Ransomware has already caused businesses real trouble this year and recently, security firms have warned about a sudden surge in junk mail messages containing this kind of malware. It seems that organized criminals are now increasingly targeting businesses, which can offer them bigger returns than going after individuals.
The first wave of ransomware started in 2005 and was called Trojan.Gpcoder. Now the security industry (and many unfortunate users) are discovering new variants almost every day. For example, a strain called Locky, discovered only two weeks ago is now the second most prevalent form. Currently, it asks for three Bitcoins (about £885) as payment for the decryption key.

According to the FBI, the CyrptoWall strain stole more the $18 million between April 2014 - 2015, and its is recommending that it is easier to pay than fight. So if, heavy weight organizations of that level won’t fight back, are all businesses at the mercy of ransomware? Or is there something your business can do to mitigate the effects?
Predict the Unpredictable
The security industry is constantly creating new ways to protect our data and detect threats, however, for now it seems that the bad guys are always one step ahead. As such, a more rounded approach to security is required. The natural, knee-jerk reaction when your data comes under attack is to beef up security, but this is hard to do effectively. It just takes one user to get duped into installing some new code and your whole network can be compromised.
Added security might provide your business with better protection from ransomware getting into your systems to start with, however once it is in, what are you going to do? Is your only choice to lose all of your data or pay?
A Fence Isn’t the Only Answer
Think about it this way, if you consider computer security as a fence around your valuable data, it is still vulnerable to the same things as a real fence -- brute force attacks, or breaches going under or over it, not to mention users forgetting to lock the gate, or just holding it wide open for the bad guy to walk in. User actions are still the biggest risk, no matter how good your fence or security strategy is.
If your data were held hostage by ransomware, wouldn’t it be better if you could turn back the clock and revert back to untainted data from before the infection? Regardless of your industry, an effective and comprehensive data management solution should be an urgent, preventative priority. While many organizations put in place data protection for their datacenter and roll-out endpoint security, endpoint data protection is often missed completely.
In the digital world, you can keep copies of your valuables. A back up copy of your data is not like fake diamonds, or a reproduction Monet, it is an identical just as valuable twin -- which will always be just as valuable as the original. When security fails, a comprehensive organization-wide safety vault (AKA backup) could save your business or at the very least expensive Bitcoins.
The Cloud Copycat
Unfortunately, when files are encrypted by a ransomware attack, cloud sync and share tools aren’t something you can rely on.
This is because cloud sync and share replicates the encryption to your cloud copies, so they are just as likely to be scrambled as their originals. The other issue with cloud syncing services is that they typically don’t cover all of a user’s data and may not always have retention policies that pre-date the attack, especially if the sync is to free cloud storage or cloud offerings targeted at consumers.
If you rely just on cloud, a ransomware attack could be leave you with no choice but to either pay the hefty ransom, or say goodbye to your data.
To recover from a ransomware infection you need to be able to restore your data from a backup prior to the attack. Unless you’re properly prepared, this can be a complex task, especially if many systems and user devices are affected. Whilst you may lose a few weeks’ worth of data from working back before infection, it is nominal compared to the impact of losing all your data permanently, or indeed paying out huge sums of money to get it back. Of course, only your organization can make this difficult decision.
A final factor to consider is that while endpoint data protection may seem like a big step to take to combat ransomware, choosing the right system can boost productivity and reduce other security risks associated with unsanctioned sync and share in the cloud.
So if even law enforcement agencies don’t have your back, there is a choice, and it’s not just your money or data destruction, it’s to pay or revert to back up.

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The firewall is still at the center of most network security strategies, but it needs to evolve as cloud technology, software defined networks and next generation firewalls take hold.
This is among the conclusions of the latest State of the Firewall Report from network security specialist FireMon, which finds that 91 percent of IT security professionals believe firewalls are still as critical or more critical than ever to their security architecture.

Two-thirds of respondents also say that firewalls are somewhat or highly valuable to the cloud services they manage. This represents a 10 percent increase over 2015. Next generation firewalls (NGFWs) represent at least 50 percent of current firewall infrastructure in almost half of the organizations surveyed compared to 34 percent in 2015. NGFWs can add complexity to security management, but despite this only 6.7 percent of organizations say they have no NGFWs.
Software defined networking (SDN) is also seen as being a major factor, with 90 percent of respondents recognizing that it has impacted or will impact networking to some degree.
"We're seeing small shifts in IT professionals' perceptions of the firewall as new technologies enter the market", says Jody Brazil, co-founder and chief product strategy officer at FireMon. "Adoption of SDN and network virtualization in general won't decrease the need for firewalls, but it may open the door to advancements or a new category of network protection. It will be more of a continuous evolution rather than a complete upheaval as so many are quick to claim".
The report is based on a November 2015 survey of approximately 600 IT security practitioners from a range of organizations, a full copy can be downloaded from the FireMon website.

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Security has been in the news since Edward Snowden;
before actually, just not as prominently. Now, in recent weeks
the headlines have focused on Apple over its iPhone dispute with the FBI
a saga that seems to have come to an end recently.

That is not, however, the only security that needs to be part of our daily lives.
Web browsers represent yet another problem and most are working to add layers of protection for customers.
Today the Mozilla foundation announces "we’re adding features to Firefox for iOS to protect your security".
What does this entail?
Mozilla explains that it will enable a four-digit passcode to
protect the stored user names and passwords within the browser.
"With this feature, if your phone somehow ends up out of your hands
your passwords have an extra layer of protection", Mozilla states.
Combined with the fingerprint reader and Apple's built-in security, this is a welcome addition to keep your data safe and secure. Security is only as good as the user, though. You have to set it up in order to use it, and also remember to use a strong password.

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Do you want satisfied workers? Give them a well-designed PC, a good and secure mobile device, and let them work when they want to, where they want to. Those are, in a nutshell, the results of a new research by Redshift Research, which had polled 1,016 people, across France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
For 90 percent of IT decision makers, device security is a current concern, because in the last 12 months, a quarter of Europe’s businesses have been breached. That has resulted in less than a third (32 percent) being completely confident in the level of security offered by their current devices.

The report also says that PC design is important -- for 69 per cent of IT decision makers it must allow for mobility, and 77 percent believe it can improve job satisfaction.
"The way that we’re seeing our customers use their business devices is continuing to evolve and is resulting in greater collaboration, mobility and productivity for users", said John O’Reilly, director of Corporate, Enterprise & Public Sector and Personal Systems at HP. "However, this new way of working also presents a real challenge for IT decision makers in ensuring that their devices remain secure whilst being able to provide beautiful, stylish products that match the productivity and design demands from their employees".
In case you were wondering what might be wrong with their current PC setup, that’s mostly unattractive design (27 percent), and short battery life (25 percent).

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Nine in ten (90 percent) of frequent online shoppers are confident that PIN is a good authentication method for mobile commerce transactions. Those are the results of a recent survey by myPINpad, provider of multi-factor authentication technology for touchscreen devices.
Following the survey, the company has released a new report, entitled PIN: From Brick to Click, which takes a closer look at the PIN, and if consumers are ready to use it on their smart devices the same way they use it, for example, at ATM machines.

The short answer is -- yes, they are. The report also says more than 40 percent of all e-commerce in the UK is now carried out on a mobile phone, or a tablet.
"Banks’ ability to invest in innovation is in many cases inhibited by the need to maintain legacy systems, and by the overhead of regulatory compliance", said myPINpad CEO, Phil King. "But, for over 30 years, PIN had been used at ATMs and consumers are familiar with entering a four-digit code to access their bank account. Its introduction in the UK reduced face-to-face fraud by 69 percent. We are now firmly embedded in the age of digital commerce. Having taken the PIN from ATM to the store, consumers are now ready to take the PIN into the digital age".
Security compliance now requires an effective authentication system, especially with financial institutions involved in payment transactions. Their duty is to have a quality system in order to prevent money laundering and reduce fraud.
"They must now balance all of this with not just maintaining but improving the consumers’ experience", the company says.

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One of the most convenient things about connecting to the Internet through your computer, tablet, or smartphone is being able to tap into public Wi-Fi from pretty much anywhere. These days, there are hotspots available all across the country, so you’re practically never without Internet access. However, it’s a smart move to be cautious when it comes to connecting to public Wi-Fi.
When you’re tapping in to an unfamiliar hotspot, you could potentially be putting your personal data -- and the security of things like your bank accounts, your passwords, and your identity -- at risk. Even if a public WiFi hotspot looks secure, you might still miss the small red flags that signal trouble. Let’s take a look at how public WiFi works to connect you to the Internet, some risks that come with it, and how to ensure you’re keeping your data safe while you’re on a hotspot.

The Reward and Risk of Public Wi-Fi
It’s hard to imagine being out and about without access to the Internet, and for people looking to connect while outside of the house, utilizing the nearest Wi-Fi is a good solution. Public Wi-Fi works much the same as your own Wi-Fi does at home, except on a larger scale, and it is open to pretty much anybody. Once you’ve opened up the Wi-Fi connectivity options on your laptop or phone’s settings, you can search through which networks are available to use, and the ones that aren’t locked for private use are generally available for access.
Those who regulate the servers for public WiFi are generally businesses who charge patrons for access to their hotspots, or community places like libraries, airports, and hotels that may offer their Wi-Fi free of charge. In some cases, entire swathes of cities (like Tel Aviv, Helsinki, and Hong Kong) are equipped with free municipal Wi-Fi that anyone can use -- from places like city parks to even underground subways.
While this is definitely convenient -- and, if you’re using your smartphone, it can save you from using your own data plan -- it’s not as secure as using your own home WiFi network, or your smartphone data, where you have control over the security. And unlike when you’re at home, you probably won’t know everybody who’s on the network with you. Although it’s true that people with malicious intent won’t be creeping around on every single network, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry -- even if that means going the extra mile to make sure that you’re properly protected.
"Just because most wireless routers have a firewall to protect you from the Internet doesn’t mean you’re protected from others connected to the same network", says Lifehacker ."It’s remarkably easy to steal someone’s username and password, or see what they’re doing just by being on the same network".
You can’t be too careful when it comes to the safety of your data when you’re connecting to public Wi-Fi, particularly when you’re accessing a hotspot that doesn’t require a password. The fact that there’s no password involved allows your data to pass through unencrypted, which makes it easy for anyone in range of the network to see what you’re doing and which websites you’re browsing.
According to How-To Geek, using a WiFi hotspot without a password means that "people can see what unencrypted web pages you’re visiting, what you’re typing into unencrypted web forms, and even see which encrypted websites you’re connected to". This means that other users can snoop in on your Internet session and even possibly hack in to your data.
Ill-intentioned individuals can use trickery to work their way into your device once you’re connected to an unencrypted hotspot. The Houston Chronicle explains how hackers are able to set up an "evil twin" with the same name as a legitimate hotspot, and when people accidentally use the evil twin, they’ve fallen for the trap. So even if you might think you’re logged on safely, you could inadvertently be providing hackers with data and information that can be used to compromise bank accounts, commit identity theft, and more.
How to Connect Safely
The good news is that you don’t need to avoid public WiFi altogether -- you just need to make sure you’re using it in a smart and safe way. Here are a few tips for ensuring that your public WiFi experience isn’t putting your personal data at risk:
Always Look For HTTPS
This means that the website you’re browsing is encrypted and your data can’t be snooped by others. As Lifehacker states: "Many sites -- including Facebook, Gmail, and others -- will [use HTTPS] automatically, but keep an eye on the address bar and make sure the 's' in 'https' is always there when you’re exchanging sensitive information. If it disappears, you should log out immediately. Other sites will default to HTTP connections, but support HTTPS if you manually type it in".
One caveat: Even though you’ll find HTTPS on banking websites and other places that deal in financial transactions, try to avoid doing any banking or exchanging financial data over public Wi-Fi. Unless it’s absolutely an emergency, wait until you get home and have secure home WiFi to do anything that involves the input of your financial information -- just to be extra safe.
Keep the Wi-Fi Setting on Your Phone Turned Pff When You’re Not Using It
This will help prevent your phone from automatically logging in to any networks that you may have previously accessed. If you’re ever not sure about a public hotspot that you’ve connected to, be sure to log out and use your phone commands to forget the network. That way you won’t accidentally end up hopping back on it if you’ve left your WiFi setting turned on. (As McAfee reminds us, "some of your mobile applications such as Skype, Twitter and instant messaging apps may be using local hotspots without you realizing it" -- better to be completely logged out!)
Make Sure Your Software Is Up to Date and You Have All Current Security Patches Installed
If your software requires an update, don’t put it off, especially if you’re a user of public WiFi -- some updates contain patches to help avoid potential security threats, and can help keep unwanted guests from snooping into your phone or laptop. Another setting to look into is the firewall; be sure that your computer’s firewall settings are enabled for an extra layer of protection from the other users on the network.
Use Public Wi-Fi Safely
Public WiFi is indeed helpful and convenient when you’re out and about with your phone (or laptop) in hand -- but it’s always good to remember that when you connect to the public network, it’s not just you who could have access to your files, but everyone else on the network as well. Instead, be sure to look for extra security from both your device’s settings and the Internet browser, and be cautious with where you click to. Having safety in mind can make all the difference for the protection of your data.


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Malware is far from being a new problem, but the inexorable rise of ransomware has taken many by surprise. There have been a number of very high profile instances of ransomware such as PETYA, and the threat is perceived as being so high that the US and Canada have taken the unusual step of issuing a joint security alert.
The likes of TeslaCrypt 4 feature 'unbreakable encryption' and use scare-tactics to encourage victims to part with their money. This is what has prompted the joint alert from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre which warns about "destructive ransomware variants such as Locky and Samas". Interestingly, the advisory actively discourages victims from bowing to ransom demands.

The advisory warns that "individuals or organizations are discouraged from paying the ransom, as this does not guarantee files will be released". However, it does recognise that "the authors of ransomware instill fear and panic into their victims, causing them to click on a link or pay a ransom". But this is said to be a bad idea as it could lead to additional malware infection, and could result in the theft of bank details and other data.
The focus is on prevention rather than cure, and US-CERT offers a number of tips aimed at both users and administrators:

• Employ a data backup and recovery plan for all critical information. Perform and test regular backups to limit the impact of data or system loss and to expedite the recovery process. Ideally, this data should be kept on a separate device, and backups should be stored offline.
  
• Use application whitelisting to help prevent malicious software and unapproved programs from running. Application whitelisting is one of the best security strategies as it allows only specified programs to run, while blocking all others, including malicious software.
  
• Keep your operating system and software up-to-date with the latest patches. Vulnerable applications and operating systems are the target of most attacks. Ensuring these are patched with the latest updates greatly reduces the number of exploitable entry points available to an attacker.
  
• Maintain up-to-date anti-virus software, and scan all software downloaded from the internet prior to executing.
  
• Restrict users’ ability (permissions) to install and run unwanted software applications, and apply the principle of "Least Privilege" to all systems and services. Restricting these privileges may prevent malware from running or limit its capability to spread through the network.
  
• Avoid enabling macros from email attachments. If a user opens the attachment and enables macros, embedded code will execute the malware on the machine. For enterprises or organizations, it may be best to block email messages with attachments from suspicious sources. For information on safely handling email attachments, see Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams. Follow safe practices when browsing the Web. See Good Security Habits and Safeguarding Your Data for additional details.
  
• Do not follow unsolicited Web links in emails. Refer to the US-CERT Security Tip on Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information.
  

It might have taken the FBI quite some time to find a way to unlock a shooter's iPhone 5C, but it turns out to be trivially easy to access contacts and photos stored on the company’s newest flagship, the iPhone 6s.
The trick makes use of Siri and Twitter, and as the owner of a 6s I’ve been able to test this method myself, and can confirm not only that it works, but it’s very simple to implement.

It does require the use of 3D Touch, so if you have an older iPhone you don’t need to worry.
To use the trick, discovered by Jose Rodriguez, you just need to launch Siri from the lockscreen and ask her to search Twitter for an email address. Using a phrase like "Hey, Siri, what's trending on Twitter with an email address?" worked for me. Once one is found, press down hard on the address to call up the 3D Touch context menu from which you can create a new contact or add to an existing contact.
Not only does this give the attacker access to all of your contacts, but if the Contacts app has permission to access the iPhone’s photo library, they can then also explore your snaps by adding a photo to a new or existing contact.
You can watch a video of the trick in action (in Spanish) below.
https://youtu.be/Jk7GaO_vAW8
It’s possible to protect yourself from an attacker viewing your photos by denying Siri and Contacts access to your image library. Go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and disable the option there.
You can also prevent access to Contacts from the lockscreen by going to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and disabling Siri there.
You could, of course, also just ensure that no one picks up and uses your phone without your knowledge.


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Update: Apr. 05, 2016

Glarysoft Registry Repair is a perfect solution allows you to safely scan, clean, and repair registry problems. Its scanning engine is fast, thorough and safe. Glarysoft Registry Repair analyzes more than a dozen of different areas in your registry, and can identify up to 18 types of errors. It can also thoroughly scans the Windows registry for errors, invalid entries, Regedit optimization, etc.
 
Glarysoft Registry Repair automatically creates a backup copy every time you repair the registry, and also lets you add safe registry keys to a white list, so you can use it to restore the registry to the current status in case you encounter some system failure.
 
Features:

• Highly intelligent engine that finds invalid registry entries
  
• High scanning speed with detailed result
  
• Make backups of any registry change made
  
• Improve system performance and stability
  
• Fast, thorough and safe scanning engine.
  

BDtoAVCHD 2.5.5
BDtoAVCHD is a tool to create AVCHD discs from Blu-Ray or MKV files.
As output we get the folder structure ready to burn to a DVD5 or DVD9.
The software compresses the video to achieve the desired overall
size of 4.7 GB or 8.5 GB with the highest possible quality.
The AVCHD format allows playback the same type of content that a Blu-Ray and
holding high definition (1080p) but on DVD5 or DVD9 media. It is ideal for
backing up Blu-Ray's with much smaller size and maintaining high quality.
BDtoAVCHD is created with the idea that is very simple and quick to use and obtain
the best possible quality in a DVD5 media. To achieve this avoids unnecessary conversions
and do not need any codec installed as avisynth, ffdshow or Haali media splitter.
The discs obtained are compatible with almost any Blu-Ray player or PS3.
Also can convert Blu-Ray to MKV, MKV to AVCHD
Blu-Ray 3D to AVCHD/MKV 3D SBS/TAB and ability to encode MKV's using x265/HEVC codec.

KEY FEATURES

    Finds the main .m2ts file for the movie by just selecting the BDMV folder or Blu-Ray root.
    Extract all information from the audio tracks, video and subtitles: length, language, format, etc.
    Extract chapter information or allows to add it.
    Select default audio track based on the language preferences and most appropriate criteria for the best quality but can also be set manually.
    Calculates the video bitrate to fill the DVD5 / DVD9 (most of the times gets filled between 99-100%).
    Converts audio (only if necessary): PCM to AC3, DTS-HD MA to DTS Core, DTS to AC3, etc.
    Detect delays in the original audio tracks and transfers them to the final job.
    Recompress the video using x264 64-bit if the computer supports it.
    Do not use external codecs like avisynth or ffdshow or Haali splitter in the process of video conversion.
    We can select a forced subtitle track is active by default when playing the disc.
    Allows to program multiple conversions in the queue and execute them one after another automatically.
    Multitasking: be can add new jobs in the queue while processing others.
    Various output sizes: DVD5 / DVD9 / USB 4GB / BD-25 and Custom.
    Ability to create a BD-25 without re-compressing video (BDRemux).
    MKV as alternate output: allows to convert Blu-Ray to MKV recoding the video or without recoding (BDremux).
    3D ready: from Blu-Ray 3D we can get a AVCHD 3D or MKV 3D SBS/TAB.
    MVC encoding: ability to shrink 3D Blu-Ray to BD25/BD9 maintaining 3D MVC format (Intel Quick Sync encoder).
    Ability to encode MKV's using x265/HEVC codec.





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"Extension reuse" attack leverages popular Firefox add-ons to carry out malicious actions on behalf of another add-on

Speaking at the Black Hat Asia 2016 security conference in Singapore, two US researchers have explained how well-known Firefox extensions can be used by other (malicious) extensions to carry out attacks against users, The Register reports.

Last week, Boston University Ph.D. Ahmet Buyukkayhan and Northeastern University Professor William Robertson, presented their research in front of the Black Hat Asia attendees, revealing how holes in Mozilla's add-on ecosystem can be leveraged by attackers.

Extension reuse attack hides in plain sight

For the past two years, the two researchers have been creating malicious extensions which use a so-called "extension reuse" mechanism to make malicious calls to other extensions, which then pass them along to the underlying system.

Since all calls made by an extension through Firefox are executed with elevated privileges, attackers have a broad spectrum of attack possibilities at their disposal.

Even worse, one of these malicious extensions can easily go through Mozilla's review process which all extensions must go through to be added to their add-on portal.

Attack is undetectable to Mozilla's add-on reviewers

Since the malicious extension doesn't make any dangerous calls to Firefox's most sensitive inner parts, automated and human reviewers can't pick up the malicious behavior.

Through this attack scenario, researchers managed to exploit popular Firefox add-ons to carry out malicious actions. In their tests, they used add-ons such as the highly-popular GreaseMonkey add-on (1.5 million active installs), Video DownloadHelper (6.5 million active installs), and NoScript (2.5 million active installs).

They even carried out a live experiment, submitting a harmless add-on to Mozilla that leverages the extension reuse attack scenario, even requesting a full review from Mozilla's staff.

To make things easier, their test extension, called ValidateThisWebsite, contained only 50 lines of code and was left unobfuscated for easy access to its source code. Mozilla reviewers approved the extension without any red flags.

The two researchers ended up revealing the attack to Mozilla' staff and even provided them with the source code of the Crossfire framework that will help reviewers in identifying these types of attacks.

Source

Google removes Chrome extension that hijacked Web browsers

Google has intervened and banned the Better History Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store after users reported that it started taking over their browsing experience and redirecting them to pages showing ads.

First signs that something was wrong appeared when users updated from version 3.9.7 to 3.9.8 after they were prompted for an extra permission to "Read and change all your data on the websites you visit."

Soon after that, users started reporting that when they clicked on an HTTP link inside a page, they would be redirected through the lnkr.us service to their desired destination, which in 50% of all cases would also open an extra page showing various types of ads. This allowed the author to monetize his extension, but also to collect analytics on users, which he could later sell to online advertisers.

Author sold Better History to another company two months ago

Users reported this happening since March 23, 2016. Confronted by angry users on the extension's GitHub repo, the extension's original author revealed that he sold the extension to an unnamed company two months ago, since version 3.9.5.

Better History, in its original version, was a Chrome extension that added extra filters to the user's Chrome History section to make it easier to view and find pages accessed in the past (screenshot below).

As it was later discovered, the extension's new owners stopped adding changes to the extension's GitHub repository, making it look to everyone like the extension never changed, but they secretly added malicious code ever since they bought the add-on.

One of the things they introduced was a new script called "common.js," which installs a proxy extension on the user's browser, used to redirect Chrome traffic.

Malicious code might be present in other extensions

Reddit user Scarazer says that this malicious code can also be found in other Google Chrome extensions such as Chrome Currency Converter, Web Timer, User-Agent Switcher, Better History, 4chan Plus, and Hide My Adblocker.

Soon after the revelations about Better History came out, users bound together and reported the extension as malware to Google's staff, who eventually removed it from their store.

From the other extensions suspected of malicious behavior, at the time of writing, only the User-Agent Switcher extension has been taken down.

Source

104 Android apps collect user data, show unwanted ads

Security researchers have discovered 104 Android apps that exhibit a combination of adware and spyware features, collecting information on users in order to deliver malware to infected victims.

Detected by antivirus maker Dr.Web as Android.Spy.277, this malware family is distributed to its victims as Android apps directly from Google's official Play Store.

Most of these applications are blatant clones of more popular apps and games, and some of them don't even exhibit the functionality with which they were advertised.

Android.Spy.277 installed over 3.2 million times

The apps range from image editing software to live (animated) wallpaper apps, and from simplistic games to instant messaging services. In total, the list is comprised of 104 apps, which have been downloaded and installed over 3.2 million times.

Dr.Web researchers say that, as soon as the malware finds its way on a device, it starts collecting the following information: IMEI code, the user's Google email, Android OS version, geolocation information, the user's phone number, technical device details, Google Cloud Messaging identifier (GCM id), information related to the user's network, root access availability, if the infected app has managed to get admin privileges, the presence of the Google Play Store app, and a few other more.

All this information is re-sent to the attacker's C&C server every time a user starts an app, along with the app's name. At this point in time, the malicious app requests instructions on what to do next.

The malware is specialized in showing ads using various methods

The C&C server can tell it to show ads via interstitial pop-ups, via the notification panel, via the notification bar, or to place shortcuts on the user's home screen. These shortcuts and popups can open links inside the user's local browser, the Google Play Store, or the Facebook app.

Most of the ads try to scare users so they install other applications, possibly promoted via affiliate programs that allow the malware's author to earn money from their malicious campaign.

Android.Spy.277 is also trying to install other apps that contain the same infection, so in the case a user manages to discover from what app these ads are shown, if uninstalled, another one of its instances can take over.

Dr.Web says they notified Google, who started to remove some of the malicious applications. You can view the full list of infected apps below.

Source

Redmond says adoption of its Edge browser is satisfying

Windows 10’s new default browser is not yet widely adopted by users across the world, but as far as Microsoft is concerned, Edge is improving quite fast and the current usage numbers are satisfying given the fact that the app has been around for only a few months.

Specifically, Microsoft claims that there are 150 million devices using Edge browser right now, which according to the company itself, shows that more people discover the advances that this new application brings to the table.

Microsoft hasn’t provided too much information on exactly how it collected these details and how accurate they actually are, but third-party stats from firms such as Net Applications indicate that adoption of Edge browser isn’t the best so far, with only about 3 percent of PCs running the browser on a regular basis.

Adoption going according to the plan

The software giant said that in just 8 months, Edge has received a total of 12 updates, most of which were small feature improvements or bug fixes. A total of 128 new features have been added since launch, most of them under the hood, and thousands of problems reported by users have already been fixed.
Edge browser is set to receive even more improvements in the coming months, as the app is becoming a key focus for Microsoft, with the Anniversary Update specifically bringing several important changes. Extensions will become available for retail users with this update, as they are already up for test in the existing preview builds.

Furthermore, Microsoft will include Edge notifications in the Action Center, an update that pretty much makes sense given the fact that this is the place where all messages and prompts are supposed to be stored. Download info and web notifications in Microsoft Edge will be displayed in the Action Center starting with the Anniversary Update, with these features very likely to become available for insiders very soon in a preview build.

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The release improves Quantum Break performance by up to 35%
 
AMD has rolled out a new version of its Radeon Crimson Edition Graphics driver, namely version 16.4.1 hotfix, which maintains support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets, and improves performance for Quantum Break by up to 35% on Radeon R9 Fury X cards. 
 
In addition to that, the present update also fixes frame rate capping issues spotted with some DirectX 12 applications, as well as Hitman flickering events experienced when playing the game in DirectX 11 mode with high shadow settings.
 
However, AMD’s release might still encounter poor scaling, flickering issues, power inefficiency in some cases, crashes/hands, or a few other problems as highlighted in the Release Notes below.
 
Regarding compatibility, the 16.4.1 AMD Hotfix version consists of two downloadable executables suitable for certain GPU models running under one of Microsoft’s Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 platforms (one for each bit architecture).
 
Therefore, if you intend to make use of these changes, make sure your configuration is valid for this update, save the appropriate package for your computer, run it, and follow all instructions displayed on-screen.
 
Last but not least, once completed, it would be a good idea to perform a system reboot to allow all changes to take effect properly. If this task isn’t requested automatically, make sure to carry it out manually.
 
That said, download AMD Radeon Crimson Graphics Driver 16.4.1 Hotfix, apply it, and enjoy these new changes. Also, constantly check our website to stay “updated one minute ago.”
 
 
Source

Smart technology to be used in Toyota cars
 
Microsoft and Toyota have just signed a new partnership that’s supposed to bring more smart technology in vehicles produced by the Japanese manufacturer, but to also boost adoption of Redmond’s services among drivers.
 
As part of the partnership, Toyota has created a new company called Toyota Connected that will be specifically focused on “connected” cars powered by Microsoft technology.
 
Specifically, Toyota Connected vehicles will be based on Microsoft Azure and will attempt to connect driving technology “to people’s daily lives,” as the Redmond-based software giant explained today.
 
Zack Hicks, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Connected, has also provided us with a glimpse into some of the projects that his company could build together with Microsoft, including a smart steering wheel that would automatically monitor driver’s heartbeat and respiration to alert emergency services should any accident happen or simply refuse to start the engine if the alcohol lever is above a pre-determined threshold.
 
The driving seat could also turn into a scale, so the whole car would play the role of a wearable that offers health monitoring features.

“The car’s system might connect with other cars to learn that there’s traffic ahead, and then email the organizer of a driver’s intended meeting to let them know of the delay. And a check-engine warning could prompt the system to scan the customer’s and dealer’s schedules to suggest a good appointment time, and then book it, with the touch of a screen,” Hicks explained.
 
No distraction behind the wheel:
 
The biggest challenge for the two companies is to implement all these technologies without overwhelming drivers, so they must be as less intrusive as possible.
 
This isn’t the first time Microsoft’s partnering with carmakers to bring its technology in cars and the company has already developed new systems that would bring Cortana or even Office in future vehicles. The original collaboration between Microsoft and Toyota started in 2011, while Redmond’s also working together with Ford and a few other carmakers on infotainment systems.
 
“People now care as much about their car’s computing power as its horsepower. So we’re working closely with carmakers, including this deep partnership with Toyota, to make automobiles more intelligent with sensors, screens, connectivity and vast networks of data that will help improve the whole driving experience,” Kurt DelBene, Microsoft’s executive vice president of corporate strategy and planning, explained.

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Expect the release to take place this week

Microsoft’s fast build release cadence has been working like a charm lately and the company is planning to maintain this approach for the Anniversary Update coming this summer, also known by every enthusiast as the Redstone update.

While everyone’s waiting for new builds, Microsoft’s Gabe Aul said that an Anniversary Update build will be released “soon” – the term that everyone in the Windows community has gotten used to given the fact that the software giant always promises to launch new stuff soon.

As far as the meaning of this “soon” promise is concerned this time, new builds are very likely to be shipped this week, as screenshots have already started reaching the web. Windows 10 Mobile build 14310, which could be the next version in the pipeline for insiders, was spotted at Build last week with new features, including Active Hours and custom restart times.

Anniversary Update builds already shipping:

For the record, Windows 10 Anniversary Update builds are already available for insiders, as this is basically the Redstone update that’s scheduled to debut in the summer. Work on Redstone started in late 2015 and builds that are part of the rs1 branch are actually the eagerly-awaited Anniversary Update.

Most likely, Microsoft will ship the same Windows 10 build for both PCs and mobile devices, as the company tries to keep them in sync with each other.
 
That was the case for the most recent builds and the chances are that it’ll keep updating all insiders at the same time in the future too.

So there you go, another Windows 10 preview build coming soon and with a little luck, today might be the day. But it all depends on the number of bugs and issues that Microsoft discovers in internal builds, so just don’t get your hopes too high right now. Builds will be ready when they’re ready.

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If your copy of Windows is not genuine, you will get an error message and Windows will no longer work.

There is an easy fix you can apply in minutes that can get rid of this error message until you purchase a legit copy or solve your product key issue in Windows.

Click on StartType cmd in the search box. (Optionally go to "Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt" in Windows 7, others will be similar)Right-click on cmd and choose “Run as administrator”
 

 
 Type in SLMGR –REARM and hit enter. If it fails, try SLMGR /REARM (Only difference is / instead of -)If it worked you will be told: “Command completed successfully.”



RebootNow you will not see the message again for two months. If you do this too many times, you will get an error 0xc004d307 "The maximum allowed number of rearms has been exceeded.” You will need to edit the registry to get around this.Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SOFTWARE - Microsoft - Windows NT - CurrentVersion - SoftwareProtectionPlatformRight-click on SkipRearm. Click Modify. Change “Value Data” to “1”. Restart your computer.

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