BufferZone Pro 64 Bit Beta Released

Following the review of BufferZone Pro here earlier this year, a fair number of readers were disappointed to see that a 64 bit version of this free virtualization application from Trustware, was not yet available.

Well here’s some good news – those readers who have been waiting for a 64 bit version of  BufferZone Pro need wait no longer. Trustwareis opening the registration for the BufferZone Pro 4 beta version, which includes support for 64-bit Windows installations, on March 28,2011 (9:00 am PST).

To register for the beta program, or for more information, go here.

From “Free BufferZone Pro – Maybe The Best Surfing Virtualization Application At Any Price”, posted here February 22, 2011 –

Controlling malware intrusion, while surfing the Net, through the use of a ‘”virtual” environment rather than operating in a “real” environment, makes sense given the escalating level of cyber criminal activity on the Internet.

From the developer’s site:

BufferZone Pro keeps you surfing, downloading, e-banking, sharing, chatting, and e-mailing to your heart’s content – basically, using the Internet as it should be used. The Virtual Zone gives you total freedom, peace and security on the Web. With BufferZone Pro, you can do absolutely anything on the Internet threat free.

With BufferZone, all programs or files that enter your computer through downloading, browsing, or uploading with external media devices, are redirected to a Virtual Zone (C:\Virtual). And, since any intrusion attempt occurs within this virtual environment, there’s nothing in that summary that I can disagree with. BufferZone’s Virtual Zone does protect a PC from all forms of known, or unknown, attacks originating from the Internet, or external devices.

It does so in a non intrusive way, and after initial setup, requires a minimum of user intervention – perfect for the average user. Installation is hassle free – it’s just a matter of  following the on-screen instructions.

BufferZone sits in the Taskbar and can be fully controlled from there.

System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, Win 7 (32-bit). 64 bit users now have access to BufferZone 4 Beta available here.

Note: 32 bit users can download stable version 3 here.

As with all beta, or release candidates, take sensible precautions prior to installation. This should include setting a new restore point.

Update: April 25, 2011 – Regular reader Charlie  reports the following:

“When I uninstall it or surf outside of it, I lose all my firefox bookmarks.  Installing returns the bookmarks.  Also, won’t let me keep Chrome bookmarks.I checked the support form, and others had the same problems.  No answers were provided, however.”

If you have experienced these conditions, and you have developed a solution – please let us know.

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PandaLabs Reports – 73,000 New Malware Threats EVERY DAY!

When I start my day, it never enters my mind to consider whether or not I’ll be mugged that day; if my home will be burglarized; or if I’ll be the victim of any type of crime. Except in one circumstance.

Each time I start an Internet session, I consciously consider the odds that I will be a victim of cyber criminals. I know I’ll have to deal with attempts to scam me; attempts to compromise my machine through driveby downloads; infected downloads and applications; infected web sites and redirections – the list goes on… and on …and on.

Little wonder then, that I was not in the least surprised to see PandaLabs reveal in their malware report on the most notable malware trends for the first 3 months of 2011,  that surfers are now exposed to 73,000 new malware threats every day –  an increase of 10,000 over the same time frame last year.

Report highlights:

Incidence of new malware has increased 26 percent over the same period last year.

PandaLabs now observes on average of 73,000 malware samples every day, an increase of 10,000.

Trojans remain the most popular type of threat, accounting for 70 percent of all malware.

Downloaders, a subtype of Trojan, have seen an astounding increase over the last 3 months.

New malware growth from Q1 2010 through Q1 2011.

Malware by type.

In the following graphic you’ll note that Downloaders, a lightweight Trojan since it contains only a few lines of code (making it harder to detect), have increased dramatically. Downloaders are particularly dangerous, since they are designed to connect to the Net to facilitate the downloading of additional malware.

I’ll risk sounding like a broken record, and repeat what I’ve said numerous times here –

“Controlling malware intrusion, while surfing the Net, through the use of a  “virtual” environment rather than operating in a “real” environment, makes sense given the escalating level of cyber criminal activity on the Internet.”

BufferZone, is a particular effective and easy to use freeware virtualization application (perfect for casual users), which creates an isolated environment called the Virtual Zone, while you surf the Internet. You can read more about BufferZone, here.

About PandaLabs:

Since 1990, PandaLabs, Panda Security’s malware research laboratory, has been working to detect and classify malware in order to protect consumers and companies against new Internet threats.

To do so, PandaLabs uses Collective Intelligence, a cloud-based proprietary system that leverages the knowledge gathered from Panda’s user community to automatically detect, analyze and classify the more than 73,000 new malware strains that appear every day.

This automated malware classification is complemented through the work of an international team with researchers specialized each in a specific type of malware (viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware and other attacks) to provide global coverage.

Get more information about PandaLabs and subscribe to its blog news feed here.

Follow Panda on Twitter and Facebook.

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Free BufferZone Pro – Maybe The Best Surfing Virtualization Application At Any Price

Back in December, regular reader John W, pointed me to a free license giveaway for BufferZone, a virtualization application which creates an isolated environment called the Virtual Zone, while you surf the Internet.

Based on John’s recommendation, I wrote an informational only article, since I had not had an opportunity to test the application. I’ve spent some time in the interim testing this application, and there’s just one word to describe it – brilliant, exceptional, splendid, superb.

OK, that’s more than one word – but I’m more than just a little enthusiastic about this program. Best of all, this application is now free – as in FREE.

This is not 1985 when the only thing you had to worry about was the crud that might be on the floppy disks you exchanged with your friends. Today, your Browser is the conduit into your computer – that’s the route by which the majority of malware spreads, and intrusion attempts take place.

A case in point:

While surfing the Net, a user mistakenly accepts an invitation to install a scareware application but realizes, after the fact, that this is a scam. Operating in a “real” environment, the damage, unfortunately, would already have been done.

Operating in a “virtual” environment with BufferZone active, system changes attempted by this parasite would simply not occur.

So, controlling malware intrusion, while surfing the Net, through the use of a ‘”virtual” environment rather than operating in a “real” environment, makes sense given the escalating level of cyber criminal activity on the Internet.

From the developer’s site:

BufferZone Pro keeps you surfing, downloading, e-banking, sharing, chatting, and e-mailing to your heart’s content – basically, using the Internet as it should be used. The Virtual Zone gives you total freedom, peace and security on the Web. With BufferZone Pro, you can do absolutely anything on the Internet threat free.

With BufferZone, all programs or files that enter your computer through downloading, browsing, or uploading with external media devices, are redirected to a Virtual Zone (C:\Virtual). And, since any intrusion attempt occurs within this virtual environment, there’s nothing in that summary that I can disagree with. BufferZone’s Virtual Zone does protect a PC from all forms of known, or unknown, attacks originating from the Internet, or external devices.

It does so in a non intrusive way, and after initial setup, requires a minimum of user intervention – perfect for the average user. Installation is hassle free – it’s just a matter of  following the on-screen instructions.

BufferZone sits in the Taskbar and can be fully controlled from there.

Once the application is installed, and after a re-boot, you will be taken to the developer’s site (this is a one time occurrence), for a point by point introduction to Buffer Zone. The following screen captures (taken from the developer’s site), provide a clear explanation.

Clicking on any screen shot will expand it to the original.

In the last few months we’ve looked at operating system virtualization – Shadow Defender, Returnil Virtual System, Wondershare Time Freeze, and a number of other similar applications. As well as alternatives to OS virtualization – specific application virtualization running in a sandbox. For straight out ease of use while surfing the Internet though, BufferZone has become my favorite.

If you’re unsure as to whether you should operate in “virtual mode” while surfing the Net, then take this free security test at the developer’s site.

On my “unprotected” test machine, the following is the result of the simulated Trojan attack. The “stolen” files were on a non-system partition so the Trojan doesn’t restrict itself to just the (C:) drive.

Actually, I forgot to turn off ThreatFire, which picked up the attack in progress. This shows the benefit of a layered security approach.

System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, Win 7 (32-bit).

Download at: the developer’s site (Trustware.com).

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Free License Giveaway for BufferZone Pro Virtualization Application

Regular reader John W, has once more pointed me to a free license giveaway – this time for BufferZone, a virtualization application which creates an isolated environment called the Virtual Zone, while you surf the Internet. The Virtual Zone “buffers” your PC from all forms of known or unknown attacks, that originate from the Internet and external devices.

I have not had an opportunity to test drive this application, but of the 6 or so reviews I did have a chance to read, most reported favorably on the program’s performance.

Virtualization provides a strong layer of protection against malware infection while surfing the Net, and this license giveaway will give you an opportunity to run with the Pro version of  BufferZone, and save $40.00 in the process.

From the developer’s site:

When you use the Internet, programs from the Web can enter your PC uninvited or invited (by downloading). In order to run, these programs make modifications to your hard drive and registry (operating system). Usually such modifications are harmless. However, when they’re not, infected programs or files can do serious damage to your computer.

BufferZone patented “Threat Virtualization” technology

 

With BufferZone, all programs or files that enter your computer through downloading, browsing or uploading with external media devices are redirected to a Virtual Zone (C:\Virtual). C:\Virtual is a special directory in your computer’s registry that keeps external programs and files in an isolated environment, separated from your trusted personal files and your PC’s operating system.

All files, personal information, drivers and system resources remain invisible to threats and therefore protected from costly or irreversible damage. Viruses, bots, worms, Trojan Horses, phishing, keyloggers, spyware and other malicious code are prevented from covertly installing on your PC.

Modifications from infected programs, files or problematic websites will run only inside C:\Virtual. Inside the Virtual Zone, infections are easily contained and changes can be reversed. The Virtual Zone keeps your computer and trusted files clean and safe.

(Graphic from the developer’s site)

System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, Win 7 (32-bit).

Download at: the developer’s site (Trustware.com).

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