Today’s blog is a quick follow up to the OSX.Flashback.K issue. The statistics from our sinkhole are showing declining numbers on a daily basis. However, we had originally believed that we would have seen a greater decline in infections at this point in time, but this has proven not to be the case. Currently, it appears that the number of infected computers has tapered off, but remains around the 140,000 mark.

As there have been tools released by Symantec and other vendors in the past few days concerning this threat, the infection numbers should have seen a dramatic decrease by now. If you suspect that your Mac has been infected with OSX.Flashback.K, it is recommended to install the latest patches, ensure that your antivirus is up to date with the latest signatures, and to use the free Norton Flashback Detection and Removal Tool.

Sinkhole

Please note, the sinkhole domain was unavailable on April 12th

Command-and-control (C&C) servers

Further analysis on the domain name generator (DNG) algorithm has revealed that Flashback does not limit itself to using “.com” as the top level domain (TLD).

It chooses from the following five TLDs:

• .com
• .in
• .info
• .kz
• .net

The graphic below lists the upcoming C&C servers that are to be contacted by OSX.Flashback.K over the coming week.

Vulnerability

The recent Oracle Java SE Remote Java Runtime Environment Denial Of Service Vulnerability (CVE-2012-0507, BID 52161) used to distribute the Flashback Trojan has now also been seen to be distributing another Mac threat:OSX.Sabpab.

OSX.Sabpab has also been seen in targeted attacks distributed with malicious Word documents exploiting the Microsoft Word Record Parsing Buffer Overflow Vulnerability (CVE-2009-0565, BID 35190).

Again, it is paramount that you have the latest antivirus signatures installed and have applied the latest available patches for both the operating system and third-party applications.

Payload C&C server

The Flashback payload is considerably larger than the initial stage downloading component. Analysis is ongoing; however, one of the new features of the Trojan is that it can now retrieve updated C&C locations through Twitter posts by searching for specific hashtags generated by the OSX.Flashback.K hashtag algorithm.

Removal tool

Please visit our website for more information about this threat and how to protect your computers from harm atwww.symantec.com. A free detection and removal tool for the OSX.Flashback.K issue, “Norton Flashback Detection and Removal Tool”, is freely available for download.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition for Xbox® 360 is available in Australia and New Zealand. All the RPG greatness of The Witcher 2 comes to Microsoft’s console for the first time, loaded with bonus materials. The mature and thought-provoking story of Geralt of Rivia will draw players to the most lively and believable game world ever created.

WARSAW, POLAND – 18 April 2012 – CD Projeckt RED. And NAMCO BANDAI Partners S.A.S. are proud to announce that CD Projekt RED’s landmark role-playing game has arrived on consoles for the first time, as The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is now available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and on PC. The award-winning fantasy epic is the year’s must-have RPG, and comes with a quest handbook, a game world map and a soundtrack CD.

“This is our first console game, and I’m very excited to bring The Witcher 2 to Xbox 360; it’s one of the most mature and best-looking games on this platform,” said Adam Badowski, head of CD Projekt RED studio. “But we haven’t forgotten about our current PC players – owners of the game on PC can download the Enhanced Edition update from our webpage for free. I want to invite all new Witcher fans to thewitcher.com – we’ve proven several times that fan feedback is important, so tell us what you think of our game”

Defining new standards for realistic, non-linear game narration, The Witcher 2 spins a mature, thought-provoking story to produce one of the most unique RPGs ever released on consoles. Every player decision may lead to dire consequences, which have an actual impact on future events and the world. In addition to its epic story, the game features a complex combat system that uniquely combines dynamic action with tactical depth.

Thanks to the new, ultra-modern REDengine, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition features both beautiful graphics and sophisticated in-game mechanics, drawing players into the most vivid and realistic world ever created in a video game. The Witcher 2 sets new boundaries not only in the terms of technical beauty, but also presents a unique atmosphere thanks to the widely praised artistic design. The Witcher 2 is arguably one of the best-looking games ever to come to Microsoft’s console.

All the RPG greatness of The Witcher 2 comes to the Xbox® 360 in the richest and most plentiful edition ever. The Enhanced Edition adds around 4 hours of additional quests to the award-winning RPG and makes the intense story even more intriguing thanks to 35 minutes of new cut-scenes and cinematics. The new edition of the game comes with all the previous DLCs and upgrades including the arcade arena mode and a completely separate tutorial system.

SYDNEY, Australia – April 18th, 2012 – Logitech (SWX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI), a world leader in computer peripherals, today announced that the Logitech® Cube and the Logitech® Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 were honored by the 2012 red dot design awards for outstanding design quality.

More than 1,800 manufacturers worldwide submitted more than 4,500 products to the red dot jury for this year’s awards, and Logitech was named a winner once again. Since 2006, Logitech has received a total of 11 red dot design awards for outstanding design quality across several product lines.

This year’s Logitech winners excel in design and innovation. The Logitech Cube helps redefine the computer mouse with a shape that fits in the palm of the user’s hand and is small enough for a coat pocket. When used as a mouse, Logitech Cube scrolls when a finger is swiped along the main panel. Lift the Logitech Cube in the air and a moment later it’s in presenter mode. The Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 is notable for its minimal ecological footprint. Using built-in solar panels, the keyboard charges with any light – indoors or out – rendering the need for replacing batteries a thing of the past. With a sleek and comfortable design it has the form, function and innovation that red dot looks for in its award recipients.

“It’s a great honor for two of our products to receive this prestigious award,” said Annabelle Woods General Manager of Logitech Australia. “We spend a great deal of time designing and testing each product to ensure we’re delivering outstanding design quality and innovation to our customers. The red dot design award affirms this effort, and we are excited to be recognised.”

The official presentation of the red dot awards will take place July 2, 2012, at the Aalto Theater in Essen, Germany. The winning products will also be on display at a special exhibition at the red dot design museum in Essen July 2, 2012 – June 30, 2013.

The red dot design awards

The red dot design award, whose origins reach back to the 1950s, is carried out in three disciplines: ‘red dot award: product design,’ ‘red dot award: communication design’ and ‘red dot award: design concept.’ In 2011 alone, more than 14,000 entries from over 70 countries were registered. The ‘red dot award’ itself is internationally established as one of the most appreciated quality seals for outstanding designs. For additional information please visit www.red-dot.de/press.

To keep up-to-date with the latest Logitech Australia news

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LogitechAustralia or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/logitech_au.

About Logitech Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Live the future of Amalur, as   EA, 38 Studios, and Big Huge Games launch Teeth of Naros, the   second downloadable content (DLC) pack for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning^TM. Today, players can explore the city of Idylla,   which magically floats in the sky above the Teeth of Naros^TM, encounter new enemies, adventure through new   dungeons and gather three new Twists of Fate. In this new journey players   will encounter the Kollossae, a devout race of giants, and uncover the   mysteries of their faith. Teeth of Naros will be available starting   today on Xbox Live for 800 points and PlayStation^®Network, Origin^TM and Steam for $9.99.

 Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was brought   together by a stellar team of creative minds that joined World Series   Champion pitcher and founder of 38 Studios, Curt Schilling, including 24-time   New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore who created Amalur’s   10,000-year history, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane who lent his   signature visual style to the artistry of the game, and Ken Rolston,   internationally celebrated game designer.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning brings   open-world exploration and unparalleled action and combat together in the   ultimate RPG experience. With near infinite combinations of destinies,   abilities, weapons, items and special moves, players are able to customize   their play experience to suit any style. By reweaving their fate, they can   retool and totally rebuild their hero in the midst of their adventure. Within   Reckoning, players will immerse themselves in a world filled with   extraordinary landscapes, mysterious cities, colorful characters and   fantastic creatures exploring an entirely new universe where every building,   tree, and creature has a clear and defined history.

Developed by 38 Studios   subsidiary Big Huge Games in Baltimore, Maryland, Kingdoms of Amalur:   Reckoning is available now in North America and Europe for the Xbox 360^® videogame and entertainment   system, PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system and PC. Learn more about Kingdoms   of Amalur: Reckoning by visiting www.Reckoning.com or follow   us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/ReckoningTheGame) and on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ReckoningGame).

Players Pit Their Artistic Talent Against Each Other To Become Immortalized!

April 17th, 2012 – Joymax, leading online game developer and publisher, announced today a bevy of events for their sister titles Silkroad Online and Silkroad-R.  Contests galore begin today alongside a special gift package and much, much more!  To find out more about Silkroad-R or to enter either of the current events, visit the official site at http://www.joymax.com/silkroad-r/

Silkroad-R: New Players’ Gift Basket, Design A Pet

Welcome to your new home in Silkroad-R!  Awaiting your auspicious arrival is a four part gift package that will help you on your way.  Prizes include the New Saint Knight Outfit (given to all new players at level 1), the Fairy Outfit (earned by reaching level 30), and an extra, secret item that players will receive after their first Silk purchase.  Veterans are not left out, as the “Design your fellow” contest begins today.  Entries will be accepted today until May 16^th, when a community vote will take place.  If your creative idea is one of the three chosen, your pet will be added to the game!

Silkroad-R: Design a Fellow

Fellows are functional companions that help out players for better attack/defense, they always stay next to players. Their role in the game is understated but vital to the success of any player, and now is the perfect time to create the companion of your dreams!  Design and submit a Fellow via the Silkroad-R Facebook from now until 15^th of May.  Once all the submissions have been examined, players will vote for their top 3 favorites from a list of 10, which will become available in the game shortly afterwards!  Each designer will also be gifted their own Fellow. Join now at http://on.fb.me/silkroadr_newfellows

Silkroad: Design a Fellow

Players of the legacy title aren’t being left out of the fun either!  Designs will also be accepted for a new Silkroad Fellow to be showcased in Silkroad Online.  Players will be challenged to ensure their designs fall within specific rules, such as being focused on either attack or defense.  Once all the submissions have been received from the Silkroad Online forums and the official Facebook, players will have the opportunity to vote for their new companions.  Three lucky winners’ designs will be given to the Silkroad team and turned into a real Fellow inside the game for all players to enjoy, and winners will receive their design as a special thank you gift. Join now at http://on.fb.me/silkroad_newfellow

The FIWC is heading east to Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach Hotel, providing a luxurious setting for the eighth FIWC Grand Final, taking place from 21-23 May 2012, following Barcelona 2010 and Los Angeles 2011. FIFA and Presenting Partners EA SPORTS™ and PlayStation® will be flying the 24 finalists of the world’s largest online gaming tournament to Dubai for a once in a lifetime experience and the chance to be crowned FIWC champion.

Former FIFA World Cup™  champion Christian Karembeu has today been unveiled as an official FIWC ambassador and will be keeping a close eye on proceedings throughout the action-packed three day tournament. Karembeu, part of the Task Force Football 2014 and a member of FIFA’s Technical Study Group who assess the performance of players at FIFA events, will be hoping to test himself against some of the world’s best FIFA 12 players to see how his skills match up off the pitch as well on it.

Whilst the finalists are in Dubai they will get to sample all the city has to offer from indoor skiing to desert tours as well as visiting the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Over 1,000,000 gamers from around the globe have competed with EA SPORTS FIFA 12 online via PlayStation®3 and at live qualification events in an effort to claim a seat at the Grand Final.

Karembeu commented, “I am delighted to be a part of this year’s FIWC Grand Final. The tournament gives football fans all over the globe the opportunity to become a real FIFA World Champion. The fact that over 1,000,000 players have taken part in this year’s tournament is astonishing and just goes to show how popular the FIWC is with football fans.”
Eleven gamers from seven different countries have already qualified for the Dubai Grand Final meaning that there are still 14 places up for grabs. Contestants can participate in this year’s FIWC through the ongoing online tournament played on the PLAYSTATION®Network, by registering ‘in-game’ in FIFA12 on their PS3™. For more information on the FIWC, go to: www.fifa.com/fiwc . This year’s Champion will walk away with USD 20,000 and an invitation to attend the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2012.

Capcom are pleased to confirm that the previously announced playable demo of Capcom’s forthcoming open world action–RPG, Dragon’s Dogma, will be available to download globally via Xbox LIVE MarketPlace from and the European PlayStation Store the following day, Wednesday April 25.

With your party of three Pawns, the demo allows you to experience the different styles of two of the game’s character classes in two challenging encounters.

A melee specialist skilled in both attacks and counterattacks, as the Fighter you will make your way through underground tunnels and chambers before taking on the deadly Chimera in a Prologue quest, set before the events of the main game.

Swift and nimble, the Strider’s weapons of choice are bow and daggers, use them well if you are to defeat the mighty Griffin in the open plains surrounding the capital of Gransys.

Let your imagination run wild and design both your playable character and main Pawn using the game’s incredibly in-depth character creation tools before you take on the Griffin; purchasers of Dragon’s Dogma will then be able to export both these characters into the full game on its release.

Dragon’s Dogma is scheduled for release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 May 24.

SYDNEY, Australia. – Apr. 17, 2012 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced that privately-held Nukona, Inc., is now part of Symantec. Symantec completed its acquisition of Nukona, a provider of mobile application management (MAM), on April 2, 2012. The acquisition agreement between Symantec and Nukona was announced on March 20, 2012.

The acquisition of Nukona extends Symantec’s enterprise mobility portfolio to include a cross-platform mobile application protection solution to help organisations protect and isolate corporate data and applications across both corporate owned and personally owned devices. The acquisition of Nukona complements Symantec’s earlier acquisition of Odyssey Software , a leading provider of mobile device management (MDM). By offering both MDM and MAM across multiple platforms, Symantec is helping CIOs address the “Bring Your Own Device” trend by satisfying the demands of their employees to use the devices and apps of their choice. These acquisitions further advance Symantec’s enterprise mobility leadership by enhancing capabilities for mobile device, application and data protection.

“More and more organisations are mobilising business applications and data, and we want to offer them a secure and efficient path to business critical mobilisation,” said CJ Desai, senior vice president, Endpoint and Mobility Group, Symantec. “By providing essential corporate controls like encryption and data loss prevention on a per-application basis, we can provide targeted information security and confidently increase mobile application adoption in the enterprise, helping our customers further address the ‘Bring Your Own Device’ movement.”

Nukona provides an innovative approach to help enterprises seamlessly distribute, secure and control applications and data without requiring them to manage the complete devices. With Nukona’s ability to natively protect and control iOS, Android and HTML5 apps, Symantec will address the core problem of corporate and personal data separation without limiting the end-user experience or application adoption.

“Symantec’s acquisition of Nukona, as well as Odyssey Software, is important and valuable to IT infrastructure and operations professionals developing and managing mobile strategies,” said Christian Kane, analyst serving infrastructure and operations professionals at Forrester Research, Inc. “It is a major signal that the mobile management space is growing up since there is finally a single solution to address what these professionals care about today: devices, apps, and data.”

With Nukona, Symantec’s approach will be unlike traditional proprietary sandbox solutions in that it will extend application protection that “wraps” both native and web-based apps with a management layer that allows IT to apply security policies without requiring any changes to the applications, leaving personal apps and activities untouched. In addition, the flexibility of cloud-based and on-prem enterprise app stores helps provide a seamless and scalable way to enable mobile application deployments. Nukona’s secure content center also allows for the protection and synchronisation of documents to minimise the risk of data loss.

Nukona joins the Endpoint and Mobility Group led by senior vice president CJ Desai. For more information on how Nukona complements Symantec’s mobility portfolio, please visit http://go.symantec.com/Nukona_Odyssey.

Related

• Symantec to Acquire Nukona to Help Businesses      Embrace “Bring Your Own Device” Movement
• Blog: Major Mobility Milestone for Symantec
• Blog: Advancing Symantec’s Enterprise      Mobility Strategy: New Innovations Unveiled
• Symantec Mobile Solutions
• Research: 2012 State of Mobility Survey
• Research: A Window Into Mobile Device      Security
• Research: Motivations of Recent Android      Malware

Connect with Symantec

• Follow Symantec Endpoint Management and      Mobility on Twitter
• Follow Symantec on Twitter
• Join Symantec on Facebook
• Read Industry Trends on Delicious
• View Symantec’s SlideShare Channel
• Subscribe to Symantec News RSS Feed
• Visit Symantec Connect Business Community

About Symantec
Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organisations secure and manage their information-driven world.  Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com.

Sydney, Australia – April 17, 2012 – Founded in 1987, Kingston Technology, global No. 1 independent memory module manufacturer, today announced that AEON’s player (South-East Asia’s leading e-Sports team sponsored by Kingston), Joseph “Zarate” Yeo, has just won the “Best Singapore Gamer of The Year” from MyCORE e-Sports Award 2011. This award recognizes the significant relationship between proper sponsorship and superior performance. For years since Kingston launched its HyperX series products, one of the goals is to deliver the most trusted memory products for truly dedicated gamers. This partnership shows Kingston’s dedication to the gaming community and further enhances its brand recognition.

Joseph “Zarate” Yeo, has just won the “Best Singapore Gamer of The Year” from MyCORE e-Sports Award 2011

“Since the memory product is the key element in the gaming competition, Kingston takes an active part in the global gaming community. We help to cultivate the gaming industry by sponsoring popular events such as WCG or local leading e-Sports teams such as AEON (Singapore), Vox Eminor and Xeria (Australia), Mineski (Philippine) and 1stVN (Vietnam). Kingston is proud to be a critical part of the industry and community, and will continue to provide the latest memory products to enhance the gaming experience.” said Ann Bai, DRAM Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston.

AEONSports (AEON), South-East Asia’s leading e-Sports Team

“The AEON organization is very pleased to be able to establish a partnership with Kingston Technology. All our cyber athletes will be equipped with high-end Kingston HyperX memory modules which will aid our cyber athletes’ performance during competitions. The memory module with higher frequency will give us an extra edge over our opponents. More importantly, Kingston’s involvement in the eSports scene shows that they sincerely care about gamers. Indeed, this will be the most exciting partnership for AEON recently.” said Michael Phee, General Manager of AEONSports.

All Kingston memory modules are backed by a life-time warranty and enjoy free tech support and Kingston’s legendary reliability. For more detailed information, please visit: www.kingston.com/en.

Kingston can be found on:
Blog: http://www.kingston-blog.com/en
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KingstonBlogFansClub.en
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KingstonAPAC

For more information about AEONSports (AEON), please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/AEONSPORTS?sk=info#!/AEONSPORTS

About Kingston Technology Company, Inc.
Kingston Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of memory products. Kingston designs, manufactures and distributes memory products for desktops, laptops, servers, printers, and Flash memory products for PDAs, mobile phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players. Through its global network of subsidiaries and affiliates, Kingston has manufacturing facilities in California, Taiwan, China, and sales representatives in the United States, Taiwan, China, India, Australia, Vietnam, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com/en.

Brings Free Full-Length Hollywood Movies and TV Favorites to Sony’s BRAVIA, Blu-ray Players and Network Media Players

SYDNEY – (April 17, 2012) – Crackle, Sony Pictures Television’s (SPT) multi-platform video entertainment network, announced a major distribution expansion today extending its offering of ad-supported full-length movies and television series to all consumers with Sony’s Blu-ray players, BRAVIA televisions and Network Media Players in Australia. The announcement was made by Eric Berger, executive vice president, digital networks, SPT.

Crackle’s ad-supported service provides consumers with a uniquely curated experience that includes Hollywood movies in genres including action, comedy, crime, horror, thriller and sci-fi, plus hit TV series and award-winning Crackle original programming – all of which can be accessed online, via mobile, and now, on a broad selection of connected devices in the region.

“Crackle draws viewers in with its unique offering of ad-supported Hollywood films and television series,” said Berger. “By making our collection of content available on even more devices in Australia, we’re bringing an unparalleled viewing experience directly to consumers through their internet-enabled televisions.”

A sampling of the movie and TV offerings available on Sony devices in Australia includes:

• THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN
• HIGH SCHOOL HIGH
• IDLE HANDS
• LA BAMBA
• “Jackie Chan Adventures”
• “Kurozuka”
• “Ripley’s Believe it or Not”

Crackle can be accessed from the Video section of BRAVIA Internet Video devices. Titles are refreshed monthly with movies and TV series from studios including Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics.

In the U.S., Crackle ranks as one of the top five video channels on Sony’s BRAVIA, Blu-ray devices and Network Media Players. The launch of Crackle on the Sony devices in Australia expands Crackle’s existing presence in the region which includes: Crackle’s website (www.crackle.com), Xbox LIVE and Apple (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch) and Android^TM platforms, where Crackle has ranked among the top five entertainment apps.

Crackle on Sony’s BRAVIA, Blu-ray devices and Network Media Players is available in the U.S., CA, the UK and Australia.