Another Day With My PC

Do you know what file extensions are? A friend of mine once asked me to help her search for a device driver. I asked her for the file extension, and she went blank on me. I was quite surprised that there are a good number of PC users who don’t know what the term means.

File extensions are indicators of the type of information that are stored therein. They are the last three characters forming the file after the dot. In case you’re still flipping the dictionary for the IT gobbledygook, just think of .COM or .EXE.

Descriptor

The letters after the dot tell us a lot about what the file is all about. We all know that .EXE and .COM files are executable ones, meaning they run a program. So whenever you’re thrown a bunch of files and you don’t know which one to click in order to activate the application, just look for the one which has a .EXE or .COM extension.

Recognizing file extensions was very important during the time when DOS still ruled over PCs. Before the advent of Windows, users had to find the right executable file in order to activate the program. This is a bit of a hassle, especially if the application has hundreds of files comprising it.

Still Important

Of course, rummaging through hundreds or thousands of files in different folders just to run a program is already a thing of the past. You could easily open up an application by simply looking for its icon. However, this doesn’t mean that file extension recognition is something that one doesn’t need anymore. On the contrary, the knowledge to identify file types is already being considered as indispensable.

We all know that malware attacks have increased exponentially over the past several years. While hackers are to blame for this, it is the users who are blamed for the fruit that the former have planted. It’s enraging that malware authors get international notoriety while we victims bear the brunt of their work. In a way, it is true that we are partly to blame for the misfortunes that we’re encountering on the Internet. We are simply too careless.

Jack in the Box

Many of us are just too eager to open files that are sent to us, even by persons who we don’t know. These files are usually given to us through e-mail. The files are cunningly or surreptitiously being presented as something that’s innocent or interesting, such as a picture of Angelina Jolie or an amorous love letter of a married celebrity to another woman. While these files may be damaging to the Hollywood stars in question, they are not exactly harmful to the ones opening them, that is, if the files are really what they purport to be.

For example, there are malicious e-mail attachments which claim to be image files. Image files usually bear the extensions .JPG, .GIF, or .PNG. The subject or heading of the mail indicates that it’s a graphic or image file. However, if you’ll look closely at the filename, you’ll notice that it’s .EXE or .COM. The attachment is obviously not a picture file, but an executable one. That file, however small, could definitely wreak havoc on your system, corrupting your Windows registry and other indispensable system files.

Be very careful when opening attachments. The file may look very innocent, but trouble is usually packaged in that way. Invest on an antivirus software and on a registry cleaner, such as RegCure. Don’t let yourself be surprised by the jack in your e-mail box.

Do you still have time for shopping?

With the advent of mobile computers, working hours have virtually doubled. While your boss may seem to be too nice in accommodating your request for shorter working hours, chances are is that he’ll be asking you to just take home some of the tasks that you should be doing at the office. The proposition may seem tempting. However, you’ll soon realize that taking home an hour’s worth of office chore would have an exponential effect as far as the time that it would need to accomplish the same is concerned.

Biggest Department Store

It’s not surprising then why the crowd at the mall is getting thinner. Many people just want to stay at home during their free time. However, shopping cannot altogether be ignored and set aside. One still needs to eat and dress up, you know?

eBay and Amazon recognized this need and soon created a virtual mall for everyone to shop in. A considerable number of people welcomed the thought of being able to buy things without having to endure long lines at the counter or flirting with a crippled wrist or fingers from juggling 10 shopping bags with just one hand. Online stores would seem to be heaven-sent. But are they?

Unhealthy

Many would contend that going out to shop exposes a person to all sorts of danger. For one thing, purse shoppers might decide to take your bag for free. Pollution might also rob you a few days or years of your life. You could also be a traffic accident statistic.

However, shopping at home might be a health hazard to. We all know that obesity is a bulging problem in the United States. More and more people are taking in huge quantities of food without burning it. The most common way of burning fat or getting rid of excess calories is by walking. Unfortunately, many are too lazy to get their feet reacquainted with the sidewalks. An improved health is just not a compelling incentive for them to go out and walk. However, shopping is. But with the way people are becoming enamored with e-commerce, the prospect of a fatter America is something that would seem already inevitable.

Virtual Snatchers

You may think that you’ve outwitted snatchers by just shopping at home. However, the virtual world is just as full of predators as the real world. Countless hackers are always lurking in cyberspace to steal sensitive financial information, such as credit card numbers, online store passwords, and other details which could facilitate a commercial transaction on the Net.

Be very careful then when shopping online. It’s just as dangerous as when shopping at an actual department store. Make sure that your PC is not vulnerable to malware attacks by activating your firewall. If malicious programs have already broke through your defenses, then you will definitely need an antivirus to rid your hard drive of any unwanted application, and a registry cleaner to wipe out instructions in the Windows registry that could make your PC execute unauthorized or damaging tasks or functions.

If you think that virus authors are quickly discouraged by knock out blows from antivirus programs, think again.

IBM’s Internet Security Systems has recently revealed that an old foe of anti-malware applications is slowly making its way back to center stage again. The worm, which debuted in January 2003, is known as Spammer. It damaged countless systems during that year, making it one of the most dreaded and unwanted programs in recent history.

Resurrected?

Many thought that the worm had already been completely wiped out of every PC unit after security suites focused on its eradication during the months and years after its discovery. In fact, many have already forgotten about it during the past two years. However, IBM’s revelation had brought back its ghost, along with the reluctant prediction that the worm may come back with a vengeance.

What’s the Worry?

Many are downplaying the possible dangers that Spammer could bring to present computer systems. For one thing, security suites have already dealt with it successfully in the past. Hence, they shouldn’t encounter any difficulty in doing a repeat of their bout with the worm a few years ago.

The problem though, is that security software are having a tough time keeping at pace with the release of new viruses or the modified versions of old unwanted programs. It’s not as if Symantec or McAfee will be able to automatically detect the release of every worm or virus that is born in cyberspace. That’s almost next to impossible. Most of the time, they only come to know about the unwanted program after it has already infected a number of systems. There are thousands of hackers and malware authors around the globe. The number is simply and obviously overwhelming.

Keeping the Program Manageable

It would be very easy for antivirus applications to just retain old virus definitions in order to stem future attacks from old worms. However, this is quite impractical. Without retiring old virus codes, the size of anti spyware or antivirus programs could easily swell to exponential proportions. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your antivirus to be as large as Windows Vista, would you?

This practice of trimming down antivirus programs to manageable levels by retiring old definitions creates gaps on the security of a PC unit. Hence, all that a defeated virus author has to do in order to make a comeback is to put his creation in hibernation for a few years, then resurrect it after a new version of the antivirus that eliminated the worm comes out. This is a very easy task for the malware maker, especially since he need not even have to make any modification anymore.

New Approach

Security suites and system utilities, such as registry cleaners, should come up with a new plan on how to prevent the resurrection of old worms and viruses without having to resurrect its old warriors. There must be some way by which an antivirus or anti malware software could efficiently protect a unit from all known forms of unwanted software without being bloated by definitions and other algorithms.

A top executive from Microsoft has revealed that the company has been more successful in squashing the bugs of its previous operating system than in the present one.

Jeff Jones, Redmond’s security strategy director, revealed in a report that out of the 27 Vista problems that appeared during its first six months, only 12 were given a solution to. In contrast, only 3 of XP’s 39 holes that were discovered during the same period weren’t patched.

Jones was quick to add that most of the vulnerabilities were not critical. He pointed out that Microsoft left only one problem unanswered that was considered as severe. On the other hand, the company failed to provide a patch for two critical problems in XP during its first 6 months.

The report didn’t spare other operating systems written by its competitors. The study showed that Vista is fairing better than the OS X and Linux as far vulnerabilities are concerned.

The comparison may be premature as it only covered the first six months of the two operating systems. It would definitely appear that XP is the more vulnerable OS. However, that conclusion or observation might change as hackers now shift their focus from XP to Vista.

Have you noticed it?

Apparently, Microsoft has incorporated the images of three men sporting wide grins on the installation disks of Windows Vista (Business Edition). Those who were meticulous or curious enough to scrutinize the hologram must have thought that their copy was a crack.

I’m sure the operating system’s maker has received many calls regarding this. For the ordinary users who just want to get the software out of the box and install it on their PC, the find must have baffled them and made them wonder if their copy is truly genuine. Indeed, one would probably expect the logo of Microsoft to be the one depicted on the security sticker instead of three unknown faces, or that if Microsoft insisted on putting a face on the hologram, it should’ve been Bill Gates’.

Genuine Grins

The Vista maker allayed fears regarding the discovery. They belied suspicions or claims that copies bearing the grinning faces of the three grinning men were either hacked or carry add-ons that might significantly subtract the number of files in their hard drive. One of the reasons why many consumers are avoiding pirated copies of operating systems or even ordinary programs is due to the fact that a good number of them contain malicious codes.

It’s not surprising why many pirated copies of programs contain unwanted appendages. Antiviruses, spam guards, and registry cleaners have gotten more efficient in handling dangerous system intrusions. Thus, spyware authors have to find another way to infiltrate heavily-guarded PCs.

Welcome

The easiest way to get in to a computer is by letting the owner open its door for you. Hackers do this by disguising their malicious programs as legitimate ones, or incorporating them to the same. Thus, victims often find themselves being confronted by pop ups or unusual messages even if they haven’t opened any unknown file or accessed an infected Web site. Trouble knocked at their door and they immediately opened it.

Be careful when purchasing copies of programs from dubious stores or sources. They may offer you copies of applications that may seem to be genuine, but in truth are cracked copies that contain unwanted features. The caveat goes double for those who are buying pirated copies of various programs. The chances of getting registry-wrecking malware are significantly high when purchasing cracked programs. The few extra bucks that you’ll save from buying pirated software are not worth the troubles that you might probably get from malicious add-ons.

Mixed Reactions

I guess many were already relieved and enlightened on the mystery behind the three men in the Vista hologram. Microsoft assured its clients that those three are not hackers, but are in fact part of the designing team which made the security sticker. As for those who were hoping that the sticker would lead them to other hidden treats, the news came as a disappointment since they thought that Microsoft was up to something when it featured the three guys on the hologram.

Whether you’re installing genuine or pirated software, always have it scanned by antivirus or anti-spyware programs. It’s also equally important to check the integrity of your Windows registry after introducing new programs into your system.

Now this is something Microsoft would love to gloat upon.

Apple has just revealed that it would be releasing patches for the MAC OS X. The affected versions include 10.3.9 and 10.4.9, covering both the standard and server editions for each version.

The patch reinforces the defenses of the Apple operating system by closing the doors on hackers which use PDF files to crash its host or make it execute malicious instructions. It also includes band aids from Fetchmail, Bind, and GNU Screen. The process involved in downloading and installing them is pretty much the same to that of Windows’.

Many wonder why the OS X doesn’t receive waves of patches unlike its more popular counterpart. If you’re an XP user, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Microsoft releases dozens of updates every week, mostly addressing security concerns. While it’s comforting to know that Microsoft is relentless in putting bricks and cement to its besieged product, you might also wonder if Windows is really or will ever be secured at all.

Downloading and installing patches are not enough as far as protecting your PC is concerned. You will definitely need the help of third-party system tools to keep your PC free from malware. Registry cleaners and Antivirus programs are must-haves. Hackers often target the registry since it controls or is the repository of all instructions that should be executed by the computer. Hence, make sure that you’re registry is not possessed by viruses or other malicious programs.

These guys really have no respect for anybody or anything at all.

Security experts revealed that hackers are taking advantage of the Virginia Tech incident in order to lure unsuspecting people to their malware-ridden Web sites. The bait comes in the form of e-mails with supposed links to pages that contain videos, pictures, or news about the massacre.

The infection is swift. All the unwary has to do is to click on the link and a screensaver, called “TERROR_EM_VIRGINIA.SCR,” will automatically install in his system. This Trojan horse gathers banking and other financial details.

This scheme is expected to persist and intensify as millions of people are still curious as to what really happened in Virginia Tech. Experts also expect the same trend or ploy to be applied in future incidents which would capture the interest of many people around the globe.

In order to avoid being infected, make sure that you get your news or videos only from reputable sources. Spurn e-mails with dubious attachments, especially if they come from somebody you don’t know. One should always be on his toes whenever roaming around cyberspace. Although I’m sure your registry cleaner, antivirus, or other system tool could spare you from your recklessness while surfing the Web, prevention is still the best remedy against malware attacks.

It has been a month since my blog went live. In almost all of my entries, I have emphasized the importance of optimizing your computer in order to fully enjoy its potentials or capabilities. However, is the task of making your PC a lean, mean office (or gaming;) machine that simple?

If you’ve read an ad by an optimization tool-maker, you might think that cleaning Window’s registry is as easy as cleaning your room. I did. So instead of relying on such an application, I decided to do it myself. Reckless? Maybe. But peeking through the registry file is not that difficult. In fact, it’s just like opening a Microsoft Word file. It doesn’t contain binary codes or any other esoteric number combinations. You could even actually read the lines written therein.

I went through the contents of the file and tried to find out which lines were unnecessary. My computer was really a slowpoke back then and a free online scan revealed that my registry was indeed clogged by needless instructions. In case you don’t know, a registry contains information or directives that the computer frequently refers to in order to function properly. So what would happen if your unit follows pointless instructions? Well, I’m sure you’ve already guessed it right. Your PC would be busy doing loops instead of running the applications that you want. Worse, it may even execute instructions that could lead to the destruction of your files.

I realized quite belatedly that an unaided examination or repair of one’s registry is a dangerous and suicidal act:( It nearly killed my PC since I removed the wrong set of instructions. As a consequence, it refused to boot properly anymore. Luckily, I had a back up of the file that I modified. Despite the fact that I’m quite knowledgeable with computers, the complexity of the registry overwhelmed me. The seemingly simple task turned out to be a complicated undertaking.

Moral lesson here? Don’t tinker with your registry if you don’t know anything about it. Even programmers like me rarely dare do so. There are many registry cleaners that are available in the market that can spare you the trouble of having to go at it with your bare hands. These cleaners will basically browse through the registry and rid it of redundant lines, and more importantly, of malicious instructions.

As each computer is unique, so is its registry. It’s not your average .dll or .exe file where you could just easily replace it if it gets erroneously modified or corrupted. It’s definitely not an inconsequential file. Remember that this is the file that the computer frequently refers to when running applications. Needless to say, your PC will become a lame, paralytic duck if this file gets damaged.

Registries are the favorite targets of hackers since they can easily take over your system through these files. Invest in a good registry cleaner and check it frequently for unauthorized modifications. You won’t be able to fully enjoy or appreciate the power of your system if it’s busy executing erroneous instructions.

Believe it or not, there are people who actually do not want to install anti-virus programs in their systems. No, they’re not hackers or virus authors. In fact, they’re one of those who really detest malware.

One of the reasons why some people shun security programs is that they slow down their computers. I had the same irritating dilemma when I installed Norton’s anti-virus software in my aging AMD K62 computer. Windows XP ran rather seamlessly after I installed it. However, it was almost impossible to shift between programs already when NAV monitored every activity in the system.

I shelved that old PC of mine after the hair-pulling experience. It was virtually impossible to run almost any program in it. System performance improved when I tweaked something on the registry. I’m sure the performance level would’ve gone a few notches higher had I added additional RAM. However, my brother seemed quite satisfied with the speed of my old desktop. I had two more desktops waiting to be upgraded or repaired, so I decided to just give the K62 to him and move on to my other units. So there!

Have you ever wondered why there isn’t any company that’s bold enough to really challenge Microsoft in the OS business?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those who want Microsoft’s head for eating up almost all of the software pie. In fact, I think that Bill Gate’s men have done tremendously well in multiplying the things that a PC could do.

However, as with any industry, a healthy competition wouldn’t hurt. On the contrary, it may even improve software development to a level that has never been seen before. Many are complaining that Window’s beauty is just skin deep. It has been proven a number of times that its design is somewhat flawed. Hackers could easily get into it, modify its Windows registry and alter critical files. How else would you explain the countless patches that Microsoft issues almost incessantly?

I want an OS that can really harness the full potential of today’s processors. Many say that CPUs are not just fast enough or can’t keep up with the pace set by software engineers. Well, if you ask me, I think that many software, including operating systems, can run fast even on older processors if program writers would just take the time to find a way to quench their product’s thirst for more computing power.

What do YOU think?

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