ReadWriteWeb

Today Zynamics, a company that makes security analysis tools, announced that it has been acquired by Google. Zynamics specializes in tools for reverse engineering binary executables - in other words, analyzing software for which no source code is available.

Zynamics is probably best known for BinDiff, a tool for sniffing out the differences between different executable files. It's used by third-party security researchers figure out what vulnerabilities were fixed after a piece of software receives a security patch. However, Thomas Ptacek of Matasano Security speculates on Hacker News that Google acquired the company either for its VxClass product or purely as a talent acquisition. Judging by the statement a Google spokesperson gave TechCrunch, it's likely both.

Bob Schroeder is the director of product management at Qwest Business. In this interview, he provides a high level overview of what you should be doing to protect your company against security threats.

Schroeder talks about anti-virus, securing mobile networks, encryption and more.

This week independent computer security testing organization AV-Comparatives named F-Secure as its product of the year for 2010. AV-Comparatives notes that being the overall best product of the year does not mean that a product is the best product for all users in all scenarios. What it means is that the product has receive the highest ratings in several tests, including malware protection, false positive rates and impact on performance. F-Secure and AVIRA were the only two products to receive an "Advanced+" rating for all seven of AV-Comparatives' tests in 2010. AVIRA was a close runner-up for product of the year.

Note to Android developers: the Google Android Market is open, but it's not that open. After being profiled by The New York Times Bits blog, DLP Mobile's new app Secret SMS Replicator, which forwards all SMS text messages to another device unbeknownst to a phone's owner, has been banned from the Android Market.

The reason? The app violates the "Android Market Content Policy," which states that apps that involve "invasions of personal privacy" are not allowed.

Citing the need to provide security for the growing Internet of Things, chip maker Intel has entered an agreement to purchase cyber security company McAfee for $7.68 billion. According to the press release issued by Intel: "Today's security approach does not fully address the billions of new Internet-ready devices connecting, including mobile and wireless devices, TVs, cars, medical devices and ATM machines as well as the accompanying surge in cyber threats."

This week NSS Labs released their Q2 2010 Corporate Endpoint Protection Products report. NSS has only publicly announced the two products it specifically recommends against: Panda's Internet Security 2010 (Enterprise) and AVG's Internet Security Business Edition 9. However, it takes only a quick look at Trend Micro's web site to guess how NSS rated Office Scan (hint: very well). Some vendors have protested NSS's ratings in the past, but like it or not NSS is changing the way security testing is conducted.

It's no secret that - as the most widely deployed operating system - Microsoft Windows has the ignoble distinction of being the primary target of virus and malware developers everywhere. And when you couple that with the fact that many users of the Windows operating system fail to protect their machines - due to both ignorance of the problem and costs associated with virus protection software - you have the potential for rampant virus outbreaks. We've all seen it, time and time again.

Now, Microsoft is proposing to solve that problem with a new antivirus package. The product, code-named Morro, is slated to hit the market late next year. It will offer protection for viruses, spyware, rootkits, and trojans. Even more important? It will offer that protection for free.