Leveraging Snort installed on the AMI, customers of Amazon Web Services can further secure their most critical cloud-based applications with Sourcefire’s leading protection. Snort and Sourcefire VRT rules are also listed in the Amazon Web Services Solution Partner Directory, so that users can easily ensure that their AMI includes the latest updates.

With more than 285,000 registered users and nearly four million downloads to date, Snort is the world’s most widely deployed IPS. Used extensively throughout the Fortune 100 and the U.S. government, Snort is the de facto standard for intrusion detection and prevention. It continues to be supported by the open source community, Sourcefire Snort development team and the VRT, a group of leading intrusion prevention experts working to discover, assess and respond to the latest trends in hacking activity, intrusion attempts and vulnerabilities.

The cloud-based Snort offering can be easily updated by downloading a new machine image and includes an intuitive user interface. Snort rules are automatically updated and available by the hour, further simplifying management and protection. This increased ease-of-use does not compromise Snort’s power or customization. Users’ retain the flexibility to easily tune and write their own rules.

“This new Snort service enables Amazon Web Services’ users to protect the most critical assets in their cloud universe, providing an easy to manage solution that is automatically updated in real-time with the latest rules,” said Matt McCormick, Vice President of Business Development at Sourcefire. “Sourcefire’s architecture and approach provides a number of opportunities to leverage cloud-based services, and we look forward to working with our customers to add even more protection for their Web services.”

About Sourcefire

Sourcefire, Inc. (Nasdaq:FIRE) is a world leader in intelligent Cybersecurity solutions. Sourcefire is transforming the way Global 2000 organizations and government agencies manage and minimize network security risks. Sourcefire’s IPS and Real-time Adaptive Security solution equips customers with an efficient and effective layered security defense – protecting network assets before, during and after an attack. Through the years, Sourcefire has been consistently recognized for its innovation and industry leadership by customers, media and industry analysts alike – with more than 50 awards and accolades. Today, the names Sourcefire and founder Martin Roesch have grown synonymous with innovation and network security intelligence. For more information about Sourcefire, please visit http://www.sourcefire.com.

SOURCEFIRE®, SNORT®, the Sourcefire logo, the Snort and Pig logo, SECURITY FOR THE REAL WORLD™, SOURCEFIRE DEFENSE CENTER®, SOURCEFIRE 3D®, RNA®, RUA™, DAEMONLOGGER™, CLAMAV®, SOURCEFIRE SOLUTIONS NETWORK™, and certain other trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sourcefire, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other company, product and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

Malware writers remain focused on web-based attacks while actively looking for new methods to disseminate their products, according to BitDefender®, an award-winning provider of innovative anti-malware security solutions.

Today, BitDefender released the results of its malware and spam survey from July through December 2009. The report highlights an increase in threats, from the exploitation of international news events to higher levels of spam being disseminated through social networking platforms; presumably fraudsters are aiming to curb their marketing costs in a down economy.

Malware Threats in Review

Over the last six months, fraudsters have continued their efforts to infect computer users in order to receive direct financial gain and/or to seize control over their victim’s machines.
Trojan.Clicker.CM holds as the number one e-threat for the second half of the year. It’s used to force advertisements inside the users’ browsers when visiting grey area websites (such as porn websites or services offering “warez” software).

The alarming infection rate reveals that malware authors are driven by profit, while cyber-criminals are motivated by pay-per-click fraud.

Along with the already “traditional” Trojan.Clicker.CM infections, Win32.Worm.Downadup has been one of the most notorious e-threats of the past six months. Malware authors’ top choice of distributing their e-threats remains the web, but

Autorun-based techniques have been rapidly gaining ground. By default, every removable storage device features an autorun.ini script that instructs the computer on which file to execute when the medium is plugged in. However, malware authors frequently tamper with the file to make it launch miscellaneous malicious applications.

Although extremely useful for non-technical computer users, the feature has been completely discarded in Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7 in order to prevent infections.

Commenting on the report, Vâlceanu, Head of BitDefender Antispam Research Lab said. “In the second half of 2009, we saw international events such as the advent of the H1N1 Swine Flu exploited to their full extent by malware authors in order to launch new infections.

As cybercriminals continue to look for ways to enhance their e-threats, now more than ever, it’s essential for computer users to make sure they have a security solution in place that can provide them with advanced, proactive protection.”

BitDefender Labs found that most web 2.0 phishing attempts in the first half of 2009 relied on social engineering schemes and speculated user naivety. The Twitter Porn Name scam is a good example. Users were invited to reveal their first pet name, as well as the first street on which they lived. These names are usually employed as backup/security questions.

Once in possession of a person’s username along with these “clues”, an e-fraudster can easily retrieve a password that he or she can later employ to access the account and send spam, access transactions, or use the account in whatever way necessary to make a profit, including demanding a ransom for release of the hijacked account.

According to Vâlceanu, the year 2009 witnessed a wide range of security threats aiming at both end-users and at corporate networks. “Extra caution and a highly-rated antimalware solution with antispam, antiphishing and antimalware modules are a must-have for anyone surfing the web in 2010.”

For more information on this survey, please visit http://download.bitdefender.com/resources/files/Main/file/H2…

BitDefender will be participating at Infosecurity Europe 2010, the No. 1 industry event in Europe held on 27th – 29th April in its new venue Earl’s Court, London. The event provides an unrivalled free education programme, exhibitors showcasing new and emerging technologies and offering practical and professional expertise. For further information please visit www.infosec.co.uk

To stay up-to-date on the latest e-threats, sign-up for BitDefender’s RSS feeds here.

About BitDefender®
BitDefender is the creator of one of the industry’s fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified security software. Since its inception in 2001, BitDefender has continued to raise the bar and set new standards in proactive threat prevention. Every day, BitDefender protects tens of millions of home and corporate users across the globe — giving them the peace of mind of knowing that their digital experiences will be secure. BitDefender solutions are distributed by a global network of value-added distribution and reseller partners in more than 100 countries worldwide. More information about BitDefender and its products are available at the company’s security solutions press room. Additionally, BitDefender’s www.malwarecity.com provides background and the latest updates on security threats helping users stay informed in the everyday battle against malware.

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For more information, visit www.bitdefender.co.uk

ENDS

Contact:

Nick Billington
BitDefender Country Manager (UK and Ireland)
Tel: 0845 130 5096
E-mail: nbillington@bitdefender.co.uk

Issued by:
Mike Ottewell
MJO PR for BitDefender UK
Tel: 0845 883 3435
E-mail: mottewell@bitdefender.co.uk

However, you must be aware of the miscalculations that you can commit along your online business venture, especially when you forget to prioritize the protection of your computer system from unauthorized use and data theft. Contrary to the popular belief that a small-size Internet business will make them safe from data hackers and online intruders, there is also a great risk and danger involved once you neglect to protect your computer system, especially the hacking and computer destruction activities that are increasing significantly as the Internet evolves over the years. Most small-time Internet entrepreneurs are blinded by the fact that they are not exempted from these notorious data thieves, which is not true nowadays.

According to a research conducted by AMI-Partners, almost 50 percent of small and medium-sized online businesses failed to execute even the most basic security protection, which includes the installation of anti-spyware and anti-virus programs to their computer systems. This is one of the main reasons why the Mydoom worm triumphed, affecting one out of three small and medium-sized online businesses compared to one out of six large Internet companies. This was also discovered by the ISA or the Internet Security Alliance, a non-profit organization that handles information security issues. In other words, we can conclude that even small online businesses are more vulnerable to online threats of data theft and electronic sabotage.

In fact, every small online business owner must give data and network protection more attention due to the sophistication of data thieves. These thieves have now one of the advanced software programs and hardware necessary to break into the security measures implemented by data mangers. It would be a great waste of time and financial resources if your computer is left unguarded against these advanced data thieves and online hackers. You are on the verge of losing everything—including your computer, which is also a valuable investment.

Thus, it is important that you should consider data security and encryption as one of your top priorities. Keep in mind that your computer system is always vulnerable to this kind of attacks, even if you are just starting up. In fact, big businesses have more chances to recover compared to small business since big business have necessary funds available to recover from mishap. On the other hand, your small business has meager funds to start with your business—and an attack will be catastrophic for your small business.

There are hundreds of software providers that came up with latest solutions to guarantee the safety of your computer system. In addition, there are also Internet security services to guarantee protection of your online data against Internet hackers. By incorporating high level of encryption technology, hackers will have a hard time intercepting the data being stored in your computer system or while it is transmitted to a certain network of computer systems.

Always explore your options. Prioritize what is important and avoid getting caught by a catastrophic incident that will shut down your small business at an instant.