Update: Apple patching serious SMS vulnerability on iPhone
Apple may be working to fix an iPhone vulnerability that could possibly allow an attacker to remotely install and run unsigned software code with root access to the phone. Read more...

Court orders spammers to pay $3.7 million

'Jailbroken' iPhones leave users more vulnerable

Chinese security company shares huge malware database

Google: Spammers regroup after ISP takedowns

Michael Jackson's death spawns malware, more scams

Michael Jackson spam spreads, malware attacks likely

FTC suspends heavy penalty against scareware defendants

Defense Secretary Gates approves creation of U.S. Cyber Command

Google fixes 'critical' security hole in Chrome

More Spam, Malware and Vulnerabilities Stories

Well-honed Attacks Sneak Under the Radar
Samples of documents used in carefully prepared targeted attacks make clear that while a suspicious eye is a great security tool, some especially dangerous attacks might slide right by you.

5 Steps to Secure a New PC
A common misconception is that a shiny new computer is more or less secure because it hasn't yet been exposed to the Internet's sinister underbelly. But the truth is, these machines come out of the box needing scores of patches, some basic security software downloads and the disabling or replacing of items security pros don't typically trust.

MS Security Essentials: Basic Protection
Microsoft today released a limited beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials, a free antivirus application for users of Windows XP, Vista, or 7. The new app, which will replace Windows Live OneCare, aims to cover the basic security needs of home users, and its easy-to-use interface appears to be taking the right approach to the task.

First Look: Microsoft Security Essentials
The beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials, a free program that fights viruses and spyware, is now available for download. The app, previously code-named Morro, replaces Windows Live OneCare and fights the usual rogues' gallery of PC threats, including worms, Trojans, and other troublemakers.

First Look: Microsoft Security Essentials beta offers free protection against malware
Microsoft's latest addition to its fleet of free applications, Security Essentials, is smaller, faster and more efficient but doesn't offer the wider range of features that security suites do.

A Plan to Secure the Federal Cyberspace
About this series: In a paper he wrote and published before President Obama's announcement regarding the creation of a national cybersecurity coordinator, Ariel Silverstone, CISSP, put forward his thoughts about the necessity of having a chief security officer for the United States. In this first installment, he discusses the need he sees for the role, his idea of placement, timetable, and the CSO's role definition. Silverstone also lists his vision for the first (of 23) tasks that he sees as essential for information security in the United States.

Cyberdefense center will lead in education
The Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) opened in May 2008 in Tallinn, Estonia, to assist NATO with technical, legal and policy issues associated with dealing with cyberwarfare incidents. The 20-person center includes civilian analyst Kenneth Geers, who works for the U.S. Navy's Naval Criminal Investigative Services. Geers, who has been with the center for about a year and a half, spoke about CCDCOE's mission on the opening day of the organization's first-ever Conference on Cyber Warfare on Wednesday.

How Microsoft Influenced Adobe Security In a Good Way
When I first started writing about information security five years ago, all a writer had to do was mention Microsoft in the same headline space as "security vulnerability" to strike page-view gold. In 2004 Microsoft was a couple years into its Trustworthy Computing Initiative but it remained the software company IT security practitioners hated with glee.

Adobe fixes security bugs in Reader, Acrobat
Adobe has released critical security patches, fixing 13 bugs in its Reader and Acrobat software.

Spam drops 15 percent after FTC Pricewert takedown
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's recent takedown of an Internet service provider thought to be a safe haven for spammers has reduced spam volumes, but only by a little.

Editors' Picks

Don't trash your tired old desktop PC -- pump it up with a few inexpensive upgrades. Microsoft's Windows 7 pricing plans may derail efforts to make users move away from XP and forget Vista. Also see Preston Gralla: Don't believe the $120 Windows 7 pricetag. Trademark owners say cybersquatting on the Web has gone too far -- and they're pushing back. The goal is to have all the original Lunar Orbiter image files processed by February, producing a moon atlas with a resolution higher than anything previously seen.

hot topics

Get the latest news, reviews and more about Microsoft's newest desktop operating system.

• Windows 7
• Voting Technology
• Google's Chrome browser
• Economy in turmoil: Latest news and tips
• iPhone 3G
• Bill Gates moves on
• Windows Vista A to Z
• Mac A to Z

special report topics

General Mills, Genentech, San Diego Gas & Electric, University of Pennsylvania and Monsanto top the list.

Accelerate SSL Encrypted Applications The amount of SSL traffic is growing in the enterprise. Because it is encrypted, it cannot be properly controlled and accelerated. Blue Coat SG appliances with MACH5 technology provides complete visibility into SSL application sessions, making it easy to apply appropriate acceleration and security controls to all SSL traffic. The CIO's New Guide to Design of Global IT Infrastructure 2007 Gartner Magic Quadrant Report Extreme Savings: Cutting Costs with WAN Optimization An In-Depth Look at ROI The True ROI behind WAN Optimization Forrester Consulting - Optimizing Users and Applications in a Mobile World Case Study - Psomas Centralized Data Backup and Your WAN IBM Lotus Notes Performance Brief MarketVibe: Communications and Collaboration Needs at Business Organizations Shape Your Apps Strategy to Reflect New SaaS Licensing and Pricing Trends Natural User Interface for Enterprise Applications A Truly Global HCM System Craft a Strategy to Lower Your Total Cost of Ownership Moving Beyond Monolithic - What's Next for Enterprise Application Architectures? Differentiating With Technical Support: JBoss Customer Support Study The JBoss SOA Assessment Tool: Spend Less, Do More The Value of Network and Application Visibility by Aberdeen ESG Lab Field Audit The Shortcut Guide to Managing Certificate Lifecycles More White Papers

E-mail Address: (Required)  Security  Networking Security  Virus and Vulnerability Roundup  Security: Issues and Trends  Infrastructure & Control

"Is your iPhone overheating? Are you vunerable to an Apple SMS security issue? In..." Read more "Michael Jackson wasn’t dead six hours when I already heard the first of several (bad) jokes about the superstar.  In..." Read more "Usenet.com has lost its copyright lawsuit vs. the RIAA over MP3 filesharing. In..." Read more "In this special..." Read more More Security Blogs See all Computerworld Blogs

In Security Stripping away the trappings of applications, systems and networks, information is the core asset of most organizations. Our columnist describes how asserting the importance of information governance is crucial to making that asset tangible, addressable and protected. Click here to read the latest column by Jon Espenschied

The Spy Files For Congress to do anything that helps protect consumers and the critical Internet infrastructure as a whole, it must pass laws that require proactive processes to protect computers, not that tell people how to deal with the resulting mess, says Ira Winkler. Click here to read the latest column by Ira Winkler