Xtra Reporters

Computer Protection First line of defense for your PC Our advanced antivirus scans for, removes and flat-out stops viruses, ransomware, spyware, rootkits, Trojans, and other nasty malware — and because it all happens in real time, we can catch threats before they reach you. We secure your USB and DVD drives just as quickly, too. Our favorite bit? It updates your security automatically, and uses advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and real-time analysis to help stop even the newest threats from getting near you. Advanced Antivirus Thoroughly scans every corner of your computer (and any drives connected to it) in real-time for viruses, ransomware, spyware, worms, Trojans, rootkits, and other malware. You can even schedule whole-computer scans for those times you won't even be at your computer. AI Detection Uses advanced artificial intelligence on your computer to proactively identify malware samples that haven't yet been catalogued by our ThreatLabs team. PUA Scanner Scans for ...

Create strong, best password and remember it Creating strong password may be easy, but remembering it may be difficult. Short guide on how to create strong, best password and remember it. Creating strong password A strong password should at least contain: 8 characters Upper and lower cases Digit Symbol Examples of strong passwords W17h@u7! M3@5ur3! Pa55w@rd! Creating best password Best password should be Easy to remember. Very difficulty for any one to guess. Difference between strong password and best password Strong password is normally needed by the system or application. Best password is needed by the user for easy remembrance. How to remember password The best way to remember password is to use a word or phrase that you will not forget. Such words are considered prune to attack. Reason is that we normally use our pet name, phone number, date of bird, wife or husband names. Make your favorite word strong password Substitution method Change some characters from alphabets to digits o...

Massive Wave of Ransom DDoS Threats Sweeps Globe A cyber-criminal group calling themselves the Phantom Squad has mounted a global extortion campaign, threatening thousands of companies with DDoS if they don’t pay a ransom demand. A widespread wave of spam targeting companies throughout the US, Europe and Asia was spotted by security researcher Derrick Farmer on September 19, with the messages demanding a payment of around $750 (i.e., 0.2 Bitcoin). The extortionists promise to launch attacks on September 30 unless the demands are met. Radware researchers, in an alert on the campaign, noted that ransom was the No. 1 motivation last year behind cyber-attacks; in the company’s 2016-2017 Global Application & Network Security Report, half of respondent organizations were subject to this type of extortion threat. And, in parallel to the ransomware plague, Radware said that it has witnessed an emerging trend of hackers (and copycats) who extort organizations by posing an imminent threat of...

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Insider Threats Organizations must balance the need to access information for conducting business with protecting this information from unauthorized misuse by trusted personnel. Unauthorized access to sensitive information is routinely considered as an external threat, yet surveys such as the one conducted by Symantec in late 2010 have found that the most serious security breaches are caused by trusted employees (insiders) with authorized system access. There is no simple checklist for identifying a potential insider threat, but there are some definite signs to look for, including the open threat from disgruntled employees, indicators in background checks, and an employees’ ideology. This article will address how new privacy laws are impacting the realm of insider threats, how these threats are affecting organizations in today’s rapidly changing landscape, and ways that an enterprise organization can effectively address the growing insider threat challen...

World’s Most Advanced Hackers are in Russia and Eastern Europe As MD for international markets, LogRhythm’s Ross Brewer is well versed in the latest geographical trends and targets. “Germany is a big target at the moment”, he once said. “It is a manufacturing country with amazing IP. It’s a country conscious of monitoring its population too much with a focus on employee privacy, and this is not lost on the hacking community.” German IP is therefore a target and tends to end up in Asia, according to Brewer. As an emerging market, the Middle East positioning itself as ‘the destination’ is also a target, Brewer said. “The biggest threat to Europe comes from Eastern countries where the most experienced, most capable hackers are. The most advanced hackers on the planet reside in Russia and Eastern Europe.” Threats from Asia tend to be less stealthy, however, Brewer declared. “So whilst the most obvious threat comes from Asia, the most real threat comes from East Europe.” LogRhythm’s Brewer ...

Cybersecurity, AI, IoT All Major Drivers of the Internet's Future There are many forces that are shaping the future of the internet today, from artificial intelligence (AI) and cyberthreats to the internet of things (IoT) and the rising role of government—all of which impact key areas, including digital divides, personal freedoms and rights, as well as media and society. The internet Society (ISOC)’s 2017 Global internet Report found for example that AI and IoT, for all of their benefits to people’s personal and work lives, could result in a “surveillance society.” Therefore, ethical considerations should steer technology development and guide its use. The survey also found wide-ranging fears that there are significant forces at work that may undermine the promise of the internet for future generations. For example, many believe that internet freedom will continue to decline around the world due to widespread surveillance, internet shutdowns and content regulation. At the same time...

Privacy and Security in the Internet Age IN LIGHT OF 2014’s unsettling string of data breaches and cyber-attacks, the Obama Administration is ramping up efforts to strengthen America’s cybersecurity and make it more difficult for hackers to damage our businesses, hurt our economy and threaten our freedom to information. On Tuesday, President Obama is expected to speak about cybersecurity in his State of the Union Address. Adopted by more than 2.5 billion people in the first 20 years of its existence, the Internet permeates through every aspect of our corporate, personal and government lives. The Internet is easily one of the most democratic and disruptive inventions of the last century; it is the epitome of free speech. Only two decades old, the Internet was unchartered legal territory, lacking firm regulatory standards and protection by international law. Further, the unprecedented demand for mobile devices (more people in the world have access to cell phones than toilets, according t...

Internet spyware useful or computer virus? While the internet is a great tool for research, or for just keeping in touch with e-mail or looking for a perfect gift. There is an annoying problem that is becoming increasingly dangerous for your computer. While everyone understands what a computer virus does, many people are still relatively unaware of the problem that is Spyware. This article will help you to determine if internet spyware is useful or it is a computer virus? Spyware Spyware is another word for Advertising Supported software (Adware). There are several large media companies that place banner ads and pop-ups on certain web pages.  Exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales is benefit. While the banner placement may be a great concept, the downside is that the advertising companies also install tracking software on your system, which is continuously “calling home” and using your Internet connection to report on everything on your computer and everywhere you ...

Credit card and paypal account, how people reveal sensitive information Phishing Phishing is a very sneaky type of fraud conducted over the Internet. Its name is from early days of hacking and identity theft and the practice of phone phreaking. While there can be very complicated schemes devised, they are all based on a very simple concept. Credit card and paypal account, how people reveal sensitive information is usually through phishing. Social engineering Phishers try to persuade you, or trick you into giving them sensitive information (social engineering). They can then use to make money out of the system. For example, one very attractive target for phishers would be your paypal account. Paypal is an online payment system. It allows you to put money in your account with your credit or debit card. Basically the money can be use for purchase or send to other people’s paypal accounts. It is very simple, cheap and fast. It's very popular for online shoppers as they do not have to g...

SoftAmbulance Partition Doctor, Safer Way to Recover Damaged Partitions Repairing damaged partitions Repairing damaged partitions on is a risky business. Even if you use the best toolkit and are absolutely sure in what you are doing, you are still risking your files shall something go wrong. Changes made to the damaged partition are irreversible; it is just too easy to overwrite an important system structure that holds vital information about your disk, files and data. Bottom line: it’s good to backup before performing data recovery. But is this really the best way to do it? Is this the safer way to recover damaged partitions Different approaches to do data recovery There is a different approach to do data recovery that is even safer. No need to backup and restore during the recovery. Instead of making a backup copy of corrupted data, you can simply take a binary snapshot of the partition being repaired, different settings can be used many times as you need on the snapshot instead of t...

How to check your android phone for malicious apps Android malware, ransomware, hacking, phishing, cyber attack is on the rise. Here is how to prevent your phone from hackers. Hackers no longer find it difficult to have their malicious app on Google Play Store. Google's new tool makes it easy to quickly verify you haven't installed a suspicious app. Google Play Protect is the company's newest tool aimed at helping Android users stay clear of any suspicious apps. The service constantly scans your Android phone or tablet and will alert you if there's an issue. Keep in mind, Play Protect is designed to scan and identify bad apps in the Play Store, not from third-party websites that host apps. The easiest way to keep your device safe is to install apps from the Play Store, and the Play Store alone. There are a few different ways to check if an app is Play Protect approved. View recent scan details To view the current scan status and make sure Play Protect is enabled go to S...

How to secure my phone, how to prevent phone from being hack, is my phone hacked, my phone is being track, how to prevent phone track are some of the questions being asked by phone users. Here are some steps to take to secure your phone. Though there are advanced ways to secure your phone which will be discussed later. Change your phone's passcode often The first line of defense against people attempting to view or steal your data is a strong and constantly changing passcode. Make sure that you substantially change the passcode each time you change it--don't just change one number. On most phones, you can set a "complex" or "advanced" password that includes letters and symbols in addition to the typical numerical characters. Use Touch ID if possible While you'll still need to have your passcode for your phone's lock screen, you should use Touch ID on any supported devices to pay for items and any other available services. As a general rule, cutting d...

How to secure password How to secure password, password security tips, password security best practices, how secure is my password, how to secure facebook, gmail, twitter, website accounts password and many more are a daily routine questions asked by internet users due to the rising challenges of internet security. Here are safety tips for keeping your password away from hackers. Create complex passwords You may like:  HOW TO STOP HACKERS FROM HACKING MY WIFI Your passwords to access your accounts on apps or websites should consist of a combination of numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, and special characters that is difficult to guess. Don't use the same password for more than one website or account. This limits the damage to you if a hacker happens to crack one of your passwords. Use a password manager Password managers store and auto-fill your credentials for different sites, allowing you to create a complex and unique password for each site without havin...

Companies are starting to hire more hackers to help with their security programs. I understand hackers come with a skill set that could prove useful, is it a good idea? What are the pros and cons to this strategy? And is there really such a thing as ethical hackers? If someone broke into your home and stole your precious jewelry, would you hire him years later to safeguard your home, or buy jewelry from him? Probably the most celebrated hacker-turned-security professional is Kevin Mitnick. He is best known for his high-profile 1995 arrest for various computer and communications-related crimes. Since 2000, Mitnick has been a paid security consultant, public speaker and author. He does security consulting for Fortune 500 companies and the FBI, performs penetration testing services for the world's largest companies, and teaches social engineering classes to dozens of companies and government agencies. One could say he is reformed and contributes to the fight against unlawful hacking a...

Linux, Android Malware Recent Threats Linux computers and android devices are among the fastest growing targets of malware. Over the past few years, anecdotal evidence has suggested that security threats to Linux devices are on the rise. Last fall’s Mirai botnet attacks, which turned thousands of Linux devices into a zombie army used to attack infrastructure via Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), were particularly effective in waking up the Linux community. Now, we’re seeing quantitative statistics to support the Linux malware trend. On the heels of a WikiLeaks release detailing the CIA’s OutlawCountry and Gyrfalcon hacking tools aimed at Linux, both AV-Test and WatchGuard have released reports claiming that Linux computers are among the fastest growing targets of malware over the past year and a half.  You may like:  HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER FROM VIRUS 2017 According to AV-Test, MacOS computers saw the largest increase in malware targeting in 2016 with a 370 percent in...

Being scary of having direct access to your computer was enough to keep you safe in centuries back, but today its far beyond that. Having the right tools may not be enough to keep you safe from computer virus especially in this 2017 but in combination with doing the right thing will keep. Let’s take a look at eight additional ways you can protect yourself from viruses and malware: 1. Keep your software up to date Software makers like Microsoft and Oracle routinely update their software to fix bugs that could potentially be exploited by hackers. Oracle just released on Sunday an update to its Java software to fix a security hole hackers could have used to infect computers with malware. The software patch came after the Department of Homeland Security sent out an advisory late last week about the security flaw recommending computer users disable the Java plug-in in their Web browsers. 2. Don’t click on links within emails A good rule of thumb is if you don’t recognize a sender of an emai...

You can’t lock down all the things all the time, it’s the digital equivalent of hiding in a bunker. Build a personal protection plan that makes sense for you. Look in the Mirror Start your security assessment with what’s known as a threat-modeling exercise. Ask yourself what you want to protect and from whom, and estimate the likelihood that the specific parties would compromise your data. Plug the high-risk holes first. Everything else, you can sweat a little less. Master Your Passwords A good password manager generates, stores, and updates all your passwords with a button press. The actual passwords are encrypted and accessible solely by you, but the system is only as good as your master password. Use a key generated by the Diceware method, which randomly selects words to build a complex but easy-to-remember phrase. Ditch Touch ID It’s a neat way to quickly unlock your phone, but your fingerprint sensor is also one of the easier ways for someone to access your device. Think of it thi...

A latest report suggests that hackers try sending malicious mails to nuclear engineers for hacking in to their IT systems. There’s a lot of hustle in the world of computers these days as malware attacks have been on the rise and have caused mayhem on a global scale. WannaCry shook the world with its widespread infection capabilities as it was based on leaked NSA tools. The concerns regarding such malicious IT attacks have now escalated to another level as reports have claimed that hackers have been trying to infect nuclear plants in the US. A report from federal law enforcement officials has confirmed that hackers have been trying to breach networks of companies that operate nuclear power plants in the United States. The Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation, with their plant in Kansas, was one of the companies claimed to have been a target of the malware attack according to a report by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. The hackers tried the same old way of spreading ...

Kaspersky Lab researcher Vitaly Kamluk has released the source code of Bitscout, a compact and customizable tool designed for remote digital forensics operations. Bitscout, which is not an official Kaspersky product, initially started as a hobby project a few years ago, and it has been continually improved based on the requirements that arose in Kaspersky investigations involving digital forensics. Bitscout 2.0 – version 1.0 was never released to the public – enables forensic investigators to remotely analyze a system, while allowing the system’s owner to monitor the expert’s activities and ensure that their access is limited to the targeted disks. The tool can be useful to researchers, law enforcement cybercrime units, and educational institutions. The owner of the system on which forensic analysis will be conducted is provided an image file that they must burn onto a removable storage drive. The system is then booted from this drive and the investigator connects remotely to Bitscout ...

Android malware CopyCat  infected 14 million outdated devices The virus made millions by infecting millions of phones with fake apps to churn out fraudulent ad revenue. This CopyCat's got claws. A new strain of a malware called CopyCat has infected more than 14 million Android devices around the world, rooting phones and hijacking apps to make millions in fraudulent ad revenue, researchers at Check Point said Thursday. While the majority of victims are in Asia, more than 280,000 Android devices in the US were hit by the massive hack. Google had been tracking the malware for the last two years and has updated Play Protect to block CopyCat, but millions of victims are getting hit through third-party app downloads and phishing attacks. There was no evidence that CopyCat was distributed on Google Play, according to Check Point. "Play Protect secures users from the family, and any apps that may have been infected with CopyCat were not distributed via Play," Google said in a st...

Britain's Parliament has been hit by a new wave of cyber attack after hackers attempted to trick lawmakers into revealing their passwords, prompting officials to warn MPs and their aides to guard against such threats. Politicians have been warned that hackers were posing as parliamentary officials asking for their passwords. "This afternoon we've heard reports of parliamentary users being telephoned and asked for their parliamentary username and password," a message sent to MPs and staff earlier this week warned. "The caller is informing users that they have been employed by the digital service to help with thecyberattack. These calls are not from the digital service. We will never ask you for your password." According to 'The Sunday Telegraph', parliamentary officials have said that hackers are still attempting to gain access after a "sustained" assault last week lasted for more than 12 hours as unknown hackers repeatedly targeted "we...

A bug in Linux’s systemd init system causes root permissions to be given to services associated with invalid usernames, and while this could pose a security risk, exploitation is not an easy task. A developer who uses the online moniker “mapleray” last week discovered a problem related to systemd unit files, the configuration files used to describe resources and their behavior. Mapleray noticed that a systemd unit file containing an invalid username – one that starts with a digit (e.g. “0day”) – will initiate the targeted process with root privileges instead of regular user privileges. Systemd is designed not to allow usernames that start with a numeric character, but Red Hat, CentOS and other Linux distributions do allow such usernames. “It's systemd's parsing of the User= parameter that determines the naming doesn't follow a set of conventions, and decides to fall back to its default value, root,” explained developer Mattias Geniar. While this sounds like it could be leve...

The increasing amount of data we’re all generating is everywhere: in smartphones, laptops, thumb drives, and dozens of online services. How can we secure all of them against unwarranted access? We virtually can’t. Smartphones get stolen, thumb drives get lost, email passwords get brute-forced, cloud servers get breached, unwary users get phished, WiFi networks get tapped, and eventually, malicious users obtain access to your data. So how do you protect your data against unwelcome parties? You encrypt it. In case you don’t know it, encryption is the science of modifying data to prevent intruders from making sense of it. When you encrypt your data, only you and anyone else holding the decryption keys will be able to unlock and read it. This means that even if an attacker gains access to your data by breaking into a server or stealing your hard drive, they won’t be able to make sense of it if they don’t have the keys. As I’ve argued before, encryption is your last line of defense, the on...

NordVPN, a popular virtual private network provider, has launched CyberSec, a new security feature as part of the NordVPN 6.4.5.0 client update. CyberSec is a new security component of the official NordVPN client designed to block malware, intrusive advertisement, and other threats. Customers of NordVPN who upgrade the client to the latest version will receive a popup when they run the client after update installation that informs them about the new CyberSec feature. Introducing CyberSec ! From now on, NordVPN gives comprehensive protection from intrusive ads, malware, phishing attempts, DDoS attacks and other threats. CyberSec can best be described as a mechanism to control traffic. It resembles a content blocker but with the difference that it runs on the system level, and not as a browser extension. It is not the first feature of its kind; Private Internet Access’ client for instance ships with a similar feature called MACE for some time now. So what does it do? Blocks advertisement...