Koobface virus

Recently I got an email from someone i don't know which tells me that I got a message in Friendster. I read that message and this is it's content.

Your behavior looks pretty shocking to me.
http://www.geocities.com/mbsnhwqmo/

When I clicked that link, I was redirected to other website http://60.53.68.219:7777/?ch=&ea= which contains a video, like a youtube. This website suggest me to download a file to play the video. My anti virus has detected this file a koobface virus.

This is the screenshot of the website


This virus has known as a facebook virus. The spreading technique almost the same, but with other social network like Friendster. Try to fool someone to play the video and install the file.

Be carefull if you get message which almost the same with this.

With this article, I hope that we can be more carefully not too easily click a link or download a file from other people, even we know that people.

Best regards,

Deny Sutani

10 Simple Reasons To Remove Spyware From Your Computer

Is your computer been running slower than normal? Are you worried someone may be able to access your computer and steal your private information and use it against you? If so, these are feelings I have shared with you in the past.

Some time back, my 3-year old computer was running so slow that I had to buy a new computer. Or at least I thought I needed a new computer. Then within a matter of weeks of surfing on the Internet, my new computer was also running so slowly. In addition, some programs did not run well on my computer, and I did not recognize some of the programs that were running on my computer. That scared me most. Were these programs that were tracking my keystrokes on my computer or programs I just not remember installing? I knew I had to find a answer and solution fast.

The truth is, we can all put up with a slow computer, but very few of us would want others to have access to the information on our computers, but that is exactly what can happen when spyware or malware is loaded on our computers without our knowledge.

According to Spyware Nuker’s web site, “Spyware applications are programs and files that hide on your PC's hard drive without your direct knowledge. These programs allow hackers and advertising companies to track your every move, both online and even when you work offline. They can track the websites you visit, the items that you buy online, the emails you send and receive, your Instant Message dialog, and worst of all they can even record your credit card number, personal identification numbers, and all of your passwords. If you use dial-up to connect to the Internet then spyware can be used to bill 900 numbers to your phone bill. This is just a short list of the harm that spyware can cause.”

The web site also provides statistics that show spyware is a huge problem effecting many people. "27.3 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years, including 9.91 million people or 4.6% of the population in the last year alone."

In addition, it is very easy for your computer to become infected with spyware as "The majority of all downloadable games, music, screensavers, etc., can infect your computer with SpyWare or AdWare. Most people do not know that after simply clicking on a random "pop up" ad, their computers may have been infected with SpyWare or AdWare."

No matter how we get spyware, here are 10 very real reasons you don’t want spyware on your computer.

1. Your computer may start running slower
2. Some programs on your computer will not run correctly
3. You may not recognize programs that are now on your computer because they may have been installed there by a spyware related web site or program you loaded on your computer.

In addition, you might be worried that:

4. Someone might be able to read your e-mails
5. Someone might be able to access your e-mail list
6. Someone might be able to see you track the keystrokes you type
7. Someone might be able to access your credit card information on your pc
8. Someone might be able to access your passwords list on your computer
9. Someone might be able to steal your social security number
10. Someone might be able to track all the web sites you visit

As I mentioned, most of these programs get on your computer with out you even knowing, but another frustrating part is I recognized a few of these programs because I remember installing AND uninstalling them! So now I know that when we install some of these handy little utilities to track passwords online or programs to help with e-mail or keep track of the weather, even if we uninstall them, they may not be gone from our computers. They are still in our computers, waiting to spy on us, at the least.

A great way to find and remove spyware is to run a spyware detector and remover. Most spyware detection and removal software today offers a free scan to verify that you do or do not have spyware on your computer.

About Botnet

BotNet, also called zombie network and network of bots is a group of computers which are used to discreetly send data like spam and viruses to other computers on the internet. These actions are carried out by malicious programs without the knowledge of the users. These malicious programs mainly consist of viruses, Trojans and worms. Infected computers are called bots or zombies. Most computers which are infected are personal home internet PCs which are inadequately protected.

When a PC becomes part of a BotNet, it can be instructed to do almost anything by the creator of botnet. In effect it becomes a drone which cannot resist the commands of its master. In this case, the master is the creator of the malicious software (malware). Most Bots are employed in propagation of spam and viruses. Often malware is used for key-press logging which can result in mass identity theft. Zombie computers can also be used for denial of service attacks in which many bots simultaneously log onto a particular server, thus exceeding the server's bandwidth and crashing it. This technique is particularly effective when the Botnet is large and contains thousands of computers. Many advanced malware can even spread themselves via email while the malware of smaller botnets lack this capability.

BotNets are programmed in such a way that they are difficult to find and analyze. Normally they receive instructions from their creators through IRC (Internet Relay Channels). As of April 2008, the Storm BotNet and the Kraken BotNet are the largest BotNets in the world with an estimated 400,000 bots. Other significant BotNets are Rbot and Bobax with an estimated 20,000 bots each.

So on a day to basis, the best way to protect your computer properly is to frequently scan and update your antivirus and firewall software. Special sensors called 'honeynets' have also been set up on the internet these nets mimic the characteristics of computers with known security flaws in an effort to lure hackers into them and track down malware creators. It has been recently quoted by Kaspersky Labs (creators of Kaspersky anti-virus) that botnets pose more of a threat to the internet community than individual viruses and worms.

About Botnet

BotNet, also called zombie network and network of bots is a group of computers which are used to discreetly send data like spam and viruses to other computers on the internet. These actions are carried out by malicious programs without the knowledge of the users. These malicious programs mainly consist of viruses, Trojans and worms. Infected computers are called bots or zombies. Most computers which are infected are personal home internet PCs which are inadequately protected.

When a PC becomes part of a BotNet, it can be instructed to do almost anything by the creator of botnet. In effect it becomes a drone which cannot resist the commands of its master. In this case, the master is the creator of the malicious software (malware). Most Bots are employed in propagation of spam and viruses. Often malware is used for key-press logging which can result in mass identity theft. Zombie computers can also be used for denial of service attacks in which many bots simultaneously log onto a particular server, thus exceeding the server's bandwidth and crashing it. This technique is particularly effective when the Botnet is large and contains thousands of computers. Many advanced malware can even spread themselves via email while the malware of smaller botnets lack this capability.

BotNets are programmed in such a way that they are difficult to find and analyze. Normally they receive instructions from their creators through IRC (Internet Relay Channels). As of April 2008, the Storm BotNet and the Kraken BotNet are the largest BotNets in the world with an estimated 400,000 bots. Other significant BotNets are Rbot and Bobax with an estimated 20,000 bots each.

So on a day to basis, the best way to protect your computer properly is to frequently scan and update your antivirus and firewall software. Special sensors called 'honeynets' have also been set up on the internet these nets mimic the characteristics of computers with known security flaws in an effort to lure hackers into them and track down malware creators. It has been recently quoted by Kaspersky Labs (creators of Kaspersky anti-virus) that botnets pose more of a threat to the internet community than individual viruses and worms.

Data Recovery And Back Up For Email Clients

Booting issues, virus attacks, or corrupted file systems are very much present in any exchange or mail servers and can cause many of your archived email messages to apparently disappear. Companies which rely heavily on email communication and do not have back ups might find this a pervading problem. But data recovery designed specifically for email recovery can fix this problem.

Here are a few examples of data recovery steps in three of the most widely used email clients:

IncrediMail Email Data Recovery

• Select File | Data and Settings Transfer | Transfer from Old Computer... from the menu in IncrediMail email client.

• Click on the OK button.

• Click Open; then click OK.

• IncrediMail Email data recovery process will then start.

• Once done, a dialog box will appear, indicating that the data recovery process is finished. Click OK.

• IncrediMail will auto-restart to complete the data recovery process.

Outlook Email and Other Data Recovery

• Select File | Import and Export... from the Outlook menu.

• In the drop-down menu that appears, select Import from another program or file.

• Click Next.

• Run your mouse over the Personal Folder File (PST) to highlight it.

• Click the Next button again.

• Using the Browse button, select the backup copy of the PST file you want to recover from your backup location.

• On the dialog box, place a check mark on the box that says Replace duplicates with items imported to start the data recovery process.

• Click Next.

• Once the data recovery process is done, click Finish.

Outlook Express Email Data Recovery

• Select File | Import | Messages... from the Outlook Express menu.

• Choose the Outlook Express version that you have as the email program to import from.

• Click the Next button.

• From the dialog box, make sure that you again choose the right Outlook Express version.

• Click OK.

• Select the folder containing your back up copy of your Outlook Express mail store by using the Browse button.

• Click Next.

• Choose which folders to import and the data recovery process will start.

• Click Next; then Finish to finalize the data recovery process.

It is a fact that exchange and email servers are a vital aspect of any company. So to protect this fragile part of your company’s IT asset base, you need a splendid back up program and state-of-the-art data recovery system that has been tested and proven effective in its job.

2007 - Top Ten Antivirus Software Programs Reviewed

Protecting your computer from a virus is getting more difficult. Antivirus software is essential to a computer’s ability to fend off viruses and other malicious programs. These products are designed to protect against the ability of a virus to enter a computer through email, web browsers, file servers and desktops.

The programs reviewed below are the best from around the world. In the United States we are familiar primarily with the Norton and McAfee Antivirus programs, but there are many good programs out there that merit serious consideration.

Top 10 Recommended Antivirus Software Programs

Below are my ten top antivirus software programs for 2007.

For a much more detailed comparison chart on these products you can refer to http://www.zunio.com/comparisons/antivirus_review.html

1) Editor's Choice: BitDefender
Softwin, which owns BitDefender, has been around since 1990, and boasts an international team of technical experts who strive to continually improve software and respond to new threats.

2) Kaspersky
Founded in 1997 by Eugene Kaspersky, the Moscow-based company has had great success leading the industry in anti-virus protection

3) Norton Anti-Virus
Owned by global security giant Symantec, Norton Antivirus is by far the most popular and widely used security system in the United States. Norton offers a small range of products for the home user, small business owner and large corporation with 1000+ users.

4) McAfee
McAfee is another big name in Internet security and a large competitor for Norton Antivirus, although their prices are virtually the same.

5) F-Secure
Based in Helsinki, Finland, F-Secure has been in the computer protection business since 1988. The company offers protection for the family computer, to home office users all the way up to corporations with large numbers of telecommuters spread all over the map.

6) Shield Anti-Virus 2007
PCSecurityShield offers protection against viruses, hackers and privacy threats to help keep you and your family surfing safely.

7) Protector Plus
Proland Software offers virus protection with its Protector Plus package, compatible with Windows Vista, XP, Me, 2000 and Netware. Protector Proland is proud of its team of experienced engineers, who have been working on anti-virus software and computer protection programs since 1989.

8) DefendGate
Canada-based DefendGate offers everything from protection against viruses and identity theft to office productivity suites and desktop accelerators.

9) PC DoorGuard
This program is PC DoorGuard is designed for those looking to protect their email from spam, viruses, Trojans and worms.

10) CA Antivirus
On its website, CA Antivirus says it provides software to 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies and boasts that it was the first antivirus software to be awarded certification with Microsoft Vista in 2007.


Virus Prevention - Steps to take

A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:

1. Evaluate your current computer security system. With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just one antivirus software version has become outdated.

2. Only install antivirus software created by a well-known, reputable company.
Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you regularly update your antivirus software
3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or files no matter from where they originate.

4. Exercise caution when opening binary, Word, or Excel documents of unknown sources especially if they were received during an online chat or as an attachment to an email.

5. Perform regular backups in case your system is corrupted. It may be the only way to recover your data if infected.

(c) 2007 Zunio.com

10 Major Reasons To Switch To Linux

1. It Doesn't Crash

Linux has been time-proven to be a reliable operating system. Although the desktop is not a new place for Linux, most Linux-based systems have been used as servers and embedded systems. High-visibility Web sites such as Google use Linux-based systems, but you also can find Linux inside the TiVo set-top box in many livingrooms.

Linux has proved to be so reliable and secure that it is commonly found in dedicated firewall and router systems used by high-profile companies to secure their networks. For more than ten years, it has not been uncommon for Linux systems to run for months or years without needing a single reboot.

2. Viruses Are Few and Far Between

Although it is possible to create a virus to target Linux systems, the design of the system itself makes it very difficult to become infected. A single user could cause local damage to his or her files by running a virus on his or her system; however, this would be an isolated instance rather than something could spread out of control.

In addition, virtually all Linux vendors offer free on-line security updates. The general philosophy of the Linux community has been to address possible security issues before they become a problem rather than hoping the susceptibility will go unnoticed.

3. Virtually Hardware-Independent

Linux was designed and written to be easily portable to different hardware. For the desktop user, this means that Linux has been and likely always will be the first operating system to take advantage of advances in hardware technology such as AMD's 64-bit processor chips.

4. Freedom of Choice

Linux offers freedom of choice as far as which manufacturer you purchase the software from as well as which application programs you wish to use. Being able to pick the manufacturer means you have a real choice as far as type of support you receive. Being open-source software, new manufacturers can enter the market to address customer needs.

Choice of application programs means that you can select the tools that best address your needs. For example, three popular word processors are available. All three are free and interoperate with Microsoft Word, but each offers unique advantages and disadvantages. The same is true of Web browsers.

5. Standards

Linux itself and many common applications follow open standards. This means an update on one system will not make other systems obsolete.

6. Applications, Applications, Applications

Each Linux distribution comes with hundreds and possibly thousands of application programs included. This alone can save you thousands of dollars for each desktop system you configure. Although this is a very small subset, consider that the OpenOffice.org office suite is included as well as the GIMP, a program similar to (and many people say more capable than Adobe Photoshop); Scribus, a document layout program similar to Quark Xpress; Evolution, an e-mail system equivalent to Microsoft's Outlook Express; and hundreds more.

For the more technically inclined, development tools, such as compilers for the C, C++, Ada, Fortran, Pascal and other languages, are included as well as Perl, PHP and Python interpreters. Editors and versioning tools also are included in this category.

Whether you are looking for Instant Messaging clients, backup tools or Web site development packages, they likely are all included within your base Linux distribution.

7. Interoperability

More and more computers are being connected to networks. No system would be complete if it did not include tools to allow it to interoperate with computers running other operating systems. Once again, Linux is very strong in this area.

Linux includes Samba, software that allows Linux to act as a client on a Microsoft Windows-based network. In fact, Samba includes server facilities such that you could run a Linux system as the server for a group of Linux and Windows-based client systems.

In addition, Linux includes software to network with Apple networks and Novell's Netware. NFS, the networking technology developed on UNIX systems also is included.

8. It's a Community Relationship, Not a Customer Relationship

Other operating systems are the products of single vendors. Linux, on the other hand, is openly developed, and this technology is shared among vendors. This means you become part of a community rather than a customer of a single manufacturer. Also, the supplier community easily can adjust to the needs of various user communities rather than spouting a "one size fits all" philosophy.

This means you can select a Linux vendor that appears to best address your needs and feel confident that you could switch vendors at a later time without losing your investment--both in terms of costs and learning.

9. It's Not How Big Your Processor Is...

Because of a combination of the internal design of Linux and development contributions from a diverse community, Linux tends to be more frugal in the use of computer resources. This may manifest itself in a single desktop system running faster with Linux than with another operating system, but the advantages go far beyond that. It is possible, for example, to configure a single Linux system to act as a terminal server and then use outdated hardware as what are called thin clients.

This server/thin client configuration makes it possible for older, less powerful hardware to share the resources of a single powerful system thus extending the life of older machines.

10. Linux Is Configurable

Linux is a true multi-user operating system. Each user can have his or her own individual configuration all on one computer. This includes the look of the desktop, what icons are displayed, what programs are started automatically when the user logs in and even what language the desktop is in.

And lastly no Bill schmendrick character telling you what you can and cannot do.