Could These 6 Pending Regulations Destroy The Internet In 2013? (ReadWrite)
ReadWrite, 12/28/12
Bottom line, giving sovereign nations the ability to manage and monitor the Internet could result in a splintering of the Web. "The Internet could break up into a series of smaller Internets," said Sean Sullivan, a security advisor for F-Secure Labs. Sullivan echoed Ambassador Kramer's rhetoric about autocratic regimes wishing to take more control of the Internet, "to shift control of the Internet from the geeks, and give it to governments."
Four security trends defined 2012, will impact 2013 (CNET)
CNET, 12/20/12
The Internet as governmental tool: The collective realization by governments around the world that the Internet is an excellent network for conducting surveillance, monitoring, espionage, and war, says Finnish computer security firm F-Secure's Chief Technical Officer Mikko Hypponen, may not come to full fruition in 2013. But the foundation for that change is already underway.
Cyberwarfare and the developing digital arms race (Help Net Security)
Help Net Security, 12/12/12
According to security expert Mikko Hyppönen, we might not be in a cyber war but we are in a cyber arms race, and the governments involved are the James Bond of the cyberhacking world -- seemingly unstoppable.
Android 4.2 malware filter works only with 15% of the… known malware, research shows (Android Authority)
Android Authority, 12/10/12
The other apps used to detect these malicious apps were ten “representative” anti-virus programs including Avast, AVG, TrendMicro, Symantec, BitDefender, ClamAV, F-Secure, Fortinet, Kaspersky and Kingsoft. Detection rates went from 51.02% to 100%, with researches only “randomly picked up a sample from each malware family.”
Russian iTunes Store shows porn images by mistake(Fox News)
Fox News, 12/7/12
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for security firm F-Secure, said "If someone actually clicks on such a movie and buys it, they won't get a porn movie – they will get what was supposed to be there, a real film, but the image was just wrong. "It's accidental. As I understand the situation, as they were adding content, they were a bit rushed and didn't have images for every single movie cover. "So for those images that they didn't have yet, they had to enter a web address -- a URL -- of where the image was supposed to come from, but there was no URL to put in yet -- so they just put xxx.xxx thinking that they will put in a real address later."
Many cyber criminals shifting focus to smartphones (CTV News Canada)
CTV News Canada, 12/6/12
The Android platform -- which happens to the most popular globally -- is the most under attack. According to a recent report by security firm F-Secure, more than 51,000 different threats targeting Android devices were discovered during the third quarter of the year.
New Mac trojan found to exploit same Java weakness as 'Flashback' (Apple Insider)
Apple Insider, 12/3/12
Dubbed "Dockster," the malware was first found by antivirus and security firm Intego to have been uploaded to the VirusTotal detection service on Nov. 30. At the time of its discovery, the remote address associated with trojan was not active, possibly indicating that the code's creators were testing whether it would be detected, but as of this writing the malicious code is now "in the wild." As noted in a separate report from F-Secure (Flashback exploit from September 2011. Dockster leverages the same Java vulnerability to drop the backdoor onto a Mac, which then executes code to create an agent that feeds keylogs and other sensitive information to an off-site server.
Microsoft Security Essentials loses AV-Test certification (Fierce CIO)
Fierce CIO, 11/30/12
This poor result was attributed to Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0 and 4.1's zero-day detection rate of just 64 percent compared to the industry average of 80 percent. MSE scored just 1.5 out of 6 in this category. On the other end of the scale, F-Secure Client Security topped the group with a total of 16.5 points.
Sigma Systems launches cloud-based SaaS platform (CED Magazine)
CED Magazine, 11/29/12
Sigma said the platform reduced costs, removed operational silos, and reduced overall capes and open, as well as shortened deployment cycles. Sigma listed Mozy, SugarCRM, Symantec.cloud, Vertical Response, Google Apps and F-Secure Antivirus among the global SaaS providers that have integrated with Cloud ServiceBroker.
Which Anti-Virus Software Cleans Best? (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine, 11/26/12
Overall, products in this test did better than in last year's test. Last year 10 of the 18 products tested, more than half of them, just reached the STANDARD level. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2013, and G Data AntiVirus 2012 all went from STANDARD last year to ADVANCED this year.
F-Secure Releases Banking Protection (InfoTech)
InfoTech, 11/16/12
F-Secure announced Banking Protection, a new feature of F-Secure's Internet Security 2013 and an add-on to operator-provided Safe Anywhere PC, is specifically designed to protect consumers' online banking sessions from malicious attacks.
Mikko Hypponen: 9 TEDTalks on Tech…and Fish (Mashable)
Mashable, 11/15/12
Cybersecurity expert Mikko Hypponen has spent his career fighting computer viruses. While most of the talks below seem very in-line with his work, one stands out.
F-Secure Secures Online Banking Transactions (Net Security)
Net Security, 11/13/12
Banking Protection, a new feature of F-Secure’s Internet Security 2013 and an add-on to operator-provided Safe Anywhere PC, is designed to protect consumers’ online banking sessions from malicious attacks.
Android malware surged in Q3? Sure, but only 0.5% came from Google Play (TheNextWeb)
TheNextWeb, 11/13/12
Last week, F-Secure released its 40-page “Q3 2012 Mobile Threat Report” (PDF) and of course the talk of the town was Android malware. Unsurprisingly, the data was picked up all over the place. We decided to skip the story since it wasn’t clear how much of these threats were in the official Google Play Store; in fact “Google Play” was only mentioned once in the whole PDF
UPDATE 1-F-Secure profit gains on security software demand (Reuters)
Reuters, 10/25/2012
Finnish software group F-Secure reported stronger-than-expected third quarter profits on Thursday as demand rose for its computer-protecting software. The company cautioned, however, that the economic slowdown could hurt growth in coming quarters.
Op-Ed: Ransomware targeting businesses, Skype users (Digital Journal)
Digital Journal, 10/24/2012
F-Secure.com, a security company has a simple fix for getting rid of some of the files that do the damage which also illustrates how this malware works. Referring to "police themed" ransomware, which turns out to be Trojan-based.
Hack In The Box celebrates a decade of security conferences (Net-Seurity.org)
Net-Seurity.org, 10/16/2012
After 2 days of hacker battles, security exploitation and mitigation discussions, the conference ended with the HITB Charity Auction which raised a staggering MYR23,980 for Mount Miriam's Needy Cancer Patient Fund. Featuring HITB auctioneer Roberto Preatoni who returned to Malaysia specifically to run the auction, enthusiastic bidders saw generous sums being raised for donated items including a one-of-a-kind Microsoft custom-designed XBox 360, the Pwnium 2 team laptop and JailBreak Dream Team signed Apple accessories. However the undisputed auction highlight was certainly when Katie Moussouris, Senior Security Strategist for Microsoft Corporation challenged Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure to cut off his iconic ponytail for charity.
Lost+Found: iPhone crashes, malware families and a Firefox hack (The H Security)
The H Security, 9/28/2012
F-Secure's images of the distribution of the ZeroAccess botnet leaves a sinking feeling.
Computer Virus/Scam Hitting Computers In Metro Area (CBS Denver)
CBS Denver, 9/27/2012
Utke recommends F-Secure, it has browser protection. If you do get infected you should see a computer specialist to make sure your computer gets cleaned correctly.
Valid Adobe Certificate Used to Sign Malicious Utilities Common in Targeted Attacks (Threat Post)
Threat Post, 9/27/2012
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, said on a Twitter post that his company's sample repository has more than 5,000 files signed by the compromised certificate.Hypponen said only three of the files were malicious.
Samsung Issues Software Update For Galaxy S III Vulnerability (CRN)
CRN, 9/26/2012
Samsung's Galaxy S line of smartphones run Google’s Android, a mobile operating system that has become increasingly susceptible to malware attacks, according to a recent report from F-Secure Labs, a Helsinki, Finland-based security company.
F-Secure releases Internet Security 2013 (Beta News)
Beta News, 9/14/12
F-Secure has announced the availability of its 2013 product family, which includes F-Secure Anti-Virus 2013 and F-Secure Internet Security 2013.
F-Secure Anti-Virus 2013 (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine, 9/13/12
For that latter group, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2013 ($39.99 direct for three licenses) totally fills the bill.
Battle lines drawn in the war on Java (InfoWorld)
InfoWorld, 9/12/12
F-Secure's Mikko Hypponen, who popularized the phrase "Friends don't let Friends run Java," adds, "If you're going to remain among the majority that keep it installed on your primary computer, do also remember that Java (as well as other plug-ins) can be invoked from applications with banner ads."
Apple Device ID Leak: A 'PR Scam by Anonymous'? (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine, 9/4/12
Similarly F-Secure security advisor Sean Sullivan has his doubts, as have many others Security Watch talked to but declined to say on the record. "I don’t think there is any good evidence to support the claim that this list actually came from the FBI," Sullivan told Security Watch. "I personally think it is a PR scam by Anonymous." For one thing, Sullivan said it was odd that AntiSec "refused to be interviewed" about the leak—unless online publication Gawker posted a photo of journalist Adrian Chen wearing a "ballet tutu and shoe on the head" on its front page. Furthermore, some of the linked iPads were named "Obama," "Scrooge McDuck," and "[name] loves penis," Sullivan found, suggesting a prank.
When Your PC is Likely Infected (PC World)
PC World, 8/30/12
I'm recommending Kaspersky Rescue Disk and the F-Secure Rescue CD, because they're both easy to use and come from companies that have done well in testing. If you're really worried, use one, then the other.
Amazon Appstore opens Android to attack (ComputerWeekly)
ComputerWeekly, 8/30/12
According to the F-Secure Mobile Threat report Q2 2012, every quarter Android malware has grown in numbers. "We received 5,033 malicious Android application package files (APKs), most of which are coming from third-party Android markets," the report stated.
Attack targeting critical Java bug added to hack-by-numbers exploit kit (ArsTechnica)
ArsTechnica, 8/28/12
On Monday night, about 24 hours after the vulnerability became public, attack code exploiting it was added to BlackHole, an exploit kit sold in underground forums, security researchers said. A quick inspection of the BlackHole attack by antivirus provider F-Secure found it used many of the same coding conventions contained in a proof-of-concept exploit published earlier by security researcher Joshua Drake. It also added to the Metasploit exploit framework used by penetration testers and hackers.
X-Ray App Identifies Android Vulnerabilities But Doesn't Fix Them(CIO)
CIO, 8/03/12
Malicious hackers have slapped a bull's-eye on the back of Android OS. Google's OS was the target of 75 percent of all mobile malware during Q1 2012, according to F-Secure.
Siemens Patch Aims to Thwart Stuxnet Offspring (Tech News World)
Tech News World, 7/30/12
Apple's decision to come in from the cold was praised by some security pros. "We're really happy to see Apple at Black Hat," F-Secure Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen told TechNewsWorld. "They should have always been here."
Siemens issues software fix to protect against Stuxnet (Computer Weekly)
Computer Weekly, 7/25/12
This means the worm has now stopped spreading, said F-Secure's chief research officer, Mikko Hypponen, in a blog post.
Thunderstruck! A tale of malware, AC/DC, and Iran's nukes (CNET)
CNET, 7/24/12
Conjecture began when an Iranian scientist was said to have e-mailed F-Secure's chief research officer, Mikko Hypponen, with a cry for help. Or, who knows, political asylum.
Webroot Bombs in Dynamic Protection Test. Why? (Security Watch)
Security Watch, 7/19/12
The current report averages four months of testing. Five vendors received the top rating of ADVANCED+: Bitdefender, G DATA, Kaspersky, Qihoo, and F-Secure.
Mikko Hypponen: Stuxnet Was a Game Changer (Softpedia)
Softpedia, 7/16/12
In an article he wrote about cyber war and the "tools" that fuel it, F-Secure's Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen highlights the impact of Stuxnet, the now-infamous Trojan, on the threat landscape and the way it influenced the cyber arms race. Currently, Stuxnet no longer represents a threat, but before security firms identified it and before researchers could analyze it, the malware performed many of the tasks for which it was created.
Web exploit figures out what OS victim is using, customizes payload (Ars Technica)
Ars Technica, 7/12/12
The attack was spotted by researchers from antivirus provider F-Secure on a Columbian transport website, presumably after third-party attackers compromised it. The unidentified site then displayed a signed Java applet that checked if the user's computer is running Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux. Based on the outcome, the attack then downloads the appropriate files for each platform.
FBI Shuts Down DNSChanger Servers (PC Mag)
PC Mag, 7/9/12
Despite the hysteria, however, security firm F-Secure said things appear to be under control, thanks to ISP intervention.
Flame worm one of the most complex threats ever discovered (AV Security News)
AV Security News, 7/9/12
Writing about the malware, F-Secure's Mikko Hyppönen said that this is a case where the anti-virus industry has failed.:
Are You Infected With DNSChanger Malware? (PC Mag)
PC Mag, 7/5/12
Stats released last month suggested that more than 300,000 unique IP addresses were still affected by DNSChanger, according to a Wednesday blog post from F-Secure.
Nokia chairman says company has a Windows Phone 'contingency plan' after all (Engadget Mobile)
Engadget Mobile, 7/2/12
Still, the F-Secure founder naturally remains positive about the future of Microsoft's mobile operating -- and Nokia head honcho Stephen Elop, whose leadership has been "good and transparent," according to Siilasmaa.
How secure are Apple's iPhone and iPad from malware, really? (Naked Security (Sophos blog))
Naked Security (Sophos blog), 6/29/12
Anti-virus veteran Mikko Hypponen made an interesting remark on Twitter yesterday: "iPhone is 5 years old today. After 5 years, not a single serious malware case. It's not just luck; we need to congratulate Apple on this."
The Other Futures of Enterprise IT (Sys-Con Media)
Sys-Con Media, 6/25/12
Having a Microsoft code-signing certificate is the Holy Grail of malware writers. This has now happened, wrote Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, an antivirus company in Helsinki
End of the Road for Anti-Virus Software? (UBLOG)
UBLOG, 6/25/12
The anti-virus industry admits that this is a problem. "Flame was a failure for the anti-virus industry," said Mikko Hypponen the founder of anti-virus firm F-Secure. "We really should have been able to do better. But we didn't. We were out of our league, in our own game."
Security Expert Bruce Schneier Admonishes Antivirus Industry Over Flame, DuQu, and Stuxnet (Silicon Angle)
Silicon Angle, 6/20/12
Recently, Mikko Hypponen from F-Secure, a Helsinki-based Internet security outfit, published an apology about not discovering Flame earlier in Wired magazine. As it turns out, the security scholars looked through their old archives and found that they'd already caught Flame in their nets almost two years ago; and also had older samples of Stuxnet and Duqu. "Yet we failed to do that with Stuxnet and DuQu and Flame," he writes, "This makes our customers nervous. "The truth is, consumer-grade antivirus products can't protect against targeted malware created by well-resourced nation-states with bulging budgets. They can protect you against run-of-the-mill malware: banking trojans, keystroke loggers and e-mail worms. But targeted attacks like these go to great lengths to avoid antivirus products on purpose."
Hacked companies fight back with controversial steps (Reuters)
Reuters, 6/17/12
Mikko Hypponen, the well-regarded chief research officer at Finland's F-Secure Oyj, told the Reuters Summit his company had a sample of Flame in 2010 and classified it as clean and later missed another virus called Duqu that was suspected of being backed by Western governments. "These are examples how we are failing" as an industry, Hypponen said. "Consumer-grade antivirus you buy from the store does not work too well trying to detect stuff created by the nation-states with nation-state budgets."
Report: Malicious Japanese Porn App Lands Men in the Slammer (PC Mag)
PC Mag, 6/18/12
In January, F-Secure identified another premium rate Trojan 'Android/FakeRegSMS.B' being distributed through an alleged installer for porn. Installing a mobile virus scanner will help you seek mobile porn (or whatever) more safely. Lookout for Android (free for basic, 4.5 stars) is currently our Editors' Choice, but you can read more reviews here.
New Grad Looking For a Job? Pentagon Contractors Post Openings For Black-Hat Hackers (forbes.com)
forbes.com, 6/15/12
Mikko Hypponen enjoys his position as the chief research officer at the Helsinki-based security firm F-Secure. He has no intention of leaving. But lately, he's been spending a lot of time looking at job openings
LinkedIn Boosts Password Security but You Still Can't Cure Stupid (Constantine von Hoffman, CIO)
Constantine von Hoffman, CIO, 06/14/12
Fair enough. Unfortunately in passwords, as in food, just adding more salt doesn't always make things better. As is noted in a great blog post by Jarno of F-Secure: "It seems that there are still many developers who hold a very strong belief that salt values will make passwords safe. Even if attacker would have the salt, the common rationalization seems to be that an attack isn't practically feasible, because it would take forever to go through 14 characters keyspace, and thus salt must be making things safe. One could say that developers are grasping at salt like a small child is grasping his teddy bear, trusting that it will keep all evil crackers at bay." (The folks at F-Secure are Finnish, and English is probably a second language, so that may explain the reference to "evil crackers." Or it may be that there is a bit of poetry in their programming souls. Either way I love the image of teddy bears fighting off malevolent graham crackers. I like the idea of evil oyster crackers even more.)
Apple Siri: 'Cute' But 'Unsuitable for Business'? Experts Disagree (Sara Yin, PCMag.com)
Sara Yin, PCMag.com, 06/14/2012
At a press conference in Helsinki this week, F-Secure veep Maria Bordgren reportedly said Siri, the voice-activated personal assistant available to iPhone 4S users, was unsafe to use at work. However some researchers think she may be overreacting.
Flame is good, too good. Is Cyberwar now in the hands of Dr Strangelove? (John E. Dunn, Techworld)
John E. Dunn, Techworld, 06/11/12
As respected and extremely sober security expert Mikko Hypponen of F-Secure said in a piece published this week in the New York Times: "The cyber-arms race has now officially started. And nobody seems to know where it will take us. By launching Stuxnet, American officials opened Pandora's box. They will most likely end up regretting this decision."
F-Secure Internet Security 2013 Beta released, comes with Windows 8 support (Ron, WinBeta)
Ron, WinBeta, 06/09/12
F-Secure has made available a beta version of its Internet Security 2013 security suite. Internet Security 2013 comes with support for the Google Chrome browser when it comes to its online safety feature, as well as support for the Windows 8 operating system.
F-Secure Anti-Virus for Mac (PCMag.com)
PCmag.com, 06/08/12
Neil J. Rubenking, PCMag.com You may find that looking at F-Secure Anti-Virus for Mac ($39.99 direct) gives you a sense of déjà vu. That's because its layout is exactly the same as that of F-Secure Anti-Virus 2012 ($39.99 direct for three licenses, 3 stars), the company's Windows-based antivirus. In both products, the main window dedicates three big panels to status, tasks, and statistics.
Why Antivirus Companies Like Mine Failed to Catch Flame and Stuxnet (Wired)
Wired, 6/1/12
A couple of days ago, I received an e-mail from Iran. It was sent by an analyst from the Iranian Computer Emergency Response Team, and it was informing me about a piece of malware their team had found infecting a variety of Iranian computers. This turned out to be Flame: the malware that has now been front-page news worldwide.
Stuxnet admission likely to have foreign policy consequences (Ars Technica)
Ars Technica, 6/1/12
Mikko Hypponen, the chief researcher at F-Secure, a Helsinki-based security research group, added that the United States "has the most to lose out of attacks like these," because countries with advanced capabilities, including Russia, China, and possibly even Iran itself, will certainly be interested in developing similar cyber weapons. "[The United States has] shown that they work, that they're cheap, and they are deniable," he told Ars on Friday, pointing out that one of Stuxnet's main advantages was that even years after its deployment, it still had plausible deniability by American officials.
Beware of Olympic-Related Scams, Malware, Spam (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine, 5/31/12
Researchers at F-Secure discovered a specially crafted PDF file masquerading as a copy of the London 2012 Olympics schedule. The schedule itself is legitimate, as the original file is still on the official London Olympics page. However, once this file is opened, it exploits a two-year-old vulnerability (CVE-2010-2883) in older versions of Adobe Reader and Acrobat. The PDF file acts as a dropper, downloading other executables onto the compromised computer to launch other attacks.
The road to cyberwar? F-Secure's Mikko Hypponen on the growth of government-sponsored malware (The Next Web)
The Next Web, 5/31/12
At the Thinking Digital conference in Gateshead, UK, yesterday, I battled through a sore throat to speak to F-Secure‘s Chief Research Officer, Mikko Hypponen to find out more about the future of this rapidly emerging area. You can listen to the conversation below
Q&A of the Week: 'The current state of the cybercrime ecosystem' featuring Mikko Hypponen (ZDnet, )
ZDnet, 5/25/12
In this week's Q&A of the Week, I chat with Mikko Hypponen, the Chief Research Officer of F-Secure. His TED Talk on computer security has been seen by almost a million people and it has been translated to over 35 languages.
Mobile malware trick: Give users real apps, plus infection on the side (ITWorld)
ITWorld, 5/23/12
According to F-Secure's Q1 Mobile Threat Report, which was published earlier this week, very little malware aimed at mobile devices ever had a profit motive behind it. At least, that's the way it was from 2004 to 2009, when Android was first introduced. Malware with a profit motive actually began to increase in 2006, started to snowball, from 18 percent in 2008 to 68 percent in 2009.
Zeus Trojan variant comes with ransomware feature (Net-Security)
Net-Security, 5/22/12
The recent popularity of ransomware as a tactic for duping users into giving up their hard-earned cash has resulted in an unexpected malware combination. F-Secure researchers have recently spotted a new Zeus 2.x variant that includes a ransomware feature.
Zeus Trojan variant comes with ransomware feature (Net-Security)
Net-Security, 5/22/12
The recent popularity of ransomware as a tactic for duping users into giving up their hard-earned cash has resulted in an unexpected malware combination. F-Secure researchers have recently spotted a new Zeus 2.x variant that includes a ransomware feature.
Report: Android Malware Growing Exponentially (CRN)
CRN, 5/21/12
F-Secure Labs, a Helsinki, Finland-based security company, reports a staggering increase in the number and sophistication of malware attacks on Android devices, compared to just one year ago. In its "Mobile Threat Report, Q1 2012," the company credits the popularity of the Android platform as a key magnet for malware authors.
Android malware growing at 'staggering' pace, report states (Government Central News)
Government Central News, 5/17/12
A sure measure of Android's growing popularity as a mobile operating system can be found in the amount of attention hackers and cyber criminals pay it. And in recent months, that's been a lot of attention, according to security company F-Secure's latest "Mobile Threat Report."
Mobile malware madness: Favorite target? Android. Here's 3 free security apps (ComputerWorld Blog)
ComputerWorld Blog, 5/16/12
In fact, a new F-Secure report suggests malware writers are getting craftier by creating trojanized apps that can defeat anti-virus detection. F-Secure released its latest mobile threat report [PDF] concerning the first quarter of 2012 and Android malware has grown exponentially.
Syria Conducting Cyber-espionage on Dissidents' PCs; F-Secure (SpamFighter)
SpamFighter, 5/14/12
According to F-Secure, the security company, the government of Syria apparently is using spyware to infect activists' computers through Skype for quietly monitoring their operations.
Syria pushing malware via Skype to spy on activists (ZDnet)
ZDnet, 5/04/12
F-Secure recently received a hard drive image from a woman in Syria who suspected her computer had been compromised. The security firm analyzed the drive’s contents and discovered evidence of a targeted attack that used a malicious Skype chat link to install a copy of the Xtreme remote access tool (RAT).
Hackers Launch DDOS Attack on SOCA Site (Softpedia)
Softpedia, 5/03/12
F-Secure’s Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen believes that the attack may be related to the takedowns.
Apple’s security can’t be compared with Microsoft (Your Daily Mac)
Your Daily Mac, 5/02/12
The founder of the Russian security company Kaspersky recently suggested that Apple is in the same position as Microsoft ten years ago, but according to Mikko Hypponen of F-Secure both companies can’t be compared with each other.
F-Secure unveils new content protection tool (Computer Business Review)
Computer Business Review, 4/13/12
Safe Infinity covers all the functionalities available from F-Secure's Internet security service.:
Report: Stuxnet Worm Was Planted By an Iranian Secret Agent (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine, 4/13/12
F-Secure's Mikko Hypponen cast some doubt over Sale's story, however:
New ransomware variants spotted in the wild (ZDNet)
ZDNet, 4/12/12
Security researchers from TrendMicro, F-Secure and Dr. Web have intercepted two new ransomware variants currently circulating in the wild.:
Are Macs safer than PCs? (Technology Spectator)
Technology Spectator, 4/12/12
Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure, put it very well when he said that, proportionally, the Flashback Trojan was as widespread amongst Macs as the notorious Conficker worm had been amongst Windows-based PCs.:
There Is a Lot of Big Tech News (New York Times)
New York Times, 4/12/12
Preventing it is easy: use your Mac’s Software Update program and accept the latest Java update. Detecting and removing it is also easy: download this free removal program from F-Secure.:
Terrorist Groups in the Online World: Mikko Hypponen at RSA Conference 2012 (Privacy PC)
Privacy PC, 4/10/12
Mikko Hypponen talks on links between online crime, Windows trojans and funding the insurgents, explains the roots of some terrorist online publications and extremist malware.:
Free tool detects Flashback Mac malware pestilence (Computerworld)
Computerworld, 4/9/12
The tool spots the malware by automating a tedious process first described by security firm F-Secure last month. F-Secure's procedure required entering multiple commands in Terminal, the Mac OS X command line utility:
Malware Targets Apple Computers, Fix Released (Wall Street Journal)
Wall Street Journal, 4/6/12
According to F-Secure Corp., a computer security company, the Flashback program was capable of infecting Apple Macintosh systems through Java software, an element of programs developed by many companies.:
Like the Titanic, Macs Aren’t Unsinkable: 600,000 Claimed Infected with Botnet Virus (Time)
Time, 4/5/12
After the CRO of F-Secure, Mikko Hypponen, tweeted “we can’t confirm or deny [Dr.Web's] figure,” Dr.Web analyst Sorokin Ivan replied that “at this moment botnet Flashback over 600k, include 274 bots from Cupertino and special for you Mikko – 285 from Finland.”:
F-Secure Antivirus 2012 (TopTenReviews)
TopTenReviews, 3/13/12
Hands down, F-Secure provides one of the most capable security products on the planet. It might not be as well known in the U.S. yet, but the company has been around for more than 20 years, and it supports more than 200 operators in over 40 countries. In terms of malware detection, F-Secure is a top performer that combines cloud-based security balanced with heuristic and behavioral analysis to provide complete protection. In 2011, F-Secure earned the product of theyear award for on-demand malware detection and the overall product of the year for 2010 from AV-Comparatives.
F-Secure Mobile Security 7.6 (for Android) Review & Rating (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine, 3/13/12
F-Secure Mobile Security 7.6 for Android ($39.99/year or $59.99/2 years, direct) is part of an elite, seven-member group of the best-performing Android antivirus, according to a recent comparative study by independent testing lab AV-Test.org.
Who’s got the world’s ‘cleanest’ computers? (MSNBC)
MSNBC, 3/09/12
The country is known for producing well-known security firms such as F-Secure and Codenomicon, as well as Linux creator Linus Torvalds.
How does your mobile malware protection rank? (Android and Me)
Android and Me, 3/09/12
AV-Test recently inspected 41 different malware detection apps for Android to see how they performed. They found that seven apps produced average family detection results above 90%. These apps include Avast, Dr. Web, F-Secure, Ikarus, Kaspersky, Lookout, and Zoner. AV-Test says, “Using these products you don’t have to worry about your malware protection.”
Anonymous hacker-turned-informant helps feds arrest five (SC Magazine)
SC Magazine, 3/06/12
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer of anti-virus firm F-Secure, said he interacted with Monsegur in 2005 when the hacker discovered a vulnerability in an F-Secure gateway product, which he responsibly disclosed. But he became upset when he didn't hear back from the company, which occurred because he was emailing an account that wasn't regularly monitored.
Don’t get faked by Android antivirus apps (CNET)
CNET, 3/06/12
Avast, Lookout, Dr. Web, Zoner, F-Secure, Ikarus, and Kaspersky detected 90 percent or more of the 618 types of malicious Android APK files that they were tested against. Lookout and Zoner are notable standouts because they are only available as mobile apps, and have no PC-based counterpart.
Mobile devices, especially Android, targeted by malicious apps, texts (USA Today)
USA Today, 3/05/12
In December, anti-virus company F-Secure tracked down 1,639 unique malicious Android apps — disguised as free apps and circulating on websites across the Internet. That's up from 48 in January 2011.
Android Surpasses Symbian as Most Attacked Mobile Platform (Tom’s Guide)
Tom’s Guide, 3/05/12
The popularity of Android is attracting mobile threats much more than for any other platform, a study released by F-Secure reveals.
Cyberterrorism Threat Shouldn’t be Underestimated, Some Security Experts Say (PCWorld)
PCWorld, 3/02/12
The company has identified the original e-mail used in the attack against RSA, a division of EMC, and which was eventually used to compromise the company's SecureID key system as part of a targeted attack on a defense contractor. It's an excellent example of how a good targeted attack works. Here's an F-Secure video of the attack in action:
F-Secure Internet Security 2012 Review (LAPTOP)
LAPTOP, 3/01/12
The company has identified the original e-mail used in the attack against RSA, a division of EMC, and which was eventually used to compromise the company's SecureID key system as part of a targeted attack on a defense contractor. It's an excellent example of how a good targeted attack works. Here's an F-Secure video of the attack in action:
How to Catch an Internet Cyber Thief (PCWorld)
PCWorld, 3/01/12
Another session at RSA talked about what jihadist extremists are doing today on the Web and how they launder money for terrorist causes. Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, says he spent time combing the Internet to find evidence of what extremists, mostly Arab speaking but also Chechens from the Caucasus who have made terrorist attacks on Russian civilian targets, are doing in terms of sophisticated use of technology online.
Telefonica Czech Republic offers F-Secure’s Internet Guard (Telecompaper)
Telecompaper, 3/01/12
From 01 March, Telefonica Czech Republic will offer the service Internet Guard, which protects children, families and computers against online threats. Thepackage will cost CZK 59 per computer a month for O2 customers with home internet. It has been developed in cooperation with the company F-Secure.
Gatekeeper – a new security feature or a walled garden for OSX? (Infosecurity)
Infosecurity, 2/28/12
Sean Sullivan, security advisor at F-Secure, acknowledges some increased security but looks more towards the walled garden. “Gatekeeper also begins to solidify Mac's walled garden,” he writes. “By 2014, I expect somebody out there will be jailbreaking their Mac…”
F-Secure launches Safe Anywhere for mobile device security (Telecompaper)
Telecompaper, 2/22/12
Anti-virus and computer security software company F-Secure has launched Safe Anywhere, which allows consumers to obtain full protection of their computers, smartphones and tablets in one single service through their local operators. Safe Anywhere is embedded with F-Secure's protection from viruses, spam, phishing and other kinds of malware and cyber attacks.
Hackers On The Hunt For Access To Your Computer (CBS Local, Denver)
CBS Local (Denver), 8/26/11
Steve Utke with Surge Computers of Highlands Ranch says there are a few things you can do to protect your computer."Virus and spyware checking with malware bites or an anti-virus program such as F-Secure."
Do Macs need antivirus software? (ConsumerSearch)
ConsumerSearch, 2/15/12
Security company F-Secure's recently released 2011 Mac malware summary claims that 58 new Apple-specific threatsreared their ugly heads between April and December. "That's nothing when compared to Windows malware -- but it's definitely something when compared to the number of Mac threats seen prior to 2011," the research team writes. And it's true: in a 2010 security summary, Intego reported that no major Mac viruses had been found "in the wild" that year.
Cryptome Hacked, Attack Script Planted on Webpages (Softpedia)
Softpedia, 2/13/12
F-Secure’s Mikko Hypponen informs that the script used the Blackhole toolkit to find vulnerabilities in the computers owned by the affected site's visitors.
F-Secure launches iCloud backup rival (Computer Business Review)
Computer Business Review, 2/7/12
F-Secure has launched a cloud backup and sync service aimed at wireless operators. F-Secure Content Anywhere is a similar platform to Apple's recently-launched iCloud.
The three types of online attackers (TechRepublic)
TechRepublic, 2/6/12
Hardly a thought goes out to who exactly is behind all these attacks, why they are happening, and where the attackers are. But a recent TED talk by Mikko Hypponen raised the question to the attendees, and suggested that there are three groups making these attacks.
Facebook Scammers Redirect Victims Through Amazon's Cloud (PCWorld)
PCWorld, 1/27/12
Facebook scammers have started redirecting victims through Amazon's cloud in order to bypass malicious URL filters, according to security researchers from antivirus vendor F-Secure. One Facebook survey scam recently analyzed by F-Secure uses malicious browser extensions to hijack Facebook accounts and post spam messages on their walls.
Nokia Names Siilasmaa as Chairman to Replace Retiring Ollila (Bloomberg Businessweek)
Bloomberg Businessweek, 1/26/12
Siilasmaa started F-Secure, originally called Data Fellows, in 1988 as a student at the Finnish technology institute that is now Aalto University. The company listed shares on the Helsinki stock exchange in 1999, the last major high-tech company to join the stock exchange in the Nordic country.
Hackers Step Up Attacks After Megaupload Shutdown (New York Times)
New York Times, 1/24/12
Mikko Hypponen, an influential security expert and chief research officer at the F-Secure Corporation, based in Helsinki, Finland, said the best advice is: "Don't become a target. Don't ignore groups like Anonymous. Don't make them get mad at you. Take them seriously."
Mikko Hypponen talks about online attacks (Examiner.com)
Examiner.com, 1/22/12
F-Secure chief research officer, Mikko Hypponen, talks about the three types of online attacks on privacy and data at TEDxBrussels. Hypponen has built a career dissolving some of the most threatening computer virus outbreaks that have occurred within the global community. In this speech, he discusses Internet crime and the three types of criminals that exist in today's global community.
Mac Malware Threats Increase (PC World)
Mac Malware Threats Increase, 1/21/12
Security firm F-Secure has spotted 58 separate threats targeting OS X in the past nine months. F-Secure has published a report looking at Mac threats between April and December 2011 which showed June and October as being particularly busy months for Mac malware while only one threat was spotted in August.
F-Secure gets new chief (SC Magazine)
SC Magazine, 1/19/12
"I am very excited to be joining F-Secure as we embark on an enthusiastic start to 2012. My role, together with the strong F-Secure team, is to drive future growth for the company," he said. "There is a growing need for the protection and storage of people's digital content across devices. Our passion at F-Secure is to provide innovative solutions in this environment of security, user-generated content and multi-devices."
No Wikipedia? What if the Internet went down? (The Wall Street Journal)
The Wall Street Journal, 1/18/12
No email, Twitter or Facebook. No buying online. No stock trades. No just-in-time industrial shipping. No real-time tracking of diseases. It's gotten so that not just the entire Internet but individual websites such as Google are considered critical infrastructure, experts said. "Nobody would die, but there would be a major hassle," said computer security expert Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure in Helsinki, Finland.
Poles look at speed first when choosing internet plan (Telecom Paper)
Telecom Paper, 1/17/12
The company has identified the original e-mail used in the attack against RSA, a division of EMC, and which was eventually used to compromise the company's SecureID key system as part of a targeted attack on a defense contractor. It's an excellent example of how a good targeted attack works. Here's an F-Secure video of the attack in action:
Finnish anti-piracy group says it got bomb threat(Reuters)
Reuters, 1/12/12
Late last year, hackers affiliated to Anonymous published hundreds of thousands of e-mail addresses they say belonged to subscribers of Strategic Forecasting Inc, a private intelligence analysis firm. Mikko Hypponen, a cyber security expert who is head of research at F-Secure, noted the unique nature of Anonymous, which was more of a movement rather than a group. "Anyone who acts in the name of Anonymous becomes part of it," he said.
Nokia Near Choice on New Chairman (Wall Street Journal)
Wall Street Journal, 1/14/12
Some Nokia analysts and former executives voiced concern that Mr. Siilasmaa's inexperience in the U.S. and with American investors may be a weakness at a time when Nokia is under particular pressure to re-establish itself in the U.S. smartphone market. The software security company he founded and currently chairs, F-Secure Corp., generates the vast majority of its revenue in Europe.
Xplornet to offer F-Secure Internet Security (TelecomPaper)
TelecomPaper, 1/10/12
Canadian operator Xplornet Communications will offer F-Secure's Internet Security services for PCs and Macs to its subscribers. F-Secure's anti-virus programme will help ensure that Xplornet's business and residential customers have a reliable protection option from viruses and other types of malware. Xplornet will be including the Security Suite at no extra cost with some of its business packages, and will offer it as an add-14on for its residential packages. The F-Secure Internet Security Suite provides real-time protection against viruses, worms, trojans, zero-day attacks, spyware, phishing and other types of malware, and is tailor-made for operator deployments. F-Secure delivers operators an outsourced, managed service from its global hosting centers, providing continuous support.