The security antivirus sector has undergone a major shake-up with the news that Intel, the world’s largest computer chip manufacturer, has bought McAfee for $7.68 billion (£5 billion).

The logic behind the deal, which has come as a surprise to most investment analysts and also to many within the security antivirus sector, is to take a new approach to fighting cybercrime. Intel plans to build security features within the microprocessors that are used to power computers and smaller devices such as mobile phones.

Intel have deep pockets and have offered $48 cash per share for McAfee stock which represents a 60% premium on the McAfee pre-deal share price. Not surprisingly McAfee shares jumped 58% on the news of the bid and the price being offered.

And even though the two companies had been working together for over a year, the deal still caught many unawares. Although both company Boards approved the deal, the takeover will have to be passed by shareholders of both companies and the US regulatory authorities.

Should the deal go ahead – and few see any major problems – the first few products of the amalgamation will be introduced early in 2011.

As the bidder and the ones coughing up the cash, Intel’s shares off 4% to 18.84 US cents.

The BBC was one of many media organisations to run the story and the editor of PC Pro Magazine was one of many who were surprised at the news:

“Intel does buy a lot of companies and it does have a lot of more cash than anyone else out there. So it making a big acquisition isn’t a surprise, but you may have thought it more likely to buy another hardware firm. No doubt Intel is looking ahead and seeing that the laptop and desktop market are probably past their heyday and the big growth area is mobile.

“For a company like Intel, it’s nowhere near as strong in the mobile area as it is in the laptop and desktop areas, so it’s probably looking for new ways to get streams and revenues in the future. Perhaps that is Intel’s point of view but not everybody else’s. The reaction from investors has been quite negative.”

Experts now say that the deal will be a major re-arrangement of the computer antivirus sector, with some firms now feeling on the back foot as McAfee gets access to the sharp end of the industry.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The phrase download internet security takes on a new meaning every month when Patch Tuesday comes around and people can see how alert Microsoft is when it comes to combating the latest virus threats.

And the latest Patch Tuesday, which allows computer users to download internet security patches in order to correct bugs, has proved a particularly big one. In this set, 14 alerts have been issued, with eight being rated ‘critical’ and the other six as ‘important’.

The most significant of these alerts that have been announced, affect Word, .NET, SMB Server, , MPEG Codecs and XML Core Services. As usual, the latest release also includes the most recent number of fixes that have been issued for Internet Explorer. Also included in this latest bulletin was a fix to solve the vulnerability with .lnk files, that has been causing a number of problems.

Coinciding with the release of the entry, Microsoft also wrote a blog entry describing and covering each of the most important fixes that were issued.

Adobe has also released some fixes; out of the three that were released, two were rated as ‘critical’ and one as ‘important’. This release – which had been timed to arrive at the same time as Patch Tuesday – was vital for fixing risky problems with Flash Player and Flash Media Server. As well as this, they release an important HotFix for ColdFusion.

Reader, a piece of software from Adobe, will have an emergency update released for it next week. Users will have to wait until this is issued before the vulnerabilities can be dealt with. In the mean time, any user who wishes to chose the alternative for viewing PDFs – Foxit Software – will have to update for a vulnerability that has affected a number of Apple iPhone users. The vulnerability is not, however, extended to Adobe users.

Users that download internet security patches are doing so to ensure that their computers remain safe from the host of vulnerabilities and dangers that are being created and released constantly.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

A new study has again warned that porn site users are opening themselves up to attacks from cyber criminals.

Porn sites users are at risk because the sites they frequent not only often harbour malware, but also entrap users in various schemes and shady deals.

The report, which highlights the dangers that porn site users face, was prepared by the International Secure System Lab.

Dr Gilbert Wondracek, who led the study, said that the intense competition amongst the online porn industry made matters far worse: ”They have almost inadvertently created a whole ecosystem that’s easy to abuse for cyber crime on a large scale. There are studies looking at the profitability and economics of the industry but we are the first to come at it from a security and more technical point of view.”

The techs at the International Secure System Lab built their own porn sites and quickly discovered that many porn site users are very vulnerable to computer viruses and loopholes.

Dr Gilbert pointed out that the study had been basically carried out to test the commonly held assertion that porn site users are at risk. He added: “There are studies looking at the profitability and economics of the industry but we are the first to come at it from a security and more technical point of view.”

Dr Gilbert stressed that it was often hard for the average user to tell a porn site which is honest, compared to one that might be hiding malware threats.

Of the 35,000 porn site domains studied in the report, it was discovered that 90% were ‘free’ sites and that these acted as ‘funnels’ for sites that require payment to view their content.

The 35,000 domains published some 269,000 individual websites. The study looked at all these sites and discovered that a touch over 3% were booby-trapped with malware, including viruses, spyware and adware. What’s more, many other sites used tools such as JavaScript catchers which make it hard for porn site users to actually leave the site.

Other sites immediately transferred those people hoping to view a video, to say a number of affiliate sites, which creates a circle of click trading. Dr Gilbert said: “Visitors are being abused as click bots. It’s cut-throat competition. Everybody tries to get as much traffic as possible.”

Porn site users are being told to be aware of “safe browsing modes” when visiting such websites and to keep their anti-virus software up-to-date.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

If you use the internet you need to consider computer virus protection. One way to protect your computer is to use antivirus PC software. The anti virus software is designed to protect your PC from viruses that can be found when you surf the web. 

Computer viruses can be contracted in a variety of ways. Sometimes you will visit a website which has malicious code on it which will then install itself on your computer. The virus code can attach itself to a program on your computer. Some computer viruses can be very dangerous as they can reproduce themselves and infect other computers on your network or even PCs you communicate with through email and instant messenger. 

How do I protect my computer against viruses? 

There are new computer viruses being created all the time which is why it is important to make sure you have the best virus protection. There are many different kinds of PC protection software so you will need to do some research to find out which software is the most appropriate for your computer usage. 

Antivirus reviews are a great way to find out which antivirus software is the best and how they work. Good anti virus review sites will have antivirus software reviews and will also provide information about the latest computer security issues. At Antivirus-BUYability we bring you the latest virus news so you can be aware of all the latest computer vulnerabilities and how to stay safe online. 

Computer Viruses 

Hackers and cyber criminals will often exploit the latest fads and technology in order to spread computer viruses very quickly. For this reason social sites like Facebook and Twitter can be a risk to your computer because they are often a target for people who wish to spread computer viruses. By using computer virus protection you can use these sites with no worries of security issues. 

Another popular way in which computer viruses spread is through email. Because email viruses can spread so quickly it is important when you are reading your antivirus reviews you ensure the antivirus software you buy gives you adequate email protection. Email viruses can inject onto your computer even without opening the infected attachment, by viewing the email in your preview pane can cause infection.

Computer virus protection is a must in a world that is increasingly digital, be vigilant when opening and downloading files. If you are unsure of the source of the file then delete it from your PC. IF you keep up to date with potential computer viruses by reading antivirus reviews sites and buy antivirus software you will have done your best to protect your computer against viruses.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

Can a human become infected by a computer virus?

Yes says a research fellow at the University of Reading who claims to be the first human infected by a computer virus.

Dr Mark Gasson told the BBC news channel that:
“With the benefits of this type of technology come risks. We may improve ourselves in some way but much like the improvements with other technologies, mobile phones for example, they become vulnerable to risks, such as security problems and computer viruses.”

For those worrying that sitting to close to their computer might make them prone to becoming the second human infected by a computer virus, need not worry, as Dr Gasson caught the virus when he had an infected RFID computer chip implanted into his hand. The doctor programmed the chip to do several ‘simple’ tasks, such as unlocking his mobile phone and opening an electronic door.

So any concerns that people might have that they might become the next human infected by a computer virus are somewhat misplaced.

It is understood that Dr Gasson’s chip could infect others if it comes in close contact with them.

And although this ‘human infected by a computer virus’ experiment might seem to many rather whimsical, there is a serious side to the experiment. Dr Gasson believes that as more sophisticated impregnated bodily devices are used, such as heart pacemakers, then there is a danger they could catch viruses and their performance be in danger.

What’s more, in certain countries, human impregnated ID chips are being considered for patients. Working in the same way as pet ID chips, doctors would be able to scan a person’s chip and instantly receive an up-to-date copy of their entire medial record. This would obviously save time finding and reading old files, and also present the information in such order that helps the medical staff react to the patient’s needs and conditions.

So, for anyone worried that they may be the next human infected by a computer virus, they should ensure they get an anti-virus software programme. And perhaps it brings new meaning to the Apple Tablet.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

If you are not convinced you need antivirus pc software then the creation of yet another virus may change your mind. The new virus is called W32/Wecrol.a. This new virus is classed as a worm.

What is a worm?

A worm is a computer virus that can spread from computer to computer without any human action. The worm uses file and information transport features to travel by itself. Worms can cause a lot of damage to computers as they can copy themselves on your system and send out thousands of copies. Worms often use your email address book to send the virus to everyone you know and this can multiply pretty quickly if the worm continues to do this on several computers.  

If a worm gets onto your computer or your server it can cause them to stop responding as the worm begins to take up too much system memory. Some worms burrow into your system and allow others to control your computer remotely for malicious intent.

The best antivirus software will prevent worms from getting onto your system and even protect from the latest worm Wecrol. The Wecrol worm copies itself to a temp directory, among other things it creates two registry files called Google and License. The ultimate goal of this worm is to connect with multiple domains so malware will begin downloading onto your system.

How can I avoid the Wecrol Worm?

As well as using good antivirus software you can avoid this virus by not executing any suspicious files ending in exe. If you already have the Wecrol Worm on your system you will get an error message which reads “Dcom Server Process Launcher Terminated Unexpectedly”.

How do I get rid of the Wecrol Worm?

If you have seen the above message the worm has already done permanent damage. You need to install and run the latest antivirus software. An antivirus tool will kill the worm but it won’t repair the damage done to some of your files for this you will have to reinstall your operating system.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

Computer protection is now at the forefront of computer-users minds as the threat of viruses continues to get stronger. Long gone are the days of teenagers hacking into your email just for the fun of it, today’s hackers are vehemently linked to financial gain; making this a common and deadly threat.              

So what makes someone spread a computer virus and what would they have to gain from it? The kind of personality that creates computer viruses varies with everyone from young to old. There is little pattern to show that social standing, education standards or country of origin makes much of a difference because the major reasoning behind spreading a virus is to make money.  

The greed for money is universal and dishonest computer virus creators are no more than a common criminal except they are somewhat more dangerous as they have the knowledge and power to steal your identity and your money. Virus spreaders have a lot to gain but of course, all at someone else’s expense.  

The psyche of someone who spreads computer viruses is that of a thief. But because they never come face to face with their victims they feel as though they are doing little wrong and are often unaware of the damage they cause.

How to stop computer viruses? 

Antivirus PC software is one of the simple but effective ways you can combat the threat of computer viruses. It acts as a firewall to stop these financially motivated individuals or groups from accessing your computer. It also offers computer protection by warning you if it thinks you are about to download a possible virus from a website. 

Using antivirus PC software is fine for your computer but what about the mobile Internet? You should also use some sort of antivirus protection for your phone, PDA, and whatever other wireless devices you may be using to surf the web. Take a look at our antivirus comparison table to see the avaibable antivirus software that will protect your computer.

Antivirus PC software

Attracting bugs, viruses, hackers and spam is all part and parcel of using a PC on the internet but there are a few things you can do to stave off all of these unwanted pests. Using the best antivirus systems is the only way to ensure you don’t suffer from any time consuming and expensive problems and you can purchase such brilliance online.

It is nearly impossible to use the internet and not fall foul of some sort of problem whether it be a spyware system that tracks which websites you visit or a phishing scam that takes all of your personal information. With PC protection software the risks of viruses and infections that live solely to obliterate your hard drive will be eliminated and purchasing such software is not tricky.

Everyone can and everyone should! From businesses through to personal users who only use their PC for a few hours every week. The more regularly you use a computer the more likely you will pick up a problem. Don’t make the often expensive mistake of thinking you don’t need antivirus software because you rarely surf the internet, because you do! Viruses by nature worm their way into places where they are not welcome and computer bugs are no different. 

If you, like so many of us, use a PC on the internet but you avoid anything that sounds too technical then don’t panic as protecting your PC from viruses is about as simple as it gets. Complete an online search for a company that offers the best antivirus systems. If you are unsure about what you need then use our antivirus comparison table.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

IT security specialist Avira has looked back over ten years and surveyed the role of computer virus protection in 1999, the year when such attacks began to rise sharply.

And it discovered that, having surveyed 5,543 international web surfers to find out how they dealt with the issue of IT security ten years ago, they discovered that only one third had protection installed.

Indeed, the majority of those surveyed – 32% (1,780 users) – didn’t actually own a PC back then. Some 22% of PC owners (1,228 users) had at least basic no-frills protection against viruses on their machines and a further 19% (1,050 users) took a more serious view of the problem and never allowed their computers to operate without the protection of a good antivirus program.

More data showed that 12% (653 users) had absolutely no protection on their computer at the time. And as Avira point, in 1999 malware was not designed to remain undetected for long periods, but instead laid computers low in a matter of minutes. This meant that attacks didn’t go unnoticed for long and according to the survey, 11% (602 users) learned from such an attack, and get protection after the first incident, maintaining it ever since.

Although, somewhat worrying for not only the computer security companies, but also worldwide computer users, is the fact that 4% (230 users) still take a devil-may-care attitude and fail to see the need to protect their PCs against damage. Indeed, this some would say reckless group has managed without virus scanners until now. However, as Avira highlights, today’s malware works so well ‘under cover’ that infected computers often go undiagnosed without the help of virus protection.

This means that many computer users, determined not to use computer security software, might think that there computer is ‘clean’, whereas in reality it could be infected with all manner of bugs and nasties, with the viruses biding their time to attack.

Avira, based in Germany, is a leading global provider of IT security solutions for professional and private use. It boasts domestic and international customers which include well-known companies listed on global stock exchanges, educational establishments and government authorities. And as well as protecting the virtual environment, Avira promotes the Auerbach Foundation for greater protection and security in the real world.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

A new virus is in town and this time it’s got a specific target: online banking customers. Known as the Clampi virus, it represents a major threat to those that bank via the internet.

The Clampi virus is whats known as a Trojan, mainly because of its ability to secretly penetrate a computer, wait patiently until needed, then report bank to its creator, or indeed, take instructions from its creator.

And the cyber criminals behind the Clampi virus have on objective in mind: to steal personal details from a computer.

It is spreading rapidly through the US and UK, infecting computers and then waiting until the time is right to strike. When the user of the computer logs into their bank account for example, the Clampi virus makes a note of the username, password and other pertinent details, which are then sent back to the hackers.

These details are then used by the hackers to enter financial sites and either transfer money, change account details, or set-up frauds.

It is believed that people behind the Clampi virus monitor in the region of 5,000 financial websites and amongst these are most of the UK high street banks. But it’s not just banks; sites run by mortgage lenders, online casinos, shopping operations and email providers are also targeted.

In the US the Clampi virus has already been responsible for thefts of thousands of dollars and its been reported that many schools and businesses have been affected.

The Clampi virus is not new, having been around since 2005, but computer security experts think that this is a new, more virulent strain and poses a major threat to online banking. And they believe it attacks in waves, the UK banks being a major target.

They are unsure as to the true extent of the damage caused in the UK, especially given the covert nature of Clampi’s operation, but think that over 1,000 computers have already been affected. And those running Microsoft Windows operating systems seem to be more vulnerable than most.

And the computer security experts are warning again that people should remain vigilant at all times, reiterating the fact the such viruses are usually distributed embedded in emails, website downloads and instant messages, as attachments and links. They urge anyone not to open links, or attachments, from sources they cannot trust.

What’s more, they remind computer users that they should never send emails, or surf the web, without an up-to-date anti-virus software application on their machines.

Guest Article by Neil Camp