All-new Optimize 3.0 — free scan Take a few minutes to find out why your PC is so slow. Run the free PC Pitstop Optimize 3.0 scan and receive a free custom report detailing common issues that might be keeping your PC from running at full speed. Over 150 million scans run. Scan now! PC Pitstop

Try Snagit for screen capture free If you see it, you can Snagit. Capture any size image your PC can handle in a snap, and share it just as fast. From something small to an entire page that scrolls, Snagit has you covered. Grab exactly what you want, when you want it, every time. Try it for free! Snagit

Optimize your PC by updating your BIOS Do you want to improve the performance of your PC? Phoenix Technologies' new BIOSAgentPlus is a program that will scan your PC and match the correct BIOS and specific driver updates you need on any desktop or laptop. Scan today for a free report! BIOSAgentPlus

See your ad here

• Step 1: Use a hardware firewall.
  
• Step 2: Install a set of security software.
• Step 3: Scan your system regularly with a software-update service (more on these below).
  
• Step 4: Use Mozilla's Firefox or Google's Chrome browser, both of which are more secure than Internet Explorer.

• Step 1. Download the free FileAlyzer program from the Softpedia site and install the program on your system.
  
  
• Step 2. Press the Windows key and E to open an Explorer window. Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder, right-click the sqlsodbc.chm file, choose Analyze file with FileAlyzer 2, and note the file size and SHA1 hash value. (See Figure 1.)
  
  
  Figure 1. The FileAlyzer utility checks the sqlsodbc.chm file to determine whether your PC is infected with Gumblar.
  
  
• Step 3. Compare the file size and SHA1 hash value with the listing of good file types published on the Microsoft Malware Protection Center blog. If the file doesn't check out, update your machine's anti-malware software and run a full system scan. The scan should find and clean out the infection. On my test PC, the sqlsodbc.chm file had the expected values, which proved that the system wasn't infected.
  

Once your copy of sqlsodbc.chm comes up clean, you need to take steps to ensure that it stays that way. Download the latest virus definitions for your antivirus software. Also, ensure that Adobe Reader, Acrobat, Flash Player, and all your other third-party media players and applications have the latest patches.

Home and small-business users can run a free update checker such as Shavlik Patch, which you can download from the vendor's site. (Note that the program requires the free Google Desktop, which is available on Google's site.) A complete review of Shavlik Patch and several competing update programs is in my May 28 top story.

For business networks, I recommend Shavlik's NetChk Protect. I use this utility — which costs from U.S. $104 for two seats — to patch my own firm's network. You can find information about NetChk Protect on Shavlik's site.

For an added measure of protection, configure your PC to use the OpenDNS service, which lets you block categories of sites that you don't visit. You'll find complete instructions for making the required changes to your router on the OpenDNS tutorial page.

To make OpenDNS your DNS server, you can run your router's advanced settings program and manually set its DNS options to 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. (See Figure 2.)


Figure 2. Make OpenDNS your primary and secondary DNS server in your router's DNS settings to block potentially dangerous sites.

It's theoretically possible to manually enter in the OpenDNS settings page the URLs of sites you want to block. But trying to keep up with the latest list of Gumblar sites is nearly impossible. ScanSafe's STAT Blog indicates that the rate of Gumblar infection is slowing. But new infected domains — all of which use China's .cn top-level domain — are popping up as fast as others are being shut down.

Boost XP's defenses against Gumblar-like attacks

If you feel your XP system needs more protection — for example, you own a PC used by unsupervised teenagers — consider creating user accounts that lack administrator privileges. Granted, XP's limited accounts are often a pain to use because they restrict downloads, settings changes, and other common actions. An article on Microsoft's site explains limited user accounts and describes how to set them up.

Fortunately, the type of limited accounts in the forthcoming Windows 7 will be much easier to use. This is because the most common applications will run properly under Win7 without administrator rights. Steve Friedl's Unixwiz.net site includes a Tech Tip that describes Windows 7's enhanced User Account Control.

Gumblar definitely makes Web surfing with Internet Explorer more hazardous. If your PC is infected, merely searching in Google for seemingly innocent topics can lead you to a site you never intended to visit.

Google's Niels Provos recommends in his Top 10 Malware Sites blog that people use Firefox, Chrome, or another browser that taps into Google's Safe Browsing API. The API blocks Web destinations on Google's list of potentially dangerous sites, which the company claims to update continuously.

Here are some additional ways you can protect yourself:

• Make a full system backup. Create a backup of your PC using drive-imaging software such as the $50 Acronis True Image Home. (A 15-day free trial can be downloaded from the Acronis site.) Be ready to roll back to a prior image should your PC become infected.
  
  
• Use Windows SteadyState. This free program "freezes" a machine, preventing changes that could be harmful. For more information and a download link, visit the product page on Microsoft's site. (Windows Genuine Advantage validation is required for the download.)
  
  
• Browse in a sandbox. WS senior editor Ian "Gizmo" Richards described free sandbox programs in an Oct. 16, 2008, article. A sandbox lets you open suspicious links without putting your system's security at risk.
  
  
• Don't use Internet Explorer. All versions of IE are vulnerable to Gumblar and similar Web threats, but especially IE 6 is an infection waiting to happen. If a site or application requires Internet Explorer, update to IE 8 if you can. If you can't, download IE 7 as a bare minimum (although it's by no means a remedy). You can download IE 7 from Microsoft's Download Center and IE 8 from the browser's page on Microsoft's site.
  
  If you simply must use IE 6 because some site or application requires it, urge the errant developers to make their code support the latest version of IE instead.
  
  For tips on running and optimizing Firefox, Chrome, and other non-IE browsers — including OpenDNS and the security-enhancing NoScript extension for Firefox — see a comprehensive six-part article at MaximumPC.com.
  

Table of contents

Free CompTIA exam preparation For a limited time, ExamForce is offering Windows Secrets readers a free download of our popular CompTIA A+ exam prep. Includes both the CompTIA A+ Essentials and CompTIA A+ IT Technician. Hundreds of questions, answers, and detailed explanations. ExamForce CramMaster for CompTIA A+

Your old drivers are slowing down your PC Driver Detective provides the most up-to-date drivers specific to your computer, including all major-brand OEMs (Dell, HP, Compaq, Toshiba, etc.) and generic brands. We access a database of over 9.2 million device-associated drivers — the largest driver update database on the Internet. Driver Detective saves you endless hours of work and aggravation normally associated with updating drivers. Driver Detective

Get your message seen by 400,000 readers Does your company offer a product or service? Now you can place an ad in the Windows Secrets Newsletter and be seen by more than 400,000 active buyers of PC hardware and software. Bid as much or as little as you like to get the ideal ad placement. Take advantage of our all-new design interface, allowing larger images and longer text, and get updated stats in real time! Windows Secrets Newsletter

See your ad here

• "I have a computer repair business. In the last two weeks, I've had to fix three XP laptops after the installation of IE 8 made them inoperable. In each case, after the update, the desktop on each of these computers was blank except for the desktop wallpaper.
  
  "It didn't matter whether you started the system in normal or safe mode, all desktop items — including the taskbar — were missing. The only way I could get them back was by using one of my bootable utilities that would allow me access to the restore points. On two of these laptops, restoring back a few days corrected the problem.
  
  "On one of them, even though I got all the desktop functions restored, I didn't have Internet access or any access to USB devices. I tried to remove IE 7 (IE 8 was gone after the restore) but there was no remove/uninstall option in the Add/Remove Programs window.
  
  "I was able to use a remove-IE7 utility that I have [IE7 EasyRemove, available at the Drive Headquarters site] to get back to IE 6, and now the system is working again.
  
  "Bottom line: There are big issues in Internet Explorer 8 land."
  

Table of contents

By Katy Abby In the world of extreme sports, there's never a dull moment. We office-dwellers, on the other hand, get our cheap thrills by living vicariously through the exploits of others. Don't get me wrong: cubicle life begets its own set of dangers — carpal tunnel, stiff neck, tendonitis, oh my! — but somehow, it's not quite the same. Take a look at this exhilarating compilation of death-defying near misses, outlandish athletic feats, and unbelievable footage of the world's luckiest bank robbers. They're sure to get your heart racing without your ever leaving the comfort of your swivel chair! Play the video

Table of contents

TOP STORY By Susan Bradley Big-name sites spread latest malware infections The rise of a new form of Web-based threat Boost XP's defenses against Gumblar-like attacks KNOWN ISSUES By Dennis O'Reilly IE 8 causes big problems on some PCs WACKY WEB WEEK By Katy Abby "Dude, I totally meant to do that ..."

	LANGALIST PLUS By Fred Langa Will moving the pagefile improve performance? Relocating your pagefile not always a good idea Tracking down recommended free backup software Does adding software always slow things down? Free unformatter handles FAT, NTFS, Linux, more
	IN THE WILD By Brian Livingston Microsoft still has no patch for DirectShow hole Use a one-button DirectShow fix or Registry edit Iframe exploit requires tweaks for several apps
	PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Critical patches for Internet Explorer 7 and 8 Update fixes hole found before IE 8's release Apple's browser gets a bevy of security patches Important updates for Adobe PDF software ActiveX kill bit could cause big trouble Remote procedure call fix may also affect apps Excel spreadsheets come under attack Watch those Asian fonts in Microsoft Word MS Works can be exploited, too, without patching Updates for printing, search, and access rights Two action items for Windows Server admins

	There's no fixed fee! Contribute whatever it's worth to you Readers who make a financial contribution of any amount by June 17, 2009, will immediately receive the latest issue of our full, paid newsletter and 12 months of new paid content. Pay as much or as little as you like — we want as many people as possible to have this information.
	A portion of your support helps children in developing countries Each month, we send a full year of sponsorship to a different child. Your contributions in June are helping us to sponsor Julissa, an 8-year-old girl from El Salvador. Save the Children channels development aid from donors to Julissa and her community. We also sponsor kids through Plan USA and other respected agencies. More info

More info on how to upgrade

Table of contents

• Visit our Unsubscribe page.
  

Table of contents