Fake Internet postcards linked to most prevalent U.S. computer virus

October 4th, 2009 BANGALORE - With more and more people going online and social networking becoming pervasive, cyber crime now generates more money than drug trafficking, says global cyber security solutions provider Symantec. "Cyber crime has surpassed drug trafficking as a criminal money-maker.

September 15th, 2009 LONDON - Fake video footage can dramatically alter people's perceptions of events, even convincing them to testify to a non-event, says a new study. Kimberley Wade, psychology professor from Warwick University (WU), led an experiment to see whether such faux footage could induce people to accuse another of doing something they never did.

September 4th, 2009 LONDON - Did you think Twittering is a new up-to-the-minute technological advancement? Well, then here's a piece of information: The Edwardians were doing it 100 years ago - using postcards instead of computers. A study by Lancaster and Manchester Metropolitan universities has revealed how the picture postcard, containing an image on one side and space for writing on the other, became an instant hit after it was introduced in 1902.

August 24th, 2009 Officials warned about fake DHS intel e-mailsWASHINGTON — Some e-mails purporting to be from the Homeland Security Department's intelligence division were fake and contained malicious software. The e-mails actually originated from Internet addresses in Latvia and Russia, according to a three-page alert from the Homeland Security Department's counterintelligence unit.

August 20th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Internet security company Norton Symantec has come up with a list of Top 100 Dirtiest sites, which could infect your computer with malware. Malware is a software that can damage or compromise a computer system without the owner's consent.

July 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Fake Internet postcards circulated through electronic mails worldwide carry links to a deadly virus known as Zeus Bot, according to a new study. Gary Warner, computer forensics director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), who led the study, said, Zeus Bot has been named America's most pervasive computer virus, reportedly affecting some 3.6 million computers in the US.

July 8th, 2009 Federal Web sites knocked out by cyber attackWASHINGTON — A widespread and unusually resilient computer attack that began July 4 knocked out the Web sites of several government agencies, including some that are responsible for fighting cyber crime, The Associated Press has learned. The Treasury Department, Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission and Transportation Department Web sites were all down at varying points over the holiday weekend and into this week, according to officials inside and outside the government.

July 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Notebooks are made to hit the road. But many people don't actually travel very often with them - until vacation time, that is.

July 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Beware of any emails regarding the investigation into King of Pop Michael Jackson's death, for they may be spam messages that infect computers with a virus able to steal bank account numbers and passwords. Expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have revealed that they began tracking the celebrity-focused spam early on June 30.

July 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Dutch researcher Laurens van der Maaten has developed a new analytical technique that enables the computer to recognize archaeological material and fake works of art. According to a report in www.physorg.com, the technique not only enables the computer to better interpret the content of photos and images, but also of data.

July 1st, 2009 BEIJING - China has backed down from its Wednesday deadline for computer makers to pre-install controversial internet filtering software, following a backlash from inside and outside the country. The delay in installing the Green Dam Youth Escort firewall is to allow computer manufacturers more time to comply with the new requirement, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement.

June 22nd, 2009 Court won't decide if fake money should look realWASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has refused to hear arguments from a Wal-Mart cashier who said the fake money she agreed to take from counterfeiters was so poorly made that she shouldn't have been convicted of working with them. The court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from Crystal Porter, a Wal-Mart cashier in Seagoville, Texas, who worked with counterfeiters to pass off photocopied $100 bills in the store in exchange for gift cards.

June 15th, 2009 BEIJING - China has ordered software producers to create security patches following reports that its controversial new internet filtering system could allow remote monitoring and control of users' computers, and the stealing of personal information, state media said Monday. "The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology told us to make the software safer after a series of security vulnerabilities were found," the official China Daily quoted Zhang Chenmin, manager of Jinhui Computer System Engineering, as saying.

May 30th, 2009 LONDON - Hundreds of students of a top Japanese university are getting sat-nav iPhones, so that it's easier to track them down in case they skip classes. Usually, students fake attendance by getting friends to answer proxy roll-call or hand in signed attendance cards.

May 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Twitterers and users of Facebook, beware! For hackers have now begun targeting popular social networking sites, and chances are that the sites' members maybe hoodwinked into revealing their identities and, worse, even credit card details, warn experts. Last week, hackers twice attacked Facebook - arguably the world's most popular social networking site - causing a host of users to reveal their personal information.