Intel Security launches new version of McAfee Mobile Security

Intel Security has launched the latest version of McAfee Mobile Security (MMS) for Android, which offers mobile security and optimised device performance.

With users continuing to spend more time on their mobile devices and relying on them to conduct important transactions, MMS goes beyond providing protection and addresses users’ need for more power, speed and safe internet surfing on their Android smartphones and tablets.

In MMS’ new version, users can get the most out of their Android smartphone or tablet with a speed and battery booster. This latest version also extends security measures to Android Wear Watches.

Interested?

McAfee Mobile Security is available globally for free and the latest version can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

posted from Bloggeroid

Researching superheroes is risky - especially if it's Aquaman

Source: Intel Security infographic.

Stay away from Aquaman! While he is most well-known for his ability to control marine animals and breathing underwater, he is also the superhero who poses the biggest threat to surfers online, according to Intel Security’s list of Most Toxic Superheroes.

With superhero movies and television shows booming, everyone needs to be wary of the websites they use when they are accessing information on their favourite characters. Aquaman returns to the top of the annual Most Toxic Superheroes list as revealed by McAfee SiteAdvisor, with a risk percentage of 20%. He last came close in 2013, where he also came in first with 18.6%. All ten of the superheroes are highly toxic, with Batman at no. 10 rated 18.33%.

The top 10 superheroes* most likely to cause problems for online surfers this year are:

Aquaman - 20%
Iron Fist - 19.69%
Wolverine - 19.58.%
Wonder Woman - 19.38%
Doctor Strange - 19.17%
Daredevil - 18.96%
Tie: The Incredible Hulk - 18.85.%, Iron Man - 18.85%
Catwoman - 18.65%
Green Lantern - 18.44%
Batman - 18.33%

With Aquaman set to appear in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), The Justice League Part One (2017) and his own movie in 2018, searches about him are expected to grow over the next few years. Be wary when reading about him, Intel Security warns.

The Most Toxic Superheroes list is compiled by using McAfee SiteAdvisor, which rates websites that contain superhero search terms on the most popular search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo!) by risk. SiteAdvisor informs users of potentially dangerous websites through colour coded levels of risk, from green to signal when it is okay to click, and red when you should skip a particular website.

Whether you are searching online from your PC or mobile device, Intel Security offers some tips to help you stay safe:

Be suspicious
Be wary of searches that turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers

Double-check the Web address
Look for misspellings or other clues that the site you are going to may not be safe

Search safely
Use a safe search plug-in, such as McAfee SiteAdvisor software that displays a red, yellow, or green ratings in search results, warning you to potential risky sites before you click on them

Protect yourself
Use security software on all your devices

*% indicates the chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses or other malware.

posted from Bloggeroid

McAfee provides safety tips against holiday scams

McAfee, part of Intel Security, has released its annual 12 Scams of the Holidays list to explain how cybercriminals take advantage of the holiday mood to scam people during the festive season.

Source: McAfee.

Said David Freer, Vice President, Consumer, APAC, McAfee, part of Intel Security: “All it takes is awareness and some simple precautionary measures to keep.. digital lives safe and not spoil the year end spirit.”

This year’s top 12 Scams of the Holidays include several that could impact employees:

Scam no. 4, termed 'buyer beware', notes that point of sale malware could lead to exposed credit card information. The only way to tell is through credit card statements and sometimes, breaking news reports.

If sending corporate e-cards through a third party service, scam no. 6, 'getting carded', is relevant. McAfee notes that well-known e-card sites are safe, cautions that scams could still dupe users into downloading malware.

Scam no. 8, the 'bank robocall scam', could happen to corporate accounts as well as personal accounts. In this scam, phone calls purportedly from a financial institution inform the employee that a bank account has been compromised, and request information such as the account password to make changes.

The tenth scam is about Year in Review traps — the risks of clicking on these feature stories from work emails is that they could infect and compromise the security of company devices.

And lastly, scam no. 12, 'bad USB blues'. Companies which receive gift hampers from vendors may be saddled with infected USB drives. 

McAfee has also shared these safety tips:

· Do your research to make sure the company you are working with is legitimate.

• Do an online search of the company you’re buying items from to see if there’s any news about recent risks
• Go to the company’s homepage to make sure it is a genuine business 
• Instead of clicking on a link in an email for a shopping deal, visit the site directly

· Bank carefully

• If your bank calls requesting information, hang up and call them back through the official main phone number. It’s important to talk to your banker through the official number so you know it is legitimate
• Inspect the ATM for loose wires or machine parts that may have been tampered with. This could indicate hackers trying to fix the machine for their benefit

· Stay informed

• Follow breaking news stories for new security breaches to stay alert
• Only shop at retailers you know have not been compromised
• Check all credit card statements for any suspicious entries 

· Educate employees

• Ensure devices are secured with complex passcodes to allow access to smartphones, tablets or laptops 
• Share the most common scams that exist around the holidays with your employees so they know what to be on the lookout for and how to stay protected

Hashtag: #12scams

Beware, Superman is toxic

Superman is a huge online threat. That's what McAfee says in a blog post. The ubiquity of superheroes outside of the comic books means that hackers and scammers can use them for cybercrime, the company said.

The company has released survey results for the Most Toxic Superheroes using McAfee SiteAdvisor site ratings, and the Man of Steel topped the list. The study determined that searching 'Superman', 'Superman and free torrent download', 'Superman and watch', 'Superman and free app', and 'Superman and online', yields a 16.5% chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.

Other superheroes also yield high chances of falling victim to malware, including Thor, WonderWoman, Azuaman, and Wolverine. 

McAfee recommends the following to stay safe: 

Be suspicious: If a search turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers, be wary

Double-check the web address: Look for misspellings or other clues that the site you are going to may not be safe (for more on this, read the McAfee blog on typosquatting)

Search safely: Use a web safety advisor, such as McAfee SiteAdvisor that displays a red, yellow, or green ratings in search results, alerting you to potential risky sites before you click on them

Protect yourself: Use comprehensive security software on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe service, to protect yourself against the latest threats

McAfee and LG partner to bring anti-theft feature to G3 smartphone

McAfee, part of Intel Security, and LG Electronics have announced that the new LG G3 is pre-installed with a unique version of McAfee Mobile Security that includes an anti-theft feature designed to protect G3 users from unauthorised factory resets. 

Source: LG website. The G3.

A 'Kill' Switch allows users to disable their phones even if they are lost or stolen. Content can also be deleted to prevent personal information from being compromised. 

The McAfee Mobile Security lock screen blocks attempts to reset the phone, requires password authentication, and can be controlled by the user from the device or the a web console. 

Smartphones have become a target for criminals because of their monetary value and the personal data that consumers store on them. The growing prevalence of malware is also a concern for mobile users. McAfee’s Consumer Mobile Security Report findings show that the quantity of Android malware rose 197% between December 2012 and December 2013.

“The implementation of the Kill Switch feature is just one of several specific measures we are taking to ensure that our users can easily and comprehensively protect themselves from the growing threat landscape, both physical and online,” said Dr. Ramchan Woo, Head, smartphone planning division of LG.  

“Our collaboration with LG is intended to develop unique means of protecting users’ digital lives,” said David Freer, Vice President, Consumer – APAC at McAfee. 

Through a multi-year global partnership, LG G3 is now equipped with a unique version of McAfee Mobile Security to protect users from security and privacy threats and identity theft. Antivirus, data backup, remote lock and wipe, and remote tracking are all available through the McAfee app for five years at no cost.

McAfee Mobile Security has been pre-installed and the Kill Switch feature has been automatically activated on LG G3 phones from May 28. McAfee Mobile Security is available for free on the Google Play Store.

Read more about the free version of McAfee Mobile Security here. 

Checking out Ronaldo? Think twice

According to research from McAfee, part of Intel Security, cybercriminals are most likely to use popular Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's name to lure visitors to web pages designed to infect them with malware. The McAfee “Red Card Club” showcases the top eleven Brazil-bound players whose web pages are considered to be risky for fans to search for online. Following Ronaldo are Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Spain’s Iker Cassillas, Brazil’s Neymar and Algeria’s Karim Ziani.

Source: McAfee

Cybercriminals are likely to leverage consumer interest in the world’s most popular sport to lure victims to websites rigged with malware, malicious code capable of infecting a user’s machine and stealing passwords and personal information. McAfee researchers have used McAfee SiteAdvisor site ratings to determine which sites are risky to search when coupled with footballer names, and have calculated an overall risk percentage for each.

According to the research, fans run the greatest risk when visiting sites offering screensaver downloads and videos showcasing the extraordinary skills of the players. Searching for the latest Cristiano Ronaldo content yields more than a 3.7% chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.  

Players make the McAfee “Red Card Club” by scoring among the top eleven positions in terms of greatest probability by percentage of web page risk.

“Red Card Club” Rank	Player	Country	Risk %
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	3.76%
2	Lionel Messi	Argentina	3.72%
3	Iker Casillas	Spain	3.34%
4	Neymar	Brazil	3.14%
5	Karim Ziani	Algeria	3.00%
6	Karim Benzema	France	2.97%
7	Paulinho	Brazil	2.81%
8	Edinson Cavani	Uruguay	2.67%
9	Fernando Torres	Spain	2.65%
10	Eden Hazard	Belgium	2.50%
11	Gerard Piqué	Spain	2.45%

“We want to caution consumers through the McAfee “Red Card Club” to not to let their guard down as they join in all the excitement surrounding the World Cup online. Be especially wary of videos promising to show your idol’s skills as you might get more than you bargain for,” said David Freer, Vice President, Consumer – APAC at McAfee. "Cybercriminals will definitely try to capitalise on ‘World Cup fever’, so it’s wise not to be complacent by downloading content that might put you at risk.”

Tips to Stay Protected

To avoid the summertime blues of becoming infected during the Brazil games and beyond, McAfee suggests:

Beware of content that prompts you to download anything before providing you the content. Opt to watch streaming videos or download content from official websites of content providers.

• “Free downloads” are the highest virus-prone search term. Anyone searching for videos or files to download should be careful to not unleash malware on their computer.
  
• Established news sites may not entice you with exclusives for one solid reason: there usually aren’t any. Stick to official news sites that you trust for breaking news. However, trusted sites can also fall prey to hackers. Make sure to use a safe search tool that will notify you of risky sites or links before you visit them. A complimentary version of McAfee's SiteAdvisor software can be downloaded at www.siteadvisor.com.
  
• Don’t download videos from suspect sites. The useful news can typically be found on official video sites, and don’t require users to download anything. If a website offers an exclusive video for you to download, don’t.
  
• Don’t 'log in' or provide other information: If you receive a message, text or email or visit a third-party website that asks for your information—credit card, email, home address, Facebook login, or other information—for access to an exclusive story, don’t give it out. Such requests are a common tactic for phishing that could lead to identity theft.
  
• If you do decide to search for information on a major event or celebrity in the news, make sure your entire household’s devices have protection, such as McAfee LiveSafe which protects all devices including PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphone and it also includes malware detection software; and McAfee Mobile Security to protect your smartphone or tablet from all types of malware.
• Always use password protection on your phone and other mobile devices. If your phone is lost or stolen, anyone who picks up the device could publish your information online.

New McAfee Threats Report identifies two major security challenges

McAfee Labs has released the McAfee Labs Threats Report: Fourth Quarter 2013, highlighting the increased threat from credit card theft. The company also said problem software is increasingly disguised to look legitimate, making the likelihood of getting infected more likely.

Each quarter, the McAfee Labs team of 500 multidisciplinary researchers in 30 countries follows the complete range of threats in real time, identifying application vulnerabilities, analysing and correlating risks, and helping to protect enterprises and the public.  

Detailed research of the high-profile Q4 credit card data breaches found that the point-of-sale (POS) malware used in the attacks were relatively unsophisticated and likely purchased “off the shelf”. McAfee Labs’ ongoing research into underground markets further identified the attempted sale of stolen credit card numbers and personal information known to have been compromised in the Q4 retail breaches. The researchers found the thieves offering for sale some of the 40 million credit card numbers reported stolen in batches of between 1 million and 4 million at a time. 

“The fourth quarter of 2013 will be remembered as the period when cybercrime became ‘real’ for more people than ever before,” said Vincent Weafer, Senior VP for McAfee Labs. “These cyber thefts occurred at a time when most people were focused on their holiday shopping and when the industry wanted people to feel secure and confident in their purchases. The impact of these attacks will be felt both at the kitchen table as well as the boardroom table."

In the fourth quarter alone, McAfee Labs found more than 2.3 million new malicious signed applications, a 52% increase from the previous quarter. The practice of code-signing software validates the identity of the developer who produced the code and ensures the code has not been tampered with since the issue of its digital certificate. The vast majority of growth is due to dubious content development networks (CDNs). These are websites and companies that allow developers to upload their programs, or a URL that links to an external application, and then 'wrap' it in a signed installer. 

“We can see from the threat statistics in the Q4 report that Asia Pacific comes in third place after North America and the Europe-Middle East market, with 8.4% of servers hosting suspect content here,” said Wahab Yusoff, Vice President for McAfee South Asia. 

“Although only a rather small number of suspicious content is hosted in Asia, we should remain vigilant and monitor the situation as cyber attacks don’t know physical borders.” 

The McAfee Labs team warns that the growing number of maliciously signed files could create confusion among users and administrators, and even call into question the continued viability of the long-established certificate authority (CA) model for authenticating “safe” software. 

“Although the expansion of the CA and CDN industries has dramatically lowered the cost of developing and issuing software for developers, the standards for qualifying the identity of the publisher have also decreased dramatically,” said Weafer. 

“We will need to learn to place more trust in the reputation of the vendor that signed the file, and less trust in the simple presence of a certificate.” 

Click here to read the full McAfee Labs Threats Report: Fourth Quarter 2013 report.