Photo: Facebook

Facebook has gone through many attempts in the past to increase the security on its social networking website, but according to research from BitDefender, an internet security firm, the site is still riddled with Trojan horses, keylogs and other forms of malware. These viruses are usually found in malicious links and other third-part applications.

BitDefender’s finds

BitDefender’s Facebook security and privacy application recently released data showing that about 20 per cent of around 14,000 users who installed the application became victims of various types of malware. Further research showed that roughly 60 per cent of malicious viruses came from applications, such as games and quizzes, which look innocent enough but secretly contain hidden malware.

The majority of viruses come from applications promising to perform functions that Facebook normally cannot do, such as changing the background on a profile or utilising a ‘Dislike button’, as well as offering extra bonuses to Facebook activities such as Farmville or Mafia Wars.

How it works

Once installed onto the user’s computer, the malware then attaches itself to the user’s and other friend’s walls, or sends itself to other profiles in the form of a message, encouraging others to download and install the application.

Dan Wire, spokesperson for BitDefender, also warned against worms, which spread themselves in the form of a tempting message promising bonuses and fun utilities. He also stressed that these statistics do not reflect Facebook as a whole.

‘We stipulated that we were talking about 20 per cent of the Safego users, not [20 per cent] of all Facebook users,’ he explained.

Upgrade your software

If you use Facebook regularly, it is vital to upgrade your anti-virus software and make sure that it is running smoothly, as Facebook and other popular social networking sites have become a breeding ground for destructive, downloadable viruses. Otherwise, to be extra cautious, using Safego will allow the program to scan your wall, inbox and comments for links, pictures and videos that could cause damage.

The Internet is a powerful and wonderful tool, yet many people feel that making use of it exposes their persona to the constant threat of scrutiny and theft by hackers. Most of these fears are compounded by widely held myths, while on the other hand, some users tend to feel the complete opposite – that virus and anti-spyware software has their ‘personal assets’ fully protected.  In reality, both views are slightly exaggerated.

Myth 1: Hacking

Some people believe that hackers tend to be teenagers, who are simply snooping around aimlessly, and have no specific interest in specific personal information. In fact, hackers tend to be very inquisitive, and often destructive people. An example of this is the recent defacement of China’s Baidu site by Twitter hackers.

Learning the weakness of computer systems’ design and protocol, and exploiting it is seen as challenge and a test of their skills. Furthermore, accumulation of persona to further enable their access to computer networks and systems is a necessary follow-on of such tactics. This your information may not at some stage be more useful to them in a monetary sense – the purchases they make from your credit card may primarily be used to finance their hacking activities.

Additionally, hackers have simplified this process through the development of hacking tools anyone can use. You no longer need specific technical knowledge to hack into computer networks. The best preventive measures you can take is to secure your files, and email accounts with unique passwords (not one for all of them!). Try make these passwords difficult to guess/decipher by staying away from personnel monikers such as your, date of birth, nickname, etc. Chances are if they are genuinely interested in gaining access to your account they will have done some research on you.

Myth 2: Virus software protects me completely

Contrary to popular belief, anti-virus software does not automatically mean your computer is secure from viruses, unwanted access and undesirable programs. Even the best virus protection software is still only a precautionary measure which offers support to your PC’s security. Daily, many new viruses are developed to try exploit weaknesses in your operating system, or software environment. Mac users note that the latest version of Mac OS is Unix-based, an environment long understood by experienced hackers. Updating regularly and maintaining some control to the access of your computer is paramount. This can be simple if you are mindful of file sharing, whether through a flash drive, network, or email account.

No computer system, whether it be a home computer or office network, is completely safe from the hazards of the information age. Privacy has become less personal and more public with the advent of the internet. The best advice is to be pro-active in your usage of the information superhighway. Keep what is personal safe and secure your assets by using a combination of preventative measures.

The Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 is enhanced software that has been designed for the protection of internet on computers, palmtops, tablet PCs and notebook PCs. With this security software comes a license key for a defined tenure post which it will be of no use. The tenure served by the key will be a worthy one as breaching the internet firewall will be next to impossible. The key can be used on 3 distinct computers which will form a virtual envelope over their respective internet systems. The software offers high end security for internet platforms and blocks malicious perpetrators like Trojans and other viruses. Any threat to the internet platform will be proactively tackled by the Kaspersky Internet Security 2009. It also restricts access of unknown applications and blocks their entry into system supplies.

If you have a chain of computers and are operating a business, then having the Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 on board is imperative. Every copy of this software will cover three of your computers so this way, you can also save a lot on costs. You can guarantee the safe running of your internet platform by installing the Kaspersky Internet Security 2009. Spending a paltry amount of money and assuring the security of such a vital part of your business will be a very wise investment. Once installed on your computers, you and your allies can simply relax and carry on with work without worrying about security issues and cyber trespassing. You will be able to divert more attention and energy towards work.

Tags for this article: internet, security, kaspersky

Protegent 360 is an all new mighty security pack for laptops that has been launched by Unistal Systems Pvt. Ltd. It is empowered by effectively combining the company’s two indigenous products, namely the Locate Laptop and Port Locker, along with the BitDefender Internet Security 2009 pack. Unistal claims that this security software is the most advanced and powerful security tool for laptops to date. Let’s have a look at the different technologies used in making Protegent 360.

The Locate Laptop is capable of tracking the laptop user. This proves to be very beneficial for business organisations. For instance, an employee is travelling and as soon as he/she logs onto the World Wide Web, the Locate Laptop component will generate an automatic report regarding the whereabouts of the employee for the designated personnel in the organization. The employee, however, will be unaware of this activity and the task will be kept completely private. Port Locker, on the other hand is meant for preventing data theft, stealing information and file leakage. It blocks the vital ports when the laptop is idle or performing any scheduled operations. This way any type of data transfer is forbidden for unauthorized users. The authorized users have to give a password in order to access the information. The tools, so far, are obviously far more comprehensive than your typical security software, like the Kapersky Internet Security 2009 edition. Furthermore, BitDefender Internet Security 2009, the final component of the Protegent 360, provides security against viruses, hackers & spam. Apart from this, it is also useful for imposing parental controls and configuring firewalls on the laptop.

In case the laptop is stolen the user has to report to the Unistal’s emergency response team or else login to their Personal Tracking and Monitoring Page to report the issue. Afterwards the WebSniff technology is activated and as soon as the offender connects to the internet he/she is traced.