 Latest Malware Removal Guides
|
|
|
 Welcome!
Are you new to Bleeping Computer?
Bleeping Computer is a community devoted to providing free original content, consisting of computer help and tutorials, in such a way that the beginning computer user can understand. Getting started using our community is extremely easy! Just follow these easy steps below to start receiving the computer help you need:
Step 1: Create an account by clicking here. It's completely free with no hidden strings attached.
Step 2: If you are having a computer problem and need some computer help, ask us in our Discussion Boards. Once you register an account, you can quickly post a question by clicking on the New Topic button in the appropriate category and receive the computer help you need.
Step 3: If it is an easy to read and understand How-To or tutorial on a topic that you need help with, you can visit our Tutorial Section. Once you are there, just browse through the various tutorials till you find one that suits your needs.
Step 4: If your computer is running slow and you can not figure out why then you should visit our Startup Programs Database. You can use this database to help you lookup the programs that are running on your computer and find out if they should be allowed to.
Step 5: Are you infected with malware and can't get rid of the infections? Then stop by our Malware Removal Guides section for a listing of some of the most common infections found today. If your computer is acting weird, and you think you may be infected, then maybe the Am I Infected? forum is the right place to determine if you are.
Step 6: Can not find the information, computer help, tutorial or How-To that fits your specific need? Then ask us to provide this information for you by leaving us Feedback with your request.
Once again, welcome and enjoy your stay!
|
|
|
 VirusBlokAda, a computer security firm based out of Belarus, had found a Trojan that utilized a new method of infecting a computer. This method would infect even a fully patched Windows 7 machine. It turns out that the method this Trojan infects the computer is a vulnerability that affects all Windows version since, and including, Windows XP. This vulnerability utilizes a specially crafted shortcut that when stored on an external drive, and that drive is opened, will automatically launch a malware program that can then infect your computer.
Microsoft has subsquently issued an advisory that discussed the effects of this vulnerability and how to mitigate it. As the steps to mitigate this vulnerability revolved around editing the Windows Registry a Microsoft FixIt was released to automatically do it for you. The problem with the FixIt is that it will remove all the images from your shortcuts, which can reduce the usability of Windows.
Since then, Sophos has released their own tool to fix the Windows Shortcut vulnerability, without the loss of your shortcuts images. This tool, called the Windows Shortcut Exploit Protection Tool, will allow you to view your shortcut's icons, while still protecting you, by installing its own shell handler that is not vulnerable to this infection. It will also issue an alert when a malicious shortcut is encountered that is trying to exploit this vulnerability.
For those who want to protect themselves without losing functionality in the Windows GUI, then the Sophos tool looks like the way to go.
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jul 28 2010, 04:45 PM - 3 comments
|
Read: 318 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
 The Electronic Frontier Foundation has released a new Firefox addon called HTTPS Everywhere that forces Firefox to encrypt your communications via SSL (https://) when communicating with certain sites. This will allow you to transmit data to any of these sites securely and privately.
HTTPS Everwhere was originally created to communicate with Google's new encrypted search option, but was further enhanced to force Firefox to use other sites https:// connection. These sites are:- Google Search
- Wikipedia
- Twitter and Identi.ca
- Facebook
- EFF and Tor
- Ixquick, DuckDuckGo, Scroogle and other small search engines
So for those Firefox users who want a secure and private connection, check out HTTPS Everywhere. Has been working great for me.
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jul 15 2010, 05:57 PM - 19 comments
|
Read: 3330 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
 For those of you still running Windows XP Service Pack 2, and I bet there are a lot of you still, it is time to upgrade to Service Pack 3. On July 13, 2010 Microsoft officially stopped supporting Service Pack 2 and will no longer release security updates for it.
Therefore, if you care about security and your privacy it is strongly advised that you ugprade to XP Service Pack 3. If you do not upgrade then your version of Windows will no longer be protected as new vulnerabilities are discovered. This will open you up to malware infections, remote execution, and possibly the loss of private information.
Don't be silly. Stay Secure! Otherwise you may have to wait a couple of days in our Virus Removal forum before we get a chance to help you clean your computer 
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jul 15 2010, 04:44 PM - 4 comments
|
Read: 1375 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
 New Updates are available today for Adobe Reader that fix vulnerabilities that could allow a remote site to gain control over a vulnerable system. This would allow the exploit to install malware onto your computer without your knowledge or permission.
It is suggested that all users of Adobe Reader immediately upgrade to version 9.3.3 in order to secure the program from known vulnerabilities. You can either run Reader and select Check for Updates under the Help menu, or visit the link below to download the update manually. If you have issues installing this update, make sure all browsers are closed before starting.
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jun 29 2010, 05:51 PM - 1 comments
|
Read: 2485 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
 An interesting article at PCWorld questions why so many people are still running XP Service Pack 2 when Service Pack 3 is far superior. It is an interesting, and sometimes humorous read. A quote from the article is below.
"OK, I get why many Windows users haven't moved from XP to Windows 7. For one thing, while you can upgrade some XP PCs to Windows 7, chances are you really need to buy a new PC. And, whether you're just buying a new PC for yourself or a few thousand for your company, cash is tight these days. But, why the heck is anyone still running XP SP2!?"
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jun 22 2010, 11:21 AM - 53 comments
|
Read: 6243 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
 Today the Australian Standing Committee on Communications published their report on Cybercrime entitled Hackers, Fraudsters and Botnets: Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime. This report is a whopping 294 pages and contains a lot of information about the various components of cybercrime and methods of reducing it.
One interesting recommendation by the committee was to make it so ISPs are required to notify end users if they detect that there computers are infected. This includes providing basic help as well as adding to the ISPs terms of use the following:
"a requirement that acceptable use policies include contractual obligations that require a subscriber to:
- install anti-virus software and firewalls before the Internet connection is activated;
- endeavour to keep e-security software protections up to date; and
- take reasonable steps to remediate their computer(s) when notified of suspected malware compromise." If the end user did not follow these guidelines and make good faith efforts to clean their machines then the ISP would have the right to shutdown their connection.
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jun 21 2010, 11:25 PM - 15 comments
|
Read: 4039 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
 On June 10, 2010, security researcher Tavis Ormandy publicly disclosed a vulnerability in the Windows Help and Support Center service in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. This vulnerability would allow a remote hacker or exploit hosted on a web site to cause commands to be executed on a vulnerable computer. The way this disclosure was released has met with numerous criticisms from other security researchers, reporters, and companies. Since then there have been reports of exploits for this vulnerability being found on web sites, which has led Microsoft to create a tool that will disable the vulnerability.
Microsoft has released as temporary workaround that can be used to disable this vulnerability until an official Windows update is released. This fix can be downloaded from the Microsoft knowledge base article #2219475, and when run, will plug the vulnerability. It should be noted that Microsoft has stated that "Unregistering the HCP protocol will break all local, legitimate help links that use hcp://. For example, links in Control Panel may no longer work." In my testing with the fix, I have found no issues after running it.
In my opinion, regardless of what may become broken, it is better than being vulnerable to an exploit that could allows commands to be executed on your computer without your permission.
|
|
|
|
Add New Comment
|
|
Posted: By Lawrence Abrams on Jun 16 2010, 09:54 AM - 9 comments
|
Read: 4012 times -
View Comments
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Posts
|
 Most Recent Tutorials
|
|
|
Have a computer problem and would like to ask us for help? To learn how to ask your question Click Here!
Do you have popups, spyware, or other malware infecting your computer? If so, Start Here!
Are you having trouble using this site? Then you should visit the New User Orientation Center!
BleepingComputer.com
Link: 
Link: