Real Broadband Essentials is definitely essential! We have been running the Real Broadband Essentials through some vigorous testing the last few days via their free 14 day trial available here. The results are really positive, you get all the essentials to keep your computer in top condition. You even get to try it out totally free for 2 weeks. You get Antivirus software, Firewall, Ad protection and much more. Everything you need to protect your computer if you have a fast internet connection that is always on like cable, dsl etc.

You get all this with your free trial:

McAfee Spyware and Adware Removal
McAfee Firewall
Google Toolbar Pop-up Blocker
NetNanny Parental Controls
Network Magic Home Networking
System Mechanic 7 Tune Up and Repair
Fototime Photo and Video Backup
RealNetworks Plus Video Player
Speed Test
Automatic Updates

We are happy to give the Real Broadband Essentials package a big thumbs up to our users.

5 STARS!!!

If you have not tried it yet you can click here to get a totally free 14 day trial. I think this will be one of your favorite downloads ever since you have been on the internet! Try it out for a week free and see if I’m exaggerating. I assure you that I’m not.

I think more companies should follow the Real Broadband Essentials lead and offer free 14 day trials of their products. It only shows the companies confidence in the quality of their product if they offer you a totally free 2 week trial to use their product.

Just our opinion, yall enjoy and have a great day!

The paragraph below has been copied straight from the Spyware Doctor website. The paragraph will be used as a principle to review the truths of the program.

“Spyware Doctor is a top-rated malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes and protects your PC from thousands of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, spybots and tracking threats. Protect your privacy and computing habits from prying eyes and virtual trespassers with the help of Spyware Doctor.”

One thing you immediately notice upon installing the Spyware Doctor is the ease of updating the program. After you install and open the program you are prompted to run the Smart Update feature. This insures that you have the latest version of Spyware Doctor at all times. After the updating is complete you are free to open and use the program.

Download Spyware Doctor

Before you begin using Spyware Doctor you may be interested in reviewing the Spyware Doctor Quick Start Guide. This is an overview of the most common tools used in Spyware Doctor. The guide shows the buttons of the interface and what each does or represents. The guide also lets you know about the navigation of Spyware Doctor and how to use the Smart Update feature. If you need further assistance on Spyware Doctor you can use their Help option for more detailed information.

The main screen, or the interface, of Spyware Doctor is easy to understand and use. The simplicity is refreshing but also can leave you wanting more. I do enjoy all of the numbers and facts listed under System Status on the interface. For example, when the subscription expires or when your last scan was done. I like that it is very obvious as to whether your protection is on or off, too.

A really great thing about this program is that you are still able to run and operate other programs and such of your computer WHILE running the scan of Spyware Doctor. All too often your computer slows down drastically when a search or scan of this nature is being done. With some, you might as well start the scan and leave the computer until it finishes, but not with this particular program.

Don’t let the straightforward name fool you, Spyware Doctor does much more than watch out for simple spyware. This program uses IntelliGuard to immunize your computer against malicious ActiveX objects. Spyware Doctor will also rid tracking cookies, Trojans, dialers and keyloggers from your PC while IntelliGuard is in the active stage.

I have noted many great features of Spyware Doctor and overall I think it’s a great program to use. This program is not only something I now, personally use, but something I also recommend to any and all PC users. The value of your dollar goes so far when using Spyware Doctor to prevent horrible things from happening to your computer that it would be crazy not to be safe and get this program.

Download Spyware Doctor

Update 11/2009 – We Recommend You Try Spyware Doctor W/Antivirus Instead Of Cyberdefender

Download Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus

Due to all the complaints we have received and forwarded to Cyberdefender without a response we have decided to recommend everyone download Spwyare Doctor with Antivirus above.

The article below will stay on the site for reference.

“CyberDefender Early Alert Center analyzes threats and calculates the risk levels of suspicious files and processes that may contain harmful spyware and viruses or may be phishing sites. This expert system tests and ranks threats on a Universal Severity Scale™, and updates the CyberDefender threat database automatically.”

The above sentence was taken directly from the CyberDefender website. I wanted to use this sentence as a guideline for testing and reporting any faults or positives in the Cyberdefender program.

Interface

First I would like to state that it’s nice a company that produces protection software finally figured out it’s easier to browse and figure out a program when you have access to everything on a single layout interface.

The main interface gives easy access to monitor the status of each protection type. From spyware to scam or phishing protection addressing settings and options is fantastically easy.

Each subcategory is easily viewable and accessed.

Performance

The best thing I can document is the ease of use. Not just the overall ease of use, but how many of you have tried to scan your computer with your current protection software while still retaining the use of the pc? “Sluggish at best” comes to mind right?

Out of the box the greatest piece of design built into CyberDefender is the low impact on resources during scanning and active monitoring. I would enjoy meeting their design team just to congratulate them and shake their hands on this fact.

This isn’t your typical protection suite. Even with all proactive monitoring in use (spam, phishing, spyware, and virus) as well as performing a full system virus scan I noted my CPU load was not over 40%. I am noting the hardware configuration of the laptop that was used to test the functionality below.

Item Value

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium

Version 6.0.6000 Build 6000

System Type X86-based PC

Processor Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2400 @ 1.83GHz, 1833 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)

Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = “6.0.6000.16386″

Time Zone Central Standard Time

Total Physical Memory 2,549.82 MB

Available Physical Memory 1.24 GB

Total Virtual Memory 5.17 GB

Available Virtual Memory 3.77 GB

Page File Space 2.78 GB

Protection Available

Just insure you have a complete understanding of the available security and protection I want to list the available features other than virus scanning

1. Early Spam Protection: The spam protection integrates with your current email client to provide an incoming and outgoing email scanner which provides a more complete security suite.

(See picture Below)

1. Early Spy Protection: Active monitoring and protection from spyware and adware software types.(See picture Below)

1. Early Scam: Protects against phishing scams which are used to collect your data.

(See picture Below)

Additional Security Features

While CyberDefender not only supplies you with virus protection, but as well offers spam, spyware and phishing protection there are a couple of features which I would like to list that you might want to know about.

Early Monitor includes the following features not previously listed.

1. CyberDefender monitors the Windows update site for patches and updates to the Windows operating system.

2. It also monitors your firewall status and protection to insure you have the right protection.

3. Easily access and maintain control of cookies on you systems.

4. Password protection:CyberDefender shows you the passwords saved by Windows which can be accessed by others. Take control and remove the saved passwords, don’ allow windows to save such information.

Additional Features

Aside from comparing performance, cost and overall effectiveness of CyberDefender against it’s competitors one thing you can note about the software that no other competitor offers is 24/7 PHONE AND EMAIL ANTI-MALWARE SUPPORT.

Considering my experience with the CyberDefender software I would have to agree with their statements concerning the performance and effectiveness of the program. I would even go as far as having to state that I would consider CyberDefender to not only be a valuable piece of software, but a required piece of software in the fight against virus, spam, phishing and spyware infections.

ownload CyberDefender Now – Download Link Removed – We recommend you Download Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus

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Spammers and hackers today are very sophisticated when it comes to covering their tracks. Instead of sending spam or using their own computers to attack an orginization or individual they now employee Botnets.

 A Botnet is a collection of computers (that have been hacked and taken over) which a remote user can use to execute operations such as spam, DOS attacks and other types of mailicious activities.

To quote another article I recently read: “Joe St. Sauver, manager of security programs at the Internet2 networking consortium and the University of Oregon, said there are 5 million to 5.5 million botnets in active rotation at any time.”

Article: Botnets Running Rampant Neal Weinberg, Network World care of PC World

The best way to help prevent this from occuring for an end user is to keep your operating system up to date; Always have an updated virus software running (with a scheduled scan enabled weekly); Employee a good firewall.

I understand many of the computers that are part of Botnets are generally not an end user machines, but rather machines hosted in a public environment such as libraries, campuses and other public domains. Is there no IT staff available to monitor these networks?

Generally speaking the case is that the IT department is so understaffed, overworked, and under budgeted they simply don’t have the time or the money to implement the proper equipment which can detect and prevent this from occuring. That is if they have an IT department at all.

Look…We all know how to prevent most of this from occuring. I am by no means saying it will ever stop, because anything that can be secured can be hacked (it’s all a matter of time), but lets atleast try to secure our own computers.

If you would like more information on how you can secure your computer please follow this link to a previous article over best security practices I previously wrote. I hope it helps.

Last seen in 2006 another virus known as “Ransomeware” is trying to extort US $300 from users. The virus apparently encrypts your personal files.

After your files have been encrypted the virus then copies a file named read_me.txt  to the PC. This text file simply contains a ransom note which demands the user buy their software for $300 in order to decrypt the files.

The virus states that it uses a RSA-4096 algorithm with a 4,096-bit key. This is surely just a ply to extort money, but apparently the files do have some sort of encryption.

As well the virus seems to only have a limited shelf life from July 10 to July 15, but knowing the past actions of the hackers that create of these viruses it is likely we will see another variant.

Apparently Kaspersky is working on a decryption scheme to save these files. If you are ever infected by such a variant remember it is vary unlikely that paying the ransom will get the hackers to release your files.

Always keep your virus software up to date and run a frequent full system scan. Backing up your data to a secondary location can save your files as well. 

I previously reported on an incident where an automatic update provided by Symantec for their Norton Antivirus program identified two system files in the Simplified Chinese edition of Windows XP as malware, and quarantined them.

Symantec decided to provide free upgrades of their software to the affected users. Of course I would always be weary of accepting a free software license for a program title which already compromised my system. Symantec did not see it my way though.

Symantec’s upgrade offer was widely criticized by the Chinese press when it was first announced.

As of late Symantec has declared the compensation offer a success, but they declined to identify how many users had accepted their offer. Considering they only offered the compensation for two and a half weeks starting from June 27 .

Symantec has extended its offer for individuals who could not or did not access the upgrade. Of course this offer is on an individual basis. Each incident must be reviewed and approved to extend the upgrade offer.”After this date anyone who missed the registration date should contact Symantec Customer Support or email symantec.authorised.support.cn@clts.com and we will give consideration to extending the date for that individual customer.”

Considering it was their blunder from the beginning I would think they would bend over backwards to satisfy the affected customers. At least thats what I would do.

Does anyone else find it hard to pick up work after vacationing? Having completed a weeks worth of vacation I am back to the grind….well….sort of.

I am using this day to read up on new stories and technologies for new content on the site. Please bare with me while I compose myself and get my head out of the vacation cloud. Of course this is not easily done…

As you can see from the last post we are now taking posted questions to better serve our users. As well I would like to add if there is a new technology or concern you would like for me to address please post a comment to this blog. I would be happy to research and address topics for our users.

After all….It is you the end user for which we create the content.

Has anyone else heard the news of the update provided by Symantec which seemed to cause havoc for the chinese version of Windows?

Apparently on May 18th Symantec authorized and update for one of their programs which it turns out identified two system files as malware and subsequently quarantined them. The issue apparently effected somewhere in the neighborhood of 50,000 Pc’s.

Symantec says this issue seems to be caused by an automated process. Hmmm!

Users who lost data due to Symantec’s faulty update demanded compensation. I cannot say that I blame them.

After at least two lawsuits were filed Symantec saw fit to respond. Symantec decided to offer license extension and product upgrades for the blunder. If it were me…well I would not want to continue use of a program which has already put a halt to productivity and damaged my operating system.

Symantec has been nice enough to have alloted just a couple of weeks for effected users to accept there upgrade offer as well.

I wonder if this will effect their credibility in other regions?

Windows Live One Care is a utility designed by Microsoft to scan your computer for several different issues. Live One care scans your computer for unnecessary temporary files, invalid registry entries, open ports, malware, and even checks your hard drive to see if defragmentation is necessary.

The service is free for ninety days after which time there is a required yearly fee of $49.95 to maintain a subscription. Microsoft has deployed this utility to help users maintain security and functionality of their computers.

If you decide to acquire use of this utility they do require you uninstall any third party virus or firewall applications. If you have already purchased one of these types of applications this can be problematic as you will lose the use of the paid subscription to the third party service.

Overall this utility seemed to work well. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any detailed information as to what the scan has found. When trying to review the registry entries that were flagged as errors I could not locate any detailed information on the entries and what they may relate to.

Microsoft seems to counter this by stating if you have any undesirable effects to use system restore which will reverse any registry changes. This seems to be counter productive.

Before deciding to use this service you may want to read the installation requirements document by clicking here.

Windows live One Care may be a useful utility if you do not own software that already performs these functionalities. To review more detailed information concerning this product you may visit the Windows live One Care web site by clicking here.

Virus protection is a must in todays computing environment. Many people who own virus protection software make mistakes that can allow an infection. Here are a few things to remember when purchasing or configuring virus software.

1. Insure your virus software has complete functionality such as script blocking, Internet worm protection and is compatible with the instant messenger service you currently use.

2. Always insure that your virus protection is configured to receive automatic updates. These updates include virus signatures which allow the program to search for the latest viruses. With out these updates your virus software will not recognize new viruses.

3. A simple way to prevent viruses from obtaining access to your system is to update any Microsoft products that you have installed. Windows and office products are commonly used as ways of entry. Microsoft frequently publishes security updates to prevent these types of entry. These updates can be obtained by visiting www.microsoft.com and using either the Office or Windows update option.

4. Another entry point for viruses is sometimes through Spy ware or Ad ware software. Most virus scanners have implemented Spy ware scanning capabilities, but not all. Be sure your computer is protected against these types of entry.

Note: Some viruses can hide or be backed up to the Windows restore folder in which most virus software cannot scan. Due to the compression on this folder most virus software cannot scan this folder. In these cases please review the recommended actions provided by your virus software support personnel or documents.

It is best to remember even with the best virus software and all Microsoft updates applied it is still possible for you to infected by a virus. New viruses are written constantly, and the writers are always coming up with new ways of infiltration into your system.