hackers have discovered a new way of duping users onto fraudulent websites: fake parking tickets.
Cars in the US had traffic violation tickets placed on the windscreen, which then directed users to a website. The website claimed to have photos of the alleged parking violation, but then tricks users into downloading a virus. Anti-virus firm McAfee says the Vundo Trojan then gets users to install a fake anti-virus scanner.
Vehicles in Grand Forks, North Dakota, were the targets for this new type of fraud. Drivers found the following message on the yellow ticket on their windscreen: “PARKING VIOLATION This vehicle is in violation of standard parking regulations”. The ticket then instructed drivers to visit a website, where drivers could “view pictures with information about your parking preferences”.
According to internet security watchdog The SANS Institute, the website then had photos of cars in various car parks around Grand Forks and instructed users to download a tool bar to find photos of their own vehicle. But the tool bar was actually an executable file which installed a Trojan virus that then displayed a fake security alert when the PC was rebooted. The fake alert then prompted the user to install fake anti-virus software.
Source: BBC News
Microsoft Corp. announced a partnership with technology industry leaders and academia to implement a coordinated, global response to the Conficker (aka Downadup) worm. Together with security researchers, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and operators within the Domain Name System, Microsoft coordinated a response designed to disable domains targeted by Conficker. Microsoft also announced a $250,000 reward for information that results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for illegally launching the Conficker malicious code on the Internet.
