Windows Defender for Windows 10 – Computer Security Articles

No payment necessary: Fighting back against ransomware

January 23, 2017 admin Advanced persistent threats, antimalware, Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, Coordinated Malware Eradication, enterprise software security, malware research, microsoft, Microsoft Edge, MMPC, Product features and announcements, ransomware, research, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender ATP, Windows Defender for Windows 10

Any IT professional who’s ever had an experience with malware knows how fast an intrusive attack can happen, and how difficult it can be to educate employees to be vigilant against such threats. And with ransomware attacks only growing, having information, tools and technologies to help protect your network can mean the difference between serious…

Microsoft Security

Fake fax ushers in revival of a ransomware family

January 23, 2017 admin antimalware, Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, Crimace, enterprise software security, fake fax, malware research, microsoft, Microsoft Edge, MMPC, Ransom:Win32/WinPlock.B, ransomware, research, spam, Trojan, TrojanDownloader:JS/Crimace.A, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender for Windows 10, WinPlock

“Criminal case against you” is a message that may understandably cause panic. That’s what a recent spam campaign hopes happens, increasing the likelihood of recipients opening the malicious attachment. We recently discovered a new threat that uses email messages pretending to be fax messages, but in truth deliver a ransomware downloader. The attachment used in this…

Microsoft Security

Beware of Hicurdismos: It’s a fake Microsoft Security Essentials installer that can lead to a support call scam

January 23, 2017 admin Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, fake BSoSD, Hicurdismos, how to spot a fake BSOD, report tech support scam, SupportScam, SupportScam:MSIL/Hicurdismos.A, tech support scam mimics BSoD, Technical support scam, Windows Defender, Windows Defender for Windows 10

Wouldn’t it be a shame if, in trying to secure your PC, you inadvertently install malware and run the risk of being scammed? We recently discovered a threat detected as SupportScam:MSIL/Hicurdismos.A that pretends to be a Microsoft Security Essentials installer. Microsoft Security Essentials is our antimalware product for Windows 7 and earlier. In Windows 10…

Microsoft Security

Digging deep for PLATINUM

January 23, 2017 admin Activity groups, Advanced persistent threats, advanced threat, enterprise software security, guidance, hunters, malware, malware research, Microsoft Security Essentials, MMPC, phishing, research, Uncategorized, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender ATP, Windows Defender for Windows 10

This blog introduces our latest report from the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Hunting team. You can read the full report at: PLATINUM: Targeted attacks in South and Southeast Asia There is no shortage of headlines about cybercriminals launching large-scale attacks against organizations. For us, the activity groups that pose the most danger are the ones…

Microsoft Security

Gamarue, Nemucod, and JavaScript

January 23, 2017 admin Code obfuscation, Crowti, fareit, Gamarue, JavaScript, maps, Nemucod, ransomware, spam, Tescrypt, Windows Defender, Windows Defender for Windows 10

JavaScript is now being used largely to download malware because it’s easy to obfuscate the code and it has a small size. Most recently, one of the most predominant JavaScript malware that has been spreading other malware is Nemucod. This JavaScript trojan downloads additional malware (such as Win32/Tescrypt and Win32/Crowti – two pervasive ransomware trojans…

Microsoft Security

Large Kovter digitally-signed malvertising campaign and MSRT cleanup release

January 23, 2017 admin Kovter, Locky, Macro-based malware, Malvertising campaign, maps, MSRT, ransomware, Trojan, Windows Defender, Windows Defender for Windows 10

Kovter is a malware family that is well known for being tricky to detect and remove because of its file-less design after infection. Users from United States are nearly exclusively being targeted, and infected PCs are used to perform click-fraud and install additional malware on your machine. Starting April 21, 2016, we observed a large…

Microsoft Security

No mas, Samas: What’s in this ransomware’s modus operandi?

January 23, 2017 admin antimalware, Credential Guard for Windows 10 Enterprise, cybersecurity, Device Guard for Windows 10 Enterprise, Disable macro, Disable macro in Office, enterprise software security, Java-based vulnerabilities, JBOSS, Lateral account movement security, Macro-based malware, microsoft, Microsoft Passport, New ransomware, Outdated JBOSS, Ransom:MSIL/Samas, ransomware, Ransomware modus operandi, Redhat, Samas ransomware, Samas ransomware geographical distribution, Samas ransomware geoloc_, Samas ransomware infection chain, Secure your code integrity, Securing Lateral Account Movement, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender blogs for home users and small businesses, Windows Defender for Windows 10, Windows Hello

We’ve seen how ransomware managed to become a threat category that sends consumers and enterprise reeling when it hits them. It has become a high-commodity malware that is used as payload to spam email, macro malware, and exploit kit campaigns. It also digs onto victims’ pockets in exchange for recovering files from their encrypted form. …

Microsoft Security

Cleaners ought to be clean (and clear)

January 23, 2017 admin Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, Consumer, microsoft, Microsoft Security Products, Objective Criteria, Optimize system performance, prefetch files, Unwanted behaviors, Unwanted software, Windows 10, Windows Defender blogs for home users and small businesses, Windows Defender for Windows 10

There are many programs that purport to clean up and optimize system performance. While Microsoft does not endorse the use of these tools with Windows, we do not view them as unwanted or malicious. Many programs in this category have a practice of providing a free version of their software that scans your system, presents the…

← Previous