Interesting Software and System News

[Hermite15]

Opera 11 will have Extensions


http://my.opera.com/chooseopera/blog/2010/10/14/opera-11-will-have-extensions

yep that's good news, and completely unexpected AFAIC... well they didn't have much choice, as all the competition with the exception of IE, supports extensions. I mean even safari does now.

[YoKenny]

Operating System Statistics
The features and updates available with different versions of the Windows operating system, along with the differences in the way people and organizations use each version, affect the infection rates seen with different versions and service packs. The following figure shows the average monthly botnet infection rate for each Windows operating system/service pack (SP) combination that accounted for at least 0.05 percent of total MSRT executions in 2Q10, expressed in bot CCM, or the number of computers from which bot-related malware was removed by the MSRT for every 1,000 MSRT executions. For more information about the CCM metric and how bot CCM differs from the CCM figures, see Infection Rates in the Reference Guide section.

Interesting part

The botnet infection rate for Windows 7 and Windows Vista is significantly lower than that of their desktop predecessor Windows XP, with any service pack installed, which reflects the security improvements that have been made to the more recent versions of Windows. Considering only computers that have had the most recent service pack for their operating systems installed, the infection rate for Windows XP SP3 is twice as high as that of Windows Vista SP2 and more than four times as high as that of the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 7.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/sir/story/default.aspx#section_3_3

[bob3160]

http://jalbum.net/software/download/current
More information available at:
http://jalbum.net/

I happen to like the following album.
http://jalbum.net/browse/user/album/345311/
Which one is yours

[CharleyO]

***

I happen to like that album also, Bob.   

Maybe I can find the time to post my Prague photos there soon.


***

[bob3160]

***

I happen to like that album also, Bob.   

Maybe I can find the time to post my Prague photos there soon.


***

How time does fly... it's already been over a year.
Once you do, post a link so we can all see them.

[bob3160]

Help keep your account safe with the Gmail security checklist
If you use Gmail, this is worthwhile. It took me about 10 minutes and I have to admit that
it actually helped me spot a few possible week links in my armor.
I noticed in the first part that avast! wasn't listed as one of the Antivirus programs.
I've already made that suggestion but am sure that more of the same would probably help.

[DavidR]

Somewhat disappointing, didn't avast have some sort of partnership agreement where avast was in the Google Pack and avast offered Google Chrome browser.

Seems that has fallen by the wayside, so I hope that Avast aren't still promoting Google Chrome as there is no reciprocal arrangement.

The google pack now offers Spyware Doctor with Anti-Virus, not a patch on avast in my opinion.

[spg SCOTT]

It has something to do with the countries that got this...The English version of the google pack doesn't get avast!, but others do...like the French version...

That said, avast! should be known to google...

Actually, looking at this, it would recommend avast! if you chose the pack and were in say France, but we aren't so avast! isn't there...

And they can't list avast! in the list either because the explicitly say that they have no connection with the companies the list...

[YoKenny]

See the video

Windows 7 and Network Connectivity

About this Video
Get a comprehensive look at network connectivity in Windows 7.
• IPv4 network settings, connections, and connectivity issues
• IPv6 network settings, connections, and connectivity issues
• Automatic private IP addressing (APIPA)
• Connecting to a wireless network
• Configuring security settings on the client
• Configuring location-aware printing
• Configuring Windows Firewall

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/windows-7-and-network-connectivity.aspx?query=1

[osants911]

Adobe isolates malware threat with new Reader

http://www.itpro.co.uk/627787/adobe-isolates-malware-threat-with-new-reader

[YoKenny]

Prevx's ill-conceived idea
Posted by Maxim Weinstein
 
Last week, BBC News reported that security firm Prevx will release a "small program" that will gather data about the effectiveness of anti-virus software:
 In the face of the tidal wave of malware, said Mr Bolin, PC users need a better way to find out how well they are being protected and how long they have been at risk.
 Mr Bolin believes the way to get a better sense of the performance of security companies is via a small program that sits on a PC and logs when files are installed.
 The program would lie dormant most of the time but would alert a user if it noticed that a fix had been created for a particular virus or trojan it had spotted on a PC.
 The idea seems to be that measuring the lag time between when a file is installed until a definitions file addresses it will "bring about change in an industry that is not changing."

http://blog.stopbadware.org/2010/10/18/prevxs-ill-conceived-idea

Key comment

Therefore, it's hard to believe the real goal isn't to make its competitors look bad.

[bob3160]

Key comment

Therefore, it's hard to believe the real goal isn't to make its competitors look bad.

I think it's a very informative tool and should offer some very interesting statistics.

[Lisandro]

The program would lie dormant most of the time but would alert a user if it noticed that a fix had been created for a particular virus or trojan it had spotted on a PC.
The idea seems to be that measuring the lag time between when a file is installed until a definitions file addresses it will "bring about change in an industry that is not changing."

Agree with you YoKenny.
Also, it's not easy to say that the others does not mark the file as infected. How would they check that? Against virus total? Upload the file?

[Omid Farhang]

• Now this is a kind of Thief I like!: Thief Steals Laptop, Returns Data on USB Stick
• Does Apple want to buy Facebook?
• ...

http://boelectronic.blogspot.com/ 

[Omid Farhang]

Hacked Kaspersky Download Site Directs Users to Fake Antivirus