EDUnet Trojan
Posted on May 2, 2008
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I thought some emails I got with a subject line: “RE: RE: Que video uau!………… muito bom!!!” and a link to a video looked suspicious. Especially since I didn’t know the sender.
Example of the EDUnet Trojan:
[EDUnet Trojan Image coming shortly]
BitDefender antivirus analysts have uncovered a spam-sending scheme of Byzantine complexity. The discovery came with the identification of spam e-mails which claim to contain links to videos. When users try to click and see the video, they are instead prompted to download a “media player.”
The media player is in fact Backdoor.Edunet.A, a piece of malware which uses victims’ computers as a channel for sending commands to a series of mail servers. The mail servers, which are used to spread spam, are mostly in the .edu and .mil domains.
The list of servers is retrieved by the trojan from a series of web servers which are either compromised themselves or part of the attackers’ own network. The list of web servers is continuously changing, but that of the targets has, so far, remained constant.
The trojan sends the commands in the hopes of finding an open relay – a mis-configured mail server that allows anyone to send e-mails – basically making it appear that any mail originating from the trojan is actually one that has been sent from the open relay.
BitDefender researchers have determined that, at least currently, none of the servers in the current target list are actually vulnerable.
“It’s not every day that you stumble on the workings of an honest-to-God hacking ring, let alone one that has a predilection for using military and university-run mail servers as spam relays,” declared Sorin Dudea, BitDefender’s head of AV Research. “It would be interesting to identify what, if anything, the institutions that own the targeted servers have in common.”
Secure your computer against trojans
Until next time 
Peter - Your BitDefender Guide
Social Network Scam
Posted on April 22, 2008
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The Social network LinkedIn is being used by online fraudsters, BitDefender Antivirus experts warned today.
BitDefender stated that LinkedIn users are receiving emails requesting invitations to be added to other users’ social networks.
Users are more inclined to believe these emails as they come through official channels.
The scammers are using fake profiles on LinkedIn. When connection is made, fraudsters try to get LinkedIn users to articipate in advanced fee fund scam commonly known as the Nigerian 419 fraud.
The Nigerian 419 Fraud (Wikipedia):
The 419 scam originated in the early 1980s as the oil-based economy of Nigeria declined. Several unemployed university students first used this scam as a means of manipulating business visitors interested in shady deals in the Nigerian oil sector before targeting businessmen in the west, and later the wider population. Scammers in the early-to-mid 1990s targeted companies, sending scam messages via letter, fax, or Telex.
The spread of email and easy access to email-harvesting software made the cost of sending scam letters through the Internet inexpensive. In the 2000s, the 419 scam has spurred imitations from other locations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.
Bogdan Dumitru, chief technology officer at BitDefender said: “This new twist to the old 419 scheme is more dangerous as there is an increased chance for network users to fall for the scam since they use it to build up their businesses or careers and thus tend to grant it some implicit trust.”
Dumitru noted that many sites, such as LinkedIn, are not able to verify the identity of those who join.
BitDefender also claimed that other social networking sites are likely to be used by fraudsters for similar scams.
Until next time 
Malcolm - Your Bitdefender Guide
BitDefender Review
Posted on October 6, 2007
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BitDefender recently received PC Advisors Gold for Total Security 2008.
The review states: “With a name like BitDefender Total Security 2008, you might think that BitDefender might have overdosed a bit on the hyperbole. However, this very-well specified utility bundle does seem to have most threats to your PC covered.”
BitDefender Total Security 2008 - New Features
Posted on September 15, 2007
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Total Security 2008 includes several interesting new features. I have already mentioned the new Gamer Mode. Added functionality are also Anti-phishing, Wi-Fi management and more.
The Wifi security is great for all of us that have tried to secure our laptop in the home network. Going through Windows security settings for Wifi can make anyone want to sell the computer and start putting Ikea funiture together instead.
The New Total Security Features are:
Read more
BitDefender 2008 Released
Posted on September 13, 2007
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New BitDefender version 2008 has just been released.
The new upgrade boasts several interesting new features. One is the new “Gamer Mode”. The problem with most Antivirus software is that they take up a lot of system resources.
This can be a problem if you want to play the latest and the greatest games as you will often need the full potential of your computer. This is where Gamer Mode comes into play. You can set your computer to be protected but use very little computer resources.
Go here to read more about BitDefender 2008 AntiVirus.
Until Next time,
Malcolm - Your Bitdefender Guide
Bitdefender AntiSpam Review
Posted on July 26, 2007
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For a few weeks I have tested and evaluated the Bitdefender AntiSpam function in Bitdefender Plus 10.2.
I actually turned this function off in version 8 because it made all my windows in outlook to close every time I used it. As I use Outlook as an organizer for a lot of documents this was quite frustrating and I have now used the Windows spamfilter for two years.
I finally decided to give Bitdefender another try and boy am I glad I did.
The annoying “closing my outlook folder” error is gone and instead there is a simple but efficient email filter.
As I get both a lot of business emails and a lot of spam and the business emails sometimes are filtered into the spam folder it is very important that the “false negative” is very small.
With false negative I mean the emails that I want (not spam) are filtered into the spam folder. This makes me miss them or I have to spend considerable time going through the junk to find the emails I actually should respond to.
Anyway the Bitdefender antispam function is working really good and now about two weeks into using it I don’t think one single email has been marked as spam wrongfully.
Impressive!
You can read more about bitdefender plus here
Until next time
Peter - Your Bitdefender Guide
Total Security 2008 Beta Test Challenge
Posted on June 21, 2007
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BitDefender is now inviting the public to test BitDefender Total Security 2008.
BitDefender Total Security 2008 beta campaign started on June 19, 2007. Total Security for home users brings new features and a lot of improvements.
The Challenge and Prizes
The most active beta testers will be rewarded with game consoles (first 3 most active testers), pc games (next 30 most active testers), mobile phones (special prize for the most interesting feedback) and a lot of BitDefender licenses.
You can sign up for the Total Security 2008 Beta Test Challenge here.
Total Security 2008 is a new product. A spokesman for BitDefender said that the company has taken several products, and put them together in a comprehensive package. Total Security includes Firewall and Antispyware. It also includes Backup and PC maintenance as well as a new Game mode, geared to be less memory consuming for game playing.
“A lot of gamers don’t use any kind of security software because it slows down the PC,” says a Bitdefender spokesman. “This scales down the firewall, the real-time spyware detection, and the antivirus so instead of scanning all the files, it only scans the ones most likely to have a virus, like .exe file extensions.”
Until next time,
Peter
Bitdefender Offer
Posted on April 10, 2007
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SoftwareCasa now run a special offer on Bitdefender! You can get two users including 2 years of antivirus protection for US$39.95.
Go here to read more about Bitdefender Special Offer!
Latest Threats
Posted on March 28, 2007
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Bitdefender has just released new threats:
BitDefender 10 for Vista
Posted on February 9, 2007
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Bitdefender Antivirus latest release 10.2 now officially works on the New Microsoft Vista Operating System. Read the official release note here.
You can go here to find Bitdefender for Vista.