Features

• PDF files most trusted...and most targeted

  PDF files are one of the most common, and most trusted document formats out there. However, that trust, combined with the cross-platform use of PDFs makes the Adobe file format one of the most targeted and exploited by malicious attacks as well.

• ClamAV promises free antivirus app for businesses

  Most of us don't like paying for antivirus (AV) software, but at least home users can rely on one of the free options, such as Microsoft Security Essentials, avast!, or AVG Free.

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  Text message of 'death' threatens smartphone security

  Security researchers have shown that carefully crafted text messages sent to cell phones via short message service (SMS) can cause them to shutdown without the knowledge of the owner.

• Citing cybercrime, FBI director doesn't bank online

  The head of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has stopped banking online after nearly falling for a phishing attempt.

• Microsoft sues mobile ringtone company for phishing, spam

  Microsoft has sued a Hong Kong seller of mobile ringtones, saying the company used phishing techniques to flood Microsoft Live Messenger users with spam messages.

• New scam email uses Australian Federal Police to gain victims' trust

  Cyber criminals have changed tack in their ongoing scam campaign against banks, moving to the use of government agencies to gain the trust of unsuspecting email recipients.

• Twitter gains upper hand on latest scam

  Sometimes, it seems scams are becoming almost as common as social media experts on Twitter. The latest one, unleashed Monday morning and initially noticed by tech blog Mashable, centers on a fake blog hosted at the domain twittersblogs.com. Tweets containing links to the site circulated rapidly, each featuring the message: "omg!! is it true what they wrote about you in their twit blog?"

• How to beat 22 Web security threats

  Forewarned is forearmed. We investigate the latest and most deadly tech dangers, and explain how to fight back.

• 9 Dirty Tricks: Social Engineers' Favourite Pick-Up Lines

  What the average guy might call a con is known in the security world as social engineering. Social engineering is the criminal art of scamming a person into doing something or divulging sensitive information. These days, there are thousands of ways for con artists to pull off their tricks (See: Social Engineering: Eight Common Tactics). Here we look at some of the most common lines these people are using to fool their victims..