Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

The Complete Guide to YouTube: Tips, Tricks, Hacks and Resources

Posted: 06 Apr 2010 03:12 PM PDT

What Vendors Give, Vendors Can Take Away

WXPNews: Published by Sunbelt Software since 2001
FORUMS | BLOG | RSS | MY PROFILE | PRIVACY  

Vol. 10, #14 - Apr 6, 2010 - Issue #424

 What Vendors Give, Vendors Can Take Away

  1. Editor's Corner
    • What Vendors Give, Vendors Can Take Away
    • Imagine you had an 'Internet Butler'.
    • Follow-up: Cutting your phone bills
    • Quotes of the Week
  2. Cool Tools
    • Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without
  3. News, Hints, Tips and Tricks
    • Windows Live Wave 4 expected not to support XP
    • Make your XP (or Vista or Windows 7) computer look like Windows Phone 7
    • A better idea than saving XP?
    • No Office for iPad
  4. How To: Using XP Features
    • How to do a diagnostic for DirectX problems
  5. XP Security News
    • Watch out for malicious PDF files
  6. XP Question Corner
    • How can I do a search and replace on File names?
  7. XP Configuration and Troubleshooting
    • XP shuts down because UPS service is started
    • "Bad Command Structure" error message
  8. Fav Links
    • This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff
  9. Product of the Week
    • Driver Genius Professional 9.0: Are your Outdated Drivers Slowing Down your PC?

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  • New antivirus + antispyware engine with firewall
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  • Cutting-edge Proactive Protection
  • Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail
  • Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection
  • No automatic credit card charge each year!
Try VIPRE Antivirus Premium now for 30-days FREE!
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 Editor's Corner

What Vendors Give, Vendors Can Take Away

Last week, our reader Matt V. wrote to me about a Sony firmware update for the PlayStation 3, released on April 1, that seemed like a cruel April Fool's prank to some customers. What does it do? It removes the option to "install other OS" that was on the console's menu and previously made it possible for users to load Linux and use the PS3 - which, after all, is a computer - for other computing tasks besides playing games.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-PS3-Removes-OS-Capability

Now it's one thing when you buy a device, knowing that it can only be used as a game console. It's quite another when you make that purchase based on the belief that you can use it for more than that, with the vendor's blessing, and then have that functionality taken away. Some PS3 owners are very unhappy campers. They feel it's a lot like buying a new car that comes with leather seats, and then having the auto maker come to their homes in the dead of night to rip out those nice seats and replace them with cheap cloth.

Sony says the update is completely optional. Oh, but there's a catch. If you opt not to install it, you won't have network functionality, which means you can't use PlayStation Network, chat or browse the PlayStation Store. And what's the point of removing the option, anyway? Some speculate it's because people were using the other OS to watch pirated movies, but many folks say they used it so they could use a better web browser, as they didn't like the Sony one. In any event, such a drastic removal of functionality to prevent piracy that might or might not happen seems a little like taking our cars away from all of us just in case we might break the speeding laws with them, or banning tire irons because after all, it's possible to use one to commit assault.

Of course, Sony isn't the only company that has ever removed functionality from one of its devices. In 2007, an Apple software update famously "bricked" an unknown number of iPhones that had been "unlocked" by their owners so they could be used with a cellular carrier other than AT&T - taking away all functionality.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Unlocked-iPhones-Bricked

Apple also reportedly forced the developers of Stanza, an ebook reader app for the iPhone, to issue an update that would remove the app's ability to transfer ebooks to their mobile devices with a USB cable. Interestingly, Lexcycle, the maker of Stanza, fielded questions by staying they were "forbidden from discussing the specifics of our conversations with Apple on this matter," although they did confirm that the feature was removed in accordance with Apple's demands.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-USB-Sharing

And last December, Microsoft issued an update for Office 2007 that removed the ability to read Custom XML elements contained within .docx, .docm or .xml files - but it wasn't exactly a voluntary action. The company was ordered by U.S. Federal Court of Appeals, which found in favor of Canadian developer i4i when it claimed the feature infringed on its patent, to remove the XML editing technology.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Custom-XML-Yanked

Is it legal, then, for hardware and software vendors to change your devices and programs after you buy them? Unfortunately, if you read all the fine print in the End User License Agreement (EULA), you'll probably discover that you agreed to that very thing when you clicked the "Accept" button during the installation or setup process. The Sony PS3 EULA, in section 3 ("Services and Updates"), says: "Without limitation, services may include the provision of the latest update or download of new release that may include security patches, new technology or revised settings and features which may prevent access to unauthorized or pirated content, or use of unauthorized hardware or software in connection with the PS3(tm) system." and "Some services may change your current settings, cause a loss of data or content, or cause some loss of functionality."
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Agreement

You can bet the vendors made sure their attorneys had covered their behinds before they issued these updates. Don't remember ever clicking to accept the agreement? It doesn't matter, because section 9 ("General Legal") says: "By using or accessing the System Software, you agree to be bound by all current terms of this Agreement." and what's more: "SCE, at its sole discretion, may modify the terms of this Agreement at any time, including any terms in the PS3(tm) system documentation or manual."

It does make you wonder just how far that clause could be taken. Can the vendor come back and say, "Oh, we've decided that instead of granting you an infinite license to use this software, we're changing the terms of this agreement so you only get to use it for six months. If you want to use it longer, you have to pay for it again"? Apparently they could.

Interestingly, I did not find such an overt clause permitting the terms of the agreement to be changed in the Windows 7 EULA. However, section 23 ("Entire Agreement") says: "This agreement (including the warranty below), additional terms (including any printed-paper license terms that accompany the software and may modify or replace some or all of these terms), and the terms for supplements, updates, Internet-based services and support services that you use, are the entire agreement for the software and support services." If you parse that language carefully, you'll see that they're saying they can modify or replace the terms of the agreement by issuing "additional terms," which can be but wouldn't have to be printed-paper terms accompanying the software.

Want to know what's in the EULA of any other Microsoft products? At least they've made that information easy to find all in one place:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-End-User-License

Of course, we've talked about heinous EULA terms before, but the clauses that give them the right to change any and everything (including those terms themselves) has to be the worst. In essence, that one clause negates any and all rights that might seem to be granted to you by the agreement, since the vendor has the sole discretion to change any part of it at any time.

Tell us what you think. Should vendors be allowed to remove important functionalities from their devices or software after you paid for that same functionality? Should they only be allowed to do it when under a court order, as Microsoft was with the XML editing issue? Should they have to refund part or all of your money if they make significant changes that cause you to no longer want the device or program? Or should they be able to make any changes they want, since after all, you agreed to it? Should, at the very least, changing the terms of the agreement be prohibited? Have you ever had features you wanted removed by an update? We invite you to discuss this topic in our forum at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Forum-Discussion


Imagine you had an 'Internet Butler'.

Imagine you had an 'Internet Butler' in your PC. Tell us what that things that 'butler' would do for you automatically, instead of you having to do it yourself?
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Survey


Follow-up: Cutting your phone bills

Last week, I wrote about the evolution of our phone service, from landline to Lingo VoIP for six years and now, given recent problems with Lingo, to my "pilot program" with Skype. Readers had lots of comments and suggestions, and what quickly emerged from the discussion (both on the forum and in email) was that the same solutions are not going to be right for everybody.

One reader noted that cell service is unreliable where he lives and "Relying solely on a cell phone means no service 1/2 the time." It made me very grateful that in my area, I've never failed to get a cell signal in the last five years with Verizon, indoors or out. On the other hand, I have a friend who lives in the next suburb over, who is unable to get any service at all inside his home with his AT&T iPhone.

Another reader suggested, "Why not just keep your DSL line, which you can use as a regular phone line, and use your cell for everything else. Usually your DISH or DIRECTV system requires a line for them to access your reception boxes, so the DSL line can be used for that also." For those who have DSL and DISH or DirecTV, that sounds like good advice. It's not at all applicable to our situation. We have FiOS Internet service, which is far faster than DSL, but even if we wanted it, we're too far from the CO to get DSL. And we don't have DISH or DirecTV, so there's no need for a landline for that.

Other readers use other solutions. Some use their cable company's phone service. Others mentioned MagicJack and Ooma. These two are super low-cost alternatives: MagicJack costs $20/year (after a $40 initial hardware cost), and Ooma costs $250 for the hardware and then there are no monthly charges for basic service. There is a "premier" service that costs $99/year and gives you a second outgoing line, three-way calling, and forwarding of calls to your cell or other backup number, as well as call screening and voicemail-to-email, blacklisting and anonymous call rejection, custom ring patterns and other services beyond what you get with the basic service. Both have been around for a while, but I haven't personally tried either of them. I'll be checking into them further in the future, after the enthusiastic recommendations they both got. Other suggestions included ACN VoIP, Toktumi, voipo.com, and Google Voice.

That last one confused me a little, as it seemed at least one reader was suggesting it as an alternative to other phone services. Unless it's changed, it is actually an addition to other services, as you have to have an established phone number to activate it. If you can get inbound calls with Google Voice only, I'm not aware of it.

To answer kurtneus's question: "MagicJack is cheap but it requires that you leave your computer on all the time. That can cost $15/mo. for electricity (at 7¢/kwh & 300w power supply)! How is this cost effective?" If you don't already have a computer that's always on, that's a valid consideration. If you run servers, as we do, that remain on 24/7 anyway, you just plug the device into one of them and there's no extra power cost.

Based on the number of responses, this is a topic that resonates with many people, and it was interesting to see how many of you have also dropped your landlines, either in favor of some iteration of VoIP or cellular only - although there are a few who vowed to hang onto their landlines forever. And Scott W. brought up the subject of adding up your total cost for various types of connectivity: phones, Internet, TV, cell phones, satellite radio, On-Star, home alarm system, movie rental, etc. I don't use all of those (I've never been interested in satellite radio and I dropped On-Star after two years and am seriously considering dropping the alarm monitoring service) but even so, the total number is pretty scary.

I enjoyed reading about your experiences trying different phone solutions and it was also eye-opening to find out how much prices can vary for landline service in different parts of the country. As always, thanks to all of you who participated in the discussion.

'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
feedback@win7news.net

Follow Deb on Twitter

PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication called Win7News? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Win7News

And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServer News, at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-WserverNews

Look up the WXPnews Fan Page and join us on Facebook!

Quotes of the Week

"The telephone is a 100-year-old technology. It's time for a change. Charging for phone calls is something you did last century." - Niklas Zennstrom

"I stay away from the telephone if at all possible." - Lee Trevino

"The Internet is a telephone system that's gotten uppity." - Clifford Stoll


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  • Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail
  • Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection
  • No automatic credit card charge each year!
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 Cool Tools

Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without

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MediaWidget is the quickest and easiest way to transfer all of your music, videos, photos, podcasts, and more from your iPod to PC. Check out the cool Youtube demo and download the trial here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-MediaWidget

Do you have programs you just can't seem to get rid of? Uninstaller! 2010 "ALL New" Version Just Released:
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Shop online much? Billing address autofill, Secure password storage, all automatic and safe. Not a little toobar utility. Huge time-saver!
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-RoboForm

Moving to Windows 7 is Easy! PCMover moves programs, files, and settings from your old PC to your new PC
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-PCmover

Search for a driver and you get a ton of Driver Software offers instead. But how do you know which one is good? Try Driver Genius 9.0. Free scan.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Driver-Genius

Why back up when you can sync? Simply replicate every piece of data to another drive in real-time. Set it and forget it.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-GoodSync

Spellchecker is NOT ENOUGH! Improve your English writing skills with WhiteSmoke a smarter solution for high quality writing. Try it:
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 News, Hints, Tips and Tricks

Windows Live Wave 4 expected not to support XP

We already know that Internet Explorer 9, the next version of Microsoft's web browser, isn't going to support Windows XP. Now comes the news, from Mary Jo Foley, that there is a high probability that Live Wave 4 - the next generation of its Live Mail, Live Writer, Messenger, Photo Gallery and other free applications - won't support XP either. We won't find out for sure until the public beta comes out (reportedly in June) and of course, even then there will still be time for changes before the final release (reportedly scheduled for August). If true, this is apt to make some XP users very unhappy.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-LiveWave4


Make your XP (or Vista or Windows 7) computer look like Windows Phone 7

You can't yet buy a phone running the new Windows Phone 7 operating system ("Series" has been dropped from the name, thank goodness), but the user interface has been demonstrated and has the tech world buzzing. And if you just can't wait, there is an application that you can install to make your XP (or other Windows) desktop look like the phone UI. It's called Omnimo and you can read more about it, and find a link to download it, here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Omnimo-UI


A better idea than saving XP?

Warning - this article is a bit, shall we say, tongue in cheek. Check the date it was published before you take it too seriously. But it's still a fun read, and I would be willing to bet there are at least a few folks out there who really feel this way:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Save-Windows-XP


No Office for iPad

If you're one of the many who celebrated April Fools Day by rushing to the Apple Store to buy an iPad, don't make plans to run Microsoft Office on it anytime soon. According to Stephen Elop, president of Microsoft's Business Division, the company has no current plans to make a version of their popular productivity suite for the new Apple device. Is this the right decision? Or is it, as many tech commentators seem to think, a big mistake? Only time will tell, but let us know what you think, and whether you're at all interested in the "giant iPhone sans phone" that went on sale last week.
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Office-on-iPad


 How To: Using XP Features

How to do a diagnostic for DirectX problems

If you have performance problems with video games or other 3D applications, you might want to run the DirectX diagnostic tool in XP to track down the source of the problems. Here's how:
  1. Click Start | Run
  2. In the Open box, type dxdiag
  3. Check the System tab to find out what version of DirectX is installed and get other general system information.
  4. Check the DirectX Files tab, which will show you in the Notes section at the bottom if any of your important DirectX files are missing. If you have missing files, you may need to reinstall DirectX.
  5. Check the Display tab to run DirectDraw and Direct3D tests, which will tell you whether DirectX is running properly and allow you to disable acceleration if needed.
These tests will go a long way toward helping you find the root of your DirectX problems (or confirm that DirectX isn't the problem). Just follow the instructions in the dialog boxes.


 XP Security News

Watch out for malicious PDF files

Most computer users consider PDF files to be pretty safe, unlike executables or even Word documents that can contain macros. After all, it's just a way to present a two-dimensional document, right? Well, maybe not. Recently a security researcher discovered a way to embed code in a PDF and launch it using Adobe Reader or Foxit, just by opening the file. The good news is that, at the moment, it's still in the "proof of concept" stage (meaning nobody has actually released such an attack in the wild) and the makers of the PDF readers have been notified. The bad news is that it's not exploiting a vulnerability in the software, which makes it harder to come up with a "fix" for it. Read more here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Malicious-PDF


 XP Question Corner

How can I do a search and replace on File names?

QUESTION:
I have a directory that has many files (hundreds) with file names that start with the same word (Smith) and then additional descriptions, like this: Smith birthday photo.jpg, Smith vacation1.jpg, and so on. What I want to do is replace "Smith" with something else, my first name instead of my last, so that they're named Lisa birthday photo.jpg and so forth. Is there a way to do this in one big operation (like how you can search and replace in Word) to replace "Smith" wherever it appears with "Lisa?" Hope this makes sense. Thanks. - Lisa S.

ANSWER:
XP has built-in functionality for renaming a group of files with sequentially numbered file names; for example, you could select the group, choose rename and type "Lisa," and your files would be named Lisa(1).jpg, Lisa(2).jpg, etc. but that's not very descriptive and I don't think that's what you want. However, you can do a search and replace within file names if you use a third party utility like FileMonkey. It will run on XP, and they have a tutorial on their web site that shows you how to search and replace in file names. The downside is that there is no "undo" so once you've renamed the files, you can't go back to the original names easily (unless you've backed them up first with the original names, which I highly recommend just in case it doesn't turn out like you expected).

Check it out here:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Filemonkey


 XP Configuration and Troubleshooting

XP shuts down because UPS service is started

If you start the Uninterruptible Power Supply service on your Windows XP computer, and you don't have a UPS attached to your computer via a COM port (or if you, but it's not working), Windows will shut down either before or after you log on. That's a problem, because you can't get into Windows to turn off the UPS service. The solution is to start in Safe Mode and then follow the instructions in KB article 818197 at
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Uninterruptible-Power-Supply


"Bad Command Structure" error message

If you try to extract files from a compressed folder, you might get an error message that says "Compressed (zipped) folders was unable to create the specified directory. Ensure that the directory does not already exist, and that the path entered is valid." This happens because you didn't type the entire explicit path for the folder name. The solution is simple: type in the complete path name. See KB article 291779 for more information:
http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-Bad-Command-Structure


 Fav Links

This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff

Disclaimer: WXPNews does not assume and cannot be responsible for any liability related to you clicking any of these linked Web sites.


 Product of the Week

Driver Genius Professional 9.0: Are your Outdated Drivers Slowing Down your PC?

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http://www.wxpnews.com/MY5HU3/100406-POTW-Driver-Genius


 About WXPnews

What Our Lawyers Make Us Say
These documents are provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Sunbelt Software on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Sunbelt must respond to changes in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Sunbelt and Sunbelt cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.

INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT.

This newsletter and website and may contain links to other websites with whom we have a business relationship. Sunbelt Software does not review or screen these sites, and we are not responsible or liable for their privacy or data security practices, or the content of these sites. Additionally, if you register with any of these sites, any information that you provide in the process of registration, such as your email address, credit card number or other personally identifiable information, will be transferred to these sites. For these reasons, you should be careful to review any privacy and data security policies posted on any of these sites before providing information to them.

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WXPnews Archives
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Monday, April 5, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Weekend Roundup February 5, 2010

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 01:22 AM PDT

Color Theory for Anyone, plus 50 Free Tools to Create Perfect Color Combinations

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 12:48 AM PDT

Best Of History Web Sites

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 12:47 AM PDT

Universities with the Best Free Online Courses

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 12:35 AM PDT

The Windows Registry Explained

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 06:03 PM PDT

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Mac Attack: Browsers for OSX

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 12:35 PM PDT

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Captivated By Words? You'll Love Wordnik

Posted: 16 Mar 2010 07:09 PM PDT

Friday, April 2, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Weekend Roundup April 2, 2010

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 01:10 PM PDT

Firefox Updates to 3.6.3, Patches Security Flaw

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 10:41 AM PDT

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Link to Gizmo's Daily Tech Treats

Front Pages From Around the World, Every Day

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 05:49 PM PDT

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Windows 7 Security: What's the Real Story?

Published by Sunbelt Software FORUMS | RSS | MY PROFILE | PRIVACY  

Vol. 2, # 13 - Apr 1, 2010 - Issue # 29 
 Windows 7 Security: What's the Real Story?

  1. Editor's Corner
    • Windows 7 Security: What's the Real Story?
    • Follow-up: Storage technology
    • Quotes of the Week
  2. Cool Tools
  3. News, Hints, Tips and Tricks
    • Windows 7 taskbar tips
    • Forrester study says Windows 7 users are very satisfied with the OS
    • Top Ten Riskiest Cities for Cybercrime
    • HTC HD2 runs Windows Phone 7
  4. How to: Using the New Windows 7 Features
    • How to change the duration of Windows 7 notifications
  5. Windows 7 and Vista Security
    • Microsoft issues emergency out-of-band update
  6. Question Corner
    • How can I see my XP computers in the network map?
  7. Windows 7 Configuration and Troubleshooting
    • Windows 7 won't sleep
    • Windows 7 mobile PC doesn't wake up
  8. Fav Links
    • This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff
  9. Product of the Week
    • CyberScrub Privacy Suite: Completely Erase Evidence of All Internet/Computer Activity & Encrypt Data

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  • New antivirus + antispyware engine with firewall
  • Advanced anti-rootkit technology
  • Cutting-edge Proactive Protection
  • Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail
  • Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection
  • No automatic credit card charge each year!
Try VIPRE Antivirus Premium now for 30-days FREE!
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-VIPRE-Premium



Editor's Corner

Windows 7 Security: What's the Real Story?

The tech press, like the mainstream news media, loves a story that makes somebody or something (in this case, Windows 7) look bad. Thus it's not surprising that after last week's Pwn2Own hacking contest, which was part of the CanSecWest security conference in Vancouver, Canada last week, headlines like this one popped up: "Hackers Exploit Windows 7 in 2 Minutes."
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Windows-7-Exploit

They did this by disabling DEP and ASLR via the web browser. Data Execution Prevention is designed to prevent applications from executing code from a non-executable region of memory and thwart buffer overflow exploits. Address Space Layout Randomization makes it harder for attackers to predict target memory addresses. These security mechanisms are enabled by default in Windows 7 IE8.

So does this mean Windows 7 and IE 8 are putting you in danger and you should switch to a different operating system and/or browser? Microsoft's competitors would love for you to believe that, but the Firefox and Safari browsers were exploited in the contest, too. Chrome proved to be the "last man standing."

As for the Windows 7 OS, a new study by BeyondTrust security researchers found that most Windows 7 security problems are caused not by insecurity of the operating system but by inexperienced or sloppy systems administrators who don't configure administrative rights properly. In fact, according their report 90% of Windows 7 vulnerabilities could not have been exploited if users were not given administrative rights. They say this would have protected against 100% of IE 8 vulnerabilities. You can read the report in PDF format here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Vulnerability-Analysis

Microsoft representatives felt it necessary, in the wake of all the publicity, to clarify that the defensive measures built into Windows 7 aren't meant to "prevent every attack forever." Anyone who expects that they would is, in my opinion, being a big unrealistic about the nature of security, as I wrote in this blog post:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Not-Fool-Proof

While the Windows 7 attack made headlines on many sites, less attention was given by many writers to the hack of a fully patched OS X Macbook by security researcher Charlie Miller at the same conference.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Hacker-Disappointed-w-Apple

In the past, Microsoft has been criticized for the number of patches they issued, with detractors claiming that lots of patches equal lots of security flaws that shouldn't have been there in the first place. Interestingly, Apple recently released a security update for Leopard and Snow Leopard that contained 92 patches, with a third of the vulnerabilities addressed rated as critical.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Monster-Security-Update

Perhaps the most significant fact to come out of the Pwn2Own story is that web browsers are the weak spot in the security of most systems. The Windows 7 hack used IE 8 and the OS X hack exploited a vulnerability in Safari. The details of that vulnerability are a closely guarded secret until Apple releases a fix. The iPhone 3G was also successfully hacked in the contest, and once again, Safari was the mechanism used to do it.

The German government takes browser security so seriously that their CERT office issued a warning to their citizens in March, advising them to stop using Firefox because of a critical vulnerability.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Firefox-Warning

And early in the month, security researchers were "sounding the alarm" over an unpatched remote code execution vulnerability in Opera.
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Opera-Flaw

Even Google Chrome, the browser that "won" the contest, had been patched for eleven vulnerabilities a few days before Pwn2Own, with an update rated by Secunia as "highly critical."
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Chrome-Patches

If we could remove all web browsers, our operating systems would be significantly more secure. Unfortunately, they would also be significantly less functional, since we would be unable to get information from web sites, pay bills or shop online, or even send email if we have web-based accounts. The web browser is not only the application that's most often used to connect to the Internet; it's also one of the most frequently used applications of all on most systems.

In the early days of the Internet, web browsers displayed text and picture files and that's about it. Web pages were written in simple HTML. Today's web sites use much more sophisticated technologies to provide us with video and interactive elements. ActiveX, VBScript, JavaScript, Java and various plug-ins such as Flash and Silverlight enable a much richer web experience, but they also come with security issues. You can disable some or all of these features to make your browser more secure (but you may be unable to access some web sites or view some content on some sites).

One thing is certain: newer versions of web browsers are generally more secure than older versions, and it's important to keep your browser (and your operating system) updated with the latest security patches.

If you want to increase the security of your Windows 7 machines, especially in a business environment, you may have looked for the Windows 7 Security Guide and concluded that there's not one. When you search the web or search Microsoft.com, you'll find the XP Security Guide and the Vista Security Guide, but it's a little more difficult to ferret out the Windows 7 Security Guide. That's because it's part of the Windows 7 Security Compliance Management Toolkit. That's a 16.6 MB download that you can find here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Security-Toolkit

The download includes toolkits for each of the following operating systems: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Server 2003, Server 2008. It also includes toolkits for IE 8 and Office 2007. When you finally drill down to the Security Guide itself, you'll find it's a .docx document that contains 83 pages and covers most aspects of Windows 7 security, including how to implement a security baseline and relevant policy settings, protecting against malware, protecting sensitive data with BitLocker, EFS and RMS, controlling device installation and usage, and application compatibility.

Bottom line: Windows 7 is a secure OS when configured and used properly - but no operating system provides perfect security. It's up to you to use best security practices, have anti-virus and anti-malware software installed and running, have a firewall turned on and properly configured and otherwise practice defensive computing. In many cases, it's not the operating system but the applications installed on it that can be exploited. Web browsers are the number one culprits, so it's vital that you keep your browser updated and stay away from questionable web sites.

If you do need to visit risky sites, such as for research purposes, it's a good idea to use "sandboxing" of some kind to isolate the web browser you use to visit those sites from your primary operating system. You can do that by running a browser in a virtual machine (for example, if you have Windows 7 Pro or above, you can download and install Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode, install IE 8 or another browser of your choice in the XP VM, and use that for risky browsing. You can also use VMware for the same purpose, or a program such as Sandboxie. Or you can use the Chrome browser, which has built in sandbox technology.

Tell us what you think about Windows 7 security. Do you feel more secure using Windows 7 than you did with XP or Vista? Do you buy into the Apple ads that claim Mac is more secure than Windows 7? Do you think Linux is better for security? What web browser do you consider the safest? Do you use it exclusively, or do you have criteria other than security by which you choose your browser? Do you disable some or all of the scripting and other potentially dangerous features in your web browser, or do you take the risk in order to get a better web experience? We invite you to discuss these questions in our forum at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Forum-Discussion


Follow-up: Storage technology

In last week's editorial, I talked about trends in storage technology and how this particular computer component has evolved since the olden days when we stored data on for our personal computers on cassette tape. Several readers weighed in on the subject.

Jaze asked about the WEI disk subscore for a Windows 7 computer with an SSD drive. As a matter of fact, my Sony VAIO X has an SSD drive and although its overall WEI score is low - thanks to the gaming graphics score, which I would never use on this laptop - the subscore for the disk is a pretty good 6.9, which is certainly better than the disk score on my otherwise powerful Nehalem desktop.

My son built a Nehalem-based machine for analyzing chess games and planning chess strategy. Since it runs Windows Server 2008 R2, there is no WEI score, but he says performance is substantially better with the Intel SSD than with a traditional hard disk. I wrote about his system here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Chess-Strategy

In the forums, Schiang pointed out that you can offset the expense of the SSDs somewhat by buying slower processors, because SSDs make more difference in perceived performance for most users than upgrading from dual to quad core, even at 50% faster CPU speed. David W. disagrees; he thinks the best option is a set of conventional SATA II or III in RAID 0 configuration. As Tim G. notes, though, that's more hardware and configuring than some people want to bother with. Different strokes for different folks.

Tim D. noted that he upgraded from 32 bit to 64 bit Windows 7 on a Core i7 system with 6 GB of RAM, but saw no discernable difference. I would expect to see increased performance from the ability to utilize the full 6 GB of RAM. Tim also mentioned that he was unable to get a WEI rating due to an error message that says the system doesn't have the necessary multi-media support to run the requested assessment. This problem has been reported to have been caused by the video card drivers, or by various anti-virus programs. Finally, WEI - for some strange reason - is dependent on components in Windows Media Player (WMP) so if you have removed WMP (or if you have the "N" European version of Windows 7 that comes without WMP, you won't be able to run WEI.

As always, thanks to everyone who participated in the discussion.

'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
feedback@win7news.net

Follow Deb on Twitter

PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication for XP users called WXPnews? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-WXPNews

And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServer News, at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-WserverNews

Look for the Win7News fan page on Facebook!

Quotes of the Week

"Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it's in my basement ... let me go upstairs and check." - M.C. Escher

"Action is the fundamental key to all success." - Pablo Picasso

"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it." - Salvador Dali

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." - Vincent Van Gogh


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News, Hints, Tips and Tricks

Windows 7 taskbar tips

The Windows 7 taskbar is good - but there are ways to make it better. We've told you before how to add back the Quick Launch bar, but that's not the only "hack" you might be interested in. For instance, you can add information about volume, battery life and memory use, put the recycle bin on the taskbar, or more easily control the behavior, with the tips in this article:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Taskbar-Hacks


Forrester study says Windows 7 users are very satisfied with the OS

A new report out from Forrester Research finds that the majority of early adopters of Windows 7 described themselves as "very satisfied." It also contained the somewhat surprisingly news that more than 40% of the consumers who have moved to Windows 7 did so by upgrading an existing computer, rather than getting it pre-installed on a new PC. Either way, it's good news for Microsoft, especially after the beating Vista's reputation took among users. Read more here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Win7-Early-Adopters


Top Ten Riskiest Cities for Cybercrime

Security experts at Norton have compiled a list of the cities that have the most reported cybercrime and Seattle is right at the top. Other cities on the list (San Francisco, Denver, Boston, Austin) tend to be places where the tech industry thrives, as well. That's really not surprising - the more people you have online in a given area, the more likely online criminals will target them. The rankings also take into account the tendency of people in a particular area to engage in risky online behavior, such as using wi-fi and conducting financial transactions over the Internet. Find out whether your city made the top ten list:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Riskiest-Online-Cities


HTC HD2 runs Windows Phone 7

It's been widely reported that existing Windows Mobile 6.5 phones won't be able to run the new Windows Phone 7 Series operating system that's expected to come out before the end of the year - but a hacker has ported the new OS to the HTC HD2, which is one of the most attractive WinMo smart phones on the market now. Here's a video showing this phone running the next generation Windows phone software:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-HTC-HD2


How to: Using the New Windows 7 Features

How to change the duration of Windows 7 notifications

By default, notification dialog boxes in Windows 7 stay open for 5 seconds. Maybe that's not long enough for you to deal with them. You can change the time duration easily, without having to edit the registry. Here's how:
  1. Click Start | Control Panel.
  2. Click Ease of Access Center.
  3. Click "Make it easier to focus on tasks"
  4. Scroll down to the "Adjust time limits and flashing visuals" section and under "How long should Windows notification dialog boxes stay open," click the down arrow at the right side of the drop-down box.
  5. Select a duration from 5 seconds to 5 minutes.
  6. Click OK.


Windows 7 and Vista Security

Microsoft issues emergency out-of-band update

It was Tuesday, but it wasn't Patch Tuesday. Nonetheless, Microsoft released a security update this week for ten vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. This emergency "out of band" release was the result of a zero day vulnerability that was made public earlier in the month and the growing number of attacks that attempt to exploit it. This is the iepeers.dll vulnerability. The good news is that this vulnerability doesn't apply to IE 8 in Windows 7. However, three of the other vulnerabilities that are addressed in this patch do. Read more here:
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Web-Browser-Vulnerabilities


Question Corner

How can I see my XP computers in the network map?

QUESTION:
I have one new Windows 7 computer, one Vista computer and an old XP laptop on my home network. I like the network map in Network and Sharing Center but the XP computer doesn't show up there, just the Windows 7 and Vista. Is there any way to make the XP system show up on the map? Thanks! - Mark L.

ANSWER:
Windows 7 and Vista use the Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol to detect the systems on the network and create the network map. The problem is that XP doesn't support LLTD by default, so your XP systems will show up at the bottom of the page and not on the map.

You can add LLTD support to XP if you have Service Pack 3 installed. You'll need to install a hotfix, which you can download from the link on this page (where you will also find more information about this issue):
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Network-Map


Windows 7 Configuration and Troubleshooting

Windows 7 won't sleep

Every parent can relate to this: those nights when your child just won't go to sleep. But what if it's your Windows 7 computer that has insomnia? If you try to put the computer to sleep and it wakes back up immediately or doesn't go to sleep at all, there are several things you can try to fix the problem (depending on what's causing it). To get the details, check out KB article 976877 at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Win7-Wont-Sleep


Windows 7 mobile PC doesn't wake up

Okay, here's a problem that's just the opposite of the one above. In this case, your mobile Windows 7 computer won't wake up to run a scheduled task, even though you configured it with the "wake the computer to run this task" option. You probably won't have the same problem with your desktop system. That's because, by default, the ability to wake from sleep for a timed event is disabled on mobile computers (to save battery power). However, you can change the power settings to fix this. Find out how in KB article 973454 at
http://www.win7news.net/O52HI2/100401-Win7-Mobile-PC


Fav Links

This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff

Disclaimer: VistaNews does not assume and cannot be responsible for any liability related to you clicking any of these linked Web sites.


Product of the Week

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