Media Alert: Check Point Cautions Consumers against New Malware Threat Targeting Facebook Users
Recently discovered malware threat - 'Secret Crush' - spreads via
Facebook widget
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Check Point(R) Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP), the
worldwide leader in securing the Internet, is today warning consumers
of a new, rapidly emerging malware threat targeting users of popular
social networking site, Facebook. The discovery was made earlier this
week by Fortinet.
"Secret Crush" is a new software program that is distributed
through Facebook using their developer's API, which allows third-party
software vendors to plug applications into Facebook. The threat
propagates by sending Facebook users a notification that a friend has
a "crush" on them. To find out "who" has the secret crush, the user is
asked to download an application, which leads to the "Zango" adware
application. Application downloads are commonplace on Facebook because
users frequently click through the download prompt without careful
consideration.
"As malware and browser threats continue to evolve and exploit
social networking, it is vitally important that consumers now, more
than ever, take the necessary precautions to protect their privacy and
identity online," said Laura Yecies vice president and general manager
of Check Point's consumer division. "Check Point advises consumers to
take a layered approach to securing their Internet browsers and PCs.
Users need a full featured firewall, antivirus and spyware protection.
A browser security solution, such as ZoneAlarm ForceField, also
provides an important layer of defense against the latest types of
Web-based threats."
Check Point customers utilizing ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite
and/or ZoneAlarm ForceField products are preemptively protected.
ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite provides protection against Zango
and other varying types of malware applications through several key
product features and technology:
-- SmartDefense Advisor automatically adjusts security settings
for protection against the latest spyware outbreaks
-- DefenseNet is an early warning system that gathers data from
the ZoneAlarm user community on the latest spyware and malware
outbreaks
-- Spy Site Blocking prevents spyware from getting on consumers'
PC by blocking spyware distribution Web sites
ZoneAlarm ForceField (currently offered as a free public beta)
also protects users against Zango through the product's dangerous
download protection feature. Consumers can download a free, 15-day
trial of ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite at
http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list.jsp
?dc=12bms&ctry=US=en. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be
copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the
extra space if one exists.) The free public beta of ZoneAlarm
ForceField can be downloaded at
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/forcefield_x/index.html.
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a
leader in securing the Internet. The company is a market leader in the
worldwide enterprise firewall, personal firewall, data security and
VPN markets. Check Point's PURE focus is on IT security with its
extensive portfolio of network security, data security and security
management solutions. Through its NGX platform, Check Point delivers a
unified security architecture for a broad range of security solutions
to protect business communications and resources for corporate
networks and applications, remote employees, branch offices and
partner extranets. The company also offers market leading data
security solutions through the Pointsec product line, protecting and
encrypting sensitive corporate information stored on PCs and other
mobile computing devices. Check Point's award-winning ZoneAlarm
Internet Security Suite and additional consumer security solutions
protect millions of consumer PCs from hackers, spyware and data theft.
Extending the power of the Check Point solution is its Open Platform
for Security (OPSEC), the industry's framework and alliance for
integration and interoperability with "best-of-breed" solutions from
hundreds of leading companies. Check Point solutions are sold,
integrated and serviced by a network of Check Point partners around
the world and its customers include 100 percent of Fortune 100
companies and tens of thousands of businesses and organizations of all
sizes.
(C)2003-2008 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All rights
reserved. Check Point, AlertAdvisor, Application Intelligence, Check
Point Endpoint Security, Check Point Express, Check Point Express CI,
the Check Point logo, ClusterXL, Confidence Indexing, ConnectControl,
Connectra, Connectra Accelerator Card, Cooperative Enforcement,
Cooperative Security Alliance, CoreXL, CoSa, DefenseNet, Dynamic
Shielding Architecture, Eventia, Eventia Analyzer, Eventia Reporter,
Eventia Suite, FireWall-1, FireWall-1 GX, FireWall-1 SecureServer,
FloodGate-1, Hacker ID, Hybrid Detection Engine, IMsecure, INSPECT,
INSPECT XL, Integrity, Integrity Clientless Security, Integrity
SecureClient, InterSpect, IPS-1, IQ Engine, MailSafe, NG, NGX, Open
Security Extension, OPSEC, OSFirewall, Pointsec, Pointsec Mobile,
Pointsec PC, Pointsec Protector, Policy Lifecycle Management,
Provider-1, PureAdvantage, PURE Security, the puresecurity logo,
Safe@Home, Safe@Office, SecureClient, SecureClient Mobile,
SecureKnowledge, SecurePlatform, SecurePlatform Pro, SecuRemote,
SecureServer, SecureUpdate, SecureXL, SecureXL Turbocard, Security
Management Portal, Sentivist, SiteManager-1, SmartCenter, SmartCenter
Express, SmartCenter Power, SmartCenter Pro, SmartCenter UTM,
SmartConsole, SmartDashboard, SmartDefense, SmartDefense Advisor,
Smarter Security, SmartLSM, SmartMap, SmartPortal, SmartUpdate,
SmartView, SmartView Monitor, SmartView Reporter, SmartView Status,
SmartViewTracker, SMP, SMP On-Demand, SofaWare, SSL Network Extender,
Stateful Clustering, TrueVector, Turbocard, UAM, UserAuthority,
User-to-Address Mapping, UTM-1, UTM-1 Edge, UTM-1 Edge Industrial,
UTM-1 Total Security, VPN-1, VPN-1 Accelerator Card, VPN-1 Edge, VPN-1
Express, VPN-1 Express CI, VPN-1 Power, VPN-1 Power Multi-core, VPN-1
Power VSX, VPN-1 Pro, VPN-1 SecureClient, VPN-1 SecuRemote, VPN-1
SecureServer, VPN-1 UTM, VPN-1 UTM Edge, VPN-1 VSX, Web Intelligence,
ZoneAlarm, ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware, ZoneAlarm Antivirus, ZoneAlarm
ForceField, ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, ZoneAlarm Pro,
ZoneAlarm Secure Wireless Router, Zone Labs, and the Zone Labs logo
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Check Point Software
Technologies Ltd. or its affiliates. ZoneAlarm is a Check Point
Software Technologies, Inc. Company. All other product names mentioned
herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
owners. The products described in this document are protected by U.S.
Patent No. 5,606,668, 5,835,726, 5,987,611, 6,496,935, 6,873,988,
6,850,943, and 7,165,076 and may be protected by other U.S. Patents,
foreign patents, or pending applications.
Check Point Software Technologies
Heather Haas, 650-628-2070 (Media)
press@checkpoint.com
Kip E. Meintzer, 650-628-2040 (Investors)
ir@us.checkpoint.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
