SERVICE PACK 2 AND “TV MEDIA” ADWARE

I’ve recently discovered “TV Media” on the Add-Remove Programs list of several computers. It’s just the usual adware, installed on a computer to generate popups popups popups. Like many of the other adware/spyware programs, it doesn’t...

DON’T INSTALL CRAP ON YOUR COMPUTER

You can still screw up your computer after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2. Web sites might ask permission to install “ActiveX Controls” or other kinds of programs. Trustworthy web sites can use ActiveX controls to offer valuable services; you should...

SYMANTEC AND WINDOWS XP SERVICE PACK 2

Symantec is dragging its feet about allowing its programs to communicate with the new Windows Security Center – resulting in the balloon in the lower right corner of the screen that says your computer “might be at risk.” I don’t know why...

SPAM CONFUSES ME

Outlook 2003 does a remarkable job of filtering spam. (Make sure you get the latest updates from Office Update.) It’s no surprise that the spammers are trying to get messages through the antispam filters with new techniques to conceal the true nature of their...

UNPATCHED PCs COMPROMISED IN 20 MINUTES

Researchers at the Internet Storm Center hooked PCs to the Internet without the various security patches and updates released by Microsoft over the last three years. The computers were compromised by malware within twenty minutes. That’s not long enough to...

SYMANTEC & MICROSOFT SQUABBLE ABOUT SERVICE PACK 2

Norton Antivirus does not report its status to the new Windows Security Center, causing people to get an alarming bubble onscreen saying their computer “might be at risk,” when in fact the only problem is that Windows can’t be sure whether Norton...