Tag: malware
Tech Time Warp: Computer users smell a RAT
The tech acronym “RAT” has two meanings: “remote administration tool,” or the software your friendly network administrator uses to install software or troubleshoot your computer issues, and “remote access trojan,” or the malware a nefarious individual uses to wreak havoc...
Tech Time Warp: The Love Bug Bites
One might say more than 3 million computer users had a bad date on May 4, 2000. In this week’s edition of Tech Time Warp, we’re going back to the day those users downloaded the ILOVEYOU virus, a Visual Basic...
MSPs are now defending businesses during a global cyberwar
In the past week managed service providers (MSPs) have probably had some of the most meaningful conversations about cybersecurity in recent memory. Organizations of all sizes now implicitly realize how easily they might be affected as all sides in the...
Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: “Wiper” malware emerges amid Russia-Ukraine conflict
Amid the escalating geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine, multiple Ukrainian organizations have fallen victim to a destructive “wiper” malware operation that damages a system’s master boot record (MBR) and destroys the contents of targeted files. These attacks are ongoing,...
Tech Time Warp: Hungarian hacker attempts to extort a job
Most people seeking employment dust off their resumes, respond to listings on Indeed, and wait to be called in for interviews. But, the subject of this week’s Tech Time warp, the Hungarian hacker Attila Nemeth, took a more colorful approach.
Tech Time Warp: Santy worm brings unwelcome gifts
Network administrators had to deal with an unfriendly visitor during the 2004 holiday season: the Santy worm. Written in Perl, this malware targeted servers that hosted online bulletin boards running on the free phpBB software.
Tech Time Warp: Zeus, Ruler of Malware?
The Zeus malware, like its Greek god namesake, is a powerful and virile Trojan malware. Since it first surfaced in July 2007 in an attack on the U.S. Department of Transportation, Zeus, aka Zbot, and its variants have wreaked havoc on the...
Silver Sparrow malware comes home to roost in Macs
Something unusual has made news recently: Mac malware. The usually highly fortified – and pricier – Mac OS is much less prone to malware intrusions. But the discovery of Silver Sparrow malware, a malware that runs on both Intel and...
Tech Time Warp: Torpig malware collects stolen financial data
Once upon a time, you could avoid malware by staying away from “seedy” websites. But the Torpig botnet—aka Sinowal, aka Mebroot—proved that even reputable business websites could be compromised and refer traffic to malicious download sites. First spotted in late...
Tech Time Warp: The brothers behind the “Brain” PC virus
Over the years, the motives for malware creation have ranged from simple curiosity to monetary gain. In the case of the Alvi brothers from Pakistan, it was revenge, dished up on a floppy disk.