SecurityWeek

Rapid7 released version 4.2 of the Metasploit Framework today, which includes tools needed to assess risk on networks that are deploying or have already deployed IPv6. In addition, the new version offers an additional 54 exploits, 66 auxiliary modules, 43 post-exploitation modules, and 18 payloads.

AlienVault, the company behind open source SIEM, OSSIM, today launched AlienVault Open Threat Exchange™ (AV-OTX), a platform where OSSIM users and AlienVault customers can share threat intelligence data and improve their organization's cyber situational awareness.

Juniper Networks today announced that it has acquired Mykonos Software, a security startup that provides technology that uses deception to detect and confuse attackers. Things move fast in the security world, as the company just announced a $4 million round of funding in late January led by Tom Golisano, founder of payroll processing giant Paychex, and former owner of the Buffalo Sabres.

Apple has included a new – and admittedly interesting – security function in the upcoming version of Mac OS Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8). Called Gatekeeper, the function will restrict the installation of downloaded applications based on their source. Think of it as a step-up on Microsoft’s Authenticode. Yet, is it more control for the user, or more control over the user? Also, will it really prevent malicious applications from being installed?

Google has had a rough week so far, and it’s only Wednesday. The problems started last Friday, when the Wall Street Journal reported on the findings of Stanford researcher Jonathan Mayer, who discovered the search giant was circumventing Apple’s privacy settings in Safari. Days later, Microsoft accused Google of cheating protections on its own browser, but is Redmond crying wolf?

Cybercrime Never Sleeps—Enterprises and Government Entities Must Take Heed and Improve the Way They Operate Online.

Total Malware Samples Surpassed 75 Million in 2011. Malicious Sites Nearly Double, while Mobile Malware Continues to Grow.McAfee today released its Threat Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2011 which indicated that while malware continues to be created at a wild pace, overall growth of PC-based malware actually declined during the quarter.McAfee also said that it has reached a new milestone in terms of total malware captured to-date which has now surpassed 75 million samples.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today announced plans to establish the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence and partner with both public and private sector to improve defenses against attackers.

Tufin Technologies has armed the upcoming version of its flagship security suite with new features to improve management.

Securing Critical Infrastructure: Utilities Must Assess The Risks of Their Business Operations and Harden all Devices Attached to the NetworkSixty or seventy years ago when utility infrastructures were first built, they were not interconnected or accessed by third parties. The systems were so isolated, no one outside the organization—including potential attackers—knew what vulnerabilities existed.

Akamai Introduces Integrated Security Suite Designed to Help Enterprises Defend Against DDoS and Application Security Attacks

In my previous column I touched on the point of implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) as part of a measure to prevent clickjacking. I thought I would expand on the benefits of WAFs, and why they can make all the difference between a safe organization and one that’s been compromised. Many IT managers and CIOs still grapple with WAFs because they are expensive and a bear to maintain.

A threat to target the Internet’s root Domain Name System (DNS) servers and knock the Internet offline may be more difficult than the hackers think. Hackers reputedly associated with Anonymous made the threat to launch what they dubbed “Operation Global Blackout” March 31 in response to actions by Wall Street, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and “irresponsible leaders and the beloved bankers who are starving the world for their own selfish needs.”

LOIC DDoS Attack Tool Now Available for Google Android Devices

Russia’s political season is heating up. Here in America, we have Super PACs, skewed election coverage, and scandals. As it turns out, Russia has some of that too -- perhaps politics and fighting among party lines is somewhat universal. The difference however, is that we’re not seeing the types of Internet-based activism in America that exists in Russia. Furthermore, when political powers enforce their might in America, it’s a bit more subtle.