Security Notices and Other Information

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Update: February 7, 2010

I received an email link in my email this morning and hope that you all read it as it is the biggest thing to happen to Windows based PC computers since the first virus infected a computer. Read this link and then read what happened to a friend in Florida below.

Here's the link: http://redtape.msnbc.com/2010/01/turning-hijacked-computers-into-cash-is-still-hard-work-for-most-computer-criminals-theyve-got-to-trick-the-infected-pc-into.html

Get Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware from http://www.download.com as detailed here in my blog in the Maintenance Programs section. If you get hit with this rogueware or ransomware software as mentioned in the link above you can at least go into Safe Mode with your computer and run the Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware program with a Full Scan. Then after you reboot normally into Windows you can see if you can update the Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware program with an online connection and do another Full Scan. This has helped two friends already caught by this scam. Please make a note of this for yourself, it may prove helpful later. Get the Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware program installed and have some protection you can fall back on if you do get hit with this scam. To learn how to boot up your computer in safe mode I found the following link that explains it from Windows 95 up to the current Windows 7. I use the F8 Method of tapping the F8 Key on the keyboard while the computer is booting up.

Here's the link: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial61.html

Another website that explains basically the same thing from Microsoft is:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Update January 26, 2010.

I received a call the other morning from a friend in South Florida about a pop-up that was opened and warned of infections on his computer of which there were possibly none and this popup has caused a serious problem with his laptop. For all you PC users please do not open ANY pop-ups that say that your computer is infected and then prompt you to scan your computer. DO NOT fall into this scam. Once you start the scanning it will display numerous infections, but will state it will not remove them until you purchase the program. In reality, the scan results it detects are mostly fake and do not actually exist on your computer. These pop ups then take over and disable your computer and some of them allow you to only connect to their website to try obtain monies from you to make you believe that you will fix the problem and be able to surf the web again, but in reality don't fix anything. So please do not open any pop up windows that say your computer is infected with viruses, trojans, etc. unless it is your trusted and known Anti-virus or Security Suite Software that you have personally installed on your computer. These pop-ups come in a variety of software names and falsely promise to fix a problem or problems on your computer. When not sure it's best to close these pop-ups and not proceed.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Check out website http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Every day is a free software give away! You have to download and install it that day though. The download comes with a ReadMe file which will give you the key to activate the software. Sometimes you'll have to read the viewer's comments for information on installing the software. I came across this website from friend in Clearwater, FL. Every day is a free giveaway, so if there is something good that you might enjoy or have wanted for some time this website is for you! Of interest is the reader's comments, which could lead to something even more beneficial than the giveaway of the day. I generally wait until later in the day to read more of the readers' comments and learn more from them before I make a decision about the giveaway of the day. Share it with your Windows based PC friends.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************