Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
January 27, 2008

Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter
http://www.terryscomputertips.com
A computer tips newsletter for users of PC's.

Volume 3, Number 33 — Sunday, January 27, 2008

Sponsored Advertisement

Scan and Repair Your Windows Registry with XP Repair Pro

With XP Repair Pro you can safely clean, repair and optimize your
Windows Registry with a few simple mouse clicks! Automated System
Restore Point Creation allows these changes to be restored to
their original condition. Automated Repair Capabilities, too.
Click here to try XP Repair Pro

 

IN THIS WEEK'S ON-LINE ISSUE:
   1.   A Look Inside Secunia Software Inspector
   2.   Updates Last Week
   3.   My Computer Security Software Recommendations
   4.   Recommend my Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter to Your Friends

Welcome to the on-line edition of my Terry's Computer Tips newsletter.

My emailed newsletter is sent weekly to individuals who have subscribed to the newsletter. Click here to subscribe. It's free!

1.  A Look Inside Secunia Software Inspector

I've found a great tool that examines my computer to make sure that it has the latest updates of the most common software packages — not all the updates, but the security updates for the versions I'm runninng.

It's called Secunia Software Inspector, from the Danish security firm Secunia (www.secunia.com).

Secunia offers three versions of its software inspectors:

• Secunia Software Inspector — scan on-line (free)
• Secunia PSI — download version for personal use (free)
• Secunia Network Software Inspector — the full-featured product.

Quoting Secunia's FAQ:

# What's the difference between the Secunia PSI and the Secunia Software Inspector (the online version)?

The Secunia Software Inspector identifies about 40 of the most common applications, while the Secunia PSI can identify over 4,200. In addition, the Software Inspector is run using the web browser, while the Secunia PSI is downloaded and installed.

I decided to try the online scan version " Secunia Software Inspector." In the first image below, we see several important points.

First, that a default inspection normally lasts between 5 and 40 seconds. Second, I selected the "Enable thorough system inspection" option. Third, the scan took 11 minutes and 40 seconds.

Secunia Software Inspector found two problems for me that I needed to fix. The first, in the left-hand image, was the version of Adobe Reader that I had installed (it's updated now).

When Adobe Reader 8 came out, I upgraded to it immediately. Then, I started to have problems where it hung my computer at 100% CPU use for minutes at a time (like 30 minutes, until I powered the computer off!). Once I realized the link between Adobe Reader 8 and the problem, I quickly uninstalled v8 and reinstalled v7. But, since then, Adobe released an update to v7 that fixed a security problem with it. Now, I've updated to Adobe Reader 7.0.9.

The other security update I was missing was Opera 9.25, shown in the right-hand image. This one is embarassing! Each week in my on-line newsletter, I note the updates and upgrades to some specific programs, including Opera. I knew that v9.25 was released and was a security fix, but I still hadn't installed it. I have now.

(click on the image for a larger version)

(click on the image for a larger version)

Back in the starting screen (the first image), I put a checkmark in the box that told SSI to do a thorough system inspection - to look in non-default locations for the programs...and it did.

In the next image, we see that it found an old version of QuickTime that I had left intentionally on the system. I had changed the directory name so that it could not be found in the normal location. SSI found it in the renamed directory — and warned me that the version was insecure. Then, it told me what to do to get the patch.

Similarly, the Java 1.5 version that was identified in the last image was an old version in a renamed directory. After the test, I removed it.

(click on the image for a larger version)

(click on the image for a larger version)

After doing the thorough system scan, I reran the scan without as a normal, default scan. It took 1 minute and 13 seconds. It found the Adobe Reader 7.0.8.218 version security issue and it found the Opera 9.23 version issue.

Since the other security issues were tests that I had left (programs whose directories had been renamed), the software inspector missed them as it should have done.

My final steps are to delete the renamed directories (the programs were already uninstalled, but I had saved the files for testing) and to install Adobe Reader 7.0.9 and Opera 9.24.

Give the Secunia Software Inspector online version a chance to help you, too.

Next, I'm going to try the download version that checks many, many more programs.

 

2.  Updates Last Week

Microsoft (operating systems, email, web browser, office suites):
Microsoft releases almost all updates once per month, on the second Tuesday. This week did not include Patch Tuesday. However, Microsoft sent the following patch

Microsoft Windows XP

Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 (KB110806)
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 provides cumulative roll-up updates for customer reported issues found after the release of Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. In addition, this release provides security improvements, and prerequisite feature support for .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 1, and .NET Framework 3.5. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

Firefox (web browser, http://www.mozilla.com, free):
No new version. Version 2.0.0.11 was released on Friday, November 30, 2007. This was a stabilityi update to correct a problem that was found in the previous release, Firefox 2.0.0.10.

Opera (web browser, http://www.opera.com, free):
No new version this week. Version 9.25 was released on December 19th. This release is a recommended security upgrade.

Opera 9.50 beta 1 became available on October 25th. Based on the changelog, there are a lot of changes coming to Opera. But, beware, if you're using OperaMail, this is a one-way upgrade as it will change your mail storage system.

Netscape (web browser, http://browser.netscape.com, free):
No new version this week. Version 9.0.0.5 was released during the week ending December 15th. The new release includes security fixes that were included in Firefox 2.0.0.11. According to an Associated Press news article on Yahoo!, AOL has decided to stop any further development and security fixes on Netscape as of February 1, 2008.

SeaMonkey (web browser, email, HTML editor, newsreader; http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey; free): No new version this week. Version 1.1.7 was released during the week ending December 1, 2007. This update includes security and stability fixes.

Eudora (email, http://www.eudora.com):
No update last week. Version 7.1.0.9 was released October 11, 2006. Eudora is now free, with no ads and no "paid mode" option.

The second public beta version of v8 (v8.0.0.b2) was released and is now available from http://wiki.mozilla.org/Eudora_Releases .

Mozilla Thunderbird (email, http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird, free):
No new version this week. Thunderbird version 2.0.0.9 was released on November 14, 2007. This is primarily a security update.

OpenOffice (office suite — spreadsheet, word processor, presentations, graphics, web design; http://www.openoffice.org; free): New Version! Version 2.3.1 was released during the week ending December 8th. According to the Release Notes, this version does not include any new features. It is a security bug fix.

Sponsored Advertisement

CounterSpy Anti-Spyware/Anti-Adware

Constant-running protection AND periodic scans, too.
Download your free 15-day full-function trial..
Discounts for multiple computers & multiple years!
Try CounterSpy for Free

3.  My Computer Security Software Recommendations

Anti-Virus

I'm often asked about several other popular anti-virus or anti-virus combination packages. Yes, I realize that they are not in my recommendation list. "Enough said..."

My personal choice is the ESET's small, fast NOD32 anti-virus program, which offers a FREE 30-day evaluation license. I consider NOD32 to be the cream of the crop in anti-virus protection. Unlike some of the others, ESET offers multiple-year licenses also, including updates to the program in the multiple-year license.

Many antivirus programs will offer you an anti-virus signature subscription renewal when your subscription renews. I strongly recommend against this option. Vendors routinely improve the capabilities and speed fo the programs also.

If you update only the signatures, you miss any program improvements. Fortunately, NOD32's subscriptions include both program updates and signature updates.

Read more about anti-virus programs on my web site.

Related articles:

• Anti-Virus Programs and Online Scanners
• Free Online Antivirus Scan
• NOD32 Anti-Virus Review - A Look at NOD32

Firewall Software

While the Windows XP firewall is much better than no firewall at all, don't count on the Windows XP firewall to meet your needs. You need a two-way firewall, which the Windows XP firewall is not!.

The Windows XP firewall does not control outbound communications originating from your computer — and you should want to have control if adware/trojans/spyware or even commercial products want to talk to the Internet.

Do you want Windows Media Player to call home every time you play something? It does! Do you use the Search function in Windows Explorer to find things on your hard drive? Did you know that every time you search, Windows Explorer talks to Microsoft — I didn't know that when I ran ZoneAlarm, but the Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall flags that for me, and I can stop or allow it to happen.

Many other programs call home when you run them, too.

If you don't get either of the above multi-function packages, I recommend my choice for a firewall program is Sunbelt Personal Firewall.

You can try the full-featured "paid version" of Sunbelt Personal Firewall free for 30 days — after that, you can register it or, if you're using it on a home non-business computer, you can let it revert to the free, lesser-function license. Sunbelt Personal Firewall is $19.95 (with discounts for multiple computers!) for a non-expiring license for the program and includes one year of their updates subscription.

Related articles:

• The Internet Versus You
• Do I Need a Firewall Program?
• Sunbelt Personal Firewall Review

Anti-Spyware / Anti-Adware Software

CounterSpy, from Sunbelt Software, has received many kudos from the computer press for its always-running and periodic full system scans. It is also my personal choice for my PC's and my family's PC's.

Sunbelt released their CounterSpy v2 in early February and I promptly updated my computers to it. Version 2 greatly improved CounterSpy's performance and reduced its load on the computer when it was scanning.

Recently (late July, 2007), Sunbelt released v2.5 of CounterSpy, which again both improved CounterSpy's performance against malware and reduced its impact on system resources and responsiveness when its scanning.

Related articles:

• Fighting Against Spyware & Malware
• CounterSpy Review

Anti-spam Software

In today's Internet world, the question is not "if" you will get spam, but "how much will you get?"

I use and now I recommend POPFile as my first choice for handling spam. POPFile sits on your computer, between your email program and your ISP mailbox, and handles emial as it downloads.

POPFile uses a different approach to handle spam than some other programs do — it does nothing to reduce spam. It is designed as an email classification tool — you train it to recognize spam and any other type of email that you want to classify. These classifications can help you sort your emails into appropriate folders in your email program.

Sunbelt Software, who makes the anti-spyware program CounterSpy (which I use and recommend) and the firewall that I use and recommend (Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall) also has a well-regarded, award-winning anti-spam program called iHateSpam for Outlook and Outlook Express. Since I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express for email, I haven't tried iHateSpam.

Mailwasher Pro is my first choice to handle spam before it ever gets into your computer's Inbox. Mailwasher Pro uses on-line Realtime Black Lists mail servers sending spam recently, "training" by you of what you think is spam, and your own "friends" and "blacklist" lists.

Mailwasher Pro can even bounce spam messages, as if your email address was not valid, although the usefulness and appropriateness of this is questionable. There is a free version called "Mailwasher," but it omits the functions that I consider critical for this purpose -- such as safely previewing the emails safely before they ever get to your email inbox.

Cable/DSL Router

If you have a cable modem or a DSL modem, you need to have another layer of inexpensive protection between you and the Internet. A cable/DSL router isolates your computer from direct connection to the Internet. Your computer can easily request your email, web pages, etc. through the router. The responses come back to the router and are smoothly routed to your computer. But, someone on the Internet side of the router can not initiate a connection to your computer — they can only respond to your request.

Even if you only have one computer to connect to your cable or DSL modem, I recommend that you purchase and use a cable/DSL router because of the protection it can give you against attempts to attack through some flaws in Windows itself.

A router isolates your local network, whether it is only one computer or several, from the Internet by actually making it a separate network. The router gets the "public" IP address and handles all your outbound communications and the responses to them. But, it blocks computers on the Internet side from being able to initiate communications with your computer! This will prevent you from falling prey to many worms that try to attack security holes in Windows itself.

For a wireless router, I recommend the Linksys WRT54G wireless router. I'm using the relatively new version 6 of this router.

If you don't want wireless, I recommend the Linksys BEFSR41 wired router. Either way, based on my experience, I recommend Linksys routers for price, reliability and Linksys' habit of releasing updated firmware for their products..

See these related articles:

• Wireless Security
• Wi-Fi Hotspots and Computer Security
• Wireless Networking Problems & Wireless Networking Security

 

4.  Recommend my Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter to Your Friends

If you like my  Terry's Computer Tips email newsletter or the online edition, you can help me increase the number of subscribers to my free emailed newsletter.

Tell a Friend about Terry's Computer Tips!

With my email newsletter, not only do you get notices that the newsletters are available and content that is not in the online newsletter, but subscribing is the only way to get my Special Edition Newsletters which go only to subscribers.

If you get my free Terry's Computer Tips email newsletter, please feel free to forward your copy of the newsletter to a friend or friends that you think would be interested. Be sure to forward the entire newsletter, including my copyright notices and any advertising.

Of course, if you do not get my free email newsletter, I invite you to subscribe, too!

Volume 3, Number 33 — Sunday, January 27, 2008

Copyright © 2008 Terry A. Stockdale.  All rights reserved.