Windows Vista SP1 RC Refresh Download

Just as Microsoft did last month with Vista SP1 release candidate, the latest build (dubbed SP1 RC Refresh) has been loosed from its privately held shackles and is now available for the public to descend upon. According to ZDNet, Redmond decided to make this iteration publicly available “in the interest of gaining additional tester feedback.” Of note, you will likely be forced to install “two or three updates” before SP1 RC Refresh can be installed, but we know you’re quite unconcerned with all the fine print.

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Norton AntiBot 1.1.838

Norton AntiBot provides advanced, real-time protection against emerging threats, including bots that are used to perpetrate identity theft and other online crimes. This powerful new security solution from Symantec detects unusual behavior on your PC and removes the malicious bots causing it. This protects your PC from unauthorized access and tampering, detects and stops attempts by hackers to take remote control of your computer, and delivers extra protection against emerging ‘zero-day’ threats. To help ensure that you’re always protected, Norton AntiBot monitors your PC continuously to stop suspicious programs.
Key Features

* Is compatible with other security products as an added layer of protection against bots and other emerging threats
* Actively monitors your PC 24×7, so it’s always protected
* Removes detected Web robots and other malicious software, even at deep levels of your Windows® system
* Protects against emerging variants of bots and other malicious software—without relying completely on protection updates
* Has minimal impact on your PC’s performance, so you can continue to work and play normally
* Detects malicious software at the deepest levels of your Windows® system in real time to defeat hidden attacks that other products can’t tackle
* Blocks PC hijacking attempts to protect your computer
* Stops and removes malicious bots before they can cause damage or steal personal information
* Adds an extra layer of protection against emerging threats, which helps stop “zero-day” attacks

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Dangerous rootkit collecting data on rise

Security experts are warning about a stealthy Windows virus that steals login details for online bank accounts. In the last month, the malicious program has racked up about 5,000 victims - most of whom are in Europe. The malicious program is a type of virus known as a rootkit and it tries to overwrite part of a computer’s hard drive called the Master Boot Record (MBR). Once installed the virus, dubbed Mebroot by Symantec, usually downloads other malicious programs, such as keyloggers, to do the work of stealing confidential information. Most of these associated programs lie in wait on a machine until its owner logs in to the online banking systems of one of more than 900 financial institutions.

The Russian virus-writing group behind Mebroot is thought to have created the torpig family of viruses that are known to have been installed on more than 200,000 systems. This group specialises in stealing bank login information. Security firm iDefense said Mebroot was discovered in October but started to be used in a series of attacks in early December. Between 12 December and 7 January, iDefense detected more than 5,000 machines that had been infected with the program. As it installs through security holes in Microsoft Explorer, it’s just another reason to use Firefox or Opera…