The National Security Agency (NSA) appears to be in a bit of a spot. In their zealous efforts to monitor telecomm traffic of all kinds, they utilized cookies on visitors to their site, an activity strictly banned by federal rules.

Cookies, in this case don't refer to chocolate chip varieties. Cookies refer to files generated at websites, allowing those sites to remember things like passwords so people won't have to retype them. This is one example and cookies are frequently used by commercial sites for all kinds of reasons. The problem is the NSA isn't supposed to use them. The reason they stopped is because a privacy activist complained. According to the AP, the NSA acknowledged the mistake.

Posted by Greg Hewitt-Long in Adware, Spyware and Trojans at 10:42

Variants of the Sober worm, a potentially dangerous computer virus could be targetting your computer as early as next week.

The Sober worm has been around for years, but this version is especially hazardous and has enough power, afforded by sheer numbers of infected machines, to disrupt internet traffic on a level that would be noticable to almost all internet users.

Posted by Greg Hewitt-Long in Virus & AntiVirus News at 11:03

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 29, 2005--ESET, a global provider of security software for enterprises and consumers, issued a warning today about a potentially harmful worm that lures users to download the latest version of MSN Messenger. The worm is spread via a URL prompting MSN Messenger users to download a Beta copy of Version 8.0 of the instant messenger software. Once the user accesses the phony URL, they become victims of an automatic download that installs a Trojan on the user's computer, opening the door to additional threats. The recent MSN scam highlights the enhanced risk of downloading unauthorized software that ultimately compromise security and are the source of malicious code.

Most organizations today have sanctioned the use of the Internet and tools such as instant messenger to increase productivity in the workplace. IT administrators are then challenged to balance Internet usage for work-related activities with acceptable use policies that maintain the integrity of the organization's network security. Without strict policies enforced, users are lured to update their software or download the latest and greatest applications at will, opening them and their company's network to malicious threats from outside the firewall.

Posted by Greg Hewitt-Long in Eset Software at 07:31

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The music publisher Sony BMG Music Entertainment has reached a tentative settlement of lawsuits that accused it of violating consumers' rights and trading in malicious software.

Under the proposed settlement, lawyers said yesterday that Sony BMG would let some consumers receive free downloads to compensate them for Sony having surreptitiously included spyware on millions of CD's.

Posted by Greg Hewitt-Long in Adware, Spyware and Trojans at 07:25