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IN THIS ISSUE: 0. EDITORIAL: The Risks You Face Installing Unknown Programs 0.0 EDITORIALIn last month's editorial I cautioned readers against downloading and installing unknown programs. I warned in particular against downloading free search toolbars, internet accelerators, spyware cleaners and other attractive sounding freebies from pushy websites as these products are all too often packed with adware, spyware and worse. This prompted a lot of correspondence from readers. Many readers felt that I was cutting off one of their greatest internet pleasures; downloading and installing free programs. Others suggested that surely they could avoid infection by checking the downloaded programs with security products before installing them. Folks, I'm not suggesting you stop downloading programs. I'm just saying avoid unknown programs; stick instead to reputable programs from reputable sources of which there are many. Reputable sources include the top download sites like SnapFiles, MajorGeeks, No-Nags, ZDNet and FileForum as well as the top newsletters like the LangaList, Windows Secrets, my own and others. You can add to that reputable software websites like BetaNews and many, many software forums. The fact is that you have lots of choices for safe downloading. So many that there is no need at all to download unknown programs from unknown web sites. And as for scanning downloads to check for malware, I have some bad news. It may not help you much at all. An increasing amount of malware is distributed with the infected program file compressed and/or encrypted. That means that most anti-virus, anti-trojan and anti-spyware programs can't "see" the rogue product as it's hidden by the encryption. Hidden, too, are the characteristic "signatures" that allow the malware products to be positively identified. Malware programs like this can't be easily detected by simply scanning the file with an anti-virus program or other security product. Often such files scan just fine. They look safe but are actually loaded. It's true that these infected files can be detected when you actually install the program. That's because at some stage in the installation process the program files have to be unpacked and decrypted in order to run. At this point they reveal their true nature and can be identified and caught. However, this is often too late. Even if detected by your security program, your PC may have already been compromised. Even if it hasn't, you may be faced with an extensive and time consuming clean up job to remove all traces of the infection from your PC. Don't get me wrong; security software does a great job in protecting your PC. It is just imperfect. When you deliberately install an unknown program on your PC, you are giving that program carte blanche to do what it wants. It's not like the program is trying to sneak onto your PC; you are giving it full permission to install. Expecting your security software to protect you in this situation is too much to ask. It may, indeed it probably will, but you cannot depend on it. A couple of years ago I remember reading the case of a guy who shot himself dead. He'd just bought a new bullet-proof vest and decided to test it by discharging his double barrel shotgun towards his heart. While his death may have been regrettable, the fact is that what he was doing was plain dumb. Installing unknown programs from unknown sources on your PC and expecting your security software to protect you is much the same. When you visit an unknown website and are offered some attractive piece of software you must discipline yourself to resist. I know it's hard but it's unlikely the program will deliver on the promise and all too likely it will deliver something very unwanted to your PC. Just think about the guy with the bullet proof vest. That may help you resist temptation. ;>) See you next month. Gizmo PS This month I'm giving away six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32 plus lots of Google GMail invites. For details, keep reading. Support Alert relies on to survive. If you feel that you've benefited from reading this newsletter perhaps you would like to consider donating by subscribing to the premium "Supporters' Edition" of this newsletter. The Premium SE Edition contains almost twice the number of great tech sites, free utilities, tips and other content as the free edition. It's also ad-free. You'll also get immediate access to the archive of all past issues of the Premium Supporters' Edition of the newsletter where you can catch up on the hundreds of great utilities you missed in the free edition. The SE Edition is a great deal and at $10 per year it's a bargain. This month I'm giving away to new subscribers, six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32. NOD32 is a brilliant program for protecting your PC yet it only consumes a modest amount of your computing resources. That's why I use it on my key work computers. At $39 it's good value but it's even better value when you can get it for free. The six copies I'm giving away will be allocated at random but your chances of scoring one are actually quite good. So if you have been thinking of subscribing, now's the time. I'm also giving away invites to Google Gmail to new SE subscribers. Last month everyone who wanted one got one and I expect the same to happen this month. Just email me at editor@techsupportalert.com after subscribing to the Premium SE Edition and I'll send your invitation. Even if you don't win anything you'll still get my special report "Gizmo's Desert Island Utilities" which outlines the software I use myself, including many free products. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PREMIUM SE EDITION 12 months subscription to the Supporters' Edition costs $10 which can be made by check or credit card using either ClickBank or PayPal or simply send cash. Use
the link below to subscribe now: 1.0 TOP TECH SITES AND RESOURCES1.1 HTML Version of This Newsletter Now AvailableDuring
this past month, I sent all subscribers an email with
instructions on how to change from the plain text version of
this newsletter to the new HTML version if they so wished. If
you missed that email and want to change then click the link
below. If you are not sure what version you want then still
click the link and you will be able to see both versions and
decide accordingly. If you have already requested the HTML
edition but are still getting the plain text edition then you
probably entered your subscription email address incorrectly. I
suggest you try again but make sure you verify your correct
subscription email address as outlined in the instructions
here: 1.2 Google Personalized Homepage Launched, GMail for AllGoogle
personalized homepage [1] gives you the news, weather and
stock information you want plus online bookmarks, GMail
notification, search history and much more. You can even drag
and drop the screen panels to get the layout that suits you.
Another new development at Goggle is the opening up of the
previously invitation-only GMail service. Anyone with a USA-
based cell phone can now get an account [2]. 1.3 Windows XP Myths ExposedThis
is a well researched list that debunks dozens of commonly
held Windows beliefs such as "Periodically cleaning the pre-
fetch folder speeds up boot time." While visiting, check out
other sections of the site; they are first class. 1.4 Good Malware Prevention and Removal SiteHere
you can find excellent advice on how to configure your
system to reduce the chance of spyware infection plus detailed
information how to remove an existing infection. Most of this
information is available elsewhere but the site owner Shanmuga
has done an excellent job compiling the information and making
it accessible. Well worth visiting and bookmarking.
1.5 Downloadable Collection of Firefox ExtensionsThis
site run by Dan W. offers a selection of 26 "best" Firefox
extensions in a single download. I agree with most, though not
all of Dan's selections but overall it's one of the best lists
around. This site is a great time saver for those who don't want
to wade through the 600+ extensions now available. 1.6 Everthing You Wanted to Know About CookiesWell
not quite everything. This site covers the basics pretty
well, has an excellent FAQ and gives good guidance on cookie
removal but there's not much on the curly issues such as setting
cookie management policies. ** Additional Items in the Premium SE Edition ** 1.7 Wizard Chooses the Best Linux Distro for You1.8 Free Stock Photos for Private and Commercial Use 1.9 Free Photoshop Video Tutorials 1.10 Free Knoppix Book and Linux Training Courses Got
some great tech sites to suggest? Send them to:
editor@techsupportalert.com 2.0 TOP FREEWARE AND SHAREWARE UTILITIES2.1 Free Anti-Virus Program ShinesI've
been giving AntiVir "Personal Edition Classic" a thorough
testing and have come away most impressed. There's no doubt this
baby has first rate detection; a tad better in fact than the two
other main popular anti-virus programs AVG and Avast. However,
it's also got some glaring weaknesses. First, the free version
has no email scanning. Second, it seems to take a fair time for
the latest threats to be added to the signature file updates.
Finally, its ability to pick up variants of existing viruses
using heuristics appears to be somewhat limited. The lack of
email scanning alone precludes general recommendation, however,
I think that AntiVir makes an excellent backup scanner to your
existing anti-virus product. Normally it's not a great idea to
run two AV products at the same time but that should not be a
problem with AntiVir. That's because during installation it
gives you option of disabling the real-time memory monitor. Turn
that off and you should be conflict free. I tried it with
NOD32, AVG, Avast and Ewido with no conflicts but it's still
possible it may conflict with other products. If so, boot in
Safe Mode and uninstall it. Once you've set up AntiVir give
your PC a full scan and then repeat weekly. Don't be surprised
if it finds some malware missed by your other security products.
7.2MB. 2.2 Free Utility Minimizes Windows Apps to the System TrayI've
mentioned in the past a couple of programs that allow you
to do this but I must say TrayIt! impressed me with its
combination of simplicity and effectiveness. First, it requires
no installation; just double click the program file and it's up
and running. Second, it can minimize open windows to the tray
either temporarily or permanently with just one click. Third, it
handles "difficult" windows such as skins, with ease. Fourth, it
works with all versions of Windows. Fifth, it's a tiny 45KB!
Finally, it's free. A little gem. 2.3 Identify Any Changes to Your PCThe
web description says it all: "SystemSherlock Lite is a free
command line utility designed to analyze changes made to the
registry and file system on your Windows workstation.
SystemSherlock Lite saves an image of the registry and all your
files and folders. Later on - for example after installing some
software - you can analyze in detail what changes have been made
to your system. You will find out exactly which registry entries
and files have been created, deleted or modified. Very useful to
monitor program installations or to keep track of which files
and registry keys are tampered with over time. Uninstalling
trojans, spyware, viruses and keyloggers is an easy task when
you know what modifications the software made to your
computer." Well, I wouldn't say removing malware is ever an
"easy task" but this product sure makes it easier.
SystemSherlock is an excellent tool for experienced users.
Donationware, all windows versions, 179KB. 2.4 New from Google: Desktop Search V2 and Google TalkMany
of you will now be aware that Google is now offering a beta
of version 2 of their free desktop search program. The latest
version has a novel sidebar which, according to Google, "shows
you your new email, weather and stock information, personalized
news and RSS/Atom feeds, and more." Also new is a desktop find-
as-you-type search box, personalized search, an application
launcher, a new Outlook toolbar and the ability to search your
Gmail offline. After using it for a week I'm impressed with the
integrated desktop/GMail search and the search personalization
but found the sidebar more intrusive than helpful. On balance,
Google is now level pegging with Yahoo for the best free desktop
search utility though I still prefer the way search results are
presented in Yahoo DTS. Also new from Google is Google Talk, a
free IM client that's based on the open Jabber XMPP IM protocol.
The client is easy to use and effective but not yet as full-
featured as competitive clients. However, in one area it shines:
its VoIP implementation is the best available with exceptional
voice quality and notable lack of delay. This alone will
convince many IM users to switch. I've long speculated that
Google will one day offer users a free browser-based operating
system providing users with all the web-based applications they
need. These latest releases only reinforce this belief.
2.5 One Firefox Tab Extension to Rule Them AllFirefox's
tabbed browsing is wonderful but the base browser
provides limited control over how the tabs work. There are
several free extensions available that offer more tab
functionality but none gives full control. That's why, until
recently, I used three tab extensions to get what I wanted:
TabBrowser Preferences, Tab Clicking Options and UndoCloseTab.
Following a suggestion from regular contributor Leib Moscovitz,
I've replaced all three with just one that does pretty well the
same thing as the other three combined. It's called Tab Mix
Plus. It's a must-have for all Firefox users. ** Additional Items in the Premium SE Edition ** 2.6 Free Memory Testing UtilityGot
some top utilities to suggest? Send them to 3.0 SECURITY PATCHES, SERVICE RELEASES AND UPDATES3.1 Microsoft Security NewsThis
month Microsoft cancelled its regular batch of security
patches due to "quality control problems." This only further
delays long overdue fixes to numerous outstanding 3.2 New Flaw in Mozilla and Firefox FixedOn
September 6, a serious security vulnerability affecting all
versions of Mozilla Firefox and the Mozilla Suite was reported
to Mozilla. The problem which affects even the most recent
versions of Firefox and Mozilla could be exploited using a
specially crafted long URL consisting entirely of dashes.
Firefox and Mozilla could then be made to execute the attacker's
code of choice. Mozilla responded quickly with a patch and have
just today released a new updated version 1.07 that totally
eliminates the flaw. The new version includes other security
patches and some stability enhancements so all users are advised
to update ASAP. 3.3 Spyware Scanners Come Under FireIn
last month's issue I mentioned that anti-spyware vendors were
being pressurized by some purveyors of spyware to remove their
products from detection lists or have them re-classified to a
more innocuous category. I mentioned that Sunbelt Software, the
maker of CounterSpy has succumbed to this pressure. This drew a
response from Alex Eckelberry, the CEO of Sunbelt, who wrote
clarifying the situation. Here's part of his response. "We
DIDN'T buckle to WhenU's attempts to get de-listed. The
situation was incredibly misunderstood, in large part because I
went on a long-planned vacation immediately after it was
announced and wasn't available to explain what had happened to
the anti-spyware community. You can see my response to Broadband
reports here: I've reviewed all the material and accept Alex's explanation. However, this issue of legal pressure from spyware vendors is not going to go away. I sympathize with makers of anti-spyware products; they are going to have some tough days ahead. 3.4 Opera Browser Now FreeOpera
V8.5 has just been released and is now ad-free. They have
also removed Java from the installation package and Opera will
now use the Java package on your PC. This greatly reduces the
download size. Opera is a great browser and a viable alternative
to Firefox. Well worth trying. ----------------- sponsored links ----------------------- The
Best Windows Backup Software The
Best SpyWare Detector The
Best Remote Access Software
The Best Anti-trojan Scanner ------------- end of sponsored links -------------------------- 4.0 OTHER USEFUL STUFF4.1 Digital Spy Camera in a Zippo CaseThis
is way cool; it's even flip top just like a real Zippo! It
takes around 300 shots, has a surveillance mode where it shoots
continuously at preset intervals and will also record video.
Around $79. 4.2 A Complete PC on a Flash driveIt
had to happen: a flash drive containing a bootable version of
Linux 2.6 with Gnome, a complete version of OpenOffice, Firefox
browser, PDF viewer, GAIM instant messenger, automatic network
configuration and more. It even includes a boot CD for PCs with
no BIOS USB boot support. The FingerGear "Computer-on-a-stick"
starts from $149. 4.3 Use Google to Work Out the Length of a Trail or CircuitThanks
to subscriber Matt Bond for suggesting this site where
you can use Google Maps to determine the distance of your
running circuit, biking loop or, indeed, any defined trail.
4.4 Complete Waste of Time DepartmentMore
flash sites to provide you with a momentary diversion from
whatever you are really supposed to be doing. ** Additional Items in the Premium SE Edition ** 4.5 Why You Should Hold Off Buying a Flash Drive4.6 Cars with the Best and Worst Fuel Economy 4.7 How to Make Anyone Look Beautiful With Photoshop
4.8 Free PDA Fits in Any Pocket
5.0 TIP OF THE MONTH5.1 How to Speed-Up FirefoxFirefox may be faster than Internet Explorer for surfing but it sure takes a lot longer to start up. In issue 118 I showed how you can make Firefox load faster by compressing the Firefox installation folder. However that technique involved using a UPX packer, which is a bit daunting for many users. Here are two simpler speed-up techniques that make use of free Firefox extensions: The main reason Internet Explorer loads faster than Firefox is that several of the key modules it uses are pre-loaded into memory when Windows starts. This makes Windows load a little slower but that's a small price to pay for having IE start up quickly every time you use it. However, the same technique can be used with Firefox. In fact, there's a Firefox extension that does just that. The extension is called Firefox Preloader, an open source utility that pre-loads parts of Firefox into memory at Windows startup. It works well; on my PC, Firefox now loads just about as fast as Internet Explorer. http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffpreloader/ But there's another option. Rather than close Firefox, why not always keep it open by minimizing it rather than shutting it down? That way it is always available for instant loading. The problem with minimizing is that it takes up a fair chunk of your task bar real estate. A much preferable approach is to minimize it to an icon in the system notification area. Firefox does not provide this option but there is an extension that does. It's called MinimizeToTray and you can get it for free from here: http://minimizetotray.mozdev.org/ MinimizeToTray works for Thunderbird, Mozilla Suite and Nvu as well as Firefox and provides quick access to many of Firefox and Thunderbird's most used features via the right click context menu. Minimizing Firefox has another advantage: it frees up unused memory every time it is minimized. Not a bad thing as Firefox does tend to eat up memory with continuous use. 6.0 FREEBIE OF THE MONTH6.1 Best Free Disk DefraggerMy
top recommendation here is Diskeeper Lite [1], an older, free
version of Executive Software's current commercial Diskeeper
product. It works very well indeed but I've had a few complaints
from subscribers about the annoying nag screen in the Lite
version. I have no magic fix for this but there are other free
defraggers worth considering. SysInternals, for example, offers
"Contig" [2], a robust, free, command line utility which defrags
one file at a time. It's a pain to use but eXcessive software
has built an excellent user interface [3] for Contig that turns
it into a thoroughly usable product. Also to be considered is
"BuzzSaw" [4], a real-time defragger that works away in the
background to ensure your files are always defragged. Personally
I think this is overkill and not as effective as a total disk
defrag. To this end, the folks who wrote BuzzSaw offer another
utility, "DirMS" [4], that does a full defrag. This can be used
periodically in concert with BuzzSaw to provide excellent
defragmentation. It can be used alone though the free version is
a command line utility that's not very user friendly. Many
thanks to subscriber Chris Morgan who told me about "AutoIt
3"[5], a free utility that provides a graphic free interface for
DirMS. It works very well indeed though note that it requires
version 1.2.20 of DirMS. All products here are for Windows NT
and later. **
Bonus Freebie in the Premium SE Edition ** 6.2 Best Free Folder Synchronization UtilityI've looked at a lot of folder synchronization programs but few have impressed as much as this freebie. It may even be the best product in its class regardless of price. This program is more than a syncing program; it can copy, move, rename, and delete files between any number of folders and even computers. The program operates on the principal of pre-defined folder pairs. You define and name these pairs and then when you want to perform a sync or other task, you recall one of these pairs and carry out the operation. Syncing can be in either direction and covers all options from complete sync to updating newer files only. The handling of files with changed file names is exceptional as is the backup of overwritten files. Overall, everything you ever wanted in a sync utility. ...
full details in the Premium SE Edition of this newsletter. GET THE PREMIUM "SE" EDITION NOW Stop missing out on all this extra information! Subscribe now to the premium "SE" Edition of this newsletter and immediately receive the current issue containing nearly double the information contained in this free edition. Get twice as many great web sites, get twice as many top utilities and great freebies. It's also ad-free. You'll also get immediate access to the archive of all past issues of the Premium Supporters' Edition of the newsletter where you can catch up on the hundreds of great utilities you missed in the free edition. The SE Edition is a great deal and at $10 per year it's a bargain. Use
this link to subscribe online now: This month I'm giving away to new subscribers, six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32. NOD32 is a brilliant program for protecting your PC yet it only consumes a modest amount of your computing resources. That's why I use it on my key work computers. At $39 it's good value but it's even better value when you can get it for free. The six copies I'm giving away will be allocated at random but your chances of scoring one are actually quite good. So if you have been thinking of subscribing, now's the time. I'm also giving away invites to Google Gmail to new SE subscribers. Last month everyone who wanted one got one and I expect the same to happen this month. Just email me at editor@techsupportalert.com after subscribing to the Premium SE Edition and I'll send your invitation. Even
if you don't win anything you'll still get my special
report "Gizmo's Desert Island Utilities" which outlines the
software I use myself, including many free products.
Use the link below to subscribe now: 7.0 MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONSupport Alert is a free newsletter. If you liked this issue why not email it to a friend. Anyone can subscribe by signing up online at Back Issues If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter just go to To change your delivery email address go to For lots more free IT newsletters see Thanks to subscriber A. Belile for proofreading this issue. You can contact this newsletter by snail mail at: Support Alert is a registered online serial publication ISSN 1448-7020. Content of this newsletter is (c) Copyright TechSupportAlert.com, 2005 See you next issue Gizmo |
