Big Geek Blog

Facebook Fan Check Can Lead To Malware

2009-09-07T17:06:00.000-04:00

Searching for links to explain what Facebook Fan Check is can lead to your PC becoming infected with Malware. The best way (other than not clicking on a malicious link) to protect your computer from becoming infected by this type of malware is to run a layered defense utilizing the Free Anti-Virus programs I describe in my Security Toolbox.

If you think of Google, Yahoo, or Bing searches as paths through the Internet Jungle you'll find some are safe and well maintained trails. Other paths have been Booby Trapped and Headhunters are waiting to Hack your PC to bits. So, before heading out into the Jungle make sure you have all the gear you'll need for a safe trip.

This Video shows how someone would be tricked into installing the Facebook Fan Check.

Citibank Phishing Email

2009-07-26T07:19:00.008-04:00

Here's a really good example of a Phishing email that looks very authentic but it's not. First, in the email security zone notice the last 4 #'s are blocked out. Click on the image to see the full size so you can see the details in this email. Citibank always shows them and they should match the numbers on a Citibank Credit Card in your name.

Second, the email address I received this email at isn't registered with Citibank. That should be obvious enough that it's a Phishing attempt but if you're a busy person checking multiple email accounts you might not even think about that before clicking on the link.

The link looks legitimate because it says online.Citibank in the address but that's not really the link. The hacker can make the link look like whatever web address he wants to try and trick you into clicking it. This is the real link address and please don't paste it into your browser to see what it does:

http://rrcs-70-63-50-45.central.biz.rr.com/asp/online.citibank.com/US/JPS/portal/Index.do.htm

This is one of the better phishing emails I've seen and chances are I would have been OK even if I had clicked on it as all of my PC Security software is up to date. If you're concerned about your computer security software be sure to review the software listed in the Security Toolbox on Free PC Protection.

Pre-order Windows 7 and Save 50%

2009-06-26T22:47:00.001-04:00

Beginning today, June 26, 2009 Microsoft’s newest operating system Windows 7 will officially be available for Pre-order. To support this launch, two editions, Home Premium and Professional, will be made available for 50% off or more. This offer will last through July 11, 2009 or while supplies last, whichever comes first. Windows 7 is a truly exciting new Microsoft launch with great new features including Jump Lists, Aero Shake, Snap, new Device Stage Management, as well as new levels of home group network interaction.

Microsoft Customer Support Email

2009-06-24T14:48:00.003-04:00

If you use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express and you see an email in your mailbox that is from Microsoft Customer Support with the subject of Critical Update For Microsoft Outlook please mark it as Spam or Delete it. Do not click on the link in the email as this email is not coming from Microsoft.

Microsoft doesn't send updates to it's software via email. They do this via the Automatic Updates feature that is part of the Windows Operating System and it usually occurs on the second Tuesday of each month.

I attached a photo of what this Spam email looks like:

Premium Text Message

2009-06-21T21:24:00.005-04:00

If you don't know what a Premium Text Message is don't worry cause I didn't either until I was reviewing my wife's cell phone bill. She had a charge on there for a Premium Text Message for $9.99. What kind of message could cost that much was the first thing that went thru my mind. A normal one is $0.20 and a video or photo is $0.25 from Verizon when you don't have a Text Package on your account so this charge is definitely out of the ordinary.

I called Verizon and they were very helpful in explaining what a Premium Text Message is and how to stop them. Basically, you can sign up for a Premium Text Message either on your phone or more commonly a website. Apparently Facebook and MySpace have lot's of offers for Premium Text Messaging services. If you don't read the fine print before you enter your cell phone number you'll miss the part about the monthly recurring fee, which in this case was $9.99. For this fee the service that you sign up for will then send you regular text messages on whatever the specific subject is.

My wife was obviously confused about what she had signed up for and did not know how to stop the messages that were coming several times each week since she signed up for the Premium Text Message service. This is one reason I review the Credit Card, Phone and Cable bills each month looking for weird charges.

The good news is at least with Verizon you can block your cell phone from being allowed to receive a Premium Text Message service. Either the Verizon Customer Service Representative can do this or you can do it online in your account. I also learned that if you subscribe to Verizon's Wireless Internet Service that the little USB Modem you are provided also comes with it's own cell phone number. This cell phone number is also capable of receiving text messages so it's a good idea to block that number as well.

Apple Security Updates & Beladen Attacks

2009-06-02T20:50:00.000-04:00

Apple has released new versions of both iTunes and QuickTime which address various Security issues. You can find the latest version of both these programs to download at Apple Downloads. If you don't already have either of these programs installed on your PC then you don't need to update them.

I'm also going to encourage you to try the Secunia Personal Software Inspector to check all the programs installed on your PC for updates and security issues.

The reason you really need to make sure your PC is Protected and you have all available updates is because there is a new threat called "Beladen" which is making the news.

Beladen is every website owners worst nightmare. Somehow the criminals behind this attack are breaking into legitimate websites and placing malicious code on pages which will direct the user to at least one malicious site called beladen.net. Don't go visit this site to see what happens as it will attempt to install malicous programs onto your PC!

Websense is reporting today that at least 40,000 legitimate websites have been hacked. This is scary because you could be visiting one of your favorite sites that you've gone to before and now without even realizing what's happening become a victim of this attack.

So, we've come full circle as to why you need to update every single program on your PC and make sure you have proper Security Software installed. The links I provided above will help you to accomplish this goal...for FREE!

Father's Day

2009-05-23T10:01:00.002-04:00

If you're looking for a unique gift for Father's Day be sure to check out the funny baby onesies in Big Geek Daddy's Store!

Adobe PDF Reader Security Update

2009-05-12T22:11:00.004-04:00

Adobe has released a Security Update:

A critical vulnerability has been identified in Adobe Reader 9.1 and Acrobat 9.1 and earlier versions. This vulnerability would cause the application to crash and could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.

Adobe recommends users of Adobe Reader 9.1 and Acrobat 9.1 and earlier versions update to Adobe Reader 9.1.1.

To update Adobe Reader simply open a PDF document then go to:
Help
Check For Updates

Adobe PDF Reader Security Flaw

2009-04-29T21:08:00.000-04:00

Adobe Reader has another security hole in it that makes it vulnerable to Java Script attacks. If you never read PDF documents on your PC you have nothing to worry about. If you do read PDF's, like the four docs my Realtor sent me today, you should disable Java Script in Adobe Reader until they issue a patch.

First though, make sure you're running the most current version which is 9.1.
Go to Start (lower left corner of your PC)
Programs
Adobe Reader
Help
About...it should say 9.1. If not, download the latest version.

Once you have verified that you have Version 9.1 installed follow these instructions to disable Java Script:

1. Launch Acrobat or Adobe Reader.
2. Select Edit>Preferences
3. Select the JavaScript Category
4. Uncheck the 'Enable Acrobat JavaScript' option
5. Click OK

You should now be as protected as possible using Adobe Reader. If you want to try an alternative version to Adobe Reader the one I recommend is FoxIt Reader.

WinPatrol 2009 - Stay Safe With Scotty the Watchdog

2009-04-22T21:42:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite Free Security Programs is WinPatrol 2009. WinPatrol 2009 is basically a program that monitors your system and detects if changes are being made to it. If it detects a change being made Scotty The Watchdog will bark to alert you and a pop-up window will ask if you approve of the change. Why is this important?

If you are installing a new piece of computer software and Scotty alerts you that this program wants to run at startup then you click allow. If you are surfing the internet and Scotty alerts you that some program you have never heard of wants to install then it's probably a good idea to not allow it.

You can view a short video made by a WinPatrol user as well as download WinPatrol 2009 from the same page. If you like the program and want to help the developer just upgrade to the Pro Version...it's a one time lifetime fee.

You can also use WinPatrol to help control your Startup Programs which is useful if you want to speed up your computer. Learn how to control startup programs.

Direct TV

2009-04-16T12:08:00.001-04:00

If you’re thinking about switching to Direct TV now is a good time as you and I can both receive a $100 referral credit when you enter my account # on the signup form. I made the switch to save $30/month on my cable bill plus get more HD channels.

My Account # 069858765 - if this isn't accepted try 69858765

Direct TV Referral Offer

Rogue Security Products

2009-04-10T14:24:00.011-04:00

Bogus security products like AntiVirus XP and AntiMalware Suite have been around for quite awhile but the threat of these products is growing.

Microsoft recently released a report which highlights the threat of these products. This type of Malware can deceive intelligent people because they look very similar to legitimate PC Security products.

The most recent updates on the Conficker Worm show that it is downloading these types of programs onto peoples PC's.

To check if your PC is infected by Conficker use
this simple Conficker Eye Chart.

I have included some photos of several of these products to help you understand the threat. If you
are infected with one of these please visit my Free Virus Removal Page to find software you can use to remove the infection.

Prepare For April Fools Day

2009-03-25T20:46:00.009-04:00

I really hope that this turns out to be a joke but on April 1st the Conficker Worm (AKA Downadup) is scheduled to start mutating and even the security experts don't know what it's going to mutate into. Basically, in plain English, at least a million PC's worldwide are infected with Conficker C and they have been instructed to receive a new update on April 1st. So, on April 1st there a bunch a PC's that are going to have a new mission and you can bet it's not going to be one designed for spreading cheer and goodwill.

Most of the infected PC's are in Asia becuase that's where the majority of computers running unlicensed versions of Microsoft Windows reside. Unlicensed usually also means unpatched so they have been infected. Also, since most of these PC's are in Asia April 1st there will be March 31st in the United States so those two days could be very ugly days for the internet.

So here's my recommendation. Download a Conficker Removal Tool today and start running it everyday on your PC to make sure you aren't infected and that you don't get infected on April 1st. This will take less than two minutes each day and potentially save you hours of grief and pain. I have added two removal tools on my Free Virus Removal Page.

If you want to learn more about Conficker here is a Short Video.

If you found this information helpful please share it with your friends and family.

Better yet, they can Sign-up for Emails from Big Geek Daddy.

Internet Explorer 8

2009-03-19T19:30:00.010-04:00

Microsoft has released Internet Explorer 8 today as their latest browser. They have made several significant changes to the browser and I encourage you to upgrade your Internet Explorer Browser to the latest version today. The biggest reason to upgrade is because IE8 is more secure than previous versions.

The download and installation went smoothly on both my Windows XP and Vista PC. Microsoft says that this browser is faster and based upon the tests I performed with PeaceKeeper that claims seems to be true. Please note that while the picture says Internet Explorer 6 I promise it was Internet Explorer 8 that was used in this post and Internet Explorer 7 in the previous post. Of course, the catch is it appears to only be faster than Internet Explorer 7 and not FireFox or Google Chrome. I'll be sticking with FireFox on both my PC's as my primary browser and will just use IE8 when needed.
You can Download Internet Explorer 8 here.

PeaceKeeper - The Browser Benchmark

2009-03-13T15:14:00.004-04:00

The browser wars have intensified as each browser is fighting for it's share of the Internet. The latest addition is Chrome from Google. FutureMark has released a tool called PeaceKeeper which allows you to test and compare browsers speed based on your PC System.

I have three browsers installed on my system and as you can see from the results it appears that Chrome is the fastest. I use FireFox as my main browser and it is noticeably faster than Internet Explorer 7 (Not sure why the results list IE as version 6 as I have 7 installed.) I can't tell a difference between Chrome and FireFox although judging by the results you would think that would be noticeable as well. Until RoboForm is updated to work with Chrome I won't even consider using it as my main browser. Try PeaceKeeper Browser Benchmark on your PC.

Microsoft Office Discount For Students

2009-03-11T11:49:00.008-04:00

The Ultimate Steal from Microsoft is the best legitimate deal you will find for Microsoft Office 2007. At $59.95 it is definitely a bargain compared to the retail price of Office 2007. The only catch is you need to be a student and have a valid email address at an educational institute.

See the details on Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007.

Adobe Reader Update

2009-03-11T11:46:00.004-04:00

Adobe has updated their reader to version 9.1 to fix the security issues the previous version had. You can download the latest version here.

Adobe Flash Player Security Update

2009-02-27T07:36:00.006-05:00

Adobe has released a security update for their Flash Player. If you watch videos on YouTube than you're probably using Adobe Flash. You can update to the latest version from Adobe Flash Update. If you use multiple browsers on your PC (Internet Explorer and Firefox) then be sure to update each browser by clicking on the link from that browser.

If you're not sure if you have Adobe Flash Player installed or want to check if you have the most recent version you can do so by checking at Adobe Flash Player.

If you want to completely uninstall Adobe Flash Player then you will can follow these instructions: Uninstall Adobe Flash Player. It's actually not a bad idea to Uninstall Adobe Flash Player first then reinstall the latest version if you want to be sure you don't have multiple older unpatched versions still residing on your computer.

Adobe PDF Unpatched Security Threat

2009-02-22T08:15:00.016-05:00

If you use Adobe to read PDF files you are at risk for having your PC infected by a new Unpatched security flaw in Adobe Reader Acrobat. Adobe issued the advisory on Thursday that it’s Reader and Acrobat software are vulnerable to this attack and it could allow the attacker to take control of your PC if you open an infected PDF file.

This applies to even the most recent version of Reader (Version 9). Adobe has said they will release a patch by March 11. Thanks for the sense of urgency Adobe!

Here’s what the experts are recommending you do to avoid being infected:

Disable Javascript in Adobe: Open up your Adobe Reader and Select "Edit," "Preferences," "Javascript," and uncheck the box next to "Enable Acrobat Javascript."
Be very careful opening any PDF’s until Adobe releases a patch.
Update your anti-virus and overall PC Security.If you want to see a checklist of Free Security Programs to protect your PC then visit my Free PC Protection page.

If you’d like to verify this info you can learn more about it from Brian Krebs at the Washington Post in his Security Fix Blog

My Friends PC Infection

2009-02-22T07:49:00.002-05:00

My friend's work computer recently got hit with the win32mydoom.N virus. Her IT department took care of it but now she's worried about her home PC. Here's my response to her:

OK…you got hit with the classic scam. They infect your PC then a Pop Up appears telling you to buy an Anti Virus product to remove the infection. The AV product is a rogue program and won’t remove anything but it will install lot’s more malware. People wonder how other people make money with malware…now you know. And it’s only going to get worse due to economy…ever wonder what some of the laid off/pissed off IT guys are going to be doing with their free time?

You’re currently using AVG and Spybot to protect your PC and are wondering if you’re safe. Kind of, but not really. You’re probably still using Windows Firewall which isn’t all that great and you’re lacking in protection against Zero Day Threats. So, proceed to my Free PC Protection page and complete steps 2 and 4.

I prefer Comodo Firewall and it now gives you an option to not install the Anti Virus that is bundled with it. You don’t need it because you’ve already got AVG. Once you install your new Firewall be sure to disable Windows Firewall.

I would recommend Threatfire and definitely WinPatrol to improve your Real Time Protection.

Also, if you’ve still using Internet Explorer as your browser try Firefox. I’ve been using it for about a month now and find it’s faster and more stable. Firefox will not do anything to your IE browser when you install it so if you ever want to use that it will still be available.

Air Guitar

2009-02-07T21:46:00.004-05:00

My 7 year old son got the bright idea tonight that he needed a $135 guitar that he saw advertised on TV. I told him I’d be happy to buy him a really special kind of guitar in any color he wanted. He was so excited he asked what it was called and I told him it’s an Air Guitar. He got a confused look on his face while my wife was bent over laughing…he started to figure out real quick what an Air Guitar was.

Not to be outdone by his disbelief I was intent on proving to him that there was such a thing as an Air Guitar. This is where the internet can prove to be very useful for convincing kids that you know more than they do. After all, if it’s on YouTube it must be true.

I present exhibit #1 to convince a 7 year old that Air Guitars are real:

Air Guitar Strings

And the Coup de grace to send a kid to bed dreaming of the Air Guitar he’s going to get:

Air Guitar - Hello Kitty

PayPal 1099 Dividend Email

2009-01-24T06:40:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year where financial institutions send out Tax Information for 2008 including 1099 Div Forms. I thought it would be helpful to show you what a legitimate email from PayPal looks like so you don't get tricked into clicking on any links from a Phishing email.

The key thing to notice about this email from PayPal is that There Are No Links To Click On! PayPal is simply sending you an email letting you know the 1099 Div information is available online in your account. You don't need a link to click because you should already know how to get to your account thru your web browser.

As a rule of thumb, even if you do receive an email with links that you think are legitimate try and access the web page thru your browser, not the links. It's just another way you can stay safe on the Internet.

Are You Part Of A BotNet?

2009-01-18T07:51:00.005-05:00

Have you ever wondered where all the Spam you get in your email comes from? Is it from people that have nothing better to do than sit at a computer all day and send out one email after another? No, actually almost all Spam is automatically generated from computers that are part of BotNets.

The really scary part is the Spam could be coming from you and you're not even aware that your PC is part of a BotNet.

I found a Free Security Program from Trend Micro called RUBotted that you can use to check your PC to see if you've inadvertently joined a BotNet. If RUBotted finds your PC has been infected with Bots then I suggest you proceed to Big Geek Daddy's Free Virus Removal page and use some of the scanners there to remove the Bots.

Once you have successfully removed the Bots makes sure you follow the steps listed in my Security Toolbox to protect your PC For Free.

VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware

2009-01-11T11:34:00.002-05:00

If you're looking for a better Antivirus program then you should check out Vipre. It's a relatively new program that also includes Antispyware. Vipre has real time protection, protection from rootkits and is a fast program so it doesn't slow your computer down. Best of all you can try it fee for 15 days to see if you like it.

Bits from Bill Blog

2009-01-06T11:32:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite Blogs that I like to read is Bits From Bill by Bill Pytlovany, the creator of WinPatrol. WinPatrol is a featured application in my Security Toolbox for protecting your PC with Free Software. I consider WinPatrol to be one of the best and easiest security programs that you can use for protecting your pc.

The reason I like to read Bill's blog is it's an interesting and well balanced mix of information for anyone that uses a computer. He doesn't write in a style that requires you to have a computer science degree to understand what he's blogging about.

So, if you're looking for an interesting Blog to read give Bits From Bill a try and be sure and use WinPatrol on all your PC's.

Avast Anti Virus Iframe Code Alert

2008-12-27T08:06:00.002-05:00

I've come across two web pages recently that are infected with an Iframe Code. Fortunately my Avast Anti Virus alerted me to both these pages and prevented an infection from occuring. This is a perfect example of how surfing the web can infected your computer as any legitimate website can be hacked and have malicious code installed.

To learn more and see the alerts Go Here.

Animoto - A Really Cool Site!

2008-12-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

If you’re looking for a really cool way to create your own videos from digital photos then you’ll love this site:

Animoto

I’ve been playing around with several of the 30 second clips for a few days and it’s pretty amazing. The drawback obviously is that the free clips are only 30 seconds. The good news is you can do individual videos for $3 and get Unlimited Access for $30 per year. I plan on using Animoto for a holiday video as well as videos of the kids and special occasions. Try it, you’ll like it.

Back The F:\ Up!

2008-12-02T19:46:00.004-05:00

With Mozy Online Backup of course cause it's totally awesome! I can't emphasize enough how important it is to back up your files for safe keeping in case your hard drive crashes, your laptop is stolen, or your house burns down. But let's face it...we're human, and we're lazy. So, we don't backup like we should.

Online Backup from Mozy offers the perfect solution as once you configure Mozy it will run automatic backups for you. How simple, and awesome is that! Big Geek Daddy has used Mozy for over a year and I can tell you it works. Best of all the good folks at Mozy continue to improve it and they still offer you 2 GB's of Backup for FREE! My recommendation is to give Mozy a try today and never worry about losing your important files again.

Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)

2008-11-27T16:20:00.001-05:00

Secunia has released the final version of it's Personal Software Inspector. PSI should be an integral part of your computer security which is why it's featured in step one of my Security Toolbox. It's a Free Security Program from the good folks at Secunia that will scan your PC and tell you which programs are outdated.

Upon installation it will conduct a baseline scan. It found 99 programs on my PC and gave me a score of 97%. Not bad for a Geek, but not perfect either considering I stay on top of software updates. I had 2 Insecure Programs, both from Adobe, that needed to be updated. I simply downloaded the update that PSI directed me to and installed it to patch my system. I also had 1 End of Life program that I wasn't too concerned about.

PSI has received high reviews from 3rd Party Computer Experts and Review Sites. Most Computer Security Experts will tell you the single best thing you can do to prevent an infection on your PC is to keep your software updated. Secunia PSI fills the gap for updates that don't come from Microsoft. Give it a try and I'll bet you'll be shocked at what needs updating.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday

2008-11-23T20:23:00.000-05:00

I just looked at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, and Circuit City Black Friday ads online. There are some good deals but nothing that I would say is worth the hassle of fighting crowds and an early morning to buy. My prediction is sales will suck and on Sunday Dec 22 the ads will be the same or better as Black Friday as retailers make one last push to salvage their holiday sales before Xmas…and you won’t be fighting lines those last 3 shopping days.

The Wild Card is that if Black Friday sucks that gives online stores two days to react and adjust downward for Cyber Monday.

What A Virus Does to Your Computer

2008-09-22T07:48:00.000-04:00

Sometimes people have to see a see something to fully understand it. If you've ever wondered about the damage a virus can do to your computer then this funny video from Planet Internet will help you appreciate security software. If you need PC Protection be sure and visit my Security Toolbox for Free PC Security Software.

Antivirus XP 2008

2008-09-18T06:47:00.001-04:00

If you see something like the picture below on your PC then you've been attacked by malware. Antivirus XP 2008 is a bogus antivirus program that is advertised in the form of fake security alerts and warnings on web sites that state you are infected with malware or are being attacked in some manner. When you click on one these ads, it will automatically download the installer for Antivirus XP 2008 and install it on your computer. It is possible that Antivirus XP 2008 could be installed without any prompts from you.

Once installed, AntivirusXP 2008 will scan your computer and report a bunch of security risks found on your computer that can only be removed if you purchase the software. The risks are all fake and are being displayed to make you think your PC infected. The scumbags behind malware like this their money when you fall for the warning and buy their bogus software...which will most likely just install more Trojans, Worms, and Keyloggers so they can keep spreading the infection.

As always, I highly recommed that you run a layered defense on your PC as I outline in my Security Toolbox to prevent attacks like this from occurring.

Geek Stuff from Zazzle

2008-09-17T17:25:00.000-04:00

make custom gifts at Zazzle

Google Chrome

2008-09-06T18:19:00.001-04:00

Like every other Geek I've been trying out the Beta version of Google Chrome this week. It's a very easy to use and functional browser and for a Beta release very impressive. The installation went smoothly including adding all my current bookmarks from IE7. One thing I was happy to see was that Google didn't set Chrome to install and be the default browser.

I like the simplified look and feel of Chrome as well as the speed with which it loads web pages. It certainly appears faster than Internet Explorer 7 which is my current default browser. It also has an "Incognito Mode" that you can switch to to surf the web anonymously. This could be useful for a variety of situations besides just visiting adult sites.

I did have to install the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player to view Flash videos but that was no big deal and gave me the opportunity to watch how Chrome downloads files which is kind of cool...in a Geek sort of way.

There are a couple features it's lacking which will prevent me from using it on a regular basis though.

1. RoboForm doesn't recognize it so it won't pop-up to fill in passwords or forms. This is a huge issue for me as I use RoboForm on a regular basis. Hopefully the makers of RoboForm, Siber Systems will fix this...and not charge current users for some new version as a result.

2. The Bookmarks are organized alphabetically with no apparent way to sort them so Folders appear first followed by individual bookmarks at the bottom like you can do in Internet Explorer.

If Google adds more options for the user to change like amount of history to keep and sorting bookmarks this is going to be a very useful browser and certainly give both Internet Explorer and Firefox a run for their money.

You can learn about and download Google Chrome Here.

Windows Live Photo Gallery

2008-08-31T07:36:00.001-04:00

Windows Live Photo Gallery is a slightly different version of the built-in Windows Photo Gallery that comes with Windows Vista. Microsoft has wisely made it available for Free. I prefer it on my Vista system as for some reason the standard Photo Gallery always made my pictures have a yellow tint to them when I view them.

View the Features and Download here: Microsoft Live Photo Gallery

Increase Gmail Security

2008-08-22T22:19:00.001-04:00

From the Gmail Help Center:

If you sign in to Gmail via a non-secure Internet connection, like a public wireless or non-encrypted network, your Google account may be more vulnerable to hijacking. Non-secure networks make it easier for someone to impersonate you and gain full access to your Google account, including any sensitive data it may contain like bank statements or online log-in credentials. We recommend selecting the 'Always use https' option in Gmail any time your network may be non-secure. HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is a secure protocol that provides authenticated and encrypted communication.

To enable this feature in Gmail:
1. Sign in to Gmail.
2. Click Settings at the top of any Gmail page.
3. Set 'Browser Connection' to 'Always use https.'
4. Click Save Changes.
5. Reload Gmail.

Please note that selecting 'Always use https' will prevent you from accessing Gmail via HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). In addition, it may make Gmail a bit slower. If you trust the security of your network, you can turn this feature off at any time.If you use a public computer to check your email, it's also important to end each of your Gmail sessions by clicking Sign out at the top of any Gmail page and to close all Gmail browser windows.

CNN Daily Top 10 Email Downloads Storm Worm

2008-08-06T17:49:00.002-04:00

There's a new tactic being used to try and distribute the Storm Worm via emails that either promise FBI Vs. Facebook or CNN Daily Top 10 links. This is a real virus as verified by snopes.com.

Please be sure and visit my Protection Page if you are concerned about the level of security you currently have on your PC and want some Free Security Software.

Bits from Bill: Keylogger included with Wall-E Online Game

2008-08-03T07:50:00.001-04:00

I haven't seen the movie Wall-E yet but will definitely watch it at some point with my kids. What I won't be doing anytime soon is downloading the online Wall-E game. Please read the Bits from Bill post as yet another example of how something that appears innocent can cause great harm to you and your PC. In this case it appears that a Keylogger has been included with the Wall-E software.

Bits from Bill: Keylogger included with Wall-E Online Game

If you haven't already done so please take the time to run thru the steps in my Security Toolbox to make sure you have adequate protection fro your PC.

Free PC Protection

2008-07-03T06:29:00.002-04:00

In Big Geek Daddy's Security Toolbox is everything you need to protect your computer for free from being attacked from Viruses, Trojan Horses, Spyware, Adware, Malware, and Phishing Attacks.
The protection concept advocated here is a "Layered Defense" where you rely on multiple programs for PC security. The advantage is you're not relying on one vendor for PC Protection by using a security software suite that you paid for. So save your hard earned dollars and spend them on something else besides security software for your computer.

Another Free Image Resizer

2008-06-22T08:37:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Blogger Blake Handler for sharing that there's another Free Image Resizer that works with Windows Vista (32 Bit Editions). You can read about it and download it from this Microsoft Blog.

I have also updated my website page to show the Image Resizer info all in one location, hopefully making it easier for people to find and choose an image resizer that works best for them.

Shrink Pic

2008-06-21T16:09:00.004-04:00

Finally a FREE Image Resizer for email that works on Windows Vista! Shrink Pic runs in the background and when you attach a picture to email it automatically makes it smaller. Your email recipients will appreciate that you didn't clog up their inbox with an email with large photos attached.

The only drawback of Shrink Pic is that it only resizes pictures for email and not for files and folders like the Power Toy Image Resizer from Microsoft for Windows XP does. Still, it's a pretty cool piece of software for Free!

Download Shrink Pic and give it a try.

Revo Uninstaller

2008-05-04T07:26:00.003-04:00

Big Geek Daddy recommends Revo Uninstaller as an alternative way to uninstall programs from your PC. The biggest reason why is Revo's ability to find leftover files and folders that Windows built in Uninstaller leaves in place. From the manufacturer:

Revo Uninstaller helps you to uninstall and remove unwanted programs installed on your computer even if you have problems uninstalling and cannot uninstall them from "Windows Add or Remove Programs" control panel applet.Revo Uninstaller is a much faster and more powerful alternative to "Windows Add or Remove Programs" applet!

Get the Free Revo Uninstaller

2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF

2008-05-03T11:05:00.001-04:00

If you use Microsoft Office 2007 and are looking for an easy way to convert documents to a PDF format then install this Free Add-in from Microsoft.

2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF

You will of course need a legitimate copy of Office 2007 that will be validated before the you can download the PDF Add-in.

Prevent SideJacking

2008-04-06T11:52:00.003-04:00

If you use Free Public WiFi HotSpot connections commonly found in coffee shops and hotels then you are probably vulnerable to "SideJacking". Here's a good explanation from WikiPedia:

Sidejacking, where the attacker uses packet sniffing to read network traffic between two parties to steal the session cookie. Many web sites use SSL encryption for login pages to prevent attackers from seeing the password, but do not use encryption for the rest of the site once authenticated. This allows attackers that can read the network traffic to intercept all the data that is submitted to the server or web pages viewed by the client. Since this data includes the session cookie, it allows him to impersonate the victim, even if the password itself is not compromised.[1] Unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots are particularly vulnerable, as anyone sharing the network will generally be able to read most of the web traffic between other nodes and the access point.

You can prevent SideJacking by installing and running the Free Hotspot Shield when using unsecured WiFi Spots. One Note: When you install HotSpot Shield it automatically installs Dealio Toolbar which many people view as Spyware. You can Uninstall Dealio at any time without interfering with HotSpot Shield.

HotSpot Shield is Free, however, it is Ad supported and you'll notice this cause there will be an ad at the top of the web page. If you find this annoying it's a small price to pay considering the extra security HotSpot Shield is providing to you.

Here's a video that explains SideJacking in more detail:

SyncBack Freeware - Free Backup Software

2008-03-01T14:11:00.001-05:00

SyncBack is a freeware program that helps you easily backup and synchronize your files to: the same drive; a different drive or medium (CDRW, CompactFlash, etc); an FTP server; a Network; or a Zip archive.

Big Geek Daddy has been using Syncback now for sevearl months to backup his PC. It's an easy to use program with various backup options. Syncback performs the actual backup fast as well, usually less than 3 minutes for the Mirror backup I run.

Download Syncback Free

GreenPrint

2008-02-16T10:04:00.000-05:00

GreenPrint eliminates wasteful pages in any printout automatically, saving you time and money, and maybe more importantly, saving trees, reducing greenhouse gasses, and decreasing waste.

GreenPrint's patent-pending technology does this by analyzing each page of every document sent to the printer and looking for typical waste characteristics (like that last page with just a URL, banner ad, logo, or legal jargon).

GreenPrint also incorporates an easy to use PDF writer, a fantastic print preview called GreenView, and a reporting feature which keeps track of the number of pages and the amount of money you have saved.

Try the FREE Version today.

WinPatrol 2007 (14.0)

2008-01-25T22:10:00.000-05:00

One of Big Geek Daddy's favorite Free Security Programs just got better. The Free Version of WinPatrol 14.0 will now provide full support for the identification and removal of keylogging software.

If you've never tried WinPatrol you should...it's easy to use and offers an extra layer of protection for your PC while helping to Control Start Up Programs.

IRS Phishing email

2008-01-04T19:56:00.000-05:00

Here's a great example of a Phishing email. The 1st link takes you to a an IRS logo. The 2nd link (which was automatically removed by Blogger when I attempted to post it) takes you to the Phishing Site.

From: Internal Revenue Service
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 5:02 PM
Subject: Notification - IRS Tax refund department

<http://www.irs.gov/irs/cda/common/images/irslogo.gif>

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $109.23.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-6 days in order to process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons.
For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.

To access the form for your tax refund, please click here

Note: Deliberate wrong inputs will be prosecuted by law.

Regards,
Internal Revenue Service

QTTabBar

2007-12-16T19:01:00.000-05:00

Big Geek Daddy discovered a new Free Software application that is very useful and after only two days of using it I'm wondering how I ever got along without it. QTTabBar is an Add-In that gives Tab Browsing Feature to your Explorer.Folder grouping, histories, etc.

If you've experienced Tabbed Browsing in either Fire fox or Internet Explorer then you should quickly come to appreciate QTTabBar.

It works with Windows XP as well as Vista.

Once installed open My Documents and the go to View, Toolbars, and make sure you enable it. Big Geek Daddy just did the basic one not the advance button. Now, go to any folder in My Documents and holding your mouse over that folder a little Blue Down arrow should appear...you'll see the beauty of this app at that point. Try it on your My Pictures folder. Very Cool indeed!

Microsoft Security Updates

2007-12-12T06:28:00.000-05:00

Microsoft released several critical security patches this week including some for Windows Vista. Learn more about these Security Fixes here if you haven't already updated your computer.

ThreatFire - Zero Day Malware Protection

2007-12-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

Big Geek Daddy has discovered a new Free security program to help provide an additional layer of protection for PC's. ThreatFire was previously known as "Cyberhawk" and has recently been acquired by PC Tools. Big Geek Daddy has been using the Free version of ThreatFire this week and had noticed no adverse effects on his system. You can use ThreatFire in conjuction with your current nti-Virus program. It has been added to as an additional choice to step 4 of Big Geek Daddy's "Security Toolbox" - 5 Steps to Protect your PC with Free Software. Here's a short description on how ThreatFire works:

ThreatFire continually protects your PC against attacks by detecting malicious behavior, such as capturing your keystrokes or stealing your data, instead of only looking for known threats like normal antivirus software. By implementing sophisticated real-time behavioral analysis ThreatFire is able to stop never-before-seen "zero-day" threats solely by detecting their malicious activity.

Learn more about ThreatFire as well as Download the Free Version .

Christmas SPAM

2007-11-25T07:50:00.000-05:00

Big Geek Daddy has started to notice lots of new SPAM with the word Christmas in the subject line. A couple examples are "A Christmas Card for You" and "A Christmas Gift". As always use common sense when opening emails. In this case if you don't recognize the sender then just mark it as SPAM and don't open it. If it is from someone you recognize be careful opening it as they're PC might be sending out the SPAM or someone might be cloning their email address.

If you want to make sure you're protected please refer to Step 5 "Browser Security" from Big Geek Daddy's Security Toolbox.

Comodo Firewall Pro - Version 3.0

2007-11-23T06:57:00.000-05:00

Big Geek Daddy's favorite Free Firewall has been updated to Version 3.0 by the good folks at Comodo. Comodo Firewall Pro Version 3.0 works with both Windows XP and Windows Vista. There are lots of new security features and settings and I have no doubt that this Firewall has continued to be the best on the market for helping to protect your PC from malicious attacks.

Give it a try and when installing just use the default settings if you don't understand what the program is asking you to do.

Learn more about the Free Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0.

Virus Alert

2007-11-13T20:23:00.001-05:00

Returnil Virtual System Personal Edition v1.70.7502

2007-11-11T09:45:00.000-05:00

Big Geek Daddy has discovered a very useful and best of all FREE program to help protect your computer. I've copied the information about Returnil Virtual System below so you can understand what this program is capable of doing. The obvious use for it is to turn it on when you're about to surf the internet, particularly if you're looking at adult content as many of these sites are known to harbor malware downloads. The second practical aspect of this software is if you're opening questionable attachments from an email or installing software that you might not want to permanently keep on your PC.

Returnil Virtual System's protection concept is very easy to understand. It provides a simple, effective, and smart way to prevent unwanted or malicious changes from being made to your supported Windows® Operating System and the drive where Windows® is installed. You operate your system in a virtual environment, so anything you do will happen in the virtual environment, not in the real PC. If your computer is attacked or gets infected with Malware, all you need to do is simply reboot the PC to erase all changes. Once restarted, your system will be restored to the original state, as if nothing ever happened! Meanwhile, Returnil Virtual System can create a virtual storage disk for you; the purpose of this partition is to provide a place for you to save your data when the Virtual System Protection mode is turned ON, and you can customize the size of this disk to meet your individual requirements.

When the Virtual System Protection is OFF, you can install or remove programs, save documents within the Windows® disk drive, install security upgrades and software patches, alter configurations, and update user accounts. All changes made will remain following a restart of the computer.

The Returnil Virtual System is designed to take the risk and worry out of exposing your computer to all types of software, downloads, websites, or anything else that might have adverse effects on your computer or infect it with harmful viruses, spyware and other malicious programs. Once you restart your system it will revert back to its original state and all changes to your primary partition will disappear.

MySpace -- Very realistic fake update pop up

2007-11-01T20:33:00.000-04:00

Sunbelt Blog is reporting a very real and nasty Trojan being circulated via a Pop Up on MySpace. Sure, everyone knows not to download from Pop Up Ads but what if the Pop Up looked like a Security Update from Microsoft?

Read about it at Sunbelt Blog.

The Ultimate Steal - Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007

2007-10-06T09:32:00.000-04:00

Get Microsoft® Office Ultimate 2007 for just $59.95. It’s a total steal: save time and money with this premium offer. This is Microsoft's offer for college students to buy legal software.

The Ultimate Steal

You can no longer access the CD/DVD drive - Windows Error Code 19, 31, 32, 39, and 41

2007-09-22T10:45:00.000-04:00

After you remove a program from your computer, you can no longer access the CD drive or the DVD drive successfully. The CD drive or the DVD drive does not appear. Or, you receive an error message when you try to access the drive.

In my case the Error Message was "Code 39 Drivers Could Not Be Found"

Windows recognized the CD/DVD burner, in this case a Lite On, however, it wouldn't reinstall the drivers.

Here's how I finally fixed the problem:

Guided Help to delete the registry entries

Method 1 worked fine.

Registry Clean Expert 4.52

2007-09-22T06:44:00.000-04:00

The Windows registry is a database repository for information about a computer's configuration. The registry keep growing when you use Windows. As it does so, it attracts obsolete and unnecessary information, and gradually becomes cluttered and fragmented. With the growing of the registry, it can degrade the performance of the whole system and cause many weird software problems.

Registry Clean Expert scans the Windows registry and finds incorrect or obsolete information in the registry. By fixing these obsolete information in Windows registry, your system will run faster and error free.

In short, Registry Clean Expert help you get rid of the bloat in Windows registry and achieve a cleaner, faster system.

It's Free for 15 Days so give it a try.

Video Viewing Troubleshooting Tips

2007-09-08T06:54:00.000-04:00

If you're having trouble viewing videos on BigGeekDaddy.com, your PC, or another website then here are some steps to take that should solve the problem.

First, make sure you're using the most recent version of Windows Media Player.

If you have sound but no video then most likely it's a video codec error.
Try installing the Free K-Lite Codec Pack
There are three versions of the K-Lite Codec Pack - Basic, Standard, and Full. I suggest you try the Basic version.

If you can see that the video is suppossed to be on the web page but can't
view the video then try installing the Free Adobe Flash Player.
If you have trouble installing the Adobe Flash Player or want to make sure you're not running older versions then please follow the steps to Troubleshoot Adobe Flash Player.

If none of the previous steps work then consider installing the Free FireFox Browser thru the button on right side of page. Usually doing one , if not all of the steps described above will solve the
problem of not being able to view a video file.

2007-09-08T06:52:00.001-04:00

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.5

2007-09-04T20:07:00.000-04:00

There's a new version of Spybot available. It has many improvements and new features over the previous version including better support for Windows Vista.

Sypbot Search and Destroy Version 1.5

RoboForm - Easily Remember your Passwords

2007-09-02T19:36:00.000-04:00

Being a Big Geek, if you asked me which software program makes my everyday computing experience faster, easier, and more secure then the answer is easy: RoboForm! Big Geek Daddy has used it for over 3 years and loves it. It's an easy program with a helpful website and after several days of using RoboForm it will become very familiar. You can view tutorials on RoboForm by clicking on the tutorial link on the left side of the download page.

It remembers Big geek Daddy's passwords, so that I don't have to write them down. Not only does it fill in the passwords for you, it can do the whole login thing: go to a site, fill forms, click the Login button. It also fills those ubiquitous web forms in one click. I really like RoboForm and best of all, RoboForm is completely Free (There is a Pro version for users who need to save more than ten passwords). RoboForm does not show ads and they do not spy on you. RoboForm has received very positive reviews from publications such as The Wall St Journal, Financial Times and RoboForm was named PC Magazine Editor's Choice, and CNET Download.com's Software of the Year. Download RoboForm

FlashPix ActiveX ZeroDay Fix from Bill Pytlovany

2007-08-15T06:27:00.000-04:00

A new Zero Day vulnerability that has been announced by US-Cert(United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team). This is the kind of infection that can occur just by going to the wrong web page or reading an HTML document. You don’t have to download or agree to anything for this kind of threat to attack your computer.

Learn more about it and install a registry fix here:

Bits from Bill Blog

Microsoft Patch Tuesday

2007-08-13T13:35:00.000-04:00

Microsoft is scheduled to release their monthly Security Updates on Tuesday, August 14th. As described here it looks like they'll be several critical patches released so be sure to update your PC manually if it's not set for automatic updates.

For more helpful information visit Big geek Daddy's Protection Page.

PDF Spam

2007-08-06T18:53:00.000-04:00

Just for fun I decided to actually download one of the PDF's that I've been getting in my SPAM folder. I first scanned it from my Yahoo account using McAfee's built in scanner on Yahoo email. Next I scanned it with AVG Free and a-squared Free. Nothing harmful was found by any of these scanners. So I then sent it to VirusTotal, a Free online scanner, for a more thorough check. Here's the scanners it used and the results:

Complete scanning result of "Complaint.pdf", processed in VirusTotal at 08/07/2007 00:53:29 (CET).> > [ file data ]> * name: Complaint.pdf> * size: 28875> * md5.: 160b1b285f871b29bdd928afa705febb> * sha1: 45cd7336144ff68307980896c61f9a144e58ad6d> >
[ scan result ]
> AhnLab-V3 2007.8.3.0/20070806 found nothing
> AntiVir 7.4.0.57/20070806 found nothing
> Authentium 4.93.8/20070806 found nothing
> Avast 4.7.1029.0/20070806 found nothing
> AVG 7.5.0.476/20070806 found nothing
> BitDefender 7.2/20070806 found nothing
> CAT-QuickHeal 9.00/20070806 found nothing
> ClamAV 0.91/20070806 found nothing
> DrWeb 4.33/20070807 found nothing
> eSafe 7.0.15.0/20070731 found nothing
> eTrust-Vet 31.1.5037/20070806 found nothing
> Ewido 4.0/20070806 found nothing
> F-Prot 4.3.2.48/20070803 found nothing
> F-Secure 6.70.13030.0/20070806 found nothing
> FileAdvisor 1/20070807 found nothing
> Fortinet 2.91.0.0/20070806 found nothing
> Ikarus T3.1.1.8/20070806 found nothing
> Kaspersky 4.0.2.24/20070807 found nothing
> McAfee 5091/20070806 found nothing
> Microsoft 1.2704/20070807 found nothing
> NOD32v2 2440/20070806 found nothing
> Norman 5.80.02/20070806 found nothing
> Panda 9.0.0.4/20070806 found nothing
> Prevx1 V2/20070807 found nothing
> Rising 19.35.02.00/20070806 found nothing
> Sophos 4.19.0/20070801 found nothing
> Sunbelt 2.2.907.0/20070804 found nothing
> Symantec 10/20070807 found nothing
> TheHacker 6.1.7.162/20070804 found nothing
> VBA32 3.12.2.2/20070804 found nothing
> VirusBuster 4.3.26:9/20070806 found nothing
> Webwasher-Gateway 6.0.1/20070806 found nothing

The PDF file contained text describing a stock that was so hot that it was a sure thing. I guess the Spammers think if you read it inside an attachment it will be more valid or that it will sneak passed the Spam box and find it's way into the in box.

So what's the point you ask? Well, there's really two:

1. If you accidentally open a PDF attachment and it turns out to be SPAM don't freak out as most likely you'll be ok...assuming your PC was properly protected in the first place.
2. If you think the PDF is legitimate and you really need to open it to know for sure then hopefully the steps I've outlined above will allow you to do so with safety and confidence.

To learn how to protect your PC with a layered defense utilizing Free Software be sure and visit Big Geek Daddy's Protection Page and follow the steps outlined in the Security Toolbox.

Panda Internet Security 2008 - New

2007-08-06T07:41:00.000-04:00

Enjoy truly global security with the new Panda Internet Security 2008. All your computer activity will be fully protected against identity theft and you can forget about viruses, spyware, hackers, spam, online fraud and other Internet threats. You'll also be able to make automated backup copies of your most important documents and optimize the performance of your computer.

Includes:

- Antivirus
- AntiSpyware
- AntiPhishing
- Firewall
- Identity Protect
- Backup
- TruPrevent®
- AntiSpam
- Parental Control

Watch the video below to learn more about Panda Internet Security. There's a Free 30 Day Trial available by clicking on the banner below then selecting the "Try" tab.

WinPatrol 2007 Updated

2007-08-04T07:38:00.000-04:00

WinPatrol 2007 has recently been updated to Version 12. This is an extremely helpful Free program for controlling Startup programs on your PC as well as adding another layer of protection. WinPatrol helps to protect your PC because it alerts you before a new program is allowed to be installed on your computer.

Download WinPatrol 2007 Here

Jing - Free for Now!

2007-07-22T18:45:00.000-04:00

Jing is a cool program that allows you to take videos of what you are doing on your computer and share them with someone else. This could be particularly useful if you're trying to explain to someone how to run a particular program or some other task they might not be familiar with.

One of my Favorite Free programs is CCleaner. Here's a Video I took using Jing showing how I use CCleaner to keep my PC cleaned up.

My guess is that Jing will eventually be a program that isn't free but at least for now you can use it for free. You can learn more about Jing and download it from the Jing Project website.

2007-07-21T14:33:00.001-04:00

How To Share Photos - High Res

2007-07-18T15:16:00.000-04:00

Windows SteadyState

2007-07-15T06:39:00.000-04:00

Windows SteadyState is a download for Windows XP that can help protect your family from inappropriate Web content and contact on the Web. Windows SteadyState also protects your computer settings from unwelcome changes by your children.

You can download SteadyState at no charge to people using genuine Microsoft Windows XP.
Windows SteadyState can return your family computer and hard disk to the condition it was before your children changed it. You just restart your computer.

(Note: Windows SteadyState is for Windows XP only. Similar features, called Windows Vista Parental Controls, are built in to Windows Vista.)

Microsoft Malware Protection Center

2007-07-11T17:23:00.000-04:00

Microsoft has created a new website to help you in the war against Malware.

Microsoft Malware Protection Center

They also released the July Security Updates yesterday.

You've Received a Postcard

2007-07-02T21:28:00.000-04:00

In case you don't already know you haven't received a postcard and you don't want to click on any links that say you have. Read about it at Snopes.com.

Secunia Software Inspector

2007-06-23T08:14:00.000-04:00

I discovered a very useful Free Security Tool today. It's the Secunia Software Inspector and it will search your computer for programs that are already installed that have Security Updates. I tested it on my system and it found that my Apple QuickTime wasn't using the most secure version. There's a screen shot of my results below and you can enlarge it by clicking on it. This QuickTime update is particularly important as it could have allowed an attack on my system to occur if I had viewed a QuickTime video on a malicious website.

Click Here to use Secunia Software Inspector.

Microsoft Surface Parody

2007-06-20T18:44:00.001-04:00

Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats

2007-06-20T18:33:00.000-04:00

By installing the Compatibility Pack in addition to Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP, or Office 2003, you will be able open, edit, and save files using the file formats new to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007. The Compatibility Pack can also be used in conjunction with the Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003, Excel Viewer 2003, and PowerPoint Viewer 2003 to view files saved in these new formats.

Spreadshirt Designer

2007-06-20T17:55:00.001-04:00

filehippo.com Update Checker

2007-06-17T08:12:00.000-04:00

Big Geek Daddy uses filehippo.com on a regular basis to check for updates to software that he has installed on various computers. The good folks at filehippo.com have just made this process much easier by releasing a new tool that will check all your installed software for updates at once. It is a Beta version but appears to be stable and worked fine when I tried it on one of my systems. Here's the description from their download page:

What is it?
The Update Checker will scan your computer for installed software, check the versions and then send this information to filehippo.com to see if there are any newer releases. These are then neatly displayed in your browser for you to download.

Click Here to check it out.

Spybot - Search and Destroy

2007-06-12T06:54:00.000-04:00

If you haven't updated your Spybot Search and Destroy program lately now is a good time to do so. The latest update added over 10,000 bad web pages to the blocked list. To update simply open Spybot, click on update, check the appropriate update boxes then click on download updates. Once this is completed you then need to click on the immunize button to add the blocked web pages and make sure that there's a check in the box that says "enable permanent blocking of bad addresses in Internet Explorer."

It's also a good idea to run a full scan of your system after each update. Updates are usually published every Friday making this an easy task to do over the weekend.

Father's Day Gifts

2007-05-23T16:57:00.000-04:00

Father’s Day is June 17 – find Dad THE gift at CafePress.com

Yapta - A Cool Way to Save Money on Airline Tickets

2007-05-22T20:58:00.000-04:00

Airline prices often drop for only a few hours. It is the lucky shoppers who happen to be on a travel website at the exact moment and purchase those low fares.

So, how do you know when the price drops? Unless you are checking the travel websites daily, you will miss the lowest prices. That is why there is Yapta. Yapta tracks the prices for you! Yapta alerts you when the price drops so that you can either get that refund on a purchased ticket or buy that low-fare ticket on the prime flights.

Check out the Yapta Website.

Internet Connection Trouble Shooting

2007-05-18T18:03:00.000-04:00

If you're having trouble connecting to the internet try these four simple steps to reset the internet connection. Doing this "Hard Reset" on your cable modem and router will fix the connection problem 90% of the time. For the 10% that it doesn't work try and find a Geek to help you.

Step 1
Disconnect the power to both devices (Router, and Modem). After the power has been disconnected, please wait -this may take up to 3 minutes for modem settings to be cleared.
Step 2
Power-on your cable modem (the one with the cable coming into it from the wall) and wait 2 minutes.
Step 3
Power-on the router (if wireless this will have an antenna on it) and wait 2 minutes.
Step 4
Attempt to Connect the internet. If you still can't connect restart PC and try to connect to the internet again.

Google Searches Web's Dark Side

2007-05-13T07:51:00.000-04:00

Google recently examined 4.5 million web pages and discovered that 1 in 10 is infected with Malware and capable of a "drive by download" to infect your computer. You can read the article here.

If you're concerned about malware on websites you look at then please visit Big Geek Daddy's FREE Computer Protection page where you can utilize free software to protect and scan you PC for Malware.

Parental Control Bar

2007-05-05T08:55:00.000-04:00

ParentalControl Bar is provided free of charge to the public by WRAAC.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free, effective internet control tools. The Parental Control Bar helps parents prevent their kids from accessing Adult-Oriented websites while using the Internet.

Download Parental Control Bar

2007-05-05T08:20:00.000-04:00

Sebran's ABC - Free Software For Kids

2007-05-05T08:12:00.000-04:00

It's never too early for your child to become familiar with letters and numbers. Sebran's ABC's colorful pictures, pleasant music, and gentle games teach letters, numbers, simple math, and rudiments of reading. Sebran's ABC is freeware.

Download Sebran's ABC

Mario Forever 4 - Free Game from Buziol Games

2007-05-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Marion Forever 4 is a Free Super Mario Brothers clone that will be a blast for both kids and adults to play.

Download Mario Forever 4

Shift Happens

2007-04-28T08:54:00.000-04:00

glumbert.com - Shift Happens

K-Lite Codec Pack

2007-04-20T07:53:00.000-04:00

K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of codecs and related tools. Codecs are required to encode and/or decode (play) audio and video. The K-Lite Codec Pack is designed as a user-friendly solution for playing all your movie files. With the K-Lite Codec Pack you should be able to play 99% of all the movies that you download from the internet. Best of all it's completely FREE!

There are three versions of the K-Lite Codec Pack: Basic, Standard and Full.

• K-Lite Codec Pack Basic contains only the most essential things. It contains everything you need to be able to play the most popular and widespread formats. It is small enough to fit on a single floppy. Also great for including on your movie CDs.

• K-Lite Codec Pack Standard contains everything you need to play all the commonly used formats. This package should be enough for the average user.

• K-Lite Codec Pack Full contains even more codecs. It also has encoding support for the various formats. This package is for power users and people who do their own encodings.

Download K-Lite Codec Pack

FastStone Image Viewer

2007-04-13T22:03:00.000-04:00

FastStone Image Viewer is a fast, stable, user-friendly image browser, converter and editor. It has a nice array of features that include image viewing, management, comparison, red-eye removal, emailing, resizing, cropping and color adjustments. Best of all it's FREE so if you're looking for an easy to use photo editor give it a try.

FREE Rootkit Detector - AVG Anti-Rootkit

2007-04-11T18:02:00.000-04:00

AVG Anti-Rootkit is a powerful tool with state-of-the-art technology for detection and removal of rootkits. Rootkits are used to hide the presence of a malicious object like Trojans or Keyloggers on your computer. If a threat uses Rootkit technology to hide itself it is very hard to find the malware on your PC. AVG Anti-Rootkit gives you the power to find and delete the Rootkit and to uncover the threat the Rootkit is hiding.

I have installed this on my computer and did a check. It checked my system in less than 5 minutes and found no rootkits...which is nice.

Download AVG Anti-Rootkit

Microsoft Emergency Patch

2007-04-03T19:41:00.000-04:00

A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can read about it Here. To patch your system you can either you can either run Microsoft Update or Download the Update for Windows XP.

PC Magazine Subscription Included with Purchase of CounterSpy at No Extra Cost!

2007-04-02T19:58:00.001-04:00

wintective Keylogger Detected and Cleaned by a-squared Free

2007-03-31T09:56:00.000-04:00

My Ad Aware hasn't been updating correctly for the last several weeks so I decided to install and utilize a-squared Free to help protect my PC.

I ran a scan and wasn't real thrilled to find I had a medium level Keylogger called wintective on my PC. I cleaned it with a-squared then ran CCleaner both Cleaner and Issues tabs to clean up any temp and registry files it might have left behind. It appears to have worked.

I'm not to worried about this since I use RoboForm to log into all my websites and financial accounts. I recommend you give both a-squared Free and RoboForm a trial if you do anything sensitive on your PC.

Beware of the "Evil Twin" Wi-Fi Hotspot

2007-03-31T09:44:00.000-04:00

If you have a Laptop computer and you use it to connect to Wireless Hotspots commonly found at hotels, coffee shops, and airports then you really need to take the time to read the following article:

Evil Twin Wi-Fi Hotspot

Remember to visit Big Geek Daddy's Free Protection page to ensure your computer is protected as well as possible for Free.

Microsoft Security Advisory - Vulnerability in Windows Animated Cursor Handling

2007-03-30T18:28:00.000-04:00

There's a new security vulnerability that you could be a victim of if you visit a malicious website. As always, be careful where you surf!

Microsoft Security Advisory

How to Hide Email Addresses

2007-03-26T19:39:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered how people send out an email yet all you see in the address To: field is Undisclosed Recipients? It's really pretty simple. Instead of adding the addresses into the To: field enter them into the BCC: field and they won't be visible to the other recipients.

There are two good reasons why you should adopt this practice when sending the same email to multiple people:

1. If it's a risqué sort of email then some people might not want to be seen as receiving it. Remember that many emails get forwarded on and all the visible addresses get forwarded as well.

2. If the email gets forwarded to the wrong person then you have just provided them with a big long list of valid emails that they can add to their SPAM list. Spam is growing enough by itself so use the BCC field and don't contribute to it.

Kongregate - Play Free Online Games

2007-03-24T07:32:00.000-04:00

Kongregate is a website that allows you to play Free games online. Think of it as YouTube for games as it also allows users to upload games and rate them. It's actually a very cool site and can be lot's of fun for both kids and adults...best of all it's Free!

Great Deal on External Hard Drive for Computer Back Up's

2007-03-22T09:00:00.000-04:00