A coalition of security companies and researchers has agreed on guidelines for how security software products should be tested, which may help put an end to long-running disputes about different testing methodologies.

Two sets of guidelines covering principles for testing security software for performance and testing entire security suites were adopted by the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO) at its latest meeting in Helsinki.

The guidelines are part of a series of documents on AMTSO’s website aimed at introducing a set of standards broadly agreed through the industry as appropriate for ranking the effectiveness of security software.

Security companies have bickered over tests run by organisations such as AV-Test.org and Virus Bulletin and others, which regularly test and rank security software.

Full article

Security researchers say they have found a method to bypass protections built in to dozens of the most popular desktop anti-virus products, including those offered by McAfee, Trend Micro, AVG, and BitDefender.

The method, developed by software security researchers at matousec.com, works by exploiting the driver hooks of the anti-virus programs burried deep inside the Windows operating system.

Most antivirus application uses a system called System Service Descriptor Table (SSDT) to interact with Windows. The new exploit is so effective that virtually all antivirus software have failed to detect it.

The good news is this- the size of the code needed for this method is large, so it is not possible over a quick download, making this attack unrealistic. However the attackers could use it as part of a software download, for an example Adobe Reader.

The method of this attack is only in theory, for the moment and there hasn’t been any report in the real world at the point of writing. Also the Anti Virus companies have not responded to this yet.

matousec.com

According to survey results released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) and China’s National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team (CNCERT), it is estimated that 384 million people in China used the Internet in the second half of last year. By that calculation, the number of people in the country surfing the Internet with no antivirus software was nearly 17 million or 4.4%.

Other results from the survey also showed the size of online security problems in China. For instance, nearly half of Chinese Internet users own virtual property, such as items in an online game or virtual coins for use on a social-networking site, according to the survey. Among those people, 14.6% said they had experienced some loss of that property due to theft of login credentials.

Online games are among the most popular targets in China for attackers, who strip items such as armor from a stolen game account and then sell them to other players for real-world cash.

More over here

Russian information technology security software provider, Kaspersky Lab, will be investing $2 million (approximately Rs 9 crore) in its India operations at Hyderabad during the next financial year, said its managing director (Asia Pacific) Harry Cheung.

The privately-held over $500-million company, which currently has three employees on its rolls at its Hyderabad centre, is planning to hire 120 more in FY11, besides looking at setting up a 100 people-strong call centre to support the entire Asia region.

“We are doing some research on the special incentives being extended by various state governments. However, Hyderabad will be our first choice for our proposed call centre,” Cheung told Business Standard.

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I was excited when this blog was invited to the first Kaspersky bloggers gathering or better known the Russian way- KGB Night, earlier this month.

Basically, the whole gathering was about introduction of their new referral and the latest contest called “Who is Eugene Kaspersky?“.

More info regarding the referral program here.

More info on “Who is Eugene Kaspersky?” here.

Here’s some pictures taken during KGB Night. More updates on the next gathering.

P.s: Do you know that Eugene Kaspersky is in town right now? Check out the contest above!

We love the the new Kaspersky 2010 commercial advertisement with Jackie Chan and Kaspersky Lab founder, Eugene Kaspersky.

Watch Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu action against malware after the jump!

As we have talked about the new 2010 versions,  Kaspersky SEA has made available the new KIS2010 and KAV 2010 via a launching ceremony in Kuala Lumpur last week.

Here are the pricing for the new Kaspersky 2010 consumer products:

These products can be found at the upcoming PC Fair starting on 31 July 2009. From 31 July to 2 August, purchasers at the KL PC Fair 2009 will be eligible to purchase the special edition of Kaspersky 2010 box featuring their new ambassador – Jacky Chan. They also get to ride on the limited hot air balloon between 7am and 10am and 7pm and 11pm from 1 to 2 August.

via LowYat.Net

Kaspersky Lab took an early step to launch their 2010 version of their Internet Security consumer product end last month.

Both products, Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 is now available for sale in Germarny, France, Spain and Italy and will soon available in other parts of the world in coming months.

The 2010 versions are expected to be available within the next couple of weeks in Malaysia however users with the Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 could upgrade to the 2010 version for free here.

Some of the new & improved features in Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 includes:

• Unique Safe Run Mode for questionable applications and websites
• Improved- Security Application Monitor to give you full picture on programs installed on your PC
• Improved- Identity Information Controller to give valuable data an extra layer of protection
• Kaspersky Toolbar for Internet browsers to warn you about infected or unsafe websites
• Improved- Advanced identity theft protection, including improved secure Virtual Keyboard
• Improved- Urgent Detection System to stop fast emerging threats
• Improved- Next generation proactive protection from zero-day attacks and unknown threats
• Special Game Mode to suspend alerts, updates and scans while you play

I have tested Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 for few days and notice higher usage of RAM with its heavy GUI(Graphic User Interface) and additional features such as Vulnerability scan & Safe Run(sandbox) that takes up heavy system resources. However I did notice improvements on scanning and detection.

Kaspersky Lab said that the Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 were developed with Windows Vista in mind(at least 40% faster) and that justifies my bad experience on Windows XP.

Check out the system requirements here.

In my opinion, an antivirus software should have very light impact on a system, and it should focus on what it is made to do which is prevent, detect, cure and protect end users against malwares, nothing more than that, which is what exactly Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 does.

Eventually, I roll back my antivirus software to Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 and probably upgrade back to 2010 around the end of the year hoping that Kaspersky Lab will fix the issues on XP.

Here’s the full press release from Kaspersky Lab:

Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content management solutions, announces the release of Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 – a new generation of solutions to protect home users from IT threats.

The new version 2010 products incorporate the advantages of advanced Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) technology in the Application Control module that assigns a security rating to previously unknown malware; unique Sandbox technology embodying virtualization technologies and providing a dedicated secure runtime environment; and the innovative Kaspersky Security Network that uses information from millions of users to dramatically reduce response times to new threats and replenish reputation databases with the most up-to-date information about clean and infected files.

The version 2009 products that were released last summer for personal use have won recognition from tens of millions of users all over the world, demonstrated their efficiency and reliability in hundreds of comparative tests, and established themselves as leaders in the global market. They are now succeeded by the new Kaspersky Lab products Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010, based on the very latest developments in IT security.

“Tens of thousands of new malicious programs appear worldwide every day. Cybercrime has become a multimillion dollar industry, demonstrating exponential growth. The routine hazards posed each day by worms, Trojans and viruses are surpassed by new threats like distributed zombie networks made up of millions of computers. The sheer scale of the problem means it is no longer possible to ensure complete security using only conventional signature-based and heuristic protection methods; the new malware landscape calls for new comprehensive protection methods. That is why Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 has implemented a revolutionary approach to protection whereby global monitoring of malicious activities is performed by the protected system itself with the aim of preventing malware from ever affecting the user’s computer”, Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky said.

All unknown applications are subject to multiple factor analysis to ensure safety. An even more secure environment is provided in Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 as the product integrates the “Safe Run” functionality based on the new Sandbox technology – unique for Internet Security Suites product range. “Safe Run” enables the user to run new software in an isolated environment that protects the operating system from all malicious changes. Statistically, it has been demonstrated that vulnerabilities in operating systems and trusted applications are often exploited by hackers to attack applications that make use of the Internet.

The “Safe Run” function makes surfing the Internet using various web browsers much safer and easier, as well as allowing any number of other applications to be run simultaneously. A green border around the application window also makes it easy for the user to see that it is protected.

The interface in Kaspersky Lab’s new personal products has undergone a major overhaul making it significantly more user friendly for novices. An automated application mode has been implemented in Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 that chooses the best options without bothering the user with unnecessary and annoying requests for action. A separate option has also been included for fans of online games. Gamers can turn off some of the functions in Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 that affect Internet traffic and subsequent server response times.

The Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) online reputation service, which started providing input for the HIPS module in the previous version of Kaspersky Internet Security, has also undergone significant improvements. KSN is designed to reduce the amount of time required to detect and block new types of threats. When a program is run by users of the service, it checks the program against a white list and the Urgent Detection System list on Kaspersky Lab’s servers. As in the previous product version, a program is then assigned a security rating. Furthermore, KSN now allows the HIPS module to move an application from the KSN white list to a trusted group.

Thanks to Kaspersky Security Network technology, it can take less than 40 seconds from the appearance of a previously unknown malicious program for complete protection against it to become available for users of Kaspersky Lab products. This is largely due to the millions of Kaspersky Lab personal product users all over the world who have decided to participate in Kaspersky Security Network. The approach used in Kaspersky Security Network embodies the increasingly popular concept of in-the-cloud security, which in this case means that potentially malicious files or websites are scanned online rather than on the computer itself using signatures that are stored locally.

The set of tools to protect confidential data has been extended and improved significantly. For example, the new generation products automatically block an unwary user’s access to known phishing sites and block spyware intended to steal user’s passwords and access codes. Kaspersky Internet Security implements a virtual keyboard that enables the user to enter usernames and passwords securely. This unique feature protects confidential data from being stolen by spyware and prevents screenshots from being taken from the virtual keyboard window, so the user can bank online or use any other confidential information in complete security.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 works to prevent the system from getting infected, which is a much more effective approach than treating an infected computer.

All the components implemented in earlier product versions have been improved and upgraded, including the firewall, heuristic analyzer, parental control module, and the anti-spam module.

The antivirus module, for instance, now includes a script emulator that allows real-time scanning of Java Scripts and VB Scripts that run when visiting various sites. This is a particularly important innovation given that over 70% of malware on users’ computers comes from infected sites, according to Kaspersky Lab’s specialists.

The version 2010 products are based on Kaspersky Lab’s improved antivirus engine which is even more effective at detecting malicious programs. Even though the functionality has increased in the new product versions, performance remains as high as ever and the 2010 products actually perform a range of tasks 40% faster than their predecessors on the Windows Vista operating system.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 were developed with Windows Vista in mind, making them fully compatible with that operating system.

“It’s not only the very latest innovative technologies such as the ‘sandbox’ and the Safe Run option that set the new versions of our personal products apart but also the highly intuitive and user-friendly interface. Now, configuring a computer security system poses no problems for novice users, while professionals have a lot more functions at their disposal that are more clearly and logically structured. Our aim is that all types of computer users enjoy a safer place on the Internet,” Eugene Kaspersky added.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 are already on sale in Germany, France, Spain and Italy. The products will become available to UK users from July. In the coming months, Kaspersky Lab’s new products will be launched around the world.

http://www.kaspersky.com/2010

The latest Norton Internet Security 2010 & Norton Anti Virus 2010 is now available for beta testing.

“We’re really excited about his year’s version of Norton Internet Security 2010 and Norton AntiVirus 2010. We’ve made significant improvements to our existing features, as well as added a few new ones. We’ve also included support for Windows 7, the new upcoming version of Microsoft’s popular operating system.” says Norton on its official blog.

Features and download link after the jump!

Performance Enhancements
The 2010 products improve on the very high performance bar already set by the 2009 products. The Beta builds will be regularly updated, with later builds improving on performance and functionality.

Enhanced Norton Insight

Norton Insight is built on the Symantec Quorum backend intelligence technology first introduced in the 2009 products. In 2009 Norton Insight only quantified trustworthiness, in 2010 Norton Insight also provides information on prevalence, age, and runtime performance data.

Download Insight
Download Insight is a new line of defense against the introduction of untrusted applications on your system. Download Insight monitors new application or installer downloads, automatically analyzes and classifies the application using the Quorum technology, and provides you with a trust rating for the application before allowing the application or installer to execute. Click here for detailed information about Download Insight.

Performance Monitoring
The system performance monitoring now also monitors system events such as application installations, and we monitor process performance. This information is graphed over time, to make it easier to determine if an application may be the cause of degraded performance.

Enhanced SONAR
The SONAR behavioral protection technology was completely re-written for the 2010 products. SONAR now also utilizes the Quorum backend intelligence technology to further improve detections and reduce false positives.

Power Savings
Power saving options are available that helps conserve battery power by only running non-critical tasks when on AC power.

Silent Mode
The Silent Mode functionality was enhanced to include Quiet Mode on automatic detection of CD/DVD burning and media recording applications. Users can now also define their own applications that will trigger Quiet Mode

Anti Spam
The Anti Spam technology was completely re-written for the 2010 products. The Anti Spam engine is now using the world’s leading Symantec Brightmail technology. The engine is further enhanced to not only perform local scanning, but to also double check the results in real-time against the backend system, further increasing the effectiveness and reducing false positives.

Windows 7 Support
Full support for Windows 7, including support for Teredo, Windows Mail, and Home Groups.

Over the next few weeks we will be publishing detailed write-ups in the Norton Protection Blog about the new and improved features of the 2010 products.

Beta is only limited to 14-days only

Download Norton Internet Security 2010

Download Norton AntiVirus 2010

Microsoft is replacing is Live OneCare with a free version called Microsoft Security Essentials.

Formally known as Morro, this free antivirus software protects genuine XP, Vista and Windows Seven users from Viruses and Spyware.

Features and Video review after the jump!

Some of Microsoft Security Essential features:

• Real-time protection- Microsoft Security Essentials uses real-time protection to help address potential threats before they ever have an opportunity to become a problem.

• Dynamic Signature Service- In addition to taking advantage of daily signature downloads, Microsoft Security Essentials is able to validate suspicious files against newly identified malware in near-real time by querying the Dynamic Signature Service. Actions from unknown sources such as unexpected network connections, attempting to modify privileged parts of the system or downloading known malicious content all trigger requests for updates from the Dynamic Signature Service.

• Rootkit protection- Microsoft Security Essentials includes a number of new and improved technologies to provide additional defense against rootkits and other aggressive threats. These technologies include live kernel behavior monitoring for monitoring the integrity of kernel structures, support for direct file-system parsing to help identify and remove malicious programs and drivers hidden from the file system, and improved live rootkit removal that dynamically loads a new kernel mode driver as part of the cleaning process so that it can help successfully remove some of the more advanced rootkits.

• Lightweight design- Because Microsoft Security Essentials is core anti-malware only, it doesn’t carry the weight of the suite products and has a much smaller download size.

• CPU throttling- CPU throttling helps ensure that the user’s system remains responsive to those tasks the user is likely to be performing such as opening files or browser windows, launching programs, editing documents, saving files, etc.

• Idle-time scanning- Scans and updates are scheduled to run when the PC is idle and use a low-priority thread.

• Smart caching and active memory swapping- Signatures not in use don’t take up space in the available memory, making Microsoft Security Essentials friendlier toward older PCs as well as today’s smaller, less powerful form factors.

Microsoft Security Essentials System Requirements:

• Operating System: Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista; Windows 7 (Beta or Release Candidate)

• For Windows XP, a PC with:
  • CPU with clock speed of 500 MHz or higher
  • Memory of 256 MB RAM or higher

• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with:
  • CPU with clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher
  • Memory of 1 GB RAM or higher
  • VGA (display): 800×600 or higher

• Storage: 140 MB of available hard-disk space

Video Review:

At the moment, users who want to download this free antivirus from Microsoft will see this message “Thank you for your interest in joining the Microsoft® Security Essentials Beta. We are not accepting additional participants at this time. Please check back at a later date for possible additional availability.”

Malaysia Technology Blog however has managed to get a copy of Windows XP and Vista 32 bit of the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta.

To download Microsoft Security Essentials Beta for Windows XP click here

To download Microsoft Security Essentials Beta for Vista 32 Bit click here

As the software is still in Beta, Malaysia Technology Blog recommends users to stick with their current antivirus software until Microsoft releases a full stable version.

P.s: Microsoft Security Essentials includes spyware protection, please uninstall Windows Defender if you are using it on your PC.

Must Read:

• First Look: Microsoft Security Essentials