NTA Monitor

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New version of network scanning tool arp-scan released

15th March 2011 A new version of a respected and popular network scanning tool has been released. Read More

Tests show rise in number of vulnerabilities affecting web applications with SQL Injection and XSS most common flaws

1st March 2011 SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) were the most common flaws found in web applications in 2010 according to results from tests carried out by NTA Monitor. Read More

Assess risk to manage effects of budget cuts

9th February 2011 Signs of economic recovery may be appearing in some industries, but for most organisations - particularly in the public sector - budget cuts and cost savings are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Read More

"Basic security threats not changed in 15 years"

1st February 2011 There may have been significant technological advances to the hardware and software organisations use, but according to Roy Hills, who co-founded NTA Monitor in 1996, the basic security threats have not changed in the last 15 years. Read More
Date: 1st March 2009
Risk: Informational

All around the world, users of Google were greeted with a message warning that "this site may harm your computer".

The same text was pasted next to every search result. In effect, Google was warning users that the entire internet was a risk and shouldn't be touched.

Panic spread as the global web community told each other about this apparent breakdown.

Google eventually fixed the problem, explaining that an update of a list of malicious sites somehow ended up including every web address, instead of one specific URL. This proved to be an example of a simple mistake being allowed to rage out of control...

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