Category: Anti-malware

Boost Windows Security With EMET 3.0

Thanks to John Tomic for this tip. While Microsoft does a reasonable job keeping on top of the various security vulnerabilities found in its software your system will still be exposed to threats between the time they are identified (if at all) and the time when the patch is successfully installed. Like insurance, it can …

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Microsoft Security Essentials Levels Up

Just a quick note for those Windows users out there using Microsoft Security Essentials. The latest version has recently been released and hopefully Windows Update has notified/nagged you to upgrade it to Version 4.0.1526.0. It still retains the same simple interface that many people have come to appreciate and will remain quiet until it finds …

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Antivirus Software is a Potential Preventative Measure, Not a Cure

This might polarise the audience a bit but I just wanted to expand on my thoughts in this earlier article. In that article, I noted the only 100% effective solution to cure an infected computer is to format and reinstall or restore from a known good backup. Today, I tried and tried unsuccessfully to eradicate a trojan from …

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Microsoft Security Essential Beta – Testing Underway

Just a short update tonight. I’ve installed the recent beta of the upcoming version of Microsoft Security Essentials (Version 4.0.1111.0) to see how it performs and how different it is to prior versions. The upgrade only took a minute and I am setting it off on a scan to assess its speed. No major red …

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Upcoming Beta of Microsoft Security Essentials

Looks like Microsoft are prepping a new major release of the popular Security Essentials package by enlisting a stack of beta testers prior to the final version going out. Amongst existing features, it’s expected that new feature will include automatic malware removal (removing the requirement for user interaction) plus enhanced performance and protection capabilities. At …

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Microsoft Releases a New Portable Antivirus

Microsoft Safety Scanner - Scan Results Screen

Sometimes it can be hard getting an antivirus to install on an infected machine especially when malware is making it difficult to use an internet connection. I have covered other tools such as MalwareBytes in the past but I thought a new tool released by Microsoft was worth a mention. The Microsoft Safety Scanner is …

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Upgrade to Microsoft Security Essentials Version 2.0

Microsoft Security Essentials - Manually Check for Software Updates

Quick tip for this evening. An update to Microsoft Security Essentials was released by Microsoft on 16 December, 2010 which saw the version number increment up to Version 2.0. This was after the second Tuesday of the month (AKA “Patch Tuesday”) where Microsoft releases patches and upgrades for its software through Windows Update. This meant …

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Microsoft Allows Small Business Use of Security Essentials

Another quick one for this evening. Microsoft has changed its position on the usage of its Security Essentials software inside small businesses whereby it used to be prohibited under the End User License Agreement. Technically, there was nothing stopping small businesses (or anyone for that matter) from installing the software on a compatible computer, just …

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Intel Buys McAfee… But Why?

Just a quick one for tonight. A few days ago, it was announced that Intel had bought McAfee for under $8 billion. McAfee was not in any financial trouble despite sending out an update to its antivirus software that rendered computers inoperable when a critical system file was quarantined. The question here is what is …

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Manage Internet Access with OpenDNS

These days, parents and small businesses can find it difficult to make sure internet access is being used responsibly not to mention the potential security implications for visiting unknown websites on a frequent basis. The incumbent Federal Government put its web filter strategy on ice in the lead up to the election and still appears …

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