SUPERAntiSpyware Professional – The Name Says It All!

I’m a true cynic when it comes to anti-malware applications, so I’m always on the lookout for an anti-malware application that lives up to its reputation.

Since I had test driven the free version of SUPERAntiSpyware earlier this year, and found it to be equal to its excellent reputation, I decided to go for a run with the professional version.

No surprise then, when I found that the professional version, which includes real time protection against infection, lived up to its reputation as a premier anti-malware tool. In a world of hyperbole, exaggeration, overstatement, and embellishment, the SUPER, in this case, means just that.

It would be hard to argue with the 15 million + worldwide users who have chosen to protect their computers with this straightforward application with its simple, intuitive, and easy to use interface – and I won’t. SUPERAntiSpyware deserves the kudos it regularly receives from both computer security gurus, and users.

I found SUPERAntiSpyware very easy to setup, customize and run, for both less experienced and expert users alike. No fussing and bothering with a ton of long winded setup or customizing screens – just install, and after choosing a few run options, you’re good to go!

SUPERAntiSpyware is well known for its high malware detection rate, and in fact, it found and eradicated every one of the test malware samples installed on my test platform.

An extra feature in this anti-malware product really caught my attention; a repair function which allows the user to recover settings frequently wrecked by malware, and which are often not recoverable despite removal of the malware process. These settings include broken Internet connections, lost desktops, the ability to edit the registry and importantly, access to the task manager.

If you have ever struggled with this difficult issue you know how important a repair feature, such as this, can be.

SUPERAntiSpyware offers a freeware version (downloadable at the main SUPERAntiSpyware site), which does not however, provide real time protection against infection.

I do not recommend then, that you use this free version of SUPERAntiSpyware as a stand alone security application since it simply will not offer you adequate protection. Instead, if you choose to install it, use it only as an on-demand canner.

Alternatively, you may download and install a fully featured 30 day trial version of SUPERAntiSpyware Professional from the download link below.

As a full fledged security application, with all of its features; real-time protection, scheduled scanning, and scheduled updating activated, SUPERAntiSpyware is very well priced at $29.95 US, for such a potent anti-malware application.

Fast facts:

High malware detection rate

Small footprint and low resource usage

Easy to setup, customize and run

Custom scanning of hard drives, removable drives, memory, registry, and more

Detects and removes spyware, adware, malware, Trojans, dialers, worms, keyloggers, rootkits and hijackers

Free for personal use

Prevents potentially harmful software from installing or re-installing (paid version only)

Examines over 50 critical system points on start up and shut down (paid version only)

System Requirements: Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 2003

Note: On my personal Windows 7 home system, SUPERAntiSpyware ran with no difficulty.

Download at: SUPERAntiSpyware

Conclusion: Given the increasing number of Trojans, Spyware, Virus’, Phishing Scams, Identity Theft Scams, and additional malware threats we now face, it’s critically important that you chose an anti-malware product that does what it says it will do.

Not all anti-malware applications are created equal but SUPERAntiSpyware deserves its reputation as a first class security application. It’s definitely worth considering adding to your security toolbox.

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Need Spyware, Virus, and Browser Protection? – Free Solutions

Searching out, downloading, and installing free security programs from the Internet may appear to be a “no brainer”, given the vast quantity of such programs out there in the wild blue of the Internet.

The problem, as I see it, for the casual computer user, is not the availability of these programs, but which ones work; which ones have a deserved reputation for quality and functionality.

I’ve been involved in system and Internet security for many years, and I have tested the following recommended applications and their updates over those years for reliability, functionality, and quality. These programs have a strong and loyal following that is well deserved.

Anti-virus software:

avast! Home Edition

This anti virus app is a real fighter, scanning files on demand and on access, including email attachments. Let’s you know when it detects mal-ware through its shield function. An important feature is a boot-time scan option which removes mal-ware that can’t be remove any other way.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

AVG Anti-Virus Free now incorporates protection against spyware through a new combined anti-virus and anti-spyware engine as well as a “safe-searching component” which has been incorporated into the new AVG Internet Security Toolbar. This program scans files on access, on demand, and on schedule and scans email incoming and outgoing.

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

This anti-virus program offers comprehensive protection with an easy to use interface. In the eight months I have been testing Avira I have been impressed with its performance, and I have come to rely on it as my primary anti-virus program. I highly recommend this one.

Anti Spyware Software:

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition from PC Tools is an excellent choice, as a secondary line of defense. This free version of the award winning program, with its easy to use interface, is used by millions of people worldwide to protect their computers; it’s reported there are a million+ additional downloads every week. Be aware however, there is no real-time protection offered with this version and this is the reason I recommend this application as a secondary scanner only.

Spyware Terminator

Having tested virtually all of the major anti-spyware applications over the past year or more, I’ve settled, for now, on Spyware Terminator primarily due to its strong real-time protection against spyware, adware, Trojans, key-loggers, home page hijackers and other malware threats. Spyware Terminator excels in strong active protection against know and unknown threats. If anything, I find it perhaps a little overly aggressive. On the other hand, better this than the alternative.

Internet Browser Protection:

SpywareBlaster

SpywareBlaster prevents ActiveX-based spyware, adware, dialers, and browser hijackers from installing on your system by disabling the CLSIDs (a system used by software applications to identify a file or other item), of spyware ActiveX controls. A secondary but equally important function offered by SpywareBlaster, is its ability to block spyware/tracking cookies and restrict the actions of spyware/adware/tracking sites in Internet Explorer, Mozilla FireFox, Netscape, Seamonkey, Flock and other browsers.

Since SpywareBlaster doesn’t scan for or clean spyware, but as stated earlier, prevents installation only, you should use it in combination with Spybot Search & Destroy and/or Ad-Aware, in addition to your normal anti-malware security applications to gain the maximum amount of protection.

Web of Trust (WOT)

WOT is a free Internet Browser add-on (my personal favorite), that has established an impressive and well deserved reputation. WOT tests web sites you are visiting for spyware, spam, viruses, browser exploits, unreliable online shops, phishing, and online scams, helping you avoid unsafe web sites.

Adware Protection Software:

Ad-Aware – Anniversary Edition

In my view, Ad-Aware Free is the best free adware remover available. It does a good job of protecting against known data-mining, Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers and tracking components. The only downside with the free version; real-time protection is not included.

Firewalls:

Comodo Firewall Pro

The definitive free firewall, Comodo Firewall protects your system by defeating hackers and restricting unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet. I have been using this application for 10 months and I continue to feel very secure. It resists being forcibly terminated and it works as well, or better, than any firewall I’ve paid for. This is one I highly recommend. Amazing that it’s free!

PC Tools Firewall Plus

PC Tools Firewall Plus is a powerful free personal firewall for Windows® that protects your computer by preventing unauthorized users from gaining access to your computer through the Internet or a network. By monitoring applications that connect to the network Firewall Plus can stop Trojans, backdoors, keyloggers and other malware from damaging your computer and stealing your private information.

ZoneAlarm Basic Firewall

The free version of ZoneAlarm lacks the features of ZoneAlarm Pro’s firewall. Its program control asks you regularly whether to allow programs; for some this can be intrusive and annoying. But it’s been around forever it seems, and it can’t be shut down, or out, by mal-ware.

Additional System Protection:

WinPatrol

Do you want to get a better understanding of what programs are being added to your computer? Then WinPatrol is the program for you. With WinPatrol, in your system tray, you can monitor system areas that are often changed by malicious programs. You can monitor your startup programs and services, cookies and current tasks. Should you need to, WinPatrol allows you to terminate processes and enable, or disable, startup programs. There are additional features that make WinPatrol a very powerful addition to your security applications.

HiJackFree

If you are an experienced/advanced computer user and you’re looking for a program to strengthen your anti-malware resources, then HiJackFree is one that’s worth taking a look at. This free application, from EMSI Software, offers a potent layer of additional protection to add to your major anti-malware programs. The program operates as a detailed system analysis tool that can help you in the detection and removal of Hijackers, Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Worms, and other malware. It doesn’t offer live protection but instead, it examines your system, determines if it’s been infected, and then allows you to eradicate the malware.

HijackThis

HijackThis is a free utility by Trend Micro which heuristically scans your computer to find settings that may have been changed by homepage hijackers, spyware, other malware, or even unwanted programs.

This application has a well deserved reputation for being aggressive in tracking down unauthorized changes that have been made to your system/applications.

The program doesn’t target specific programs, but instead it analyses registry and file settings, and then targets the methods used by cyber-crooks. After you scan your computer, HijackThis creates a report, or log file, with the results of the scan.

Because of the heuristic methods (behavior analysis), used by HijackThis, the results of the scan can be confusing/intimidating to those who are not advanced users. On the other hand, the strength of this program lies in the large community of users who participate in online forums, where experts (voluntarily and for free), will interpret HijackThis scan results for you, and then provide you with the information you need to clean any infection.

Despite the fact that you may only need this small application infrequently, it deserves a place in your anti-malware toolbox.

ThreatFire

ThreatFire blocks mal-ware, including zero-day threats, by analyzing program behavior and it does a stellar job. Again, this is one of the security applications that forms part of my front line defenses. I have found it to have high success rate at blocking mal-ware based on analysis of behavior. Highly recommend this one!

SnoopFree Privacy Shield

SnoopFree Privacy Shield is a powerful application that guards your keyboard, screen and open windows from all spy software on Windows XP. I have been using this application for quite some time, and I have been amazed at the number of programs that have requested access to my keyboard and screen. In particular, programs that I am in the process of installing. If you’re serious about privacy, this is a must have addition to your security toolbox.

Sandboxie

Surfing the Internet without using Sandboxie is, to me, like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. Deadly! This application creates a “Sandboxed” protected environment on your machine within which you browse the net. Data that is written to your hard drive is simply eliminated, (or not, your choice), when the sandbox is closed.

Utilizing this application allows you to surf the web without the risk of infecting your system with mal-ware or other nasties. This is another security application I have been using for over a year and it has yet to let me down.

KeyScrambler Personal

KeyScrambler Personal is a free plug-in for FireFox, Internet Explorer, and Flock web browsers which protects all input you type into the browser from Keyloggers. This free version of KeyScrambler encrypts your keystrokes at the kernel driver level.

By encrypting your keystrokes at the keyboard driver level, deep within the operating system, a Keylogger is beaten since it can only record the encrypted keys which are indecipherable.

Unlike AntiVirus and AntiSpyware programs that depend on recognition to remove Keyloggers that they know about, KeyScrambler will protect you from both known and unknown Keyloggers.

Good luck and safe surfing.

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If Malware Could Speak – What a Tale it Would Tell!

If malware could speak, you could have an illuminating conversation with one, or more, of the scourges that infest the Internet.

You might be surprised at what could be learned from such an imaginary conversation. It might go something like this -

I might be malware, but in most cases I’m pretty polite; I won’t infect your computer unless you invite me in. But I can count on lots of you doing just that.

Take my good buddy LOP, for example, he’s been away for awhile, but he recently came back from vacation and he’s now infecting unsuspecting computer users’ machines with renewed vigor.

He will accept your invitation, to infect your system if, for example, you download and install either of two rogue Peer to Peer (P2P) applications currently making the rounds on the Internet. BitRoll-5.0.0.0, and Torrent101-4.5.0, are two programs that are used to exchange P2P files that he likes to piggyback on. There are many more than that of course.

The people he works for (some might call them cyber-crooks – well, actually everyone calls them cyber-crooks), are experts at using false/rogue applications to install malicious code like LOP.

LOP is a pretty neat piece of malware (his employers are pretty smart fellows), since he’s been designed, amongst other things, to display ads from a range of advertisers through pop-up windows, banner ads and so on.

Oh, and he’ll automatically switch your Internet Explorer home page to his own search engine. One he particularly likes is www.mp3search.com. When searches are made with this engine, the results that you see will be advertising pages that LOP chooses to display.

(Sample misdirected search)

Just in case you decide that LOP is no longer welcome on your computer (that happens all the time), he will connect, every so often, to a web page from which new malware files will be downloaded  making it much more difficult to delete all of the active malicious files on your system.

I should tell you that LOP is extremely hard to get rid of, and just in case you try,you’ll have to deal with over 200+ changes to your Registry Keys. And in case that’s not enough bad news, you should know that LOP will invite lots of his other malware friends over, so that they can party on your system.

But LOP has even more tricks up his sleeve. He can  monitor your system’s processes, and can even play with your security applications making them ineffective.

Since he’s a sporty fellow, once he’s done that, he’ll launch a keylogger to capture your key strokes and just for fun, he’ll go on to scan your email address book so that he can bug your friends. Hmm, maybe they’ll become your ex friends.

LOP is definitely a hard worker (which is why his employers like him so much), so in his spare time he’s going to look around your operating system for vulnerabilities. You see, he knows that like most people, you probably haven’t installed the latest operating system updates, nor have you updated your security applications, like you’re supposed to.

Even if you have taken care of these critical areas, it’s almost certain you haven’t updated your installed productivity applications, and LOP knows just how vulnerable these applications can be.

So think carefully before you offer LOP, or any of his malware friends, that invitation. Once invited in, LOP will settle in for a long, long visit.

Thanks for the chat, but I have to get going. There are lots of unaware Internet users’ waiting to invite me into their computers. I know that many Internet users’ are kind of “click crazy”; so why should LOP be the only one to have some fun!

Oh, by the way, unless you paid attention to what I said, I’ll probably drop by your machine soon.

You have a good day now.

Elsewhere on this Blog you can read “The Best Free Spyware, Virus, and Browser Protection”, an article on free anti-malware programs, including anti-virus software, and you can download those that suit your needs.

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Guard Your Sensitive Files With My Lockbox Freeware

Rick Robinette at What’s On My PC, recently wrote a couple of intriguing articles on some esoteric ways cyber-criminals can gain access to the confidential information many of us keep on our computers.

If you think your confidential files are cyber-criminal proof, because you consider yourself an astute and savvy Internet user, and your machine is protected by the latest and greatest AV products – take a look at Atypical Ways of How Your Data Can Be Stolen, and Are Wireless Keyboards Secure?, on Rick’s site. You might be in for a surprise.

Reading these two articles has prompted me to republish the following article on how we can take advantage of the freeware program My Lockbox, to keep confidential files hidden from view.

You might wonder why you would need to conceal files on your computer in the first place; after all you have nothing to hide, right? Well if you’re like the rest of us, it’s almost certain that you do have something to hide.

At a minimum, it would be sensible to conceal files that contain financial data and other confidential information, that can easily be subject to intrusive viewing by others not authorized to do so.

Files that contain financial data and other confidential information continue to be targeted by hackers/information thieves, for the purpose of identity theft. The reality is; there is no such thing as a totally secured internet connected computer; all internet connected computers are subject to attack. Masking these files then, seems like a sensible precaution.

Confidentially of course, may not be the only reason you may have to conceal files. On a shared computer for example, it may be prudent to conceal particular files to ensure that they are not subject to accidental erasure. In fact, you may have lots of personal reasons to mask special files on your machine.

My Lockbox is a freeware software application that allows you to conceal files, and then password protect those files on your computer. Other users will not have access to these files, nor will they be able to accidentally, or otherwise, view them or manipulate them in any way.

The protected folder (lockbox) is hidden from all other users and applications on your computer; including the Administrator and the System. The lockbox (protected folder), is impossible to access not only from the local computer, but also from the Internet.

Following the on-screen instructions makes this program extremely easy to setup and use. The lockbox location, password, and parameters are configured during the easy setup procedure.

After the setup is completed, the lockbox will be hidden and locked until you, as the user, enter the valid password. My Lockbox Control Panel allows you easily change basic lockbox parameters: lockbox location, protection status, and password.

The program is effective, easy to use and best of all – it’s free.

Quick facts:

Very easy to use

Almost any folder on your computer can be password protected

Instant protection – no file scrambling

Lockbox folder is inaccessible even by the system administrators

Lockbox folder is inaccessible both locally and remotely

Lockbox folder can be protected in Windows safe mode

Hotkeys support – you can popup the Control Panel with a keystroke

Skinned user interface

Freeware

System Requirements: Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Vista

Download at: Download.com.

Elsewhere in this Blog there is a review, and file download, for a similar type of program that encrypts, as well as conceals your files. The following is part of the review for this open source free program… “T r u e C r y p t is a free open-source disk encryption program for Windows and Linux, which creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk. The program automatically and transparently encrypts in real time”.

Go here for the full review of T r u e C r y p t and the file download.

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Munch Malware With Free Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware

There is no one anti-malware tool, that is likely to identify and remove, all of the malware that infests the cyber world.

So to ensure maximum safety, it’s important to have layered defenses in the ongoing fight against malware.

In other words, it’s necessary to have front line line active malware defenses which provide real time protection, coupled with a secondary malware scanner which should be employed on a regular basis, I recommend once a week, to ensure your computer stays clean.

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, which I have been testing for over 8 months, is an excellent choice, as a secondary line of defense and I’m glad to report, it works smoothly on Windows 7 RC. This application definitely munches on malware!

The free version of this speed demon (it’s faster at scanning than any anti-malware program I’ve tested in the last 2 years), with its easy to employ interface, is used by millions of people worldwide to protect their computers.

I wasn’t surprised to see that this free application has been downloaded over 2 million times from Download.com alone.

It’s important to note; the real time protection module is disabled in the free version. Less critical, is the disabling of scheduled scanning, and scheduled updating in the free version.

Since real time protection is disabled, I would not recommend that you use this free version of Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware as a stand alone security application, since it simply will not offer you adequate protection with this restriction. Instead, use it only as an on-demand, secondary scanner.

Despite this real-time protection limitation in the free version, Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware has an excellent reputation (shared by me), as a first class security application, for its ability to identify and remove adware, Trojans, key-loggers, home page hijackers and other malware threats.

Numerous users of this Blog, have commented on Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware’s ability to deal with one of the real scourges currently making the rounds on the Internet; rogue security applications.

As a secondary line of defense, I highly recommend that you add this free version of Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware to your security toolbox.

As a full fledged security application, with all of its features unlocked; real-time protection, scheduled scanning, and scheduled updating, Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware is a terrific value at $24.95 US.

Regular readers of this site are aware that I generally do not recommend the purchase of commercial software, but in this case, I have to do so. This application is just that good.

Fast facts:

Blazing speed on quick scanning

Full scans for all drives.

Daily database updates

Quarantine function

Additional utilities for manual malware removal

Multi-lingual support

Command line support for quick scanning

Context menu integration to scan files on demand

Quick summary: Discovered malware, including 3 Trojans, not found by SpyBot, or AVG, on a recent test on my test bed systems.

Systems Requirements: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7.

Multi-lingual support: English, Albanian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.

Download at: Download.com

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition, from PC Tools, is another excellent free secondary line of defense against malware threats. You can read the review, and find the download link in my article “Spyware Doctor Starter Edition – The Best Secondary Malware Tool”, on this site.

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Don’t Sign-in on the Internet Without KeyScrambler

KeyScrambler Personal – A Must Have Browser Plug-in

This article was prompted by a situation one of my Blogging buddies ran into recently. Apparently, a friend of his was having a problem with his Internet connection and major problems with his email sign-ins.

This problem, in all likelihood, was a typical case of a compromised password – not a particularly unusual event. To ensure your passwords are as safe as you can make them, consider adding KeyScrambler Personal to your Browser.

KeyScrambler Personal is a free plug-in for FireFox, Internet Explorer, and Flock web browsers which protects all input you type into the browser from Keyloggers.

This free version of KeyScrambler encrypts your keystrokes at the kernel driver level.

Cyber-crooks are relentless in their pursuit of your money and let’s face it – it’s all about the money. In the worst case scenario, your identity and your financial security can be severely compromised.

Despite the best efforts of AntiSpyware, AntiVirus, and other Internet security products, you still face substantial risks while surfing the Internet. One type of malware that can expose you to financial risk is the Keylogger.

A Keylogger is a form of spyware which, once installed on a computer, can record every keystroke that is made on that computer, and transmit those keystrokes back to a cyber-criminal. The function of a Keylogger is to steal passwords, bank account numbers, and other personal information.

When you type on your keyboard, the input travels along a path within the operating system before it arrives at your browser. Keyloggers plant themselves along this path and observe and record your keystrokes. The compromised information is then sent to the cyber criminal who will exploit your passwords, bank account numbers, and other personal information.

By encrypting your keystrokes at the keyboard driver level, deep within the operating system, a Keylogger can be beaten since it can only record the encrypted keys, which are indecipherable.

Unlike AntiVirus and AntiSpyware programs that depend on recognition to remove Keyloggers that they know about, KeyScrambler will protect you from both known and unknown Keyloggers.

I’ve been using this great little plug-in for months now and feel more secure logging in than I once did. Despite this, I change all of my passwords frequently, since doing so, is just common sense.

By the way, it works flawlessly on Windows7 RC.

Quick facts:

Protects user input in all parts of the browser against key-loggers.

Protects login credentials, credit card numbers, passwords, search terms and more

Works with IE, FireFox, and Flock: Java, Flash, PDF Forms

Email protection including Yahoo, Hotmail, and Gmail.

No learning curve.

Protects against Keyloggers even on security compromised computers

Requires no effort on your part after installation

In the top 5 FireFox Extensions for security and privacy

System Requirements: Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Vista (32-bit and 64-bit), and Windows 7

Download at: Download.com

Setting your password correctly is vitally important to ensure your safety and privacy, on the Internet. Read how to do this correctly by visiting TechPauls site, and taking a look at “A Word About Words — Passwords, That Is”, which includes a link to a freeware application which makes password management a snap.

Panda Security Set to Announce Further Global Expansion

Panda Security intends to maintain its position as global technology leader and consolidate international expansion.

Panda Security, the well known computer security provider, headquartered in Spain and with additional offices in 44 countries, will announce tomorrow  that it has bought 100 percent of its Swedish, Finnish and UK franchises, furthering the aggressive investment plan started in 2007 with a view to consolidating the company’s international assets.

Regular readers will remember Panda’s release of its groundbreaking, free security application, Panda Cloud Antivirus earlier this year.

Panda Cloud Antivirus protects users while they browse, with the fastest protection against the newest viruses thanks to its cloud-scanning from PandaLabs’ servers.

With Panda Cloud Antivirus, Panda Security introduced a new protection model that utilizes a thin-client agent and server architecture which processes and blocks malware more efficiently than locally installed signature-based products.

By moving the entire malware scanning and determination process to the cloud and applying non-intrusive interception techniques on the client architecture, Panda Cloud Antivirus is able to provide advanced protection against new and unknown viruses with a lightweight thin-client agent that barely consumes any PC resources.

Quick highlights:

FREE, antivirus thin-client service for consumers which is able to process and block malware more efficiently than locally installed signature-based products.

The immediate benefits to users thanks to Panda’s new protection model are: 100x faster protection against new malware and 50 percent less impact on PC performance, compared to the industry average.

Utilizing its proprietary in-the-cloud scanning technology called Collective Intelligence, to automatically identify and classify new malware strains in near real-time (less than six minutes.

This same process takes up to 48 days with traditional AV products, according to a recent study from the University of Michigan.

If you’re ready to give cloud computing a test drive, I can’t think of a better free application to test your wings in the cloud, than Panda Cloud Antivirus. It’s a whole new concept in computer security. Here’s your chance to be a trendsetter!

Download at: Cloud Antivirus

My good buddy and fellow tech Blogger Rick Robinette, at What’s On My PC, has already completed a substantial test run on Cloud Antvirus, so be sure to read his report – Panda Cloud Antivirus – Is It Netbook ready?

Stop Keyloggers in Their Tracks – Download Snoop Free Privacy Shield

Keep your computer activities private – stop keyloggers and system monitors.

Back in the days of less powerful systems, when 256 Meg of RAM and a Pentium 3 running at 665 MHz was considered the height of computing power, system slow down, or a slow Internet experience, was suggestive of a malware infection.

Today, the most dangerous and most finely crafted malware, will not generally impact your system resources in such a way as to cause noticeable slow down. This type of malware is designed to remain undetected and to be as stealthy as possible, so that it can get on with its designated task, which most often results in identity theft and the compromising of your financial data.

One of the most sinister malware of this type, one I have always made sure to guard against, is the keylogger.

A software keylogger, or system monitor, is a small program (not always malware) that monitors every keystroke a user types on a computer’s keyboard. A keylogger application does not necessarily require physical access to the user’s computer. It can be downloaded  by someone who wants to monitor activity on a particular computer, or it can be downloaded unwittingly as spyware and executed as part of a rootkit, or a remote administration (RAT) Trojan horse.

Keyloggers are not restricted to software applications however, and are available as a connected hardware device.

From Wikipedia:

Hardware keyloggers are used for keystroke logging by means of a hardware circuit that is attached somewhere in between the computer keyboards and the computer, typically inline with the keyboard’s cable connector.

More stealthy implementations can be installed or built into standard keyboards, so that there’s no device visible on the external cable. Both types logs all keyboard activity to their internal memory, which can subsequently be accessed, for example, by typing in a secret key sequence.

A hardware keylogger has an advantage over a software solution; because it is not dependent on installation on the target computer’s operating system, it will not interfere with any program running on the target machine and also cannot be detected by any software. However its physical presence may be detected, for example if it’s installed outside the case as an inline device between the computer and the keyboard. Some of these implementations have the ability to be controlled and monitored remotely by means of a wireless communication standard.

A malware keylogger typically consists of two files: a dynamic link library (DLL) file (which does all the recording) and an executable file (.EXE) that installs the DLL file and triggers it to work. The keylogger program records each keystroke and uploads the information over the Internet.

Luckily, there is a remedy for this type of malware threat.

SnoopFree Privacy Shield is a powerful application that guards your keyboard, screen and open windows from all such spy software. It makes it  virtually impossible for any spy program to work on your computer since SnoopFree Privacy Shield’s  unique protection works against spy software in real time.

I have been using this application for quite some time on my Windows XP machines, and I have been amazed at the number of programs that have requested access to my keyboard and screen, particularly programs that I was in the process of installing.

Since I test a lot of applications, I see this type of program behavior frequently. Unless there are valid reasons for this type of access, I don’t allow it. Surprisingly, in most cases the application installs correctly. Curious!

If you’re serious about privacy, then this free application is a must have addition to your security toolbox.

System Requirements: Unfortunately, this application works on Windows XP only.

Download at: Download.com

Stretch Your Software Dollars – 26 Free Applications For Hard Economic Times

Times are tough, the economy is in the tank, and if anything, times will get much tougher long before they get better.

We are all now faced with the task of trimming expenses this year, and software applications that cost hundreds of dollars are not going to be number one on our list of must haves.

Luckily, they don’t need to be.

There’s a wealth of tried and tested free software out in the wild blue of the Internet that will meet virtually every need you’re likely to have this year. Take a look at the following recommended free downloads that will help you communicate, get needed work done, have some fun, and manage and protect your system while you’re surfing the Internet.

To download the application/s of your choice, simply click on the application name.

Process those words:

OpenOffice:

OpenOffice 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages including Microsoft Word.

AbiWord:

AbiWord is a free light weight word processing program similar to Microsoft Word. It is suitable for a wide variety of word processing tasks.

WordWeb:

WordWeb is a one-click English thesaurus and dictionary for Windows that can look up words in almost any program. It works off-line, but can also look up words in web references such as the Wikipedia encyclopedia.

Manipulate and correct your pics – put them online:

FastStone Image Viewer:

This is one of my favorite photo applications, with good reason. It’s not just a viewer, but an image browser, converter, and an editor as well. You’ll find the interface intuitive and very easy to use. This program is loaded with features including, renaming, cropping, color adjustments, lossless JPEG transformation, drop shadow effects, image frames, scanner support, histogram and much more.

IrfanView:

IrfanView is a very fast, small, compact and innovative graphic viewer for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista. Unusual name – terrific application.

Google Picasa:

A free software application that helps you locate and organize all the photos on your computer, edit and add effects to your photos with a few simple clicks and share your photos with others through email, prints and on the web.

Play those tunes:

Audacity:

Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. Definitely the best of breed.

iTunes:

According to Apple this is the world’s best digital music jukebox. Download music, TV shows, movies, and more.

Winamp:

A multimedia player that supports numerous audio and video formats. It also plays streamed video and audio content, live and recorded, authored worldwide.

Watch your favorite videos:

Miro:

Miro is a free application for channels of internet video (also known as ‘video podcasts and video rss). Miro is designed to be easy to use and to give you an elegant full screen viewing experience.

VLC:

A highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg …) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.

Free FLV Converter:

This free software let you search YouTube and dailyMotion videos without opening your browser and you can even watch the videos using the built-in video player.

Free Video To iPhone Converter:

Convert video files to Apple iPhone MP4 video format. Convert the whole movie or select a partition from the movie to convert (trim video).

iPod Video Converter:

Free iPod Video Converter provides an easy and completed way to convert all popular video formats to iPod video.

Better browsing:

FireFox:

FireFox includes tons of useful features such as tabbed browsing, built-in and customizable search bars, a built-in RSS reader and a huge library of extensions developed by thousand of developers.

Opera:

Opera introduces Speed Dial which vastly improves navigation to your favorite sites. In addition, there’s Fraud protection, anti-phishing detection keeps browsing safe and secure.

Web of Trust (WOT):

WOT is a free Internet Browser add-on (my personal favorite), that has established an impressive 4.5/5.0 star user rating on CNET. WOT tests web sites you are visiting for spyware, spam, viruses, browser exploits, unreliable online shops, phishing, and online scams, helping you avoid unsafe web sites.

Protect your system:

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition:

This free version of the award winning program, with its easy to use interface, is used by millions of people worldwide to protect their computers; it’s reported there are a million+ additional downloads every week.

AVG Anti-Virus:

AVG Anti-Virus Free now incorporates protection against spyware through a new combined anti-virus and anti-spyware engine as well as a “safe-searching component” which has been incorporated into the new AVG Internet Security Toolbar. This program scans files on access, on demand, and on schedule and scans email incoming and outgoing. For those on Vista, you’re in luck, it’s Vista-ready

Comodo Firewall Pro:

The definitive free firewall, Comodo Firewall protects your system by defeating hackers and restricting unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet. I have been using this application for 10 months and I continue to feel very secure. It resists being forcibly terminated and it works as well, or better, than any firewall I’ve paid for. This is one I highly recommend. Amazing that it’s free!

Staying in touch:

Windows Live messenger:

The next generation MSN Messenger. It comes with everything that were already available in Messenger, and a new i’m Initiative that makes helping your favorite charity as easy as sending an instant message.

Pidgin:

A multi-protocol Instant Messaging client that allows you to use all of your IM accounts at once. Pidgin can work with: AIM, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, ICQ, IRC, MSN, Yahoo!, MySpaceIM and many more.

Trillian:

A fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC.

System Tools:

CCleaner:

CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it’s fast; normally taking less than a second to run.

Glary Utilities:

Glary Utilities, a free all-in-one utility, is a terrific collection of system tools and utilities to fix, speed up, maintain and protect your PC. Personal experience with this application for the last 8 months has convinced me that a typical user can really benefit by having this application on their system. With this free program you can tweak, repair, optimize and improve your system’s performance; and its ease of operation makes it ideal for less experienced users.

Revo Uninstaller:

Revo Uninstaller is a superior program to uninstall programs from your computer. This free program with its advanced and fast algorithm scans before, and after you uninstall an application. After the program’s regular uninstaller runs, you can remove additional unnecessary files, folders and registry keys that are usually left over (those “orphaned” registry entries we talked about earlier), on your computer. This feature is a definite plus.

Don’t Know These Basic Computer Security Precautions? -You’re In Trouble

Basic Computer Security Precautions You Need To Know

Those of us who are involved in Internet and system security know, and have known for a considerable time, that cyber-crooks are unrelenting in their chase to steal your money, or to cause havoc of all descriptions on unaware computer users machines with malware of every stripe and color: Trojans, Spyware, Viruses, Phishing Scams, and Identity Theft.

Anti-malware developers are constantly challenged to stay ahead of the curve, develop new techniques, appliances and applications to protect Web sites, and attached devices, including your computer and operating system, from hackers, cyber-crooks, malware and soon to become apparent, terrorists.

Generally, understated in this battle, is the responsibility individual computer users have to to educate themselves with respect to the constantly evolving threats on the Internet. Web sites that carry advertising seem to be unreasonably concerned with not upsetting the status quo. I don’t carry advertising here and my income is not dependant on this site so…….

Listen up – just as you have a responsibility to care for and protect the neighborhood in which you live, you have the same responsibility to care for, and protect, your Internet neighborhood. You do not have choices in this – opting out is not an option!

In dealing with Internet security issues, I’m often frustratingly reminded of the “head in the sand syndrome” exhibited by undereducated computer users – if I ignore it will go away, if I ignore it then it can’t be real, if I ignore it will get better soon.

If you are one of those “it will get better soon” believers, here’s a News Flash for you – it will not get better soon; it will only get worse – much worse.

We live in a world where it’s permissible to blame misfortune on the unknown “someone else”. It’s always someone else’s fault. Here’s the unvarnished truth – if your computer gets infected while connected to the Internet, or you fall victim to an email scam, it’s simple; it’s virtually certain it’s your fault.

If you are unfamiliar with the security issues we now all have to deal with on the Internet, you have a responsibility to educate yourself, and as a start you must take the following steps to insure you, and your computer, will be safe while you surf the Internet.

Minimum security precautions:

Patch your operating system. Download and install all available patches and service packs by connecting to Windows Update.

It is now beyond dispute that 50% of unpatched and unprotected systems will be infected with malicious code within 12 minutes of being connected to the Internet.

Install a firewall.

Windows XP comes with a basic firewall, and if you are running Windows Vista, it comes with a more robust firewall (Windows Firewall) than XP, as well as anti-spyware utilities (Windows Defender). However, a common consensus is; third party applications are usually more effective. Keep in mind that the XP firewall offers only minimal protection.

Choosing a firewall.

There are a number of free firewalls that are worth considering. The following are two that do the job particularly well.

Comodo Firewall Pro:

The definitive free firewall, Comodo Firewall protects your system by defeating hackers and restricting unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet.

I have been using this application for 14 months and I continue to feel very secure. It resists being forcibly terminated and it works as well, or better, than any firewall I’ve paid for. This is one I highly recommend. Amazing that it’s free!

ZoneAlarm:

The free version of ZoneAlarm lacks the features of ZoneAlarm Pro’s firewall. Its program control asks you regularly whether to allow programs; for some this can be intrusive and annoying.

Install anti-virus software: There is no doubt that an unprotected computer will become infected by viruses and malware within minutes of first being connected to the Internet. There are many free versions of anti-virus software available and the programs that have a well justified reputation are listed below.

avast! 4 Home Edition:

This anti virus app is a real fighter, scanning files on demand and on access, including email attachments. Let’s you know when it detects mal-ware through its shield function.

An important feature is a boot-time scan option, which removes mal-ware that can’t be removed any other way. I’m now running this application on a Windows 7 machine – works perfectly!

Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic:

This anti-virus program offers comprehensive protection with an easy to use interface.

In the ten months I have been testing Avira I have been impressed with its performance, and I have come to rely on it as my primary anti-virus program.

I highly recommend this one.

Install Anti-spyware and Adware Software: It’s not only a virus that can put your computer down for the count, but a multitude of nasties freely floating on the Internet. Listed below are a number of free programs that offer very good protection against malware.

Spyware Terminator:

Having tested virtually all of the major anti-spyware applications over the past year or more, I’ve settled, for now, on Spyware Terminator primarily due to its strong real-time protection against spyware, adware, Trojans, key-loggers, home page hijackers and other malware threats.

Spyware Terminator excels in strong active protection against known and unknown threats. If anything, I find it perhaps a little overly aggressive. On the other hand, better this than the alternative.

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition:

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition from PC Tools is an excellent choice, as a secondary line of defense.

This free version of the award winning program, with its easy to use interface, is used by millions of people worldwide to protect their computers; it’s reported there are a million+ additional downloads every week.

Be aware however, there is no real-time protection offered with this version and for this reason I recommend this application as a secondary scanner only.

Ad-Aware:

Many software reviewers consider Ad-Aware 2008 Free as the best free adware remover available.

It does a relatively good job of protecting against known data-mining, Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers and tracking components.

The only downside with the free version is real-time protection is not included.

If you are now on the Internet, and you have not yet taking the precautions as outlined above, you are extremely vulnerable and it is critical that you take the following precautions:

Stop surfing the Web and patch your operating system. Only then download the protective software as noted above, or software that you are familiar with that will do an appropriate job of protecting your computer.

Do not visit any other websites until you have done this.

Additional security precautions:

Establish a password for the administrator account. Only you should have access to the administrator settings on your PC. Unfortunately, XP installs with open access to the administrator’s account. Be sure to change this.

Create a new password protected user account. Using this account for your general day-to-day activities adds another layer of protection to your computer. A user account does not have the same all-access permissions as your administrator account, and in many cases this extra layer of protection will restrict malware from gaining a foothold on your PC.

For information on even more free computer security applications, see “ The Best Free Spyware, Virus, and Browser Protection” on this site.