04/13/2012
Flashback Checker & Removal Tools (or Why Antivirus Software is a Good Thing)
People sometimes question why antivirus software that's not a part of the operating system is a must.
With Windows 8 for instance, Microsoft has announced they're including their own antivirus software right in the operating system itself.
To be blunt: this is meaningless, particularly in the way of making a PC safer. Read more
04/11/2012
Mac OS X Flashback Trojan Fix in the Works by Apple
As for the official word from Apple, there's now a document on the Flashback malware at Apple's support site, including a how-to link giving instructions on how to disable Java in your web browser, and word that they're "developing software that will detect and remove the malware." Read more
04/06/2012
Nearly 600,000 Macs Hit with Flashback Trojan Malware
In a way, we should consider ourselves lucky. The latest Mac trojan, dubbed Backdoor.Flashback.39, is getting a lot of coverage in the press and elsewhere. With that it's raising the specter of viruses being mainstream for the Mac like they are for the PC and also the understanding that antivirus software isn't just a necessity for PC owners. Read more
04/04/2012
New Site Announcement: parental control software reviews
If you're in the need for something to help you monitor what your kids are doing online (or to help you block sites with objectionable content), your job just got easier.
As happened with this site when we looked at the antivirus software review landscape and launched this site, we found a need in the parental control software arena, too. So, today we're proud to announce the launch of our own parental control software review site: www.FamilyFilters.net
Read more
04/02/2012
New Phishing Tricks by the Bad Guys
Sometimes, you really just have to laugh.
It was an email that looked every bit like a legitimate Check-in Confirmation email from US Airways. The problem: I'm not traveling anytime soon, so I know it's a fake.
Here's what it looks like and how to avoid it... Read more
03/26/2012
Zeus Botnet Sting Lead by Microsoft
The Zeus botnet just took a hit to its armor. Microsoft announced it had teamed up with several other companies and escorted by U.S. Marshals, they seized two servers behind the botnet. To the bad guys credit, it's a very well designed piece of software and is known for its clever design and stealth. The latest antivirus software can defeat it, but even still, it can be hard to remove from your PC. Read more
01/30/2012
Will 2012 Be the Year of the Cellphone Virus?
I know I'm not the first blogger in the antivirus arena to go on record as saying that I think cell phones and tablet PCs are ripe for the pickin' by the virus and malware writers.
What's clear though is that more folks like us (i.e. people who are *not* employees of the top antivirus manufacturers) are beginning to start beating this drum, too. Read more
12/17/2011
Security Alert: Critical Patches to Adobe Reader & Acrobat
Anytime I hear that attacks are being exploited in the wild, it means two things: update the affected software and double check that my antivirus software is updated. In this case, we'll cut to the quick: go patch your Adobe Reader / Adobe Acrobat. Now. Read more
12/14/2011
Ask the Experts: Help! My PC is infected! How do I remove a virus?
Mike wrote in today asking a question on a lot of people's minds: "I was surfing the web, I use Firefox, when suddenly my antivirus software started going totally nuts. I got a warning that it had blocked something from infecting my system, and I thought everything was fine, but a few second later, my system ground to a halt and my desktop disappeared. Clearly, I've got a virus. Any tips or ideas on how I can get rid of this thing?" Read more
12/13/2011
Ask the Experts: What's the difference between the VIPRE you review and the one on TV?
Got a call today from Steve who asked, "There's an offer for VIPRE antivirus I've been seeing on TV lately for a hundred bucks. It's for a "lifetime" license for 10 PCs. Is this the same thing that you reviewed on your site?" Read more