Tag: malware

Tech Time Warp: Hungarian hacker attempts to extort a job

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.

/ February 4, 2022
Tech Time Warp: Santy worm brings unwelcome gifts

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.

/ December 23, 2021
Tech Time Warp: Zeus, Ruler of Malware?

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...

/ July 30, 2021
Silver Sparrow malware comes home to roost in Macs

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...

/ March 8, 2021
Tech Time Warp: Torpig malware collects stolen financial data

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...

/ March 5, 2021
Tech Time Warp: The brothers behind the “Brain” PC virus

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.

/ January 1, 2021
Tech Time Warp: Regin malware opens eyes

Tech Time Warp: Regin malware opens eyes

One of the first Google results for “Regin malware” is from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. It’s a Nov. 25, 2014, alert about the malware, providing an overview of Regin’s multi-stage structure. The alert notes that the “sophisticated...

/ November 27, 2020
Email threat types: Malware

Email threat types: Malware

Email attacks often come in the form of a harmless-looking email with malware attached as a .zip file or embedded in an email attachment. This malware could install ransomware, spyware, and other damaging programs. Malware is short for ‘malicious software’ and...

/ October 5, 2020
Malware targeted Windows users in Q1 2020

Malware targeted Windows users in Q1 2020

A new security report released by AV-Test showed some startling, but not surprising, malware statistics. The key takeaway from the study: Computers that run Windows are most prone to attacks by hackers. The AV-Test report discovered that 114 million new pieces of...

/ September 3, 2020
Malware resurges with an advertising disguise

Malware resurges with an advertising disguise

Online advertisements can be irresistible. With a TV ad, you have to endure a 30-second spot pushing Corn Flakes or denture cream, whether you have any interest in those items or not. Online ads, however, are targeted to your interests....

/ July 24, 2019