Sunday, October 29, 2006
Time Magazine: Why Two Browsers are Better than One
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Microsoft Ships Windows Defender At Last
Microsoft released the final version of its freeware Windows Defender anti-malware product yesterday. The software was designated beta since Microsoft relaunched it as Windows AntiSpyware nearly two years ago after acquiring it from GIANT Company Software.
Langa Blog: Microsoft Ships Windows Defender At Last
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Free Antivirus Programs Compared
AntiVir is easy on system resources, easy to use, and detects a large number of spyware programs as well. It's very good at detecting and removing the zlob trojans, aka SpywareQuake, SpyFalcon, Pest Trap, and all those other programs that have that balloon that that says you are infected.
AVG and Avast are good, too. Avast does annoy me because it talks to you. Yes, it will say things like virus definitions update or virus detected. A warning window and maybe a quick sound would be fine. You can turn it off, but it still silly.
read more | digg story
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Internet Explorer 7 Is Now Available
Check out IE 7 and download it here.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Careful where you download IE7 from
The Register is reporting that hackers are luring unsuspecting users to a fake download site for IE7 by an email that purports to be from support@microsoft.com. Trouble is, when they get there they aren't getting IE7 but a site loaded with trojan downloader codes. Full story here.
Whilst I'm on the subject of IE7, Yahoo have released their own version of IE7 today, even ahead of Microsoft. Great if you like the Yahoo toolbar etc. Personally I think I will wait for the clean version from Microsoft. You can check this site out for more information from Microsoft.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Free Smileys From Ask.com Not so Free After all
While some may like having the cute smileys, the real reason is to get an Ask toolbar installed on your computer. Ben says that the toolbar moves the address bar (where you type in a web address) and puts their toolbar in the same place. That way,you may use the toolbar thinking you are just typing the url of where you want to go. After using the toolbar by mistake, you end up on an Ask search page full of advertisements.
Ask used to be called Ask Jeeves, but they retired that name and the butler mascot and go by Ask now.
read more | digg story
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Top Five Phish Brands for September
Paul Laudanski of Castle Cops has been very busy just recently, jetting all over the place giving presentations on Phishing Incident and Termination (PIRT). Because of this he hasn't yet had time to publish his top 20 list for September
However I do have a top 5 list so I hope that will do you for now. If you want to have a look at Paul's presentation then you can download it here. As always, the PIRT Squad are working very hard on our behalf, so don't forget to report your phishing emails.
- PayPal => 168
- eBay => 112
- Wachovia => 32
- Nationwide => 16
- BOA => 13
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Sunbelt Counterspy Update 427
CounterSpy is able to catch more spyware than almost every other utility on the market because the CounterSpy threat database (with the signatures of every spyware and malware utility we can identify) is constantly updated. Our researchers constantly look for ways to improve our spyware searching database so that it catches all spyware that could potentially be on your system. Keyloggers, spyware cookies, remote access trojans (backdoors), and more are all identified.
http://research.sunbelt-software.com/download.cfm
CounterSpy offers a 15 day fully functional trial. So that means you can not only test how it detects spyware, but how well it removes spyware, malware, and other threats.
Ewido Is Now AVG Antispyware
AVG Antispyware
Date of Update: October 11th, 2006
Known threats in database: 463,940
AVG Antispyware scans your computer to clean any spyware that may have gotten on your computer. AVG Antispyware also has active protection to prevent spyware from getting on to your computer.
•Hijackers and Spyware
-Secure surfing in the Internet without fear of annoying changes of the start page of your browser, tracking cookies and advertising bars.
•Worms
-Nobody should receive e-mails in your name with malicious files in the appendix anymore.
•Dialers
-Security against all kinds of dialers. No fear when receiving the next phone bill.
•Trojans and Keyloggers
-No chance for thieves to steal your bank data and personal sensitive information by tapped Internet connections, remote controlled webcams or secret keyboard recordings.
Product Info & Download: AVG Anti-Spyware
Spy Sweeper Update 780
Program Version 5.0.7. (Build 1608)
Spyware definition: version 780
Updated October 11th,2006
Protection against 153,022 spyware traces.
Spy Sweeper protects your computer in two ways. First, it uses what is called shields to monitor places on your computer that spyware will likely change. By alerting you, you can prevent spyware from even getting on your computer. The second way is the large threat database. With this update, there are over 150,000 known spyware threats that Spy Sweeper detects and removes, should anything undesirable get onto your computer.
Spy Sweeper available from http://www.webroot.com/consumer/products/spysweeper/
Spyware Doctor 3.0577 0
Latest Database Version: 3.0577 0
Intelli-Signatures: 87,184
Spyware Doctor protects your computer in 3 ways. First, it has the On guard monitor which watches places spyware will change your computer settings. By alerting you, Spyware Doctor gives you the option to not allow unwanted programs on your computer. Second, Spyware Doctor has a feature called Immunize that completely blocks known spyware from even installing. Third, spyware Doctor has a large detection database that removes spyware that has gotten onto your computer. I have used Spyware Doctor in tests against SpyAxe and SpyFalcon. It completely removed the those two. A restart of the computer and resetting my wallpaper was the hardest part.
A free scan is available from the Spyware Doctor Homepage:
http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/
New Intelli-Signatures:
3.0577 0 - VSToolbar
3.0576 0 - Trojan.PWSteal.Lineage.HC
Extended Intelli-Signatures:
3.0577 0 - Backdoor.Rbot.AYL, Backdoor.Rbot.Gen, Backdoor.Wootbot.Gen, CWS, Deskwizz, PurityScan, SpywareNo, SpywareQuake, Trojan.Banker, Trojan.Popuper, Trojan.Proxy.Ranky, Trojan.StartPage.GEN, Webhancer, WinFixer, Yazzle Cowabanga, YourEnhancement
3.0576 0 - Ultimate Defender, YourEnhancement
General Information:
Updates are posted 5 times per week on average.
Updates are installed by running Spyware Doctors' Smart Update feature.
IE Spyad List Updated
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm
What is IE Spyad? It is a free list of bad sites that are added to Internet Explorer's restricted zone. By putting those sites in the restricted zone, it limits the harm they can do your computer. Here is an excerpt from the author describing it:
IE-SPYAD adds a long list of sites and domains associated with known advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to the Restricted sites zone of Internet Explorer. Once you merge this list of sites and domains into the Registry, the web sites for these companies will not be able to use cookies, ActiveX controls, Java applets, or scripting to compromise your privacy or your PC while you surf the Net. Nor will they be able to use your browser to push unwanted pop-ups, cookies, or auto-installing programs on your PC.IE-SPYAD adds a long list of sites and domains associated with known advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to the Restricted sites zone of Internet Explorer. Once you merge this list of sites and domains into the Registry, the web sites for these companies will not be able to use cookies, ActiveX controls, Java applets, or scripting to compromise your privacy or your PC while you surf the Net. Nor will they be able to use your browser to push unwanted pop-ups, cookies, or auto-installing programs on your PC.
Here is an explanation on how to use it, including screen shots.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
It's Patch Tuesday For Windows.
Go to Windowsupdate.com to get them and protect your computer.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Google to buy YouTube in $1.65 billion stock deal
From Macworld.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Unlocking the Mysteries of 'Svchost.exe'
Posted on the Langa Blog. I've been so busy, I didn't notice Fred Langa has a blog now. Anyways, a good and brief explanation on why you see svchost.exe more than once in your process list on XP and Windows 2000.
read more | digg story
Friday, October 06, 2006
MS Security Bulletin Advance Notification for October
Don't forget to prepare for the updates as I've outlined in an earlier entry - How To Prepare for Patch Tuesday.
On 10 October 2006 Microsoft is planning to release:Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification
Security Updates
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
- Six Microsoft Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Windows. The highest Maximum Severity rating for these is Critical. These updates will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. Some of these updates will require a restart.
- Four Microsoft Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Office. The highest Maximum Severity rating for these is Critical. These updates will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. These updates may require a restart.
- One Microsoft Security Bulletin affecting Microsoft .NET Framework. The highest Maximum Severity rating for this is Moderate. These updates will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and the Enterprise Scan Tool. These updates may require a restart.
Non-security High Priority updates on MU, WU, WSUS and SUS
- Microsoft will release an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services and the Download Center.
Note that this tool will NOT be distributed using Software Update Services (SUS).
- Microsoft will release No NON-SECURITY High-Priority Updates for Windows on Windows Update (WU) and Software Update Services (SUS).
- Microsoft will release two NON-SECURITY High-Priority Updates on Microsoft Update (MU) and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Microsoft give MVP Award to Adware Pusher
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