Spider on the Web

Recent activity

2007-11-24T17:25:00.000-05:00

After 2 years of not posting anything on this blog, I decided today to move the content from my personal website to this blog. Not exactly formated pretty but it serves a purpose for me. I'm going to delete that website and this gives me a quick and easy backup of the content I had on there.

24 Hours Support Groups

2007-11-24T17:18:00.000-05:00

About ten years ago, I got into a newsgroup called
24hoursupport.helpdesk. I found a
pretty good bunch of people there that provided support to new users that
"stumbled" into the group. Lot's of people come and go from this group,
both those that ask and those that answer questions. There is however, a core of
regulars that along with the visitors are able to provide some pretty good computer support
for a wide variety of problems. If you are having trouble finding answers to some of
your questions, come and visit us in the newsgroup. You can learn more about this
group by visiting the web site at http://www.24hrsupport.org/
or http://24hrsupport.netfirms.com/
This newsgroup is not available on all servers. Click
here to view this newsgroup on Google
Newsgroups.

Subscribe to the Yahoo! mailing list

Subscribe to the Freelists mailing list

Enter your email address:

Of course some folks just do not
want to bother with using newsgroups. One of the problems with newsgroups is the
flame wars that occasionally break out and take everyone away from the topic of the group.
There are also those that do not believe there is a topic in the newsgroup and
post anything they want.
This drove me into looking for an alternative and that is how
the 24hoursupport mailing list was born. I started this list at onelist.com
in 1998 and it got bought out by egroups.com in 1999 and then got absorbed into
Yahoo.com in 2000.
It has grown to over 600 members
with no promotion other then a listing at the Yahoo site.

In April
of 2002 I saw greener pastures at Freelists.org and moved the list there.
It did not work well for some of our subscribers. I seriously misjudged the popularity of the web
interface and ease of use at Yahoo. In October of 2002 I re-activated the Yahoo
list to accommodate the users that found Freelists a little confusing. Ron
Allen graciously accepted ownership and management of the Freelists group.
Read more about the Freelists Group by clicking here.

You may subscribe to either list or both. The Yahoo list seems to be
"easier" to use and has a nice web interface, but the options are set
in such a way that it is possible for an occasional off topic post to get
through. Freelists, on the other hand, is more structured and has much
less chance of inappropriate posts getting through. Many people choose to
subscribe to both lists. These are outstanding
mailing lists. The members of these lists provide some pretty high quality answers to
questions. As the list has grown, Ron and I have made several members of the lists
moderators.
The purpose of the moderator's are to rid the groups of any disruptive people who
slip in and try to cause any problems. A link to the message
archive's are included on this page below.

Links for mailing list messages

Read
Message Archives at Yahoo!

Read
Message Archives at Freelists

RSS
Feed for 24hrsupporthelpdesk (Want to know what this is? Click
Here)

Subscribe to the Yahoo! mailing list

Subscribe to the Freelists mailing list

Enter your email address:

Firewall Basics

2007-11-24T17:10:00.000-05:00

To understand firewalls, you should understand how the basic communication with other computers/servers on the internet work. When you connect to the Internet and use various software like Internet Explorer, Netscape, Outlook and other email applications, lots of information is being transmitted to and from your PC over a single connection. How does this information coming into your pc know to go to your email software for email and to your web browser for web site display? How is an outgoing message distinguished from an incoming message? Basically, it is done through standard ports. A port is a doorway into and out of your PC and TCPIP can direct the information to a specified port. Your TCPIP address is the location of your computer on the Internet and the port number is the specific door to use at this address.
Ports are numbered and there are over 6000 available ports to address. These port numbers are only effective when your PC and the one you are connecting to are both attempting to use the same port number. If they are not they can not communicate with each other. So, there had to be some sort of advance agreement on what applications will use what port number. For example, there was an agreement when the World Wide Web was being developed that all browsers will use port 80. That allows web sites to set their web servers to communicate it's hosted websites on port 80 understanding that Microsoft, Netscape and all other brands of browsers would program their software to accept and transmit traffic on the same port 80. So, anything that comes in to your computer on this port is directed to your web browser and allows the website to be displayed on your PC.
The developer's of email agreed to set port 110 as the standard port for incoming pop3 email and outgoing smtp email uses port 25. By agreeing on these port numbers, all email software developers program their software to use these ports and allows your software to communicate properly with incoming and outgoing mail servers to make your email work. In a nutshell, the ports open the doors (establish the paths) of communication between two computers. TCPIP uses the open door to send it's packets of information between to two pieces of software that wish to talk with each other.
By default, when you connect to the Internet all of these 6000 plus doors are open and allow free access to your PC. If you think about this you can see that this is a pretty scary thought since not everyone that connects to the Internet has good intentions. This allows a dishonest computer programmer the ability to program a server type application on his pc to communicate on any of the 6000 plus ports and plant a hidden application on your pc to use the same port number and then send whatever instructions he wants to your pc for execution. This is the basic premise of what you hear are "Trojans".
Now, you might ask, "I'm one of millions of PC's on the Internet. Why would someone want to attack me? I have nothing of value to offer." Well, remember, with the open door, they can come in and plant a little webserver on your PC and you will never know it. By use of the hidden file attribute they can copy images to your computer and through the use of re-directs your PC can become a popular porn site on the Internet and you would never realize it is happening.
Enough of the scare tactics, let's do something simple about this and slam the doors shut. First, let's see how vulnerable you are right now. Go to the Shields Up site and check your present security. When you get there, click the "Proceed" button and that will take you to the greetings page. After reviewing the information look at the blue box on the page and you should see a series of silver buttons labled File Sharing, Common Ports, and all Service Ports among a few others. Be sure and check each of those three buttons and review the information that is returned. This will give you a clear indication of how secure your PC is on the Internet.
A firewall is a piece of software that runs on your PC and allows you to close any open port that you wish to close. Normally by default it closes all but the standard ports used to communicate to web browsers and email clients. Firewalls can be configured many different ways. You can allow certain ports to let traffic in but not let it out on certain ports. You can open it both ways or block it both ways.
Firewalls can be obtained through several sources. Many of the major Anti-Virus software companies like Norton, McAfee and Trend are building firewalls into their software and marketing them as "Internet Security Suites". These are quite good and offer a total package that covers most of the other topics I will mention such as Virus, Spyware and Spam control. If you do not have one of these suites and need a firewall for your PC you can get a very good free one at Zonelabs.com.

Panda Web Parts Test

2007-11-24T17:01:00.000-05:00

Panda Anti-Virus is but one of
the many good AV programs on the market to help prevent viruses from
damaging your system. The main point of this page is to make sure
you have something installed for AV software. No one should be
running a PC connected to the Internet without basic security in place
to prevent infection as well as prevent you from infecting others.
I chose to list Panda here because they are gracious enough to provide
several tools that I can include on this page to assist you in
controlling this. It is not an endorsement of Panda Software
although I have read good reports on it and those that use it are quite
happy with it. Personally I use Trend Micro's new Internet
Security Software. That is also not an endorsement of Trend.
It simply means that my company provides for me for free so why not use
it. In any case, you can make use of the tools below. Don't
miss the "Active Scan" tool if you presently have no
Anti-Virus software installed.

Test

2007-11-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

Testing RSS Feed

RSS Newsreaders

2007-11-24T16:38:00.001-05:00

Here are some links to some of the more popular newsreaders. I will mention the ones I have used, but keep in mind that I am not a seasoned veteran with this technology. What I like and what is useful and easy for you are likely very different. My suggestion is to download and install several of them and take them for a cruise.
FeedReader
http://www.feedreader.com/
Download FeedReader
http://sourceforge.net/projects/feedreader/
SharpReader
http://www.hutteman.com/weblog/2003/04/06-56.html
Download SharpReader
http://www.sharpreader.net/
NewsDesk
http://www.wildgrape.net/
AmphetaDesk
http://www.disobey.com/amphetadesk/
FeedDemon
http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/index.asp
Awasu
http://awasu.com/
In case these are not enough
http://www.hebig.org/blogs/archives/main/000877.php

RSS Feeds

2007-11-24T16:36:00.000-05:00

As confusing as all of this may sound, it is really pretty simple once you master the technique of adding your feeds to your newsreader. Many of the newsreaders have pre-configured feeds which you may be satisfied with using, but the real power of these newsreaders is the ability to customize it to specific feeds that you want to keep up on.
When finding a feed to add, your objective is to get to a web page that displays the RSS programming code. You then click in the address line of your browser and copy the URL and paste it into the "new channel" window of your newsreader. To demonstrate, let's start with the 24hrsupport helpdesk feed as an example. Click Here. A new window opens up and display's what looks like a bunch of HTML code. That's just what we want. Now click in the address line, right click and "copy" the link to your clipboard. Go to your newsreader and click on whatever you see to add a new feed. In the new feed window you should see a field for the URL of the feed. Right click in that field and paste. Proceed through with adding the new feed. You should end up with a new channel that brings up the last 15 messages posted to our group. It is possible to add feeds to any of the Yahoo groups you might be subscribed to.
That's pretty much it. You can have some fun figuring out some of the rest of the newsreader features on your own. Since I'm no expert at this we can all learn together. In fact, I'm still trying to find a weather feed that will let me check forecasts by zip code. If any of you come across something like this please let me know.
For some decent feeds go to http://news.yahoo.com/rss and look over Yahoos RSS feeds. Click on the Orange XML button to get the page of code to obtain the URL to subscribe to the feed in your newsreader.
You can get several feeds from Lockergnome at http://rss.lockergnome.com/ by clicking on any of the Orange XML buttons on this page.
Lastly, if that is not enough, you can go to http://radio.xmlstoragesystem.com/rcsPublic/rssHotlist and look at the top 100 RSS feeds and subscribe to any of them.

RSS Information

2007-11-24T16:32:00.000-05:00

Every morning I learn the latest from a variety of news organizations, Weblogs, newsletters and other online information sources. But I don't use my e-mail program or go surfing from Web site to Web site.
Instead, I use a piece of software called a news aggregator or newsreader to scoop up headlines and summaries, along with links to the places where they originated.
I can do this because of a technology known as RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary (depending on who you're talking to). Either way, it's an XML standard for syndicating content via the Internet. A site with an RSS URL is offering its content in XML so programs other than Web browsers can fetch and format it.
Does anyone remember Pointcast? RSS is very similar but it only takes the good from Pointcast and eliminates the bad (large bandwidth hog), then makes it so anyone can use it.
RSS has been around for years (1999) but is still largely unknown outside the techie community. That's going to change, and soon. RSS is going to have a huge impact on the Internet. I predict that in the near future this will be as big as the web browser was over 10 years ago.
When I first started on this about 4 months ago, I did find it very confusing at first. Once I got the hang of how to add the feeds into the reader though, I really started enjoying it. Don't hesitate to use our 24hrsupporthelpdesk mailing list to post questions and/or help others that want to understand this.
If you want to create your own newspaper with just the content you want, download an RSS reader. If you are new to the Internet or still baffled by it all, take the time to try and pick up on this RSS stuff. This is a revolutionary way to use the Internet. You have an opportunity to "ride the wave" from the start instead of catching up when it really grabs hold. Trust me on this, it will.

Latest Happenings with me

2005-07-01T20:18:00.000-05:00

Blogging has been non-existent with me over the past few months. I took a trip to New Hampshire, followed by a trip to San Diego, California, followed by a trip to Minnesota, with a trip to Chicago in a couple of weeks. I also sandwiched in some study time for a Microsoft certification test. Since desktop support is my chosen profession and I have no intentions or aspirations for anything else, I thought I should obtain the newest MS certification for MSDST. It only involves passing two tests. One is 70-271 on Supporting Windows XP Operating System and the other is 70-272 on Supporting Desktop Applications. I scheduled the test about a month ago and have been quite busy studying for it since then. I took the 70-271 today and was quite relieved to pass it on the first try. From what I've been told, that is the hardest of the two which is why I took it first. Now I'll schedule the second test and start studying for that one. Maybe I can get back to normal after that. (whatever normal is) :-)

FW: [MikesWhatsNews] MWN #779 HackFix

2005-05-13T19:00:00.000-05:00

From Mike's newsletter comes another handy fix tool.

-----Original Message-----
From: mikeswhatsnews
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:30 PM
To: mikeswhatsnews@freelists.org
Subject: [MikesWhatsNews] MWN #779 HackFix

____________________________________________________________
7
IEFix free
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFIX.htm
IEFix - is a general purpose repair utility for Internet Explorer which
repairs Internet Explorer by registering it's core DLL files and reinstalls
using the IE.INF file. More Information is given below. Suitable for Windows
98/ME/2000/XP systems.
++
____________________________________________________________

Trend Micro Incorporated Enters into an Agreement to Acquire InterMute

2005-05-12T17:34:00.000-05:00

This is very good news...
Trend Micro Incorporated Enters into an Agreement to Acquire InterMute

I'm happy to see that Trend recognizes that it takes a different approach to defeat spyware versus a virus and the same cleaning techniques can not be used. This was something that has bothered me for a long time when I noticed the AV companies trying to take on spyware with there virus scan engines. Trend now sees that as evidence in their press release when they said:

"At Trend Micro, we have approached combating spyware from an antivirus perspective, as that is our area of expertise. While spyware can indeed be considered malicious code, the intent and motivation behind writers of viruses and spyware writers are different. Trend Micro already has a substantial engine, investment, and expertise in antispyware. By this acquisition, Trend Micro will be able to augment it’s current antispyware expertise and accelerating our ability to more effectively combat spyware today and future mixed threats tomorrow."

Kudo's to Trend

2005-05-01T08:38:00.000-05:00

You receive a Stop 0x00000050 error on a blue screen

Describes how to determine whether your computer is infected with a kernel driver known spyware Rootkit/Spyware: msupd5.exe Reloadmedude.exe and how to remove it.

[via kbAlertz - Windows XP]

2005-05-01T08:35:00.000-05:00

Your Internet Explorer home page is reset to "about:blank" and Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) unexpectedly quits in Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003

Describes a problem where your home page is reset and Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) unexpectedly quits. When this problem occurs, your computer may be affected by the TrojanSpy:Win32/Banker Trojan horse program.

[via kbAlertz - Windows XP]

Best Internet Network Information

2005-04-21T03:30:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I last visited the DNS Tools site and in the interim it has added a whole batch of new online inquiry tools to its already excellent collection of free services.
There are too many tools to describe but if you need to know anything about a web site, URL, email address or web routing then this is the place to go.

http://www.dnsstuff.com/

2005-03-25T21:21:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting plugin for Outlook that helps those that feel swamped with email.

ClearContext Inbox Manager

ClearContext Inbox Manager is an add-in for Microsoft Outlook that automatically prioritizes, organizes, and color-codes the e-mail in your inbox, placing the most important e-mails from the most important senders are at the top of the inbox, ready to be dealt with immediately. Less important e-mails, such as newsletters and correspondence from low priority senders, are placed further down in the inbox and junk/spam e-mails are moved to the bottom. Additionally, ClearContext Inbox Manager automates the e-mail filing process to help you keep your entire mailbox organized. All of this is done automatically by analyzing existing e-mail -no configuration or software "training" is required. Version 1.1

[via Slipstick - Outlook and Exchange News]

2005-03-25T21:19:00.000-05:00

This is a good substitute for those that use Plaxo's online service. This one is totally local and does not share contacts with an outside website.

Actual Contacts for Microsoft Outlook

Actual Contacts for Outlook is a Microsoft Outlook add-in for updating your address book. Select contacts and ACO will send them a message containing a form. The respondents will be able to update the data in your address book by filling out the form. The process uses only email forms and no data is stored on any other site.

[via Slipstick - Outlook and Exchange News]

2005-03-18T04:37:00.000-05:00

Microsoft Describes Spyware Categories And Responses

Microsoft this week described how its forthcoming anti-spyware software classifies potentially harmful software and the actions it will let users take to prevent spyware and other malicious software from damaging PCs. The Windows AntiSpyware security software, current in beta testing, uses a library of more than 100,000 threats to identify potential problems and make recommendations to users as to whether the questionable software should be ignored, quarantined, or removed.

[via ActiveWin.com Headlines]

2005-03-16T04:31:00.000-05:00

Windows XP May Gain Longhorn Features

Support for the WinFS file storage system may be added to the existing OS.

[via PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories]

Blue Coat Systems Announces Results of Spyware Study

2005-03-15T18:32:00.000-05:00

Blue Coat Systems Announces Results of Spyware Study

-- Spyware Problem Getting Worse -- 84% of enterprise IT professionals believe the spyware problem is the same or worse than it was three months ago. A mere 16% believe the problem is getting better.

-- Current Desktop Software Not Effective -- 72% of enterprise IT professionals report that the current set of desktop software products available today are ineffective in preventing spyware from infecting their networks.

-- Re-Imaging Desktops a Common Practice -- 74% of enterprise IT professionals re-image some or all of their desktop computers despite installing and running desktop anti-spyware software. 12% of those polled re-image ALL of their spyware infected desktops.

From Security Pro News

2005-03-15T05:59:00.000-05:00

Desktop Anti-Spyware Is Inadequate, Says Survey

Nearly three out of four IT managers surveyed reported that current programs "are ineffective in preventing spyware from infecting their networks."

[via Security Pipeline]

Desktop Pipeline | FTC: Spyware Needs A Definition

2005-03-12T10:50:00.000-05:00

Desktop Pipeline | FTC: Spyware Needs A Definition

Here's a story showing our tax dollars at work. The Report is 62 pages of nothing we didn't already know. Spyware is a problem and someone should do something about it. In typical government fashion, the FTC says that they need a definition of what spyware is before they can do anything about it.

PCWorld.com - Spyware Stoppers

2005-03-10T04:42:00.000-05:00

PCWorld.com - Spyware Stoppers - Spyware Stoppers

Renegade programs can slip onto your system in an instant-and they can be maddeningly difficult to banish. Our tests reveal the most powerful tools for fighting back.

Mary Landesman
From the April 2005 issue of PC World magazine
Posted Tuesday, March 01, 2005

2005-03-03T04:29:00.000-05:00

IBM Software Performs 'Blue Screen Of Death' Rescues IBM on Wednesday demonstrated a $300 application that's designed to rescue and recover data from a damaged hard drive.

[via Desktop Pipeline]

2005-02-23T04:44:00.000-05:00

ISearch spyware software owners are going after spyware removal folks. This will be interesting to follow for awhile.

by: JohnHays.net

Another attempt to censor a blog
Spyware Warrior is is being threatened with a lawsuit because of what was written on the blog. This is yet another attempt to censor blogs. The following is an excepts of the post at the preceding post.

Today I received a letter forwarded by Domaiâ¦

[via Spyware Warrior Comments]

2005-02-21T11:42:00.000-05:00

Microsoft may be wavering from it's stance that IE7 will only be for XPSP2 and up. That will be good news for those running Windows 2000, but don't look for an ME version. I really do not think Microsoft will develop a version for that one.

What's Next For Internet Explorer 7.0? Bill Gates says Microsoft will ship a beta version of its new browser this summer, including security enhancements. Microsoft is considering making the software available for old Windows versions.

[via Security Pipeline]

2005-02-17T08:44:00.000-05:00

This is not the direction the removal folks need to be going with this...

Did Anti-Spyware Vendors Cave In To Pressure From Spyware Authors? Computer Associates and the vendor that makes the anti-spyware package Ad-Aware are coming under fire from anti-spyware advocates, who say the vendors have quietly, and wrongly, delisted WhenU from their database of spyware.

[via Security Pipeline]

Someone with half a brain needs to realize that many users do not READ the stuff presented to them, some that do read do not understand what they are agreeing to, and many minors use parents PC's and will agree to anything. The other test of Spyware is also being ignored and that is, will this stuff remove when the software that installed it is removed? Chances are it will not.

2005-02-13T08:47:00.000-05:00

Should Yahoo Buy Six Apart? Executives deny acquisition rumors. But is this a deal too good to pass up?

[via internetnews.com]

2005-02-04T21:35:00.000-05:00

Microsoft Plans Major Patch Day on February 8 Biggest Patch Tuesday in months will include fixes for Windows, Windows Media Player, and Office, among others.

Microsoft is expected to release 13 new security patches on Tuesday, February 8, including several "critical" updates.

[via PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories]

2005-01-31T17:33:00.000-05:00

Spyware Warrior � Microsoft Webcast on Spyware

On CastleCops, a great security and anti-spyware forum. CalamityJane, a familiar figure at several forums incuding SpywareWarrior, and is a Microsoft Security MVP, is in the webcast, as is the former CEO of GIANT Antispyware and Ari Schwartz of the CDT.

2005-01-26T08:42:00.000-05:00

After more then a month of inactivity, it's time to try to get back to adding a few things I may want to look back on.

Microsoft to require Windows piracy check Microsoft in mid-2005 will put a piracy lock on two of its download Web sites, requiring all Windows XP and Windows 2000 users to validate their copy of Windows as genuine before downloading software, the company said Tuesday.

[via InfoWorld: Top News]

2004-12-07T04:42:00.000-05:00

Advanced Security for Outlook Use Advanced Security for Outlook to learn what programs are trying to access Outlook and permanently allow or deny access to the program and the next time it requests access, the action you choose will be automatically executed and Outlook Security will not annoy you with messages about trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in Outlook. Freeware, available in English, German and Russian. Version 1.

[via Slipstick - Outlook and Exchange News]

2004-11-26T09:53:00.000-05:00

Omea Reader:: Download

Well worth the download and checking it out. You will need a license key to run this, but it is FREE for the next month.

2004-11-26T06:27:00.000-05:00

HijackThis log file Analysis

HijackThis is a program used by experienced users in order to detect browser hijackers. It allows you
to identify any sort of spyware and malware (as well as some trojan horses and worms). This is
achieved by scanning special zones of the registry as well as the hard disk drive, the results being
listed in a structured window. Another feature of HijackThis is the creation of a log file, which can be
saved as a simple text file and opened by any text editor (notepad as default). Until now, inexperienced
users, who could not analyze the log file by themselves, had no other choice than posting it in a specialized
forum and to hope that a more experienced user takes some time to analyze it. The script presented on
this page is a way to analyzeyour log without help from the outside: simply copy/paste the content of the
log file in the textbox below and hit the analyze button. HijackThis is free and does not need to be installed.
It can be downloaded here:

2004-11-14T06:50:00.000-05:00

TANGLED IN SPYWARE, PART I

TANGLED IN SPYWARE, PART II

TANGLED IN SPYWARE, PART III

FTC Consumer Alert - Spyware

Visit http://web.tampabay.rr.com/spider1

2004-11-09T04:56:00.000-05:00

Contacts Clinic for Microsoft Outlook An Outlook plug-in to automatically update, organize and maintain Contacts. Send the 'Update Request Form' to your Outlook Contacts and the recipients edit and send back their new contact information. Contacts Clinic processes the form and automatically updates the new contact information. Features include the ability to collect addresses from message bodies as well as address fields while processing individual messages or a complete folder. Filters can block particular addresses and domains and remove undeliverable addresses from Contacts. Use Contacts Clinic to remove duplicates or backup your contacts. Includes a built-in SMTP to send 'Update Form'. Eliminates 3rd Party data handling.

[via Slipstick - Outlook and Exchange News]

2004-11-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

Companies Scramble to Deal With Spyware InternetWeek.com -... Users most often get them by downloading free games or file-sharing software - and consenting to language buried deep within a licensing agreement. ...

::

[via antivirus News feed]

2004-08-28T02:09:00.000-05:00

Trend PC-Cillin 2005 Beta Virus protection and internet security for home users. [License: Shareware $29.95| Requires: Win All | Size: 29.8 Mb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-08-25T08:03:00.000-05:00

I can't resist a chance to point out flaws discovered in those browsers that all the security "experts" are advising people to jump to.

PCWorld.com - Critical Netscape Flaw Found

2004-08-24T19:04:00.000-05:00

This article on Yahoo Finance lends a little support on what I have been saying for awhile now.

Independent Tests Find Commercial Spyware Removal Products More Effective Than Free Alternatives

The above article will link you to August 2004 Spyware Reviews which contain reviews of two of my favorite commercial products, Webroot Spy Sweeper 2.6, and Pest Patrol 4.4. I have mentioned both of these in the past. They are now both out in newer versions now. SpySweeper is at version 3 and Pest Patrol is at version 5.

2004-08-10T03:43:00.000-05:00

More Windows XP Service Pack 2 Information

From another helpful e-mail that we're sending to our customers:

Microsoft has made several Windows XP Service Pack 2 resources available to help customers evaluate and deploy Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Customers are encouraged to review these resources and deploy Windows XP SP2 as soon as possible.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Download (presently only English and German Network Packages): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Center for IT Professionals: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=WindowsXPSP2it

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 835935: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=835935

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 811113: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811113

Windows XP Service Pack 2: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 328010: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=328010

Guidance, and resources for customers who wish to temporarily disable delivery of this Windows XP Service Pack 2 via Automatic Updates and Windows Update is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/winxpsp2.

Microsoft is also providing guidance, resources, and communication vehicles outlined in the attached document. If this situation applies to your organization, please review the information included in this document.

Note that Windows Update Service Pack 2 will be released to Automatic Updates for systems running pre-release versions of Windows XP Service Pack 2 only on 10 August 2004. It will be released to Automatic Updates for systems NOT running pre-release versions of Windows XP Service Pack 2 only on 16 August 2004.

[via Microsoft community blog posts]

2004-08-09T18:51:00.000-05:00

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Network Installation Package Enhanced security, manageability and control for IT professionals. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win XP | Size: 266 Mb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-08-09T18:49:00.000-05:00

Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.01 THE award winning, free, multicomponent detection and removal utility. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 2.5 Mb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-08-08T07:52:00.000-05:00

How spyware works

Slashdot points to an analysis of Spyware. Interesting reading and demonstrates how it works and how it gets on machines.

[via Microsoft community blog posts]

2004-08-07T15:46:00.000-05:00

HijackThis 1.98.2 A homepage hijacker detector and removal tool. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 179 Kb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-08-01T06:20:00.000-05:00

I no longer believe that the average user should rely on free tools to combat spyware. This is getting almost as essential as virus software. Real time modules are needed for good protection and software that has support available is very important. Here are two of the best.

Pest Patrol
Download 10Day eval of Pest Patrol

Webroot's SpySweeper
Download 30Day eval of SpySweeper Click on the Green "Try if for free" button.

2004-07-30T19:24:00.000-05:00

About:Buster 2.0 A removal tool for Home Search Assistant, ie; res://random.dll/index.html#12345 [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 45 Kb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-07-24T19:56:00.000-05:00

Earlier link posted did work at one time, but it has been moved. This one should be good for awhile.

Lookout -- Outlook search tool available for free download

LookOut is available again for download. If you use Outlook you should consider it.

I love this tool! (Microsoft acquired them about a week ago).

[via Microsoft community blog posts]

2004-07-24T06:42:00.000-05:00

Home Search Hijacker will remove a difficult piece of spyware. Use at your own risk.
Symptoms:
- IE Hijacked to res://.dll/index.html#37049 PopUps
- Specific Words on webpages link to search pages.

3 important steps to getting this tool to work properly:

1: Boot into safe mode by tapping the f8 key as your computer boots. You should do this before you see the Windows splash screen.

2: Also, make sure you can see hidden files; Open My Computer and choose Tools, then click on Folder Options, click on the View tab and under Advanced Setting, choose Show Hidden Files and Folders, then click on OK and close My Computer.

3: Right-click on My Computer, Choose Manage, Double-click on Services and Applications, Click on Services. In the righthand column find "Network Security Service", and double-click on it. (In Safe Mode this may already be stopped) Choose Stop and then write down the name and path of the file in the "Path to Executable" section. Set the Startup Type to Disabled. Click Ok. Close the Computer Management window

Limitations: When finished, you will get a web page saying it worked as your home page. This is normal. You will need to reset your home page manually via tools, internet options. We have run the tool, it is spyware free and appears to not cause any problems. That said, you should have your computer backed up when installing any third party applications.

2004-07-23T19:36:00.000-05:00

Microsoft Lookout If you missed downloading Lookout v1.2 before it was removed from Lookout's website, itÃ¢ÂÂs now available in the Microsoft download center. What is Lookout? Lookout is lightning-fast search for your email, files, and desktop integrated with Outlook. Built on top of a powerful search engine, Lookout is the only personal search engine that can search all of your email from directly within Outlook - in seconds.

[via Slipstick - Outlook and Exchange News]

2004-07-17T20:12:00.000-05:00

I got this from the Microsoft Community blog (linked below), While the author is announcing the completion of a patch he worked on, I found the tidbit about the future of Outlook Express more interesting.

MS04-018 for Outlook Express

Finally!! After slaving for more than a month and a half, I finally released MS04-018 for Outlook Express as a critical security release available from Windows update, OEM CDs and as a download on Microsoft.com.

All the information you need to know can be found here and here: vulnerability fixed, defense in depth fixes included in the patch and supported platforms. You need this fix if you use Outlook Express 6 (comes with Windows XP RTM) for reading or writing email, unlike the last one which left you vulnerable even if you didnât use Outlook Express at all (Inetcomm.dll exports system functions that are consumed by other applications in Windows).

Outlook Express for Longhorn is an interesting project for the communications user experience team. We may not even call it Outlook Express! We want to make the Out of the Box mail experience very special and secure. The downside of owning the future product though, is owning the old code base as wellâ¦â¦. so MS04-018 is an ongoing effort to keep the legions in user community of the diminutive Outlook Express happy.

[via Microsoft community blog posts]

2004-07-15T03:45:00.000-05:00

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Investor's Business Daily (subscription) - USA
... A virus is relatively easy to clean compared to spyware," Firstbrook
said. Today Symantec can detect spyware and sometimes can safely remove
it, Ulaner says. ...
Read Article

WEATHERBUG is no bug; in fact, it's really cool
DetNews.com - Detroit,MI,USA
... appears harmless, and Rubel promises it's not another stealth spyware
program or ... View/Toolbars pulldown, and uninstall it from the Add/Remove
Programs control ...
Read Article

2004-07-12T20:33:00.000-05:00

Adware Company Accused Of Making Thiefware As Well We wrote about 180Solutions back in March when the company stunned most people by raising $40 million. The issue wasn't so much that the company had raised so much money, but that their investors seemed positively clueless about what they had invested in. The company is almost universally hated (by those not investing in it), for its spyware/adware offerings. A quick search online will tell anyone who does the slightest amount of due diligence will realize that the company is trouble. Unfortunately, it appears the VCs in question couldn't even go so far as to do a Google search. Now, anti-spyware researcher Ben Edelman has come out with a new report detailing how 180Solutions, beyond just being typical adware that is installed without clear and understandable notice to the computer user, was also stealing commissions from online affiliate programs, sneakily inserting their own affiliate codes into websites when a user with their software installed visited certain retailer sites. The company denies they did this, but Edelman's report is pretty damning. This isn't a new idea, of course. We wrote about spyware products doing exactly this almost two years ago, when it was referred to as "diversionware." As Edelman points out, however, it's a bit surprising that a VC-backed company would stoop so low.

[via Techdirt]

2004-07-12T20:12:00.000-05:00

Spyware is really starting to catch the attention of mainstream media now.

MLive.com - NewsFlash

2004-07-09T05:09:00.000-05:00

An example of what I have already talked about concerning browser security.

Security hole found in Mozilla browser A security flaw could theoretically allow attackers to crash computers or launch unauthorized programs.

[via CNET News.com]

2004-07-04T07:24:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been reading a lot from well intentioned support technicians encouraging people to dump IE in favor of Mozilla or some other type of browser. This has always seemed to me as an unfair attack on Microsoft since the flavor of the posts seem to blame them for the security problems. Microsoft is not the one doing this guys and gals. It's the bad guys. Dumping IE is akin to allowing drug pushers to push us out of a neighborhood. I'd rather take the "no surrender" position.

It is my contention that moving to another browser will not stop the attacks. They target Internet Explorer because that is where their target market lives. Trust me, they will go with the flow. They must be defeated not avoided. A look at Security Tracker will illustrate my point. Mozilla is a common alternative mentioned by those that advocate dumping IE. Well, look at the current threats posted on the Mozilla Browser and compare them to the current threats posted on Microsoft Internet Explorer Do you think that Mozilla is a safe alternative? Perhaps safer then IE at the moment, but what happens when Mozilla gets recognized as the "mainstream" browser? My contention is that the ratio of threats to Mozilla will increase and surpass IE. Me, I'm sticking with IE. I happen to like Microsoft's response to the problems. They fix the issues as they come up.

2004-07-03T18:51:00.000-05:00

CWShredder new version 1.59.1 CWShredder can be downloaded at this link: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=700...

[via Spyware Warrior]

2004-07-03T18:45:00.000-05:00

Spyware hides behind NT root kit (Spyware) Spyware hides behind NT root kit A few weeks ago, Mike Healan reported a very devious piece of spyware under investigation at SpywareInfo. A recent update confirms that its using a tricky NT Root Kit, called HackerDefender to hide fi

[via Clearswift Threat Blog]

2004-07-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

The best defense against Phising attacks are to have a solid rule of not responding to any email request to provide information no matter how legit the request appears to be. Legit financial sites will not ask for sensitive information via email and if they do they do not deserve an answer.

Software Sniffs out Phishy Web Sites (Phishing) Software sniffs out phishy Web sites Phishing attacks use 'spoofed' e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social se

[via Clearswift Threat Blog]

2004-07-03T09:44:00.000-05:00

This blog article from Clearswift / Blogs might help in researching some of the hidden spyware issues we've been seeing recently.

2004-07-03T08:12:00.000-05:00

This might be news to some of you, but not to those of us that have to clean up this crap.

vnunet.com - Spyware support costs run into millions

2004-07-01T18:53:00.000-05:00

VX2 Cleaner Plug-In for Ad-Aware. 1.01 Detects the malware VX2 and removes it. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 470 Kb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

A sad day in the war against spyware

2004-07-01T12:46:00.000-05:00

CoolWebSearch is winning Trojan war

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/9016

Merijn Bellekom has abandoned developing software that removes one of the nastiest browser hijackers on the planet: CoolWebSearch, a trojan that converts your PC into a source of revenue for fly-by-night porn sites not capable of generating legitimate Web traffic.

Spyware and Yahoo

2004-07-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

This is just an FYI. I cleaned up a system for a broker yesterday and did my normal check of security settings in the browser including setting cookies to over ride normal settings and block 3rd party cookies. I do this because there is no need for a site to require 3rd party cookies to operate properly. Third party cookies are the ones that show up as Tracking Cookies in spyware removal programs. Today this broker called me back complaining that he could not pull up information on finance.yahoo.com that he was previously able to pull up. I looked at the issue and found that Yahoo is requiring that he accept 3rd party cookies for this to work properly. I advised him I could change the setting to allow this spyware onto his system if he wanted me to. Since he spent most of yesterday out of production due to his spyware problem, he declined the offer and is going to seek another site to get his info.

2004-06-29T19:05:00.000-05:00

HijackThis 1.98 A homepage hijacker detector and removal tool. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 177 Kb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-06-28T19:23:00.000-05:00

CWShredder 1.59.1 Final release for some time of this utility for removing CoolWebSearch browser hijacks. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 137 Kb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-06-24T20:09:00.000-05:00

Oh Joy, more good news about spyware/virus activity.

New attack hitting Web users through major sites Internet users visiting some of the most popular sites on the Web may unwittingly be downloading malicious code that compromises their computers and sets up a relay network for a future onslaught of spam, a security services company warned Thursday.

[via InfoWorld: Top News]

2004-06-24T19:05:00.000-05:00

I started today looking at the spyware issue as it pertains to Yahoo's split personality. Then I saw this Anti-Spyware Bill story and my first thought is that considering all the money and major corporations that help spread this spyware around, any political bill will most likely come under intense lobbying pressure. It will be interesting to watch I guess.

Anti-Spyware Bill Clears Committee Hurdle Bill sponsors amend anti-spyware measure to cure Internet 'cancer.'

[via internetnews.com]

Then I saw this article in PCWorld. I guess we need to brace for the next wave.

Could Search Sites Spawn Worms? Security firm warns that search engine data is a treasure trove for worms seeking vulnerable systems.

[via PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories]

Is Yahoo playing both ends?

2004-06-24T06:42:00.000-05:00

Consider this when looking at their new toolbar they are touting that fights spyware.

I found this interesting opinion on http://www.traffick.com/2004/06/despite-court-rulings-adwares-still.asp

Despite Court Rulings, AdWare's Still Shameful

Recent legal decisions seem to favor invasive spyware and adware technologies from WhenU and Claria (formerly Gator). Business Week's Ben Elgin explores recent developments.

The article pulls no punches on Yahoo's role in propping up the purveyors of unsightly-boil-ware:

Few companies have done more to prop up the adware industry than Yahoo. A deal with Claria enables Yahoo to push its search-related ads to millions of users -- even when they're typing key words into a rival's search engine.

Why is Yahoo willing to risk bad press? Perhaps profits. SEC documents indicate that Yahoo's Overture division claimed 36% of revenue from such ventures at the time of the Claria deal early last year. That would bring in $24 million in revenue if the partnership matches last year's performance. At the 90% margins analysts estimate, this would yield profits of $22 million, representing 5% of Yahoo's projected $446 million in 2004 earnings. A Yahoo spokesperson has no comment on the numbers, but defends the partnership with Claria, saying the company takes the necessary steps to inform users of what they're getting.

Promoters of intrusive ad technologies (seen your inbox lately?) don't care what might happen to the medium itself, as long as they can say they're playing just barely to the legal side of the divide that separates advertiser from otherworldly, misanthropic alien. But companies who eagerly rush in to adopt the most interruptive of interruption marketing methods make it hard on anyone else trying to reach targeted customers. So, the clutter grows, and the latecomers won't find many crumbs left on the ground if they try to dine at this dubious banquet.

Posted by Andrew Goodman

2004-06-19T10:50:00.000-05:00

Spyware Removal Tools Compared With spyware on the rise we wanted to see which spyware/adware removal tool worked best under an infected machine. We placed 5 spyware/adware scanning and removing applications head-to-head to see which one gave the best results as far as finding the most infected objects. The following tools were used in this test as well as the version used and cost. The application popularity was also documented as the number of downloads on Download.com. The popularity does not mean that one tool is better than the other at finding and removing spyware/adware.

[via TechConnect Magazine]

2004-06-11T18:07:00.000-05:00

How to repair network or modem connectivity issues in Windows 2000 How to repair network or modem connectivity issues in Windows 2000
(837333) - Explains the steps for repairing network or modem connectivity issues in Windows 2000.

This RSS feed provided by kbAlertz.com.
Visit kbAlertz.com to subscribe. It's 100% free and you'll be able to recieve e-mail updates for the technologies you pick from the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

[via kbAlertz - Windows 2000]

2004-06-11T03:28:00.000-05:00

FirstStop WebSearch v4.1 Whatâs new in FirstStop WebSearch v4.1: Intro Screen (Standard Edition and Visual Edition); Merge result lists from the Query History (Deluxe Edition and Visual Edition); Improved format of results exported to Microsoft Word (Deluxe Edition and Visual Edition); New âRSS Feeds & Blogsâ search category (Deluxe Edition and Visual Edition).

[via Lockergnome's RSS & Atom Tips]

Fw: Spyware Weekly Newsletter > June 8, 2004

2004-06-10T03:38:00.000-05:00

Spyware Weekly Newsletter :· June 8, 2004

Beware this email scam
Permalink | Top
At the risk of setting off a million spam filters, I want to warn
everyone about an old email scam that is going around once again.
The subject line of the spam is usually similar to "A user on our web
site has submitted information about you" or "Someone is looking into
your background". The spam goes on to say that an anonymous user has
submitted information or an opinion about you on the spammer's web
site. A link is provided so you can view the information.
This is where the scam begins. In order to view the information, you
have to subscribe. Unfortunately, people fooled into subscribing find
that there is no real information that has been submitted about them.
It's a scam. Or it even could be a spammer looking to confirm live
email addresses. Don't be surprised if you click their link and find
your address sold to a hundred spammers.
For more information about this scam, please visit Snopes.com:
http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/wordofmouth.asp

2004-06-09T19:27:00.000-05:00

IE flaws used to spread pop-up toolbar The use of IE flaws to trigger pop-up ads on victims' PCs could be grounds for criminal charges.

[via CNET News.com]

2004-05-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

Create Free Acrobat PDFs With PDF/TextBox Acrobat PDF is a popular digital distribution format for documents, presentations and other multimedia content requiring faithful display across platforms, security and a more manageable file size. PDF/TextBox is an easy to use free PDF editor. It allows you to write documents quickly and easily and...

[via Technology Support]

2004-05-25T18:49:00.000-05:00

I found this article in Spyware Info's newsletter at http://spywareinfo.com

Nasty new parasite discovered

An Israeli programmer who hangs out in SpywareInfo's chat room has been tearing apart a new parasite recently. I don't know very many details about it but this is a very nasty little bugger.

There are two files loaded into memory and a third element involved which I don't want to discuss publicly. It is nearly impossible to force these files out of memory. If you remove any one or two elements, one of the other two will reload them into memory. While you can see these files running with a process manager, somehow they hide their files and parent directory from the operating system, making it difficult to find them on the hard drive.

If the infected computer is using the FAT32 file system, you can use a DOS window to enter the directory and find the files. Unfortunately, you cannot remove the parent directory (c:windowssystem32f0r0r) and the files are reinstalled as soon as the computer reboots.

The parasite might be capable of installing a backdoor server that could enable a remote attacker to use it to launch a SYN attack or to send spam. It also might operate as an IRC proxy, allowing someone to use it to hide their IP address while connecting to an IRC server. It also might include an RPC scanner to sniff for insecure and unpatched Windows machines.

This is a very clever piece of programming that someone spent a significant amount of time working on. It is nearly impossible to detect and nearly impossible to remove. How it installs is a mystery, for the moment. Possibly it infects unpatched Windows machines through one of the RPC flaws discovered recently in Microsoft Windows.

You can tell if your machine is infected if you can change to c:windowssystem32f0r0r in a DOS or CMD window with this command: cd c:windowssystem32f0r0r (that's a zero, not an "o"). If your hard drive is FAT32, you can boot into MS-DOS and delete the directory from outside of Windows and that should remove the infection (no guarantees here). To my knowledge, no antivirus or antispyware products detects this parasite.

2004-05-20T14:55:00.000-05:00

Study says 100 million PCs to be replaced in 2004

[via CNET News.com]

2004-05-12T18:45:00.000-05:00

SpyBot-Search & Destroy 1.3 Final Searches your hard drive for so-called spy- or adbots. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 4.2 Mb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-05-11T17:51:00.000-05:00

OpenOffice.org For Windows 1.1.2 RC2 An open source multi-platform office suite. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win All | Size: 64 Mb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-05-11T03:44:00.000-05:00

Beware: KaZaA Lite Plus 1.0 Contains Spyware Just recently KazaaLiteplus.net introduced a new version of it's file sharing application with added features. The new version includes built in pop-up blocker and spyware scanner, both free. Though this sounds like a pretty good deal, these guys forgot the whole meaning behind Kazaa Lite, which is Kazaa without the spyware and adware. CDFreaks has discovered that indeed this new version contains spyware; the worst piece was Virtual Bouncer - extortion ware (or I would prefer, hostage ware). It drive-by installs, phones home after install, gives itself the right (in the EULA) to download and install software from its servers, and you have to *pay them* for a "subscription" with a credit card to have it removed, then opt out of having the "subscription" automatically renewed.

[via TechConnect Magazine]

2004-05-10T19:34:00.000-05:00

Using System Restore 1.0 Step by step help guide explaining how to use System Restore. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win XP | Size: 763 Kb]

[via MajorGeeks.com]

2004-05-07T03:25:00.000-05:00

Deploying Windows Firewall Settings for Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (v 2) Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), currently a Release Candidate in Beta testing, includes significant enhancements to the Windows Firewall component, previously known as the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF). Windows Firewall is a stateful host-based firewall that discards unsolicited incoming traffic, providing a level of protection for computers against malicious users or programs. To provide better protection for computers connected to any kind of network (such as the Internet, a home network, or an organization network), Windows XP SP2 enables Windows Firewall on all network connections by default. This new behavior can impair some types of communications. This article describes how to deploy the appropriate configuration settings for Windows Firewall on an organization network so that it is enabled and providing protection, and so that communications are not impaired.

[via ActiveWin.com Headlines]

2004-05-03T18:45:00.000-05:00

FAVORITE: The Office Letter

http://www.officeletter.com/

Those of us who use Microsoft Office know that there are countless features built into the applications. The majority of us have only scratched the surface of what these programs are really capable of. For example, most Microsoft Word users probably only use the basic text entry features that are available right off the bat, but if you don't explore the menus, you're missing out on a wealth of composing and editing features that will probably be of great use to you. The Office Letter is a weekly newsletter that documents the tricks that Microsoft Office is hiding in the dark. If your goal is to learn more about what this suite has to offer, give them a look.

On your first visit to the site, you will see that you have access to the current issue and the previous issue for free. Having the newsletter sent directly to your home away from home (Inbox) will not require you to give up any moolah, either. If you like what you see, you can subscribe to the Premium Edition for US$12 a year. That price is not too shabby if you live in Microsoft Office. By the way, I hear that there's some real estate available on Excel Drive, which is off of Security Hole Avenue. Anyway, by subscribing you receive extra tips and information, no advertising, access to all of the back issues, etc. Besides just covering Office products, The Office Letter also reviews add-ons and utilities that will help you to be more productive. The issues contain screenshots for some of the tips so that you can check to see if you're following the steps correctly. In the end, this site is wonderful if you want to bone up on your Microsoft Office knowledge. [Brandon]

[via Lockergnome's Windows Fanatics]

2004-05-02T06:42:00.000-05:00

NewzCrawler RSS Reader NewzCrawler is a web news reader and browser which provides access to the a news content from different sources: - Syndicated news given in XML-based ...

[via Internet downloads]

2004-04-23T03:42:00.000-05:00

Net Blitz Net Blitz II is a sequel to the best program to play Chess or Bughouse over the Internet or local network. Net Blitz II now includes a chess engine, ...

[via Latest Freeware Downloads - SofoTex.com]

2004-04-15T03:40:00.000-05:00

NNTP for Outlook Mapilab's answer to the request for newsgroups in Outlook is in the form of an NNTP transport, rather than a COM add-in. Use it with Outlook 2000 (Corporate/workgroup mode) and Outlook 2002/2003 to read and post to UseNet servers.

[via Slipstick - Outlook and Exchange News]

2004-01-22T04:46:00.000-05:00

10 reasons why RSS is not ready for prime time

Dylan Greene shares his 10 reasons why RSS is not ready for prime time. While working today I listened to the RSS Winterfest, a free audio-only conference about RSS hosted by many top names in blogging. Chris Prillo, aka the Lockergnome, had a comment during the "What is the future of RSS?" session that I strongly disagree with: "RSS is good enough." I strongly disagree with this comment. While I agree RSS is good, I believe RSS is not good enough to become mainstream.

[via Lockergnome's RSS Resource]

2003-10-27T20:42:00.000-05:00

Here is a site that kind of acts like a news aggregator on the web. I like the various RSS readers and this is the first site I've seen that does it on a web site. At the very least it is interesting to play around with.

DAILY ROTATION

2003-10-26T11:18:00.000-05:00

I run both Ad-aware 6 (obtained from the link below) and Spybot 1.2 obtained from previous post. I scan my system with both of them to insure I am catching as much as possible. I do not think one is better then the other. I have had times when ad-aware id's something as spyware when spybot did not, but I've also had times spybot found some that ad-aware did not. Since they are both FREE, no need to decide which one is best.

Downloads - Support - Lavasoft

Spider on the Web

2003-10-26T11:10:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to Spybot's download page. Use this to check your system for spyware and clean up any that is found. To download, scroll to the bottom of the page and use one of the several download links there. After installing, be sure and "Check for Updates" and download any updates available before running a scan.

--SpybotSD - Download Spybot - Search & Destroy by PepiMK Software

2003-10-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

Here is a great utility to manage disk space. Quickly ID folders that contain large files and keep your disk cleaned up. This utility is FREE and does not contain any spyware.
JDiskReport

Spider on the Web

2003-10-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

Here is a very nice FREE weather program that I have confirmed (spybot and ad-aware) does not contain any spyware as opposed to weather bug which does contain spyware. Weather Pulse - Weather Software by Tropic Designs Software

2003-10-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

This is a good site for researching current hacker activity Computer Crime Research Center (CCRC) - Daily cybercrime news

2003-10-25T06:43:00.000-05:00

Check this page out for information on the new wave of web browsing. RSS feeds are the best way to make the best use of your browsing time. Give it a try. RSS Information

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