Six security trends to watch for

For security researchers, there's never a dull moment; online criminals constantly find new security holes to exploit, and new ways to get at your personal data. At this year's RSA security conference in San Francisco, I got to speak with representatives from several companies about what to expect in the coming months. Here are some of the dangerous new malware trends to watch for in 2012.

New Mac Trojan pretends to be flash

Mac malware is still quite rare, but there is one new threat floating around that you should be aware of. A new Trojan for Mac OS X disguises itself as an installer for the Adobe Flash Player browser plug-in, according to security software company Intego. The good news (if you want to call it that)? This new malware doesn't appear to have spread very far as of yet.

By Nick Mediati | 27 September, 2011 04:52

Tags: security, Intego

In pictures: Steve Jobs and Apple - The successes and flops

From the Lisa to the App Store, here are 11 products from Steve Jobs's tenure as Apple's CEO that made an impact - whether they succeeded or not

By Nick Mediati | 06 October, 2011 11:17

Tags: Apple, steve jobs, apps, mobility, app store, iPhone, mobile solutions, iPad, Lisa

Microsoft introduces Windows 8

Windows 8 is on its way, and it'll be a departure from the Windows we know and love today. That was the message Microsoft sent Wednesday afternoon at the annual D: All Things Digital Conference, taking place near Los Angeles.

By Nick Mediati | 02 June, 2011 10:39

Tags: Microsoft, Windows, software, operating systems

The tablet is here to stay

Tablets are hot. At the CTIA tradeshow in Orlando, FL, it seems like everyone and their mother is announcing a tablet.

By Nick Mediati | 25 March, 2011 06:23

Tags: Motorola, Apple, hardware systems, tablets, tablet PCs, laptops

Hands on with Firefox 4

A lot has changed in the browser universe since Firefox 3.0 launched in June 2008. Google Chrome burst onto the scene, and has undergone frequent updates since then. Microsoft released IE 8 and IE 9. Safari advanced from version 3 then to version 5 now.

By Nick Mediati | 23 March, 2011 09:24

Tags: Browsers & Add-Ons, applications, Google, Microsoft, browsers, software, mozilla

Compared: IE9 and Firefox 4 release candidate

This is turning out to be a big week in browser-land, with both the official release of IE9 and the Firefox 4 release candidate (RC) now available for your downloading satisfaction. Both include big changes to the user interface, as well as the underlying technology. Come along as we compare these two new browsers in a few of key areas.

By Nick Mediati | 17 March, 2011 01:17

Tags: applications, Microsoft, web, browsers, software, mozilla

Study: Apple's mobile browser is fastest

Sick of waiting for pages to load on your mobile device? Get an iPad or iPhone. That's the upshot of a mobile browser speed study done by a company called Gomez. They found that Apple's mobile version of Safari was fastest and BlackBerry's browser the slowest.

By Nick Mediati | 28 February, 2011 02:26

Tags: Gomez, Apple, applications, browsers, software, mobile

Your smartphone: The next big security headache

2011 is the year that mobile security is going mainstream. Here at 2011 RSA Conference in San Francisco many of the security software companies I've spoken to have either released--or are planning to release a mobile security app of some sort.

By Nick Mediati | 22 February, 2011 05:31

Tags: mobile phones, security, smartphones, Lookout Mobile

Android Trojan is bundled in repackaged apps

Smartphone malware is still uncommon -- at least here in the United States -- but every now and then comes a fresh reminder that the threat is real. According to Lookout Mobile Security, a new Trojan is making the rounds in various alternative app markets in China, and it's being distributed through repackaged versions of other apps.

By Nick Mediati | 17 February, 2011 06:02

Tags: security, Lookout Mobile Security

Kinect used to shoot music video

Dan Nixon and Don Jones recently shot a video for the band Echo Lake, featuring its song Young Silence. The video itself is pretty cool, and seems to fit the song's almost dream-like sound well. But the most impressive part? It was filmed using a Microsoft Kinect.

By Nick Mediati | 03 February, 2011 06:47

Tags: gaming peripherals, Microsoft, games

Arduino documentary is perfect for geek movie night

If you're looking for a good movie to watch tonight while curled up in the sofa with your significant other, Arduino: The Documentary may...not be the right film for you. But if you're as crazy over hacks and DIY projects as we here at GeekTech are, you owe it to yourself to take some time and watch it.

By Nick Mediati | 12 January, 2011 12:31

Tags: gadgets, Arduino, entertainment

Free vs. fee: Free, paid antivirus programs

Depending on whom you ask, paying for antivirus software is either a good investment or a total ripoff. In reality, neither viewpoint is accurate. You can find plenty of good reasons to choose a paid antivirus product, and plenty of good reasons to go with a freebie.

By Nick Mediati | 30 November, 2010 13:45

Tags: Antivirus & Security, symantec, Avira, security, Avast, panda security, antivirus

Avast Pro Antivirus 5

Avast Pro Antivirus 5 ($US40 for a single-PC, one-year license as of 11/23/2010) ranks third in our roundup of 2011 paid antivirus products. When PCWorld last looked at Avast's paid antivirus offering, our reviewer wasn't particularly impressed with either its interface or its malware detection capabilities. Avast Antivirus Pro 5, however, is a definite improvement, thanks to a slick new interface and some useful additional features. But middling detection capabilities relative to other paid antivirus software keep it from claiming a higher ranking.

By Nick Mediati | 30 November, 2010 13:26

Tags: Antivirus & Security, security, Avast, antivirus

Avast Free Antivirus 5: Good all-around option

Avast Free Antivirus 5 took the top spot in our late 2010 roundup of free antivirus software. It provides good, all-around malware detection in a speedy, well-designed package. We liked its easy installation process, smooth interface design, and minimal impact in system performance. However, although it wins out overall, its malware detection, while good, isn't the best we've seen.

By Nick Mediati | 30 November, 2010 13:35

Tags: Antivirus & Security, security, Avast, antivirus