You may ask: “What is a Botnet?” A Botnet is a jargon term for a collection of software robots, or bots, which run autonomously and automatically. They run on groups of “zombie” computers controlled remotely by crackers. This can also refer to the network of computers using distributed computing software. While the term “botnet” can be used to refer to any group of bots, such as IRC bots, the word is generally used to refer to a collection of compromised computers (called zombie computers) running programs, usually referred to as worms, Trojan horses, or backdoors, under a common command and control infrastructure. [source]

Scary, no? Here are some Tips on how top protect yourself from botnets via PC World

1. Hire a Web-filtering service.
Web-filtering services are one of the best ways to fight bots. These services scan for Web sites exhibiting unusual behavior or known malicious activity and block those sites from users.

Websense, Cyveillance and FaceTime Communications are examples. All monitor the Internet in real time to find Web sites engaged in suspicious activity, such as downloading JavaScript and performing screen scrapes and other tricks outside the boundaries of normal Web browsing. Cyveillance and Support Intelligence also offer services that notify Web-site operators and ISPs that malware has been discovered, so hacked servers can be fixed, they say.

2. Switch browsers
Another tactic to prevent bot infections is to standardize on a browser other than Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, the two most popular and hence the browsers for which most malware is written. The same tactic works for operating systems. Macs statistically are safe from botnets, as is desktop Linux, because most bot herders target Windows.

3. Disable scripts
A more extreme measure is to disable browsers from scripts altogether, though this could put a damper on productivity if employees use custom, Web-based applications in their work.

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There’s been a lot of web talk over the past few weeks over the discovery that Microsoft has been sending out “stealth” software (surprise!) updates that install themselves on users’ computers without informing them or even asking them if they wanted the updates. PC World says that Gregg Keizer over at Computerworld reported on September 12 that these updates were installing themselves even when the user (you or me) had automatic updates disabled. That revelation came from Scott Dunn, an editor at the “Windows Secrets” newsletter. In fact, after initially thinking the problem was basically benign, Dunn discovered that there are circumstances where you could be stymied in your ability to completely restore Windows XP after using an OS “repair” function.

If you do end up in the jam described above, there is help. The company’s Microsoft Update blog provides instructions on how to solve the problem if you’re of a geeky bent, as well as a link that provides contact info for free tech support for this problem, a company spokesperson said in an e-mail today.

Here is what Microsoft has to say on the issue:

Here’s what we found: when an XP repair CD is used, it replaces all system files (including Windows Update) on your machine with older versions of those files and restores the registry. However, the latest version of Windows Update includes wups2.dll that was not originally present in Windows XP. Therefore, after the repair install of the OS, wups2.dll remains on the system but its registry entries are missing. This mismatch causes updates to fail installation.

If you experience this issue, you can contact customer service using the contact info at http://support.microsoft.com/security. Additionally, a KB article describing the steps to resolve this issue will be available soon. I will update this blog with a link to the KB article when it is available. In the meantime, here are the steps included in the KB:

[Updated 9/28] Here is the new KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=943144

1. Stop the Automatic Updates service. To do this, follow these steps:
a. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each command:

net stop wuauserv
exit

2. Register the file that is used by Windows Update and Microsoft Update. To do this, follow these steps:
a. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
b. At the command prompt, type the following command, press ENTER after the command, and then click OK when you receive a verification message:

regsvr32 %windir%\system32\wups2.dll

Note: for x64 machines regsvr32 %windir%\syswow64\wups2.dll

3. Start the Automatic Updates service. To do this, follow these steps:
a. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each command:

net start wuauserv
exit

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The folks at Hawk Electronics were curious where customers drew the line when it came to cellphone use, so they decided to email customers and ask. They got responses from 213 women and 245 men, most of them from the DFW area. Here’s what they found:

- 58% said that cell phone users should never send text messages while in a movie theater

· Only 6% believed having a downloaded musical ring tone was appropriate in a work setting

· Respondents were almost evenly split on the possibility of being able to use cell phones on airplanes during flights

· 90% of respondents said that phones should either be turned off completely, not answered and / or checked only during a free moment at a restaurant

- 80% of the respondents admit to talking on their cell phone while driving without the use of a hands-free device;

· Of that same group, 57% believe that it should be against the law to drive and talk on a mobile device without the use of a hands-free device;

· Only 32% admit to having checked e-mail or sending a text message while driving.

I find it hard to believe that 20 percent of these people have never talked on the phone while driving. I find it impossible to believe that anyone supports a move to allow phone calls on airplanes.

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In just two years of operation, Zoho has launched 15 Web-based productivity applications — far more than a slightly richer, though admittedly broader-based, competitor named Google.

Logically, this should not be. Google has countless billions and is famous for hiring only the best and brightest programmers. Such resources should enable it launch more programs — and better programs — than a small company like Zoho.

Yet Zoho and many other tiny companies routinely devise more and better software than their larger competitors.

Google developed its own video but YouTube crushed it (before Google bought the company). Facebook, which was developed by a college kid, beat out programs devised by armies of corporate programmers. Flickr demolished Yahoo’s photo program (so Yahoo bought it).

The biggest example of the law of diminishing returns is undoubtedly Microsoft’s Vista operating system. Microsoft spent many years and $9 billion developing Vista — $9 billion — and many users think its worse than the system it replaced.

All this begs a couple questions. Why does this pattern hold so consistently and why don’t large companies find some sort of solution?

These are not just important questions for big technology companies. They are big questions for everyone. If Microsoft and Google could use their development dollars as efficiently as Zoho and Craig’s List, our economy would grow faster and our lives would get easier.

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If you are one of those who 1) dont want to shell out money for Vitsa or 2) just dont see what is the point of the upgrade, but still wants some Vista visual improvements your old XP machine, then you should probably check out Visual Task Tip. It’s a tiny shell enhancement Utility which displays thumbnail preview of open windows when the mouse is hovered over taskbar.

What is Visual Task Tips?
Visual Task Tips is a lightweight shell enhancement utility. It provides thumbnail preview image for each task in the Windows Taskbar, as seen in the Microsoft Windows Vista.

Download it here

Source Article

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A company that sells security based products announcing this does sound a bit self-serving, but a new study by McAfee Inc. and the National Cyber Security Alliance has found that 78 percent of consumer PCs in the U.S. are not protected (defined as having up-to-date AV, spyware and a properly configured firewall).

What’s interesting, though is how many people think they are protected: 93 percent according the survey, which is set to be released Monday.

“There’s… a troubling perception among the vast majority of consumers that they’re well protected. And they’re not. ” McAfee says. Translation: buy more of our products.

Maybe on Monday we’ll learn then what percentage of the people who are not protected *think* they’re safe. By the way, the percentage of protected computers hasn’t improved much over the past two years. In 2005, the study found that 81 percent of PCs were not protected. These are big numbers and the fact that not a lot more people are becoming protected seems to show that consumers feel they’re doing all they can to be safe.

Source

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Good news for those buying a new PC, You wont be stuck with Windows Vista as you still can have Windows XP as your OS. From PC World: “Microsoft is extending the time it will allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retail outlets to sell PCs with Windows XP as customers continue to balk on upgrading to Windows Vista.

Microsoft had planned to stop selling XP through OEMs and retailers on Jan. 31, 2008, while custom system builders have until Jan. 31, 2009, to pre-install XP on machines. But because sales of Vista PCs have not been as strong as expected, OEMs and retailers have asked Microsoft to extend XP’s availability. OEMs and retailers will now have until June 30, 2008, to sell PCs with Vista preinstalled on machines, Microsoft said. Retailers also can sell XP out of the box until that time if they choose, the company said.

In fact, some PC makers are selling Vista-equipped systems with an XP Pro recovery disc to those who request one so that it can be used in case the purchaser isn’t happy with the new Microsoft OS.”

While we’ve been pleased with the positive response we’ve seen and heard from customers using Windows Vista, there are some customers who need a little more time to make the switch to Windows Vista,” Microsoft said in a press statement.

Microsoft also is extending the life of Windows XP Starter Edition, the version of XP for emerging markets. The software will be available until June 30, 2010, so users in those markets can take advantage of low-cost, hardware-constrained PCs that Vista may not be compatible with. Vista requires hardware upgrades that most PCs running XP do not have.

Per Microsoft’s policy as of 2002, a new Windows OS would stay on the market about four years after its original availability date. But XP was released on Oct. 25, 2001, more than five years before Vista limped out the door to consumers Jan. 31, 2007, after several delays and a major code overhaul.

From PC World

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Best of all, it’s a do-it-yourself project! (And the video is completely safe for work.)

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Casual games companies are getting serious about where they
find their next growth driver, and it’s no surprise they see the boost
coming from the introduction of social networking features.

Real Networks agreed to acquire Game Trust this week, a
company that allows casual games sites to add customisable communities for players.

Its current customers include Miniclip and Slingo, but Game
Trust will now provide community to Real’s sites and those of its syndication
partners.

Real says 20m monthly RealArcade players as well as those in
200 casual games channels owned by its partners, will be able to connect to one
another by early next year.

“Social networking will be a catalyst for the next wave of
casual games growth,” predicted James Kuai, a research analyst with Parks
Associates.

The developer PlayFirst announced this week that its biggest
hit, Diner Dash, would include personalisation and social networking in its
latest version – Diner Dash Hometown Hero.

Players will be able customize their waiters and diners and
share their designs with others. It also borrows from virtual worlds in
allowing players to buy extra items for their restaurant world from prices
starting at 49 cents.

“The casual games market is growing nicely, but sticking
with standalone games at the current $20-per-game business model isn’t giving
casual gamers enough of what they want,” said John Welch, PlayFirst chief
executive.

“With the launch of Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, we debut
personalisation and sharing features found in social networks and virtual
worlds, but with a ‘casual’ approach.”

It seems online casual gamers are more inclined towards
social networking than most.

Nielsen/NetRatings reported recently they were 30 per
cent more likely to participate in bulletin boards and 75 per cent more likely
to visit a chat room than internet users overall.

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I was just at the Launch of Samsung Ultra Video F500 and Movie Screening of Resident Evil in GSC Midvalley Kuala Lumpur with 5 other people. We got invited by the Samsung PR agency. It started with a dinner, then a launch by the Samsung rep and then the anticipated No.1 movie in USA now - Resident Evil : Extinction. The whole event came to a close about 1115pm. Here are some pics. I will post more later on the Samsung Ultra Video F500 launch….and that phone was really slim.

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