Skip to Content

Free TUAW iPhone app -- try it now!
AOL Tech

SpyBot posts

Filed under: Developer, Internet, Utilities, Productivity, Web services, Symantec

Symantec bug exploits

symantecSymantec has collected evidence of an attack in progress from a new bot that is exploiting multiple bugs that have been around for a few months. Including a bug in Symantec's very own antivirus scanning engine. There have been seven exploits for seven different vulnerabilities from Spybot.acyr that were found in Microsoft Windows and in Symantec's antivirus application. The vulnerability has been around since May 2006, and customers that have updated their applications since then will remain unaffected. Symantec is monitoring a spike in traffic recently with activity mainly lying in .edu domains. Symantec is asking that all customers update their products to the latest available security updates to prevent against any possible attacks.

Filed under: Internet, Security, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware

Spybot Search & Destroy destroying Tablet PC functionality?

JKOnTheRunJames Kendrick over at JKOnTheRun is reporting that the latest updates from the popular Spybot Search & Destroy anti-spyware application are falsely detecting and removing files that are crucial to the correct functioning of Tablet PCs. The fix appears to require rolling back to a recent system restore point, which to me makes puts this problem in the serious category.

Of course, you're immune if you don't have a Tablet PC, but think of the possibilities had this problem caused bigger problems for more mainstream versions of Windows. I suppose these days there's no real solution that will prevent a buggy update from slipping through for one of the many security based tools we now need to run to keep a Windows installation running in good shape. Heck, Windows Updates are often the worst offenders in terms of introducing problems when they're trying to fix something.

What's a user to do, short of unplugging from the net and never updating?

Filed under: Security, Utilities, Windows

Assassinate in-use programs with Killbox

Killbox
Ever have a virus or other program that you can't get rid of because it won't die long enough for you to delete it? When Spybot, Ad-Aware, and others fail, turn to Killbox. This handy-dandy download will kill anything currently running on your PC, so you can remove it. Simply enter the path of the offending guest, and Killbox will go to town on it. Think of it like the in-memory mafia. Killbox doesn't care, it will take out pretty much anything. From time to time those of us less technologically savvy (relatives, family, friends) need help with renegade programs too, so if they ever have this problem, at least now you know a guy. Sort of. No problem, he take care of it. Don't worry about it.

Filed under: Security, Utilities, Windows Mobile, Freeware

Spybot Search & Destroy - for Pocket PC

Spybot Search & Destroy for Windows MobileYes, you read that right. I know; I was pretty surprised too, when I came across the reference to it at Pocket PC Thoughts. Spybot Search & Destroy for Windows Mobile has been launched, and although I can't imagine the risk to Pocket PCs being a realistic threat, there's no point building an anti-malware application if no examples of malware exist, so we must assume that at least some amount - no matter how small - of Windows Mobile malware must exist out there. If that's the case, do you continue on as you have been and assume it won't affect you, or do you download the scanner and make sure you're protected? Tough call...

Featured Time Waster

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Livescribe Store
Microsoft Security Essentials
Chromium Pre-Alpha on CrunchBang Linux
Safari 4 Beta
10 Firefox themes that don't suck
IE8 RC1
Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party
Download Squad at the Crunchies
WordPress 2.7
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Windows 7 Hands On
Comodo Internet Security
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

More Tech Coverage

AOL Radio