McAfee offers free detection for massive DNSChanger Trojan scheduled to hit tomorrow

Thousands of Internet users worldwide could lose access to websites, email, chat and social networking tomorrow after the FBI shuts down temporary servers that were used to replace fraudulent servers operated by hackers.

This blackout will affect all systems infected with the DNSChanger Trojan, a malware program created to redirect the Internet traffic of unsuspecting consumers to websites from which these cybercriminals could profit.

Most users who are affected by the trojan should have long ago been alerted by their Internet Service Providers that they need to correct their DNS settings and remove the rootkit infection that is responsible. 

McAfee announced the release of free tools to help consumers check to see if their computers have been infected by the Trojan, and to help them modify and restore their Internet settings if they test positive. Consumers can simply visit www.mcafee.com/dnscheck and click a button to run a check. Take a look at this blog post from Robert Siciliano, Online Security and Safety Evangelist to McAfee, for more information:

http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/family-safety/on-july-9th-millions-may-lose-access-to-internet

Source- McAfee Canada

McAfee: One in every six PCs are not protected

McAfee announced the results of a global study that set out to determine the percentage of personal computer owners without any working security software and protection.Out of the 24 participating countries, Canada was ranked as the 7th least protected country. 

Key findings from the study include:

- Eighty-three (83) per cent of global PC owners have working basic security protection

- Seventeen (17) per cent of PCs scanned had no anti-virus installed or it was expired

- Canada is the 7th least protected country, with 17.9 per cent of consumers browsing the Internet without any protection. Of this group of users, 9.48 per cent of consumers have no protection installed, and 8.45 per cent of consumers have installed but disabled security, placing the country in the number two spot for this category behind Singapore.

The full results of the study can be found here.

Video: 60 Minutes covers the dangerous effects of Stuxnet virus

Stuxnet is a virus that compromises critical hardware in nuclear power plants like the centifruge that maintains the balance of uranium. When deployed, Stuxnet can result in industrial sabotage and millions of dollars in losses. 60 minutes explored this particularly nasty form of malware and its implications.

McAfee: Android OS primary target for malware

Photo from http://www.inquisitr.com

This is something that security software companies have been telling us for some time now, that the open nature of Google's mobile Android OS is making it an easy target for malware. McAfee confirmed as much in its latest report.

The report stated that the amount of malware targeted at Android devices jumped nearly 37 percent since last quarter, and puts 2011 on track to be the busiest in mobile and general malware history.  Nearly all new mobile malware in Q3 was targeted at Android.

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