 |
In this periodic round-up of the latest information on web/tech issues, and how new and wondrous computer facilities will enhance your computing life, we start with …
 |
A plan by Microsoft to include Windows-based, built-in worm removal tools as a new feature, tentatively called ‘Microsoft Update’, is on schedule for release by year’s end. With the proliferation of destructive worms like Blaster, NetSky and Sasser escalating daily to pose an ever-greater threat to home users, Microsoft will release the new Microsoft Critical Update as part of a larger Windows Update patch yet to come.
 |
From PC Mag: 68 Tips & Tricks for Windows, ranging from moving the My Documents folder to another partition (or another physical drive) so that in the event of a reformat you won’t lose this valuable information, to Windows keyboard shortcuts to help make your computing life much more efficient. And, as if these salutary hints weren’t enough, PC Mag also offers 106 tips and tricks for your Microsoft Word.
 |
Do you know what phishing is? Well, it’s a disturbing evolution in a fast-growing wave of e-mail scams that involves an attempt to get you, or others, to reveal a credit-card number, online banking password, or other personal information
Brian Livingston at Brian’s Buzz provides details on how to defeat the nefarious Internet scam artists who have developed a way to make your browser’s address bar say that you’re viewing a legitimate Web site — when you’re actually visiting a malicious site instead.
 |
As for that nasty Sasser worm that infected millions of computers over the course of the past month, Microsoft’s $5 million fund for rewarding informants for leads on virus attacks snagged its first success with the arrest of an 18-year-old man, Sven Jaschan, in Germany who has confessed to the release of the virus.
And, apparently, he did it all for his mom. A-a-h-h-h.
According to this C|NET News.com story the German whiz kid was simply trying to “drum up business for his mother, Veronika.” We don’t write this stuff, folks; we just report it (with thanks to Michael Klassen for passing along the C|NET story to VanRamblings).
Of course, as always, there’s more to report on the web/tech front. But VanRamblings will leave further reports for another time. See ya next week.
