Microsoft released a temporary fix for the Internet explorer bug that hackers exploited to break the website of the US Department of Labor last week. Attackers can exploit the hole by convincing users to visit compromised websites after clicking a link in an e-mail or Instant Messenger message. The vulnerability allowed remote code execution on Internet Explorer 8 version and spread to other websites as wel...

Computers with no antivirus are five times more likely to get infected with malware than those with protection, according to Microsoft. In the first quarter of 2012, the company found malicious e-mail attachments on almost 3 million computers and detected 7 million Keygens. The activation key generators that users install with “free” software, movies or games often come loaded with malware. Most users don’t...

In its first transparency report, Microsoft revealed how it helped police worldwide with information on the company’s users. In 2012, the company assisted some 75.378 police requests for client information linked to ongoing criminal investigations. Some 2.1 percent of these requests sought information on content created by people, including documents, images and e-mails stored on servers or sent via Microso...

Xbox Live accounts of Microsoft employees were breached via “several stringed social engineering techniques,” the company said. Although the breach didn’t relate to a vulnerability in Microsoft’s systems, the company is investigating the incident by working with law enforcement and the companies used in the social engineering scheme. By obtaining social security numbers of the targeted employees, hackers we...

Chinese PCs running pirated Windows still have security vulnerabilities, according to Microsoft. The software giant launched a new campaign against piracy and warned users of security dangers they face when installing counterfeit products. "What we are finding is that increasingly cybercriminals are targeting both businesses and consumers right here in China," said Nick Psyhogeos, vice president of Microsof...

A step-by-step tutorial on how tech-savvy users can get paid apps by hacking Windows 8 trial games from Microsoft’s Windows Store marketplace was demonstrated by Nokia engineer Justin Angel. Arguing that it’s not a necessarily a security flaw but more an inherent flaw in the way applications are handled by Windows 8, Justin Angel believes this could severely “compromise Windows 8 games revenue stream”. “The...

Microsoft launched a hackathon for Windows in more than 30 locations around the world to encourage developer interest in creating programs and applications for the operating system, according to a media release. This is the first time the Redmond-based company organizes a hacking competition worldwide. WOWZAPP 2012 is aimed at students, developers and entrepreneurs interested in developing apps using Window...

Barely released to manufacturing and the first critical bug in the Windows 8 operating system has been discovered. Expected to reach market Oct. 26h, Windows 8 – Microsoft’s most secure OS to date – already faces issues with the way it stores passwords for local accounts. The flaw was discovered by the team at Passcape Software, a company that specializes in recovery of forgotten account passwords, while an...

Microsoft announced it will patch 20 security flaws in its product line-up next week. According to the Redmond-based vendor, the upcoming update will deliver security fixes for Office, SharePoint Server, SQL Server and Windows products and close significant holes that could allow attackers discretionary access to the vulnerable systems.   Particularly important in the upcoming Patch Tuesday is the delivery ...

 The FTC froze assets of 14 companies charged with impersonating tech support from large corporations such as Microsoft, Symantec, Dell, Google and others. Following 40,000 fraud complaints, the FTC plugged six rings of scammers that operated from India and called people in the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the U.K. The scammers convinced consumers they’re infected with a virus...