Computers

 

Several months ago we mentioned Barracuda, which is a bot that can be updated with the files we indicate it, launch DDoS attacks and turn the infected computers into proxies.

 

Today, when analysing several malicious sites, I have come across a server that had 84,631 bots, from which 2,072 were connected, and 20,448 proxies, from which 532 were connected.

We have talked quite a few times about kits for installing malware, such as MPack and IcePack. Vicente has been studying for a while another kit called TrafficPro. Although it's older than MPack and IcePack, it's cheaper (about $20 - $40), that's why it has become so popular.

In order to access the control panel you have the typical login page:

 

Of course, you can check all the infections in detail:

 

For a detailed explanation of how it works, take a look at the report written by Vicente.

The tutorial I wrote on personalizing letters using Word’s mail merge prompted questions about making company letterheads. There are probably many ways to create these. One simple and free way to make a letterhead is to use the header and footer area and save the document as a Word template. (Includes online tutorial using Word 2003.)

One problem with the web is the rate of change. Huge numbers of new web pages appear daily. Although there are browser security tools, few detect issues in real time like Finjan SecureBrowsing. This free browser add-on for Firefox or Internet Explorer finds potential problems using content inspection technology and provides a nice safety check for searchers and webmasters.

I just noticed in the latest Microsoft Press Pass that they are starting a campaign today called "The Ultimate Steal". The deal is only for students, but the savings are substantial. For less than $60, you get Office Ultimate 2007. As with all deals, there are a few conditions.