PC Speed Guru

PC Maintenance Includes Hard Drive Reformatting

2009-06-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

I regularly perform maintenance on my PC to keep it running as fast as possible. I defrag my hard drive on a monthly basis. I have one antispyware program that I use daily to monitor for infections 24/7 in real time as well as a daily disc scan, and another antispyware program that I use on a weekly basis to scan my system for infections my other antispyware may have missed. I also wipe, or reformat, my hard drive about once a year to keep my PC running like new.

Wiping a hard drive is fairly simple, but requires some preparation. Wiping the hard drive is the process of completely removing everything off of it and starting fresh. Obviously there are things on the hard drive that are valuable and need to be accessible for future use. Making a backup of files, programs and plug-ins is important to ensure I don’t delete something I can’t get back!

The things I back up include:

Fonts
My Music (My iTunes library and other MP3’s)
My Photos
My Documents
My Downloads (Programs that were downloaded without a physical disc)
Dreamweaver Site Definitions
Photoshop Plug-ins
Bookmarks and Favorite Links
Financial Information (Microsoft Money)
Email (Outlook)

I have 2 hard drives; one is my active hard drive or my C drive. The other is used only for archive and backup purposes. I use an internal hard drive as by backup because external hard drives tend to be slower.

After all the important data is backed up it is important to make sure I have physical copies of my software, most importantly my operating system, currently Windows XP. When the hard drive is wiped, the operating system is removed as well as all other programs and software.

Once everything is backed up, reformatting the hard drive is pretty simple. The process varies depending on what OS you are using. I use Windows XP and reformatting my hard drive is very simple. All I have to do is insert the Windows XP CD, reboot my PC and it will walk me through the steps from there. When it asks if I want to format the drive and gives me the warning about my losing data, I click YES… and that’s pretty much it!

You can research on the Microsoft website how to reformat your hard drive depending on your OS here:
http://www.microsoft.com/

Reformatting your hard drive at least once a year will make a huge difference in the performance of your machine. I recommend getting in the habit of regularly backing up your important files so when you do your yearly hard drive reformatting, the backup process will not be a huge undertaking in itself.

Security Failures of the Built-In Windows Firewall

2009-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

When you think of a firewall you think of security. Monitoring of inbound AND outbound connections for malicious threats, stopping any harmful ties to your system and protection of personal information are legitimate expectations for a good one, though Microsoft appears to be far from meeting these any time soon.

Available within Windows Vista and Windows XP SP2, Microsoft's Firewall is millions of PC user's security. It seems reliable for protection from malicious viruses and hackers, but the truth is the free Firewall is only reliable for monitoring inbound connections for malicious attacks.

Malware has more ways to make its way onto your system than an internet connection. DVD's, CD's, USB connections, software installations and other such sources are outgoing connections that demand reliable malware protection from your firewall.The Windows Firewall default settings are open and recommended to allow all outbound connections by "allowing connections except when expected." In the defalut configuration, there are no outbound 'block' rules. The outbound protection is on but sets up home users for a failed security because it is not doing anything. Allowing outbound connections is allowing cyber theives to spread your personal data, or use your computer as a part of a larger botnet, or just bombard your machine with spam.

Putting your trust in Windows Firewall is hazardous for home users and their machines. The Windows Firewall is providing minimal defense from attack.

Try the Sunbelt Personal Firewall for a firewall protection from malware, protection that will monitor inbound AND outbound connections that is dependable.

Networking with Strangers- A Social Disaster

2009-04-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Reasons why people accept friend requests or follow people they don’t know on social networking communities:

Just like in high school, some of us need to feel popular

Staying updated on the latest buzz across the interwebs

The internet is full of potential when it comes to finding Mr. or Mrs. Right and the networking possibilities are endless.

Social networking communities are the easiest way to build a big list of people to spam in the future. Woot!

Reasons why people shouldn’t accept friend request or follow people they don’t know on social networking communities:

Cyber Creeps - If you think strangers online can’t harm you physically and aren’t real threat to you, think again. Cyber creeps can harass you or worse, track you down. People use their real names on their profiles 90% of the time and the location where they live or work whether it is state or city. These two things can be enough information to track you down with the help of a simple Google search.

Social Networking Buzz Can Sting - The latest buzz across social networking communities usually has some form of malware attached, your real friends would never intentionally send you malware, but a stranger wouldn’t hesitate. Before you click on a link from a stranger you’re following in Twitter, be aware of the strong possibility that your computer could become infected with malware with just one click.

Spam, Spam and more Spam - We all get spam in our email, even though there are federal laws to help reduce the volume. There are no federal laws against spamming your Myspace inbox, it’s a free-for-all. Online marketers and spammers are crowding the social networking communities, creating fake profiles, adding as many friends a possible and turning on the spam faucet and letting it flow.

Identity Theft – Posting personal information online is dangerous, then letting strangers have a gander is pretty reckless. Your name, age and city can be enough information for a cyber thief to make off with your identity and you would never be the wiser… until you tried to get a loan or you ran your credit report.

Phishing Scams – It’s your lucky day, a long lost relative in Nigeria has left you an inheritance!!! Phishing scams run rampant across social networking communities, and sometimes have nothing to do with Nigeria and are not so easy to recognize. Phishing scams can look like official messaging from Facebook, Google, Myspace, eBay, the federal government or other creditable and trusted websites, companies or organizations and unsuspecting people fall for these scams all the time. Keeping your profiles private will help eliminate phishing scams in your social networking inboxes.

Y2Conficker

2009-04-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Conficker, also known as Downup, is believed to be one of the most widespread PC infections since 2003, there are over 9 million computer systems infected with this worm today. In January Conficker was responsible for grounding the French Navy's air fleet as the infection was quarantined. Many government computer systems have been infected with this worm including the UK Ministry of Defense, the Federal Republic of Germany and the British Director of Parliamentary. Conficker, or Downup, is nothing to take lightly.

Last month’s Conficker warnings had PC users across the globe taking extra precautions as we braced ourselves for April Fool's Day, the day in which the Conficker worm would take over millions of infected “zombie” systems bringing certain doom and gloom along with it.

The global reaction to Conficker on April 1, 2009, is eerily similar to global panic that surrounded Y2K, January 1, 2000. Instead of stockpiling canned foods, gallons upon gallons of water, flashlights and firewood, people were frantically buying antispyware and antivirus software, updating their windows patches and installing firewalls. All this frenzied commotion to get prepared for potentially, the end of our world as we know it. Followed by waiting with baited breath for unknown events to unfold….

PHEW! Nothing happened!

What now?

New Tricks for an Old Dog

2009-03-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Rogue antispyware has been around for quite sometime, and typically most rogue antispyware does pretty much the same thing and has the same goal; rip people off and make the authors a large amount of money by scamming people.

Most rogue antispyware pretty much works like this:

1. Infect PC after PC with the use of Trojans, browser security loopholes, misleading advertising and other dirty tricks.

2. Scare the hell out of the user with false security warnings, system scans, browser redirects, system tray warnings, pop-ups and other tactics until the user thinks their PC is really infected with some seriously nasty stuff.

3. Get people to buy the full version of the corrupt software in an attempt to clean the machine, all the while ripping off naive people who fall for this scam because the software is useless.

Well, as PCMag and BleepingComputer pointed out last week, the rogue antispyware tricks have gotten a little dirtier:

http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/2009/02/new_rogue_anti-malware_pushes_fake_pcmag_review.php

Pretty much the rogue authors have a new trick to prevent users from removing the rogue antispyware from their systems and it goes something like this:

The rogue antispyware makes changes to the HOSTS file when it infects a computer which prevents users from going to legitimate security sites in an effort to remove the rogue, which is not uncommon. So if you were trying to go onto sunbeltsoftware.com to download the latest version of VIPRE to remove a rogue infection you would be redirected to a rogue website instead.

The new twist to this already horrifying process is the rogues are now creating webpages that contain almost identical content to and that look very similar to respectable product review websites, such as PCMag.com, in an effort to trick people into believing the rogue software has been reviewed and is a really great product. They even go through the trouble to display product reviews that were written for legitimate software by well known software review editors, only swapping out the software titles with the titles of the rogues in a desperate attempt to make the corrupt software seem as legit as possible.

WOW – That is confusing! Frankly it seems like this is a lot of effort put into trickery that may not work so well. Actually it’s hard to believe this would work on anybody, but it must if the rogue authors put all the effort and time into developing this hideous plan. Pure evil!

The best bet for avoiding these increasingly sneaky rogues is to keep your PC protected at all times with antivirus/antispyware software and a firewall. I guess in this situation it’s pretty safe to say you shouldn’t always believe what you read!

Fake Security Warning Pop-ups!

2009-03-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

When you’re surfing the web it’s like taking a drive in your car, you’re going to come across bad neighborhoods and good neighborhoods. It could be that you followed a link looking for something that looked interesting or useful but then got bombarded with pop-ups. What I hate even more is when something starts to download automatically and you can’t back your way off the site or stop the download quickly enough to prevent a potential disaster.

Today, I made a wrong turn in a bad part of town or internet I should say. I couldn’t click out of the browser and I literally wanted to throw my computer across the room. I started to panic a little when nothing I was doing worked. Unfortunately, the louder you curse, not the better your PC works….

One of the ways Trojans spread is just like this. You follow a link and bam, something begins to download or you try closing a pop-up and instead of it closing, it starts installing something on your computer.

Usually the really deceptive pop-ups are made to look like fake security warnings:

This is what occurred today, I was faced with a pop-up like this and something began to automatically install on my PC. But if you think about it, how many other people, without knowing any better, actually click on the warning? How many times have you gone to a website where something starts to immediately download itself? Somewhat frequently right? That’s why this is the subject of my post today.

The really tricky thing about these “security warning” pop-ups, is that the “x” in the upper right hand corner doesn’t close it, rather it begins a download of something unknown and unwelcome onto your PC. In fact, clicking anywhere on these things will have the same effect, even the “No” button. The best thing to do in this sort of situation is NOT to click anywhere on the pop-up but back your way off the site or close your browser all together.

The next thing you should do is a deep scan with your antivirus/antispyware software and cross your fingers that your PC did not get infected. If such an infection goes unnoticed, it can really screw with your computer system. You can keep your PC speedy and clean by installing and using legit antispyware or antivirus software as well as a good firewall to prevent unwanted downloads.

So, my advice to you, next time you’re in that shady part of town, lock your car doors, or your PC!

The Cost of Using a Free Antivirus

2009-03-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

There are many people who have the attitude that they will never pay for antivirus software, this attitude is seen all over security forums and blogs. But as the saying goes, “nothing in life is free”, and it stands true when it comes to free antivirus. Yes there are a few different antivirus solutions to choose from to name a few, AVG Antivirus Free Edition, Avast Home Edition, BitDefender Free Edition and there are others.

These free antivirus solutions may not cost anything as far as a license fee goes, but they cost when it comes to your PC’s performance. For the last few years AVG has been one of the leading free antivirus solutions, but is it really free? See the charts below:

These charts speak for themselves, AVG costs when it comes to PC performance. The way I see it is, you paid let's say $1,000 for your PC, printer, and other peripherals. The performance hit is an easy 20%. So that "free” antivirus is really costing you $200 in the long run.

It does not make much sense to pay for a new slick PC and then load it down with security software that makes it run like crap.

You owe it to yourself to switch to VIPRE for the best pc
performance – it's only $30 for an entire year of AV security and it’s the fastest AND one of the most effective antivirus software solutions around.

http://www.vipreantivirus.com/

Advanced Vista Optimizer 2008

2009-02-12T14:12:00.000-08:00

A Myspace friend messaged me recently, asking for advice, because his PC using Windows Vista is dramatically slower than his other PCs running Windows XP. I usually use XP and so I haven’t really had a chance to accurately compare the speed of the operating systems. I briefly used Vista on a laptop I had and didn’t have any difficulties, but at the same time, it was for such a short period that I couldn’t base anything upon that experience.

If you are having issues with Windows Vista, you could look into Advanced Vista Optimizer.

You can download the eval here:
http://www.wugnet.com/affiliates/default.asp?pageid=1498

Let me know what you think. If you like it and see your PC pick up in speed, it’s only $40.

You can also visit this site for a Vista users newsletter that has good tips and info:
http://www.vistanews.com

If all else fails you can beta Windows 7. :)

The Complete Directory of Rogue Antispyware

2009-02-03T09:25:00.001-08:00

What is rogue antispyware? It’s faux antispyware made to look like the real thing. It often gets into your computer through Trojans and malware. You may be totally unaware this has occurred until you get warning pop-ups that you’ve had an infection. Other times, the user installed it himself thinking it was legitimate antispyware not knowing how to differentiate between rogue antispyware and real, quality security software.

Rogue antispyware is designed, whether it was installed knowingly or unknowingly, to frighten the person into buying the “antispyware” to fix the “threats”.

Not only does the rogue antispyware scam you out of some money it actually harms the performance of your machine. Any of the following effects can be created after rogue antispyware has been installed on your machine:

• Visibly slow PC
• Constant pop up ads
• Internet browser redirecting spontaneously
• Limited to no internet connection
• Endless security warnings which look like actual Windows warnings

Possibly worst of all though, is the threat of losing personal data to the creators of this rogue software. This could be your credit card info, bank info and logins to secure sites you visit.

A new site was built to document all rogue antispyware, it says it provides a complete directory of rogue antispyware: http://rogueantispyware.blogspot.com

Bookmark it and refer back to if for new rogues. Always compare any new security software you are planning to download with this directory list to ensure it is not rogue. You don’t want to end up downloading the enemy!

Clean Out Your PC Like You Would Your Fridge

2009-01-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while you gotta clean out your PC just like you would your refrigerator. It’s important to clean out the old stuff that you’ve probably forgotten you even had. Even though software won’t get moldy like old cheese in your fridge, it can use up space and slow down your machine.

A lot of us download trial software and later realize it’s not what we wanted but forget about it. The other day, after downloading various programs that all pretty much did the same thing, I finally found the one I wanted. I went through about 5 different screen capture programs before I got one that let me capture a scrolling screen the way I wanted. Then I had to go back and remove the others, it was a bit of process. And in doing so, I noticed 3 other software trials that expired months ago that I also removed.

If you want to free up your PC’s disk space, keep up your maintenance on removing old programs that you no longer use or are now expired. This can include expired trials and software demos.

Use VIPRE to Speed Up Your PC and Stay Secure

2009-01-24T20:04:00.001-08:00

The main reason a PC user will surf the internet without antivirus and antispyware protection is due to the simple fact that most of these products significantly reduce their PC’s speed and performance. Having a slow PC can make any user want to tear their hair out and that’s why it’s become my personal goal to improve and at the same time protect PCs and find the best products out there for doing so.

I work for Sunbelt Software and so I tend to be a bit biased toward their products. But that also means that I work with these products all the time and know first hand how well they work. Some of the most thorough and effective PC security programs have been developed by the gifted group that I’m proud to call my colleagues. VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware is unique in that it protects yet does not slow down your computer like the majority of other products on the market today. I use VIPRE myself and I can tell you from my own experience how effective it is. Another great thing about it is that you can try a free, working 15-day trial without having to submit any credit card information. One thing I noticed was that with VIPRE, I could surf the internet without concern and with more than usual speed!

A lot of my friends tell me that they would never pay for software, especially antivirus and I understand the viewpoint of not paying for something you can get for free but coming from someone who knows, you just won’t find the protection that VIPRE provides in a free antivirus product.

A comparison was done between AVG and VIPRE which you can view here: http://www.vipreantivirus.com/avg-compare/. While using about half of the system resources that AVG does, VIPRE also beats free and paid versions of AVG in all other respects.

After trying the free 15-day trial you will no doubt see what I’m talking about and if you decide to purchase VIPRE for yourself you’ll be surprised that it’s pretty reasonably priced. It’s cost is less than that of Norton 2009, MacAfee Internet Security Suite, Nod32, Webroot Antivirus, Kaspersky Anti-virus, AVG Internet Security as well as the majority of other antivirus products. VIPRE sells for $29.95.

My product of the week for speeding up your PC is VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware.

I’m one of those people that doesn’t buy things without trying them first and I always keep my receipts because I don’t hesitate to return things to stores if I decide I don’t like them! That’s why if you’re looking for antivirus I’d recommend trying the trial first and then you can decide for yourself. What’s great about the 15-day period is if any viruses, malware or spyware are found, VIPRE will either quarantine them or remove them with no cost to you whatsoever. You’ll also be fully protected during the 15-day trial from malware, spyware, viruses, rootkits, Trojans and other infections.

Download a free 15-day trial of VIPRE here: http://www.vipreantivirus.com

Let me know what you think!

Do Your Spring Cleaning Early - Get Rid of Your PC Clutter!

2009-01-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

I helped out a friend of mine over the holidays with her laptop. She’d had it for several years and it was getting a little too slow. I defragged the hard drive and used the Disk Clean tool (both of which I explained in my two previous posts). Then I cleaned out her registry and installed VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware, and did a deep scan for viruses, malware and spyware that she may have picked up while using Mcafee before (just removing Mcafee sped up her laptop quite a bit). The VIPRE scan found two backdoor Trojans and a Trojan Downloader and several cookies. All of these were removed or quarantined.

As some of you already know I’m a technician for Sunbelt Software, and although that automatically makes me biased to a certain degree, I honestly feel that VIPRE is the best antivirus software for protecting your PC without slowing it down. Check out VIPRE if you’re looking for a quality antivirus or antispyware software that won’t break the bank and if you just want to try it out there’s a free 15-day working trial.

After I did all of the above on my friend’s laptop I had to delve into the clutter. She had 5 network connections, two of which she wasn’t using and were no longer working, so I removed them. Next, I looked at the printer and fax drivers. Out of 8 printer drivers she only needed two, one for work and one for home, so I removed the others.

There were also a lot of programs that she wasn’t aware she had or she never used, so I removed these too, there were about 5 of them altogether.

Finally we had to actually go through the files on her hard drive. This would be her My Documents and My Photos. She really had to take the time to do this herself and delete or archive anything she wouldn’t need to use again. After removing hundreds of photos and documents by deletion or onto an external “archive” hard drive, her laptop sped up considerably.

Although 90% of the time a slow PC is caused by malware and spyware, it is not always the case and taking some of the other actions I mentioned frequently enough can make a difference in your PC performance.

The Disk Clean Tool

2009-01-19T12:48:00.000-08:00

A good tool for speeding up your PC is the Disk Clean tool. It helps to provide more space on your hard drive and the more space you have the faster your computer runs!

The Disk Clean tool searches through the hard drive for any programs you never use, files in your recycle bin or temporary internet files and removes them to free up space. It will also look for any other files that can be removed safely and without damage.

Run the Disk Clean tool often to keep your PC speedy. This tool is installed on most PC’s as part of Windows standard tools.

For a guide on how to run this tool with your operating system click here to visit the Microsoft Support site.

How to Defrag Your Hard Drive

2009-01-19T12:10:00.000-08:00

If your PC seems to be running slow and you haven’t defragged your hard drive recently or ever, it might be time. If this is your first time defragging or you have an older PC, it can take quite a while to do this. Ideally you want to defrag your hard drive on a regular basis to keep it running efficiently.

What you will be using to defrag your hard drive is the Disk Defragmenter. This is a process which organizes the files on your PC. Whenever you move files around, uninstall software or delete files, these actions leave gaps, or empty spaces, in the data that’s saved on your hard drive. Then, when you try to open programs and files, your computer has to search for files to put together. The Disk Defragmenter tool organizes all the gaps so your computer can find files faster when you try to open files or programs.

It’s very simple to find out if your hard drive needs to be defragged, just open the Disk Defragmenter tool and click the “Analyze” button in Windows XP. This gives you a report to let you know if defragging is necessary. The Disk Defragmenter tool is always a good idea if your computer is running slowly.

Here are the steps to take for running the Disk Defragmenter in Windows XP:

1) Open the Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
2) Select or highlight your hard drive (usually this is the C Drive).
3) Click the “Defragment” button to start (this can take a while depending on the size of the hard drive).
4) A pop up message will let you know when defragging has been successfully completed.

You can then use your PC as usual and it should run a bit faster!

If you’d like to set your PC to automatically defrag in Windows XP, you can set up the Disk Defragmenter to defrag the hard drive monthly or every few months. Here are the steps to take for scheduling the Disk Defragmenter:

1) Open the Start Menu > Control Panel > Scheduled Tasks
2) Double click the Add Scheduled Task Folder
3) The Scheduled Task Wizard will open
4) Click the Next button
5) Scroll down the list of programs to find the Disk Defragmenter, highlight it and click the next button. If you don’t see the Disk Defragmenter you can click the browse button and navigate to the program. On my PC the Disk Defragmenter program is found here (c:\\WINDOWS\system32\dfrag.exe)
6) Choose how often you’d like the Disk Defragmenter to run and click the next button
7) Choose the time of day you’d like it to run and click the next button
8) Enter your username, password and confirm password that you use when you sign onto your PC and click the next button.
9) Click Finish

If you use Windows Vista, the Disk Defragmenter is automatically scheduled to run Wednesdays at 1AM.

If you want to change the schedule or to defrag your computer follow these steps:

1) Open the Start menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
2) Click Modify Schedule to change the scheduled defrag time
3) Click the Defragment Now button to defrag your PC now

It’s a good idea to run this program when your computer will be on but not in use. It can take quite some time for the process to finish so pick a time when you won’t need to be on your computer for a while.

Good luck in speeding up your PC!

Is One Browser Really Faster Than Another?

2009-01-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

If you were to remove any add-ons, widgets and plug-ins, is it possible to actually differentiate which browser is quicker than another? Today, when most internet users are using broadband of some sort, whether through cable, phone or satellite, I believe it’s really difficult to differentiate the faster web browser.

I tend to go between different browsers. Initially I was a loyal IE user, of course, but I was particularly attracted to Firefox because of its security features and tabbed browsing. Over the summer I was having a lot of problems with IE7 and coincidentally Chrome had just come out so it was a no brainer for me to test it out. I regularly go between IE, Firefox and Chrome, but Chrome is my default browser at the moment. There are different advantages to each. When I’m on StumbleUpon, I use IE because the toolbar doesn’t work in Chrome. Whenever I need to use some add-ons like the TinyURL Creator or the SeoQuake plug-in, I’ll switch to Firefox. I guess since I’m a PC man I rarely use Safari or Opera, they just seem so Mac. However, I will use them to checkout layout/programming issues on pages before posting anything to the web.

When selecting a browser I’m usually after convenience and what’s most secure and secondarily speed. But, speed is one of the things that every web browser seems to boast about; they all advertise that they are the fastest:

I did a bit of an experiment to test each browser’s speed and thought you may be interested in a table which compares them all. Below are: Internet Explorer 7, FireFox 3.0.2, Chrome, Opera 9.6 and Safari 3.1.

The basic process I took was to open each browser, clear the browsing history, cookies and temp files, disable all add-ons, plug-ins or toolbars and manually type in the address bar http://www.seesmic.com/. This is a site I visit often that consistently takes quite some time to load due to the flash.

Test 1
Opera – 12 seconds
Chrome – 11 seconds
Firefox – 10 seconds
Safari - 10 seconds
IE – 12 Seconds

Test 2
Opera – 17 seconds
Chrome – 14 seconds
Firefox – 10 seconds
Safari - 12 seconds
IE – 11 Seconds

Test 3
Opera – 10 seconds
Chrome – 11 seconds
Firefox – 12 seconds
Safari - 13 seconds
IE – 12 Seconds

Wow, it seems pretty pointless to determine which is fastest with such a close range of speeds. Obviously there are other variables here too. This is affected by my connection speed and the speed of the server the site is hosted on as well as the programming behind site, there are so many factors involved in how fast web pages load.

I guess I’m back to my first thought, they’re all too close to differentiate them based upon speed alone. Tell me what you think…..

2008's Top 10 Malware/Spyware Infections

2009-01-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

If you’re a PC User you can’t help but deal, on an almost daily basis, with the ongoing menace of malware or spyware infections. The majority of your time spent on the computer is most likely spent on the internet and with that comes the risk of contracting these dangerous PC “diseases”. It is necessary to take precautions to arm yourself against these threats and it is important to know what you can do and what you’re up against. Some simple steps you can take are installing antivirus, antispyware and antispam software as well as switching to the safest web browsers, being wary of which websites you visit and not opening attachments from unknown senders or sources.

According to Sunbelt Software, the below are the top ten most common malware and spyware infections of 2008.

1. Trojan-Downloader.Zlob.Media-Codec
Trojan-Downloader.Zlob.Media-Codec will frequently do silent downloads and install rogue security programs and in some cases install other malware as well.

2. Trojan.FakeAlert
Trojan.FakeAlert will display these false warnings if rogue security software is installed, generally by exploits, with the intent of using this as a scare tactic to motivate the user to buy the rogue software.

3. Virtumonde
Some variants of Virtumonde include the following Trojan-like characteristics: downloading other software without notice or consent, transferring information to remote servers without notice or consent and lowering system security on the infected computer. Some of these variants are resistant to removal.

4. ClickSpring.PuritySCAN
PurityScan provides the PC user's browsing history back to the vendor who provides ads catered to the user’s browsing habits which manifest as pop-ups on the desktop. It’s been known to install through security exploits and may bundle and/or download other adware applications. The EndUserLicenseAgreement (EULA) states that the vendor, ClickSpring LLC, may automatically uninstall, upgrade or update the company's software and in addition install other applications at any time without further notification.

5. Trojan.NewMediaCodec
Trojan.NewMediaCodec often claims to be a necessary upgrade to Windows Media Player to make viewing adult oriented videos on certain websites possible. What it actually does is downloads and installs additional malware on the user's PC.

6. Adware.NetAdware.Gen
Adware.NetAdware.Gen will also display false security notifications and warnings from the system tray in a balloon type pop-up. Sometimes it will download other malware to the infected machine. Via backdoor functionality, some variants give the remote attacker the capability of controlling and using the infected PC for malicious purposes.

7. Trojan-Downloader.braviax
Braviax is a Trojan which displays alarming alerts on the desktop notifying the user to alleged malware infections. These are intended for coercing users into purchasing rogue anti-malware applications that will clear the “infections”.

8. Backdoor.Rbot
This is a group of threats which can spread through security exploits, networks, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) servers and at times with other malware. After its installation, Rbot lets the attacker take control of a machine remotely and carry out various commands. The user's PC can then be used as a spam relay or to take part in a denial of service (DOS) attack. Different versions of the worm cam steal passwords and other data from the infected computer, decrease security settings and deactivate antivirus programs. Rbot variants are also known to steal game and application license keys. Later variants of Rbot may use the kernel-mode FU Rootkit to conceal itself from Windows and from the user.

9. Trojan.in-t-e-r-n-e-t
Trojan.in-t-e-r-n-e-t may be installed as a driver in the infected machine. It is generally installed through the use of exploits. Newer variants of Trojan.in-t-e-r-n-e-t send information to sites dealing with advertising and may be involved with click fraud.

10. Backdoor.SDBot
Depending on the variant, the SdBot can copy itself right into the Windows System Directory, or other directories within the Windows System Directory. By modifying “Run” keys in the registry, it positions itself in the Wondows startup. SdBot uses an IRC (Internet Relay Chat) to wait for other commands from the malicious attacker. From there, the attacker can remotely execute commands for many functions including cloning and updating the Sd Bot itself, deleting and/or downloading files, capturing the screen and/or keystrokes, logging and transmitting machine and user information, sending UDP and ICMP packets to remote computers, etc. SdBot can also disable the victim system’s antivirus software.

For those of you searching for a free tool for removing malware or spyware from your computer, VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware provides PC users with a free 15-day full trial. You will not be required to provide any credit card information for complete remediation. Any dangerous infections will be either removed or quarantined without any cost to you during the trial period. Try VIPRE Antivirus PLUS Antispyware software now!

It is a pretty safe bet that the number of malware and spyware threats will only become greater and more developed. A dependable firewall is becoming more vital to guard PC users against future variations of malware, spyware, rootkits, trojans, viruses and more. You can get a free version of the Sunbelt Personal Firewall here.

Have a cyber-safe 2009, free of malware/spyware!

Parker Conrad

2008-12-17T13:27:00.001-08:00

I'm Parker aka the "PC Speed Guru". I author several blogs about antivirus software and techniques and programs that help sluggish PC's run at optimal speed, which has become quite a hobby for me.

I have been around computers pretty much my whole life, my father worked for a large U.S. based PC hardware manufacturer which I guess influenced me to study computer engineering at the University of Miami.

I am 29 years old; I live with my loving family in Clearwater Beach, FL. By day I work as a technician for Sunbelt Software, by night I am the PC Speed Guru, a husband and a father to two princesses.

I love classic cars; I never miss a car show in the Tampa Bay area. I personally own a 1969 GTO and my latest toy is a brand new 2008 Suzuki GSX R750.

If you want to talk PC performance ... hit me up! pcspeedguru@gmail.com!

Hobbies and Interests:

Technology

Computers

PC Security

Antivirus Software

Classic Cars

Motorcycles

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Tags: PC speed guru, PC speed, Personal Computer, computers, performance optimization, PC performance optimization