Tech Thoughts Daily Net News – July 16, 2009

Patch now or build a bomb shelter – Microsoft today released six bulletins with fixes for at least nine documented security vulnerabilities in a range of products that put users at risk of malicious hacker attacks. At least two of the vulnerabilities are currently being attacked in the wild so it’s imperative that Windows users and administrators treat these patches with the highest possible priority.

Megan Fox sex tape warning – Security researchers are warning of a Megan Fox ‘sex tape’ hoax currently circulating on the web. A ‘sex tape’ allegedly showing Transformers star Megan Fox is currently being used as bait in an online scam.

Lifehacker: Google Voice Apps Land on Android and BlackBerry – Android/BlackBerry: – Google’s official Google Voice app for (two) mobile phones does pretty much what one would expect. It dials out using your Google Voice number, displays new voicemail transcripts and text messages, and simply makes Google Voice easier to use.

Firefox 3.5 flaw warning – Firefox Mozilla has recommended that anyone using the Firefox 3.5 browser should change configuration settings to guard against a vulnerability in the program. The flaw is in the way the browser handles JavaScript and could allow a hacker to take control of your PC remotely.

How do I… Change the Product Key in Windows XP? (Updated) – In 2003, TechRepublic first published the procedure for changing the Product Key in Microsoft Windows XP. Since then, Microsoft has made the process easier and safer by providing an applet for just that purpose.

Patch Tuesday Fixes Serious Zero-day Holes, Leaves Another Open – Microsoft today fixed a serious, under-attack flaw in a video ActiveX control, along with other critical flaws involving QuickTime files and fonts. But a critical zero-day hole in another ActiveX control remains unpatched.

How do I… Blog from the Windows desktop with Live Writer? – For many of us, part of our job requires keeping a blog. If you’re like me you have so many things to do, finding the time, in one sitting, to complete and publish a blog is a little difficult. With that in mind it’s nice to have the tools that allow you to work with your blog on the fly, and do it without having to have a network connection.

Koobface Dumping on Twitter – The most famous Facebook worm now spams malicious links to Twitter. Twitter is fighting back. The infamous Koobface worm, known for infecting Facebook users, is expanding its reach in social media.

How do I… Secure Microsoft Windows XP Professional? – Although there are dozens of steps you can take to secure your Windows XP system; these 14 reasonable steps are designed to give you the most bang for your security buck.

10 common issues you can fix with a registry hack – If you read any article that involves editing the registry, you will no doubt see ominous warnings telling you that you can destroy Windows and/or your applications if you edit the registry incorrectly, and that you should always make a full system backup before performing a registry modification. While these statements may be true, the fact remains that there are things that you can do by editing the registry that you simply cannot do with the GUI. In this article, I want to share with you 10 handy registry hacks for Windows XP and Vista.

Off Topic:

So you want to be a writer! – In the brave new world of all things digital, there’s more than one way to skin a cat – and more than one way to write and get published. WEbook is a community of writers who come together to write, give and get tough, honest feedback, and maybe make a few friends along the way. WEbook is transforming the landscape-one writer at a time.

Fast Food: Ads vs. Reality – Each item was purchased, taken home, and photographed immediately. Nothing was tampered with, run over by a car, or anything of the sort. It is an accurate representation in every case.

Does DNA Have ‘Telepathic’ Properties? – Experts Say “Yes” – DNA has been found to have a bizarre ability to assemble itself, even at a distance, when according to known science it shouldn’t be able to. Explanation: None, at least not yet.

Remembering Apollo 11 – 40 years ago, three human beings – with the help of many thousands of others – left our planet on a successful journey to our Moon, setting foot on another world for the first time. Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the July 16, 1969 launch of Apollo 11, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard.

Today’s Free Downloads:

LSN Password Safe – LSN Password Safe helps you keep track of your plethora of passwords with a free encrypted ‘safe’ on your PC.

NoScript – Javascript is a very useful type of Web programming, but many online attacks exploit it. Use this plug-in to block sites from running JavaScript in Firefox until you explicitly say it’s okay.

AbiWord – If your word processing chores are straightforward, you’ll want this freebie. AbiWord has a simple interface: What you need is right in front of you–simple icons and menus across the top of the page.

NoteTab Light – NoteTab Light is an excellent text editor with a variety of features. To start off, you can create and edit multiple files. Each file gets its own tab, so it’s easy to switch among them. This program, though, offers much more than just that; for example, it handles light HTML editing.

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