Daily CyberCrime and Security Report for March 4, 2002

E-Commerce Times: Report: Merchants Race To Outpace Online Fraudsters
04-Mar-02 09:29:55 ET

Story Highlights:
"More than US$700 million in online sales was lost to fraud in 2001, according to a report released Monday by GartnerG2..."

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"Last year's online fraud losses represented 1.14 percent of total annual online sales of $61.8 billion, the report stated. Those losses were 19 times higher than fraud losses resulting from offline sales..."

Full Story on E-Commerce Times

LATimes: Patching Holes in the Net
04-Mar-02 04:11:56 ET

Story Highlights:
"Cyberspace security often seems reminiscent of the movie 'Groundhog Day,' in which a TV weatherman played by Bill Murray wakes up and relives the same day over and over..."

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"After each massively disruptive software infection or hacking episode, users and computer administrators briefly get security religion, swearing that this time they really will take precautions and get things fixed..."

Full Story on LATimes

The Register: Malware By Numbers: Online Virus Creation Tool Spotted
04-Mar-02 08:20:56 ET

Story Highlights:
"The world's first online virus generator has surfaced - but there's no need to get too alarmed..."

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"The Instant Macro-Virus Maker can be used to create macro viruses and dispenses with the need for virus writers to download virus creation toolkits..."

Full Story on The Register

The Register: C# Virus Pitched Against .NET
04-Mar-02 10:44:01 ET

Story Highlights:
"A new virus uses Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) C# language to target .EXE files under the Microsoft .NET Framework..."

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"The Sharpei mass-mailer targets machines running .NET and consists of three components: a simple file dropper program, a mass mailer which uses Microsoft Outlook to spread, and a .NET component..."

Full Story on Wired

LATimes: University Lab Security Checked
01-Mar-02 14:31:22 ET

Story Highlights:
"Federal investigators are examining university labs across the country to see if they are vulnerable to thieves or hackers looking for potential bioterrorist weapons..."

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"The inspections were prompted by concern over lab security in the wake of the still-unsolved anthrax attacks..."

Full Story on LATimes

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