New WinPatrol 24.5 FREE & PLUS

Due to a severe family illness there was a six month span last year without any updates to WinPatrol.  I’m very happy to report things have turned around this year and every month I’ve been able to release a new improved version of WinPatrol.

Thanks to patience and support from both free and PLUS users I’ve stomped out a few bugs in our last build. I’m also grateful to some engineers at Microsoft I met at a recent Most Valuable Professional summit in Redmond. They offered tips that would help make sure Scotty kept running smoothly.

You can read more and download WinPatrol 24.5 on our upgrade page http://www.winpatrol.com/upgrade.html
Just install the new setup directly over your current version in the default folder. If you’re already a WinPatrol PLUS your name/code should be detected and automatically activated.

Even with major changes to Windows I’ll continue to improve WinPatrol and make it a first install program. I’ve even made some long needed changes to our Task Catcher program. Stay tuned this weekend for a low cost special that will introduce many to Task Catcher.

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Facebook in Pink is Not Cheap

Facebook continues to be a fertile ground for crooks to steal personal information and nobody really seems to care.  The message going around this week appears to be an application to change your Facebook color from Blue to Pink or several other colors.

I honestly don’t know if this is real, although my gut say it’s a scam.  Even if it isn’t a scam what Facebook users will give up is hardly worth changing the screen color to pink.

Take a look at what you’re agreeing to as part of changing your screen color.  The one that is most annoying is “list of friends” so if any of my friends use this app, my name and FB ID have been transmitted to a company which doesn’t provide a name, privacy statement or legitimate address.  This screen is not from Facebook.  They already have all our information.

Before you click Allow would you think twice after reading “…may post on my behalf, including status updates, photos and more”?  Sorry to my Facebook friends who fell for this but who in their right mind would agree to this? I can tell you the numbers are high. Last count was 39 thousand.

The final touch is “…access my data when I’m not using the application”.  That’s so vague I’m sure most people will skip merrily past this incredible give-away and click on Allow.

In my job I really have to be on Facebook so I can learn about these scams but I’ve stopped recommending the service to others. The folks at Facebook are laughing all the way to the bank not caring who they allow to create apps that many of our friends will fall for. Their motto is “Sharing is good”.

I really want to rant and rave more about this type of Facebook behavior but I know everyone is going to keep using it.  I just ask, please take the time to read the screen.  In many cases, it’s my information you’re giving away. If one of your friends tells you about a pink theme, just move along to the next cute photo of a dog or baby.

Also Read:

Who Gets Your Personal Information on Facebook?

Facebook May Not Be For Everyone

Facebook Wants Your Pre-Teen

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Facebook: Where Everyone Knows Your Name

I’ve often warned readers about Facebook privacy settings and how important it is to protect personal information. I was stunned years ago to find out that just by accepting an application users not only provided their own personal data but allow any information they could access of their friends. What is equally stunning is Facebook apps still use this deceptive practice today.

Common application approval screen

Some folks have commented to me, “What do I care if strangers know my sex, birthday or who my friends are?”

This morning all my friends were exposed to danger due to Facebook’s desire to share. Even though I thought I had changed my settings, my privacy was set so “my" friends could see and had access to all my other friends.  On the surface this seems like a reasonable and safe feature.

Unfortunately, one of my friends inadvertently gave a malicious app access to my entire friends list.  This allowed the bad guys behind the app to send a message to all my friends. The message gave them the impression I was promoting a link to win a free iPhone. Naturally, it was a scam that hopefully no one clicked on.

This is what many of my friends woke up to this morning in their private Facebook message box.

Even though this message didn’t come from me, it seemed like it came from a good friend. There is a privacy option that prevents strangers from sending you a message and many of my friends apparently did have set.  I like to think that my most of friends would immediately recognize this message as a scam. It’s certainly not the most sophisticated social engineering trick but we’re all human and if some people didn’t fall for these scams they wouldn’t exist.

Update March 15, 2012
The award winning news blog “nakedsecurity” from security firm Sophos also experienced and wrote about this particular scam. Their scenario was slightly different so for additional information and tips click below.
http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/03/15/iphone-5-facebook-events/

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Windows 8 Metro: Success or Failure?

Last week Microsoft made a test version of Windows 8 available to the public.  Windows 8 is a dramatic change and you’ll see many articles which will evaluate changes and predict it’s success or failure. The new interface is called “Metro”.

I’ve been playing with Windows 8 but even I won’t make a prediction on the how Metro will eventually do. If you read the entire article you’ll be able to decide Microsoft’s future yourself.  Based on Microsoft history, developers often joke that the first and 2nd versions won’t be accepted but the third major release will be a hit.  This was true with DOS 3.x,  Windows 3.x and other Microsoft products except of course Microsoft Bob.

 

 

One of the funniest and ironic situations I’ve experienced with Microsoft is how they market new versions of Windows. To encourage folks to upgrade to new versions of Windows, Microsoft will acknowledge how bad their current version is. 


I’ve been at many new launches including one in New York City for the launch of Windows XP.  On stage, Bill Gates actually demonstrated the Blue Screen of Death as a reason to upgrade to Windows XP. We all shook our heads in disbelief but there was no real competition to compare too.

I do give Bill Gates credit for having the launch in New York City at the request of the mayor. It was soon after the 9/11 tragedy and this event was designed to show the world that NYC was a safe place to visit and have events.  It really did help.

I’ve read many reviews that dismiss Windows 8’s new “Metro” because they say “people don’t like change”.  While this is true, the real issue is that people really like Windows 7.  After the Vista disaster, Windows 7 came along and saved the day.  It was designed to work fast especially with popular multi-core processors and without major changes it was easy to use.

To convince people to upgrade, Microsoft will need to give them a reason to leave Windows 7 behind. That may not be an easy task,  yet is critical to Microsoft’s future.  Most of us who planned an upgrade to Windows 7 have already done so causing sales to flatten.

While we all pick at and debate the new Windows 8 Metro interface many folks are missing the real game changer. The most significant cash cow for MSFT is Microsoft Office. If PC sales eventually drop off so will the revenue from Microsoft Office which is the costliest and most required component of any new PC.

If you’re interested in the future of Microsoft, keep your eyes and ears open for what’s new from the Microsoft Office group.  What will the Metro version eventually look like?  How about an iPad or Droid version? The only thing certain is you should expect your data to be saved in an Azure cloud.  Ultimately, my prediction is, I’ll be very happy when version 3 is released.

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Legitimate Software Still Sneaking on Crapware

I’m very lucky to have what might be considered a cult following for WinPatrol.  It’s essential since we don’t advertise and depend on word of mouth to let people know they should download WinPatrol and upgrade to WinPatrol PLUS. The few people who upgrade to PLUS allow us to continue giving away a free version.

One of the positive elements of our software is that we’ve never included 3rd party crap software like toolbars in our setup program. I consider this an insult to our users and while I could make a lot of money it’s just wrong. Many of you have read about my constant battle with Ask.com(IAC) who thinks WinPatrol should include a custom version of their search toolbar.
Read: Would you like Toolbar with your Software Order?

I continue to get requests from companies who say they want to do business with me.  They don’t take no for an answer and don’t realize one of the main reasons to have WinPatrol is to remove their junk software which sneaks on to computers. It’s bad enough when software like MP3 players or Image editors install software you didn’t ask for but when security vendors push unnecessary additions it’s bad news. Still, once a day I get an offer to be rich by including their software.

There are some online good guys who keep track of unacceptable installs and document the bad guys. One of the best sites is known as the “Calendar of Updates”.  COU also lets users know when there’s a new version available of their favorite legitimate software.

Recently we lost one of the founders of Calendar of Updates. Donna Buenaventura consistently won a “Most Valuable Professional” award from Microsoft and helped thousands of computer users asking nothing in return.  Donna also introduced me to the “Installers Hall of Shame”.  A quick look at this list shows you just how many vendors are more interested in profit than keeping you as a customer.

Donna Buenaventura was certainly one of good guys who won’t be forgotten. Donna may not have been wealthy when she passed but she was rich with love from the folks she helped.  I hope to be as lucky when my time comes.

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The Most Dangerous Words on the Internet

There are many forms of security intrusions on your computer and you should be aware of all of them. Sometimes you don’t have to do anything you would normally think would infect your computer. Infiltrations can happen without any action on your part. You don’t have to click or download programs to lose control of your system.

Here’s a tip you may not have heard. Don’t click on any ad. In your Email, on Google or even Facebook don’t click on advertisements. You’d think big companies like Google or Facebook review advertisements that appear on their websites. You’d be wrong. Some of the most dangerous links appear as advertisements that look like search results on Google or product recommendations by your friends on Facebook.

If you click on an ad the most danger words you’ll ever see online are “FREE, You may be a winner”. If you see those words or anything similar use Ctrl-All-Del and close your browser. Web sites don’t give away Apple iPads. If they do the chances you’ll win isn’t worth the risk.

My mother always said, “You get what you pay for”.   She was a smart lady.  She also said, “If it seems to be good to be true, it probably is”.


If you see this message, press Ctrl-Alt-Del and kill your
browser. There’s no other safe way out of this dangerous message.

What you always need to do is take security seriously. Pay attention to any changes in behavior and make sure you have updates to all your software including system updates. Pay special attention to updates from third party software from companies like Apple and Adobe.

You may not care if your computer is infected but here are some examples of why you still need some kind of security on your computer.

1. Sensational Headlines
   You were tempted by a salacious headline. What happened when you clicked may vary but everyone in your contact list will receive the same headline and they’ll want to click. If they do, they’ll get the same attack you received and all their contacts will get the message as it spreads to all everyone’s friend. If you’re a Facebook user I’m sure you’ve seen this happen more than once.
   
   
2. Key Loggers
   There’s a program running on your computer that tracks each mouse movement and keystroke and sends it to an online server that may be monitored by many of the bad guys. This kind of infection is often called a key logger. In some cases a key logger may be installed by a controlling domestic partner or even your boss.  Key logger programs are sold openly disguised as ways to monitor your children. Everyone knows these programs are misused and often used in domestic violence cases.
   
   
3. Bots
   There’s a program running on your computer called a “bot”. You may never know it’s running. It just uses your computer as a tool so a police investigation will be directed to your house and not someone on the other side of the world. Someone controlling the bot could do everything from participate in denial of service attacks to hack into someone's bank account.  Don’t expect a CSI team to come in and clear you.  Not long ago bots were used to shut down nuclear computers in Iran. Chances are in our future they’ll be used against more sensitive sites in the U.S.
   
   
4. Credit Card Info
   You sent your credit card to a popular online store that doesn’t have the best security plan.  The latest example of this came from online store Zappos. This happens more than you can imagine and on rare occasions companies like Zappos will make the effort to let their customers know and encourage them to change their passwords. While most people fear credit card information will be stolen using the internet, an equal danger exists calling a company on the phone and giving them your credit card number. Monitor your credit card usage regularly and keep track of your purchases.
   
   
5. Scareware
   According to security friends rogue software or “scareware” is now the most common security threat. A message appears letting you know your computer is infected and for a fee they’ll remove all the viruses, Trojans horses, and tracking cookies that supposedly exist. 
   
   No matter how much you pay you won’t receive any help. As time goes on the infection will get worse and your computer will only get slower and slower 
   

So what else can you do?  Most people blame it on their kids or spouse. Many install 3-4 different anti-virus programs because they think the more protection they have the better. When it comes to security programs, I usually recommend one good AV scanner to back up WinPatrol and help clean up any garbage left by the infection.

When it comes to real “protection” I continue to stress a single, regular solution that will provide multiple solutions. Backup, Backup, Backup!
It’s that time of year when I remind readers they need to take doing regular backups seriously. Instead of blindly depending on security software invest your money in a good backup plan.

If you haven’t reviewed backup solutions in a while you’ll be surprised at what’s available. While I don’t currently recommend any single solution check out cloud backup services or invest in a media safe that keeps media protected during the hottest fire. Create a good backup policy and you will be a WINNER!

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WinPatrol Update 24.1 – Delayed Start

The end of last year I was pleased to provide an update to our WinPatrol patrol.  This long awaited update was WinPatrol 2012 version 24.0. I’m sure it’s no surprise if I tell you that software updates can sometimes introduce new problems.

I’ve been known to tell readers it’s best to wait 7-10 days even before accepting updates to Windows. Occasionally, I’ll post an exception to security updates but only if there is a real danger. My advice for WinPatrol updates is the same as any software.  If never hurts to wait.

Some WinPatrol users have reported problems with our Delayed Start function.  Given the popularity of this feature it was given immediate attention and has been fixed in our current release along with a few minor issues.

Delayed Start is a feature that separates WinPatrol from other popular security and utility programs. It follows one of WinPatrol’s primary goals to “Start the computer as quickly as possible”.

Using WinPatrol’s Delayed Start lets you hold off launching programs you may want running in the background but they aren’t needed immediately. That allows Windows to load quicker and make it possible for important tasks like Internet connecting to be available when you really need them.

Moving a Startup program to the Delayed Start is easy. Just select a program or multiple programs on Windows Auto Startup list and right-click for the move to Delayed Start menu item.

Once an item is on the Delayed Start list you can change multiple custom launch options including how long to wait before a program is launched.

 

If you haven’t used the Delay Startup function it may be a great time to check it out.  Either way I recommend installing the newest version of WinPatrol 2012.    Click to Update to WinPatrol 2012 version 24.1

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