Microsoft Edge – Page 2 – Computer Security Articles

January 16, 2018 admin

A worthy upgrade: Next-gen security on Windows 10 proves resilient against ransomware outbreaks in 2017

Credit to Author: Windows Defender ATP| Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2018 14:00:31 +0000

Adopting reliable attack methods and techniques borrowed from more evolved threat types, ransomware attained new levels of reach and damage in 2017. The following trends characterize the ransomware narrative in the past year: Three global outbreaks showed the force of ransomware in making real-world impact, affecting corporate networks and bringing down critical services like hospitals,

Microsoft Security

April 3, 2017 admin

Tech support scams persist with increasingly crafty techniques

Credit to Author: msft-mmpc| Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2017 12:58:02 +0000

Millions of users continue to encounter technical support scams. Data from Windows Defender SmartScreen (which is used by both Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer to block malicious sites) and Windows Defender Antivirus show that some three million users are subjected to these threats every month. In addition to being rampant, technical support scams continue to…

Microsoft Security

March 2, 2017 admin

Breaking down a notably sophisticated tech support scam M.O.

Credit to Author: msft-mmpc| Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2017 05:39:41 +0000

The cornerstone of tech support scams is the deception that there is something wrong with your PC. To advance this sham, tech support scams have long abused browsers’ full screen function. Coupled with dialogue loops, the pop-up messages that just won’t go away, and the spoofing of brands like Microsoft, tech support scam websites can…

Microsoft Security

February 14, 2017 admin

Ransomware: a declining nuisance or an evolving menace?

Credit to Author: msft-mmpc| Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2017 21:56:15 +0000

The volume of ransomware encounters is on a downward trend. Are we seeing the beginning of the end of this vicious threat? Unfortunately, a look at the attack vectors, the number of unique families released into the wild, and the improvements in malware code reveals otherwise. Ransomware was arguably the biggest security story of 2016….

Microsoft Security

January 23, 2017 admin

Exploit kits remain a cybercrime staple against outdated software – 2016 threat landscape review series

Despite the disruption of Axpergle (Angler), which dominated the landscape in early 2016, exploit kits as a whole continued to be a threat to PCs running unpatched software. Some of the most prominent threats, from malvertising to ransomware, used exploit kits to infect millions of computers worldwide in 2016. The prevalence of exploit kits as an…

Microsoft Security

January 23, 2017 admin

Hardening Windows 10 with zero-day exploit mitigations

Cyberattacks involving zero-day exploits happen from time to time, affecting different platforms and applications. Over the years, Microsoft security teams have been working extremely hard to address these attacks. While delivering innovative solutions like Windows Defender Application Guard, which provides a safe virtualized layer for the Microsoft Edge browser, and Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection,…

Microsoft Security

January 23, 2017 admin

Fake fax ushers in revival of a ransomware family

“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

January 23, 2017 admin

No payment necessary: Fighting back against ransomware

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…