Technical Tidbits

I was cleaning out some e-mail when the newest Information Week newsletter arrived. I opened it because of the title referenced something new Microsoft (M$) was up to.  I really didn’t care about the announcement related to M$ but I did find the article relating to Comcast very interesting!

In the InfoWeek article of the same name as my post entry, it seem Comcast has been playing with our traffic!

This actually explains a lot of what I’ve been experiencing! I thought my PC was starting to fail but could not find any test results to back it up! This is probably why!

We have Comcast high speed cable and over the course of the past several weeks, I’ve had issues with uploading/downloading through FTP along with connection issues to the many websites I have to visit in the course of my work.

So, it’s very interesting to see that they are trying to control the traffic! This raises some questions for those of us who work from home!

Your cutting into my hourly rate Comcast! That is NOT a good idea!

Any lawyers out there wanting to take on Comcast on behalf of this home business person?

written by Admin \\ tags: blocking traffic, comcast, fcc, infoweek, traffic

This is one nasty bugger! WOW!

It starts out with an annoying pop-up message on your taskbar over by the clock. When the balloon error message disappears, you get a red X like the Microsoft Red X inside the security shield. This message however, is missing the security shield that windows uses.

The other thing I want to point out about the error message, is read the wording. Although this looks like a typical windows message, Microsoft can spell and uses proper grammar! Specifically, the message says, “It is recommended to use special antispyware tools to prevent data loss.” BAD GRAMMAR! Not Microsoft.

The message further states that “Windows will now download….” Another dead giveaway that this is not Microsoft. They NEVER ask your permission to do anything! (SMILE)

But seriously, here is the actual message pop-up.

What’s bad about this one is that it does look like a typical windows message. In the case of my sisters PC, Trend blocked the reanimator from downloading its dastardly tools that would plant a nice Trojan onto the machine. But, we needed to get this thing out of her PC!

There were two affected files: winivstr.exe and braviax.exe that was hidden in the Windows folder and the Windows/system32 folder. Braviax.exe was slated to run at startup in MSCONFIG.

This bugger also totally disabled and hid Spybot Search & Destroy! We could not use it even when I found it by unhiding the hidden files and folders.

I booted in safe mode to no available.

I removed the files in safe mode, removed the prefetch files, turned off the msconfig startup of the file, and removed registry files only to have it reappear on normal boot.

It was listed inside the windows .dat files for Internet Explorer and the desktop. The more I tried to eliminate it, the more it returned.

After hours of trying to remove this sucker manually, I gave up and did a Google search to see if anyone else had successfully deleted it.

I’m always squeamish when it comes to freeware, but at this point I was ready to try anything.

And I’ve got to tell you that I found the most awesome removal tool for this thing!

Now, mind you that this website goes totally against everything I teach in my new CyberSleuthing Websites eBook, but it was worth the risk. If I couldn’t get the darn thing out of the computer, I’d have to reformat anyway. So if Trend PC-cillin decided that this tool was also a bad guy, either way I lost nothing. At best, these guys would be legitimate and we’d clean the machine!

Well, it worked! I couldn’t believe how fast and easy it was! And Trend didn’t mind it at all.

The tool? MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE.

Kudo’s to the folks at Malwarebytes.org!

Once the bugger was removed, guess what became available again? Spybot S&D! And even that played nice with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program.

I am really, really, really impressed!

written by Admin \\ tags: anti-malware, antimalware, braviax.exe, malwarebytes, reanimator, trojan, univers32.dat, wantvi.e, winivstr.exe

There seems to be some big “hissy fit” going on about Apple trying to push the new safari browser through your Apple Update Software. So, I decided to take some time today to check it out myself and ran the Apple Update.

And yes, there it is!

Now, first of all, let’s point out the obvious. See the check box next to Safari? If you uncheck it, Safari won’t install! We all know how to read, don’t we?

Secondly, I’ve read some BS out there about how Apple is trying to sneak this in on you. Are nuts? Where is this sneaking anything?

Some have also compared this to Microsoft’s sneaky attempts to give you junk you don’t want nor need. NO WAY! You cannot even compare the two!

Microsoft has snuck into our PCs and given us stealth updates - which Apple does not do. Additionally, Microsoft’s auto update encourages the EXPRESS installation which is a blanket install of anything they want to shove on you. You cannot compare the Apple Update Software to any of Microsoft’s antics! Get real!

Okay, that being said, I went ahead and installed the Safari browser just for fun. I must say I’m impressed and really thinking about moving from my ever slowing, sluggish Firefox to the new Safari. I really, really, really, love the bookmark organization in there! (But I’ll save that for a later review.)

But for now, let me say to those who are crying “FOUL” over the Apple Updates including Safari, if you can’t read or don’t pay attention to what the heck you’re downloading, then don’t blame Apple!

I have some issues with the elitest attitude of Apple users, so don’t think I’m a die hard Apple/MAC lover. The BS that MAC’s don’t get viruses and that they don’t crash, they have “Forced System Resets” that is touted by their sales staff makes me want to gag. But there is no way you can compare their update OFFERING you Safari as a download option to Microsoft’s SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT software installations.

If you’re too busy to read the screen when you download something, don’t blame Apple for your lack of attention. And if you have any software update set to “auto install” you need counseling. No one should ever allow a software manufacturer (or anyone for that matter) “cart blanc” to their PC! You have no right to cry “Foul” if you’ve allowed that.

This big “to-do” is just another bunch of cry babies not taking personal responsibility for their actions - or in this case, downloads. Or, is it just a way to call attention to yourself and your website? Hmm, maybe that what’s really behind this? Did I hear someone say, “Free traffic?”

written by Admin \\ tags: apple, apple software updates, apple updates, itunes, quicktime, safari, safari browser

I contacted Sans Internet Storm Center to find out why web sites are coming and going today and other quirky behavior.

As it turns out, there is a problem with the undersea cable to India and the Middle East that is giving trouble and causing the quirky Internet behavior.

written by Admin \\ tags: India, Internet, Internet weather, Middle East, quirky Internet behavior

I’ve had clients (and family) calling me again and blaming Trend for the slow down on their PC.

What seemed EXTREMELY odd to me, is that their PC was working great after the Spybot Un-immunize treatment. Why was this happening again?

 Well, it ain’t Trend again folks! (Yes, I know that’s not proper grammar!)

My guess is that you (like MICE and all our clients) recently updated Apple software on your PC. (Especially since there was a huge push to get the update due to security vulnerabilities!) 

If you updated your QuickTime Player or your iTunes recently and you’re using a PC (non-MAC type), then perform: CTRL +ALT +DEL just once to bring up your task manager.

You should notice a new entry there! Mainly, Apple Mobile Device Service.

Pardon me, but I don’t think that needs to be running on my PC until I need it! And that’s even if I need it at all?

Anyway, you can either stop the process in that screen, or right click over your MY COMPUTER icon and choose MANAGE.

Navigate to APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES.

Find the Apple culprit service and right mouse click over it to choose PROPERTIES.

Stop the service then change it to MANUAL or DISABLE, which ever you choose.

You’ll be surprised how much faster you PC is once that service stops running!

Debbie

written by Admin

There is a lot of grumbling from people all over the net (and in my own family) about how slow TrendMicro Internet Security 2007 is. So much so, that Trend has been made aware of the problem and posted a fix to the problem.

First, you have to have version 15.30.xxxx of Trend. If you don’t, you have to upgrade by getting the upgrade kit here:

http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/tis/PCC2007_UPGKT_153_1128_1151_GM.exe

(Source and Directions for use:
http://esupport.trendmicro.com/support/viewxml.do?ContentID=1034407)

The trouble is that the slow computer had Spybot S&D installed on it before upgrading to Trend IS 2007. The new Trend makes you uninstall Spybot. Unfortunately, what they don’t tell you is, that before you uninstall, you need to remove the host files (if you had installed them through advanced mode), AND you MUST UNDO THE IMMUNIZE! That’s the biggie!

When Trend installs, it attempts to monitor all your program files. Even though Spybot has been unistalled, the immunized files are still being protected or locked down by Spybot (which of course, no longer exists on your computer!). So, there is this huge battle going on in the background between Trend and locked down Spybot files. This is what consumes the resourses!

So, if you are using Trend 2007 and your computer is getting slower than molassis, reinstall Spybot, update it, and then UNIMMUNIZE your files. (There’s an UNDO button under the immunize section.)

I’ve done this with many, many clients now, and they are faster than a speeding bullet. (Oh, wait! That’s Superman, isn’t it? GRIN) Anyway, you get the drift!

Support Source:

http://esupport.trendmicro.com/support/viewxml.do?ContentID=EN-1033903

Debbie

written by Admin \\ tags: computer slow, internet security, pc-cillin, slow pc, trend, trendmicro