• 12/03/09 - The long quiet is over
  News: Criminals continue to escalate. The New York Times recently displayed an ad that contained a brand new infection.
  I've been testing AVG's latest version (9.0) for a while, and it's time for you to get it, especially since version 8.5 is now getting insistent and trying to rope you into paying for an upgrade. (If your computer has been in the shop here since September, you already have version 9. )
  For home computer user's it's still free, it's just a short treasure hunt; but still perfectly legit for you to get the new
  version for free here: http://free.avg.com/us-en/download?prd=afg#tba2 (don't ever use a download manager, ignore that file).
  Once downloaded:
  - uninstall the old version
  - run the new file
  - choose custom install, most stuff is obvious
  - uncheck LinkScanner, uncheck Additional Languages - Only check the Email Scanner If you don't use a web page for your email, but you DO use Outlook, Outlook Express, or Vista's Mail program
  - Check the MS Office Plugin if you have Office
  - Always say no to toolbars... they are useless (except RoboForm) - If you want to set a daily scan, choose the time. I prefer the flexibility to decide when I will do my weekly regimen - Once installed, keep getting updates until it says there are no more.
  
• 06/19/09 - Just the facts
  This month I just have information for you, nothing new for your weekly regimen.
  BUT, be absolutely sure that you read and act on last month's entry, below.
  Since so many people have asked me about using browsers other than IE, I thought you might all appreciate some real numbers to back up my suggestion that you stick with IE. These facts came to me in an email from WhiteHatWorld, a security training Conference for security professionals.
  
  More than 50 vulnerabilities were included in Apple’s Safari browser 4.0 update June 9—some of them more than three years old.
  On that same day, Microsoft’s patch included fixes for a record eight IE vulnerabilities in one month, including one that impacts Microsoft’s latest version, IE 8.
  Not to be left out, the popular Mozilla browser recorded 99 vulnerabilities in 2008, the highest number on record for a single browser....
  
  So, when someone suggests you are "at-risk" using IE, or slower because you're not using Firefox, rest assured, I've given you the right information. Especially considering that IE 8 only had one vulnerability update last month. So yes, you want to be running IE8, BUT, I'm still seeing a 20% failure rate among those that try to install it themselves. If you haven't already done so, read my 5/23/09 entry below and give me a call to save yourself some misery. There are several defenses your PC now needs to have strengthened in light of new threats. Trying to make all these updates yourself is not advised.
  
  Also, ignore the ads of companies promising to "clean your registry", 90% of those programs do more harm than good.
  
  Remember, one of the benefits of being a YourPCpitstop client is the privilege of calling with quick questions to get an accurate answer from someone with an objective opinion.
  
  
• 05/23/09
  As all my clients know, I've always aimed to make you self-sufficient, without requiring regular visits or monthly mainenance fees. Instead, I've given you education, tools, and frequent pictorial directions to keep your system security updated, with no additional cost. Some of you have had three, four or five years of security since I disinfected your system.
  
  Lately, the criminals have gotten smarter, even very legitimate sites like MLB.com (major league baseball) have been hacked into and become infectious. As a result of the recent advances by these criminals four PC's have come back into YourPCpitstop for re-disinfection in the past three months.
  
  That's more than all the last five years combined.
  I'm Sorry. The war for your PC, and your identity, has escalated.
  It's time to re-fortify. We need to strengthen your defenses.
  
  The good news is, if you're not infected, the process will take less than an hour and the software is still free. I'm willing to throw in the trip fee (saving you $45) to come visit you and get the job done for just $95.
  (Clients serviced since March 2009, you are up to date.)
  
  Included: updates to Java, IE8, AVG and Spybot if needed. A better Defragger, and replacement of AdAware with MalwareBytes (since the latest version of AdAware has problems). Your weekly menu will shrink from 11 to 10 items, and I'll be running an extra scan to clean out your registry and wasted disk space. I'll put in place the registry modifications to prevent the latest USB transmitted infections and provide updated pages for your weekly regimen document.
  Vista users weekly menu will remain at 10 items.
  
  If we're not pro-active, and your system gets infected, we'll have to run the full spectrum of scans. It'll take 2-5 days and start at $300.
  
  Call 248-557-1001 to set an appointment.
  
  
• 4/28/09 - Break the rule...
  If you've already installed IE8, don't panic... Chances are you'll be fine.
  I've always said to always do the "High Priority" updates from Microsoft.
  This is the first time to break that rule. I've been hearing that there's some risks with Internet Explorer v8. Microsoft has it set to High Priority so it will be automatically downloaded to almost everyone, but I think we'll hang out a couple more weeks before I can confidently say go ahead. If you saw it on the update list before I did, and already installed it, give me a call or email and tell me how it went. Don't try to uninstall it.
  
• 4/9/09 - Been a busy quarter at YourPCpitstop.
  The pace of trying to stay ahead of the economy has been keeping us busy.
  AVG 8.5 has arrived, you can download the free version here:
  http://free.avg.com/download?prd=afe
  Here's what to do:
  - Download the file, then run it.
  - In the first pass, Tell it to remove all traces of prior version
  - after the reboot, run it again. Do a custom install
  - Defaults are OK, except: uncheck the "extra languages" and skip the toolbar.
  - on the first run wizard, I deselect the daily scan, (I use the weekly menu)
  Yes, it's still legal to run the free version, they just try to convince people to
  pay for it by making it hard to find the free version.
  As for the latest version of AdAware, 5/2009 update: we're replacing AdAware, do not upgrade to AE version.
  
  I'm happy to report that none of our clients have succumbed to the latest headlined infection (on 4/1), though I'll repeat the caution that the criminals are getting more determined. Be sure to run your updates at the very least weekly. Even when you stay up to date, there's always a risk that you may get caught by a brand new infection, but the chance of that is smaller than 1% over 3 years.
  
  
• 1/26/09 - Happy New Year
  We've run a head-to-head comparison of our processes vs. a local shop, and after they disinfected a PC, our standard suite of tools found 19 infectious elements (not including cookies) still residing on the PC. Aren't you glad you chose YourPCpitstop to keep your PC healthy?
  
  
• 12/18/08 - Microsoft Critical Update... Install ASAP, don't wait
  Criminals found a hole in Internet Explorer that all the security researchers missed. It's serious. If you've been postponing your weekly regimen, at all, get caught up, run the scans, then get the updates from Microsoft. Here's some tech details if you care: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS08-078.mspx
  
• 10/29/08 - Not so quiet a month after all...
  - Heard from a client recently that didn't stay up-to-date with their protective software. It's hard to tell if their identity was stolen through their computer, or other means. Just a reminder, the criminals have stepped up their activity, you may want to spend five minutes to do your updates (the first few steps on the weekly menu) more than once per week.
  - If your Vista system suddenly slows way down, it may be a glitch we can fix easily. Give me a call.
  - If you know someone about to buy a new PC, send them to us. Our clients get wholesale prices from Dell, saving $270-$800
  (Better than all employer, OEM or MLM discount programs).
  This is not for a limited time only and not limited to one purchase per person.
  - YourPCpitstop is taking on Interns... lots of them... send your niece or nephew!
  - Know anyone worried about their financial future? Looking for a second income that can grow to replace their dependence on an employer? ... I can help.
• 10/1/08 - Quiet month ... technically, so just some sites you may want to visit:
  - Colleges being forced to (mostly) rat out music sharing students
  - Politics we can all agree on: FairTax... eliminate the IRS ... REALLY!
  - How Michigan FairTax can grow the Michigan Business Base
  - Know someone unemployed? Here's some help they should know about: www.CTSministries.org
  
• 08/25/08 - One major upgrade and some minor notes
  Seems like lots of updates have been major/manual lately...
  Here's another: Spybot's latest upgrade has been out a couple months, and seems stable. (Recently serviced computers may already have it)
  Download Spybot v1.6 and save it to your desktop.
  Download this document for step-by-step instructions to uninstall the old version and install the new.
  - Latest versions: Spybot 1.6, AdAware 2008, and AVG2008,
  - As those three programs have matured, they're starting to overlap a bit. That means they may notice the same threats, or AVG may notice when Spybot moves a file into it's quarantine area. That's OK, you're doubly protected from some threats.
  - Many of our clients are running all three scans at one time, and you may find Ad-aware stubbornly refusing to continue because Spybot already deleted one of the bad cookies on his list. You could start running one scan at a time, -or- just wait for all three to complete the scans, and "finish" AdAware first. Spybot will then show some items as unresolved, but it will still remove the rest.
  
  
• 06/16/08 - Clarification
  A question recently arose about the weekly process.
  On your weekly menu there's an item that says:
  "Get at least this far once each week"
  I suggest you change it to read:
  "Get at least this far three times each week" (reasons stated below).
  As for the rest of the weekly menu, complete it once each week,
  or if not, realize that you are putting your system at increased risk.
  The "Get at least this far" has never been a stopping point,
  just a concession to those constantly too busy for safety.
  
  
• 06/08 - The fight for your computer just got nastier
  We've had several computers lately taking extreme efforts to clean.
  The criminals have some new techniques. They're fighting harder than ever to get and keep control of as many computers as possible. Infections are mutating daily, they're traveling in packs, and using address books to spread through sending emails to friends. That means your friend could get a freshly minted infection that sends itself to you in an email from someone you know and trust.
  
  It's time to step up your defenses. Starting now, We're recommending steps 1-4 on your weekly menu be done every other day, at least. Getting more frequent updates to your guardian programs will only take 3-5 minutes, but save you a lot of grief. You can still do the remaining steps just once a week.
  
  As you know, We've spared most of our clients (now 96%, down from 97%) the grief of having their system "wiped". People say they wish they knew about YourPCpitstop before going elsewhere because it cost them 2-3 days of lost productivity putting all the pieces back together again after a high-volume repair shop "re-init"-ed them. So I'm asking you to help slow the progress of this criminal wave of PC infections. Let your friends know about the escalating digital warfare and tell them your experience with early intervention and weekly prevention. Share with them where to find cost-effective help, to AVOID having to re-install windows and lose all that time. When all your friends are as well protected as your computer, you won't get those infected emails.
  
  We still don't sell PC's, but Dell still thinks we're a re-seller. That means your friends can get a new PC at REAL wholesale prices, no commission, no middle-man, direct from Dell, and save 20%-30% by working with us (which means no buyers remorse).
  
  
• 05/08 -Time for XP SP3 and AVG 8.0
  Service Pack 3 is a MAJOR upgrade. It looks to be less of a nightmare than SP2 was, but we're still going to be careful. Also AVGfree 8.0 is out, so we're going to update that too. FIRST be sure to do all disinfections with the latest upgrades. Here's a PDF document (mostly pictures) you can print with step-by-step instructions for the safest process. Click here for Instructions.
  
  Reminder about ALL Microsoft updates... DON'T take 'em automatically, make sure you just get notified when new updates are available, then wait at least 48 hours in case Microsoft made a mistake.
  
  
• 1/08 - New location for this NEWS PAGE
  If you want to modify your menu item to come directly here...
  Click "Weekly" on the menu, to open the folder
  Rt-Click the 00a menu item and choose properties
  It originally showed: http://computer-project.com/joshua-project/
  Simply modify it to: http://www.YourPCpitstop.com\news.html
  
  

• 8/07 - MySpace safety tips, and new website

  MySpace Safety Tips
  We've worked with several families lately regarding MySpace. Here's some family discussion starters:
  Federal Trade Commission OnGuardOnline.gov

  
  

Q: Mike, how do you keep up with all these risks?

A: I get frequent updates from the FBI, through my Infraguard involvement, and the SANS Security Awareness postings.
I watch out for you.