Now pointlessly enhanced with AI
After taking down iforgot.apple.com following a serious vulnerability found earlier today. The security vulnerability allows Apple ID password to be reset with only email and birthdate. Accounts with two-step verification is not affected by this vulnerability. Apple took down its Apple ID password reset site to address the vulnerability.
Apple rolled out two-step verification for Apple ID on Thursday March 21, 2013.
On Thursday March 21, 2013 Apple enabled Two-Step Verification for Apple ID.
Two-step verification is an optional security feature for your Apple ID. It requires you to verify your identity using one of your devices before you can:
- Sign in to My Apple ID to manage your account.
- Make an iTunes, App Store, or iBookstore purchase from a new device.
- Get Apple ID-related support from Apple.
In addition to the Frequently asked questions about two-step verification for Apple ID, there are a few things we found:
Apple was expected to beef up Apple ID security after the epic hacking of Mat Honan’s Apple ID and Amazon Account.
UPDATE 4:
This spammer also related to wreese2013@hotmail.com.
The first spam reported to us is coming from ldirect.us domain
Definitely related to thegrapekiwi@gmail.com.
The phone number given as administrative contact 1.5037469135 seems to be used a lot for spam domain names.
UPDATE 3:
This spammer is also related to thegrapekiwi@gmail.com which is in the Register of Known Spam Operation (ROKSO).
Source: The Spamhaus Project
UPDATE 2:
Also related with Xcelerate
cherwo.co.uk (Registered on: 21-Mar-2013)
Domain name:
cherwo.co.ukRegistrant:
EvoMediaRegistrant type:
Non-UK CorporationRegistrant’s address:
PO Box 025250 #52990
Miami
FL
33102
United StatesRegistrar:
eNom, Inc. [Tag = ENOM]
URL: http://www.enom.com
UPDATE:
Based on recent findings, tslater@x-celerated.com spammer is related to admin@sevenquest.com spammer.
We’ve been getting requests to investigate a particular round of spam emails a few weeks ago. The spam seems to be using domain names with the same registration information.
Administrative Contact:
Xcelerate
Tom Slater (tslater@x-celerated.com)
+1.7733288013
Fax: +1.5555555555
1608 S. Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60608
US
Partial list of domains registered with email tslater@x-celerated.com through enom.com / namecheap.com:
The domain x-celerated.com was registered through DreamHost:
Registrant Contact:
x-celerated.com Private Registrant x-celerated.com@proxy.dreamhost.com
A Happy DreamHost Customer
417 Associated Rd #324
Brea, CA 92821
US
+1.7147064182
We informed DreamHost of our findings on x-celerated.com, and we received a reply:
Unfortunately, we provide neither hosting services, nor email services, for any of these domains. The same is true for x-celerated.com, for which we are only the
registrar.
We looked into the address of Xcelerate’s Tom Slater. It is a mailbox service by Earth Class Mail in Chicago.
A Virtual Presence In Chicago
Street and PO Box addresses available:Street Address
1608 S Ashland Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60608-2013
Just $14.95 per month in addition to Monthly subscription fees
Will-call pickup not availablePO Box
PO Box 803338
Chicago, IL 60680-3338
Included in your monthly subscription fee
We cross referenced the phone number 773-328-8013 and the addresses from Earth Class Mail. We found a domain using Earth Class Mail service and the phone number 773-328-8013.
Administrative Contact:
TruTech
Mike Young (admin@techtru.com)
+1.7733288013
Fax: +1.7733288013
PO Box 803338
Chicago, IL 60680
US
The domain techtru.com was registered through enom.com / namecheap.com on August 27, 2012.
We called the number 773-328-8013 and we got the automated voicemail:
You’ve been forwarded to the voicemail for *text to speech voice* “xcelerate”.
It seems that Xcelerate is a shell company for the spammer to hide behind.
Spoofing the sender’s email address can be done. In this case Xcelerate / x-celerated.com is highly likely to be involved. Consider the following patterns:
If you would like to fight these spammer, use services like SpamCop.net and report them. SpamCop.net provides free service; we encourage you to subscribe to their service for a nominal fee. After all, they are providing a great service.
——-
Disclaimer:
We use SpamCop.net service.
SpywareBlaster 5 was released on March 1, 2013. Head out to BrightFort.com to download the latest version of SpywareBlaster. I do recommend people to get the Auto Update, for a small fee to support the developer.
Glad to know BrightFort (formerly JavaCoolSoftware) no longer distributes SpywareBlaster through download.com.
Apple released OS X 10.8.3 Build 12D78 on Thursday March 14, 2013. This update also includes Safari 6.0.3 for OS X Mountain Lion.
OS X Mountain Lion Update v10.8.3 is available through Software Update or Apple Support Download page.
- The ability to redeem iTunes gift cards in the Mac App Store using your Mac’s built-in camera
- Boot Camp support for installing Windows 8
- Boot Camp support for Macs with a 3TB hard drive
- A fix for an issue that could cause a file URL to quit apps unexpectedly
- A fix for an issue that may cause Logic Pro to become unresponsive when using certain plug-ins
- A fix for an issue that may cause audio to stutter on 2011 iMacs
- Includes Safari 6.0.3
In addition to OS X 10.8.3, Apple also releases:
There is one feature in Mozilla Firefox that most users don’t even know it exist; a 3D Web-Inspector. Bring up the contextual menu by right clicking (OS X – control-click) on the page and select “Inspect Element”.
Then click on the Cube at the bottom-right section.
Use the cursor to rotate the page for 3-dimensional view.
A Mozilla Firefox user reported popup ads from movieplayerupdate.com (movieplayerupdate.com/mtrack/free_download/1/pre/).
Another Mozilla Firefox user also reported the popup ads from movieplayerupdate.com (movieplayerupdate.com/flashplayer/download_free/).
Both links now show 404 not found, but not before we managed to grab a screenshot. It says:
http:// movieplayerupdate.com
WARNING! Your Flash Player may be out of date. Please update to continue
The site is also telling user:
Please Install Flash Player Pro to Continue
Remember folks, there is no such thing as “Flash Player Pro”.
The links on both “REMIND ME LATER” and “INSTALL” point to: mtrack10.com/base2.php
By clicking either button, an executable file will be downloaded.
A user sent us a note that similar popups from videoplayerdownload.co were found (videoplayerdownload.co/free-download/mt/1/pre/).
The “Install Now” link also points to mtrack10.com/base2.php
It seems that both movieplayerupdate.com (whois info) and videoplayerdownload.co (whois info) are registered by the same individual through GoDaddy on the same day (Feb 20, 2013).
The domain mtrack10.com (whois info) is also registered through GoDaddy one week earlier (Feb 14, 2013).
By clicking the “Install Now” button, an executable file will be downloaded.
——-
It is pretty obvious the individuals behind the domain names mentioned above are unscrupulous. Do not blindly download some programs just because a popup told you so.
To update Flash Player, download it direct from Adobe.
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html