Dark Reading summarizes the annual threat report from PandaLabs.  Virus writers were hard at work in 2010 and many of them were focused stealing banking and financial data.

Banker Trojans still dominate the ranking of new malware that appeared in 2010 (56 percent of all samples), followed by viruses and worms. A relative newcomer to the malware landscape, rogueware (fake antivirus software) now comprises 11.6 percent of all the malware gathered and has been given its own category.

Find out more about how Kanguru can protect your organization from USB-borne viruses and malware.

Data Security, Portable Storage

While SanDisk has decided to abandon the Cruzer Enterprise drive and focus on basic flash memory, Kanguru continues to deliver a world-class security suite for USB Flash Drives.  The FIPS 140-2 certified Kanguru Defender Elite is now the only flash drive on the market that includes onboard virus/malware protection free-of-charge.

Kanguru is offering SanDisk Enterprise users a chance to transition to the Defender Elite and Kanguru Remote Management Console.  For a limited time, SanDisk customers can purchase Defender Elite and KRMC software at 20% off retail price.  We are also pleased to announce a free upgrade to the next available memory capacity!

Example:  Your organization owns 200 SanDisk Cruzer Enterprise 4GB drives and CMC management console.  You are eligible to purchase up to 200 Defender Elite 8GB drives and KRMC licenses at 20% off our 4GB price.

This offer is available through all authorized Kanguru reseller partners.  Contact us today for more information!

** Offer good through Dec 31, 2010

** Requires verification of SanDisk purchase

** Discount qty is unlimited.  Upgrade qty is limited to total number of Cruzer Enterprise drives owned.

Data Security

The partnership between BitDefender®, an award-winning provider of anti-malware security solutions, and Kanguru Solutions, manufacturer of secure, portable IT storage solutions, has helped support Kanguru’s expansion into European markets by adding BitDefender’s anti-virus software to Kanguru’s encrypted, remotely manageable flash drives.

Read the full story here.

With malware like Stuxnet spreading via USB sticks, anti-virus protection is more important than ever.

Malware, Portable Storage

Defense Systems has a great explanation of the Stuxnet worm that is targeting industrial machines and may have been an attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities.  Kevin Coleman writes that the “Stuxnet worm was highly sophisticated – perhaps the most sophisticated attack that is known to the public thus far, leading some in the field to proclaim the piece of code the best malware ever.”

A commenter on the article asks why critical machines would be connected to the public internet and made vulnerable to such attacks.  Dark Reading points out that even if the machines are isolated, they can be breached using USB sticks:

PLCs and control systems had been considered relatively insulated from the outside world and attack because they aren’t typically Internet-connected. But Stuxnet drove home the worst-kept secret that these systems still are connected to Windows or other machines that can get infected — in this case, by a USB stick — and therefore aren’t as protected as they had seemed.

An easy solution would be to use Endpoint Security or Group Policy to block USB sticks unless they have built-in anti-virus protection like the Kanguru Defender Elite.

Malware

Dark Reading asks “Could USB Flash Drives Be Your Enterprise’s Weakest Link?”  The question was prompted by new details about a US Military security breach caused by USB malware.  The virus was brought in on a USB flash drive and then spread throughout the network.

A large part of the fight to keep organizations secure against such mobile devices is the education of employees. Because USB flash drives can aid productivity, getting employees to abandon them is difficult, as the Pentagon discovered. Instead, using technologies such as encryption, role-based authentication and data-leakage protection can help reduce the threat posed by flash drives.

Because of this incident, and similar data breaches involving USB drives, many enterprises are looking for devices that integrate encryption and malware defenses.  The security features cannot be optional because employees will opt not to use them.  To that end, Kanguru has integrated 256-AES hardware encryption and real-time virus and malware scanning directly into the Kanguru Defender family of Secure USB flash drives.  Always-on security ensures that the USB flash drive is not the weakest link in your enterprise.

Data Security, Malware, Portable Storage

Online banking sessions are becoming lucrative targets for hackers and thieves.  Dark Reading highlights a recent M86 Security report on attacks at a large UK bank.  These sophisticated thieves use malware to hijack the browser on the banking customer’s PC. 

Once the victims logged onto their online banking accounts, the attackers captured account numbers and user credentials. They employed a man-in-the-browser attack that intercepted the victim’s money transactions.

One way to prevent such attacks is by ensuring that all online banking is done from a trusted machine.  New advances in technology allow trusted virtual machines to boot from a Secure USB stick.  The online banking session can be conducted with a hardened browser and multi-factor authentication can be implemented to prevent unauthorized users.

With over $1 million stolen from this one banking institution alone, you can bet that similar attacks are targeting banking customers around the world.

Data Security, Financial

Via ComputerWorld, “Microsoft on Friday warned that attackers are exploiting a critical unpatched Windows vulnerability using infected USB flash drives.”

Kanguru Defender Elite and Defender V2 secure flash drives come standard with onboard BitDefender Antivirus to prevent malware from spreading on infected drives.  The first year of A/V service is free of charge and can also be used to scan the host computer for malware.

Malware, Portable Storage

Kanguru is proud to announce a new partnership with OPTIMAL System-Beratung that will make Kanguru Secure USB Flash Drives available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

OPTIMAL, based in Aachen, Germany, has extensive experience distributing system management and security products.  View today’s press release (German) for additional details on the partnership.

Uncategorized

In this BankInfoSecurity interview, a lead administrator of the ACH network discusses how cyber-criminals are targeting corporate bank accounts:

it’s a type of identity theft really in which cyber thieves gain control of business’ bank account by stealing the business’ valid online banking credentials. So these credentials are stolen through malware that is installed on a computer, and it can happen in a few different ways. So among those ways could be infected documents that are attached to an email, and the business clicks on that email that document, or a link contained within the email that connects to an infected website. Or a business could use an USB port, a flash drive, so they put the flash drive that has been infected into the USB port.

Once the credentials are stolen, the thief has access to online bank accounts and can fraudulently transfer funds out of the country.  This may explain why USB autorun trojans are now the biggest malware threat worldwide according to a recent McAfee study.

Data Security

The trojan Generic! Atr, which spreads via USB devices, is the most common malware issue worldwide according to a new report from McAfee released today.  A second virus that targets removable devices is currently in the No. 3 spot.  The popularity and portability of USB memory sticks has made them a favorite for hackers.  People unwittingly spread the malware every time they plug into a new machine.

Kanguru has integrated Anti-malware protection directly into the Defender Elite flash drive to reduce these threats.  Using Bit Defender’s AV engine, the Defender Elite will scan files in real time as they are transferred to the device.  The flash drive can also be used to disinfect the host computer.

Data Security, Malware, Portable Storage