Category: Windows

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Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 Beta

My favorite free security software for Windows is Microsoft Security Essentials from Microsoft, the folks who should be protecting their operating system.

Microsoft just came out with a beta of their next version, Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 featuring:

  • Windows Firewall integration– allows you to turn on or off the Windows Firewall during setup.
  • Enhanced protection from web-based threats – integrates with Internet Explorer to provide improved protection against web-based attacks.
  • New protection engine – offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities with better performance.
  • Network inspection system – protects against network-based exploits.

To get the new version, go to the Microsoft Connect site and fill out the beta registration information. Then you’ll see instructions for downloading and installing the beta.

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Microsoft Fix It Software

A quick fix to many common PC problems (non-functioning printers, drivers, web broswers, etc) is possible with the free Fix-it software from Microsoft at:
http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal/

Click Try it Now!, install the software, run Mircosoft Fix it and choose the category of your problem. Mircosoft Fix it then looks for and can automatically fix lots of issues.

Before calling on computer support, see if this free software can help you out.


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Fighting Conficker

I have mentioned several times that Conficker is considered the most dangerous virus to date.

The Atlantic Monthy magazine has a great article titled The Enemy Within on the history of Conficker and where we are now. It’s a fascinating read for both technical security buffs and non techies.

It starts:

The Enemy Within by Mark Bowden

When the Conficker computer “worm” was unleashed on the world in November 2008, cyber-security experts didn’t know what to make of it. It infiltrated millions of computers around the globe. It constantly checks in with its unknown creators. It uses an encryption code so sophisticated that only a very few people could have deployed it. For the first time ever, the cyber-security elites of the world have joined forces in a high-tech game of cops and robbers, trying to find Conficker’s creators and defeat them. The cops are failing. And now the worm lies there, waiting …

Image credit: Alex Ostroy

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AntiVirus Bootable CD

Bootable CDs to the Rescue

Some viruses are so bad that they lock you out of your computer’s administrative controls. When that happens, consider using a bootable CD that can clean the hard drive of viruses. This often fixes things enough to let you get into Windows and make further repairs.

AVG Rescue CD

My favorite is the free AVG Rescue CD. It can be installed onto a CD or a USB stick if your computer allows booting from USB drives.

The AVG Rescue CD is a small version of AVG Anti-Virus that boots up using Linux. It does not load anything onto your hard drive so it is completely non-destructive. It offers you the option to download virus definition updates, which you should definitely do. This typically requires an ethernet cable connection to work.

Other Bootable CDs

There are many free bootable AntiVirus Resuce CD options that you can try. Let me know what your favorite bootable antivirus tool is.

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Windows “AntiSpyware” 2009

Gina Trapani wrote up a great article on the infamous Antispyware 2009 and how to get rid of it. This software pretends to be legitimate antivirus software, but is itself a virus. There are many variants of the software and I wrote about one of them called Antivirus XP 2008.

How to Remove XP AntiSpyware by Gina Trapani

It’s been a long time since I’ve had to deal with a malware-laden PC, but my long streak of luck ran out this weekend when a family friend–who describes himself as computer illiterate–called. “Every time I try to do anything on the computer,” he told me, “I get a message saying it’s infected, and I have to pay $69 to clean it, but I tried to do that and I couldn’t.” He couldn’t even navigate to the Mozilla site to download Firefox; Internet Explorer was completely hijacked.

Read the rest of How to Remove XP AntiSpyware

XP Antispyware 2009