I am back in Tucson after a month’s stay in the Bay Area…and I am very happy to be here. My shorts are back on and I am more than ready for all the benefits of springtime in Arizona…and they are plenty. Major league Spring Training starts later this month; the huge Tucson Book Festival is coming in early March; and concerts and lectures continue on unabated. This also means I will be back to my regular blog schedules. Just happy to have my life back to normal.
Now as to my headline: a few security issues raised their ugly heads. First, Homeland Security is advising everyone to turn off Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). What is it, you ask? Simply put, UPnP's purpose is benign. It's meant to let networked devices seamlessly discover each other with Simple Service Discovery Protocol and establish useful network service connections using a variety of other protocols. However, bad guys have found a way to use it to take over your computer.
So how does one turn off UPnP? Our first story will tell you how. Many people don’t need to do it as their routers usually come with it turned off. But an easy way to detect if you need to turn it off is to go to Steve Gibson’s great security Web site and run a simple test. It only takes a few seconds and I urge you to do it to be safe. If it says you are not safe, then read the first article carefully to turn it off.
By the way, Steve also set up a “honey pot” trap on a spare computer with UPnP enabled. He wanted to see how many scans he would see looking for open computers. The numbers were shocking. So be aware that your computer is always being scanned for vulnerabilities.
Next, Microsoft’s Security Essentials Anti-Virus software has failed yet another Anti-Virus test. That’s three now. If you use it, I would think strongly about removing it and installing another Anti-Virus software. I removed mine, and after some additional study, I installed Avast. Now that I am using it, I like it better and it has one of the highest ratings for catching malware.
Finally, Microsoft is issuing fixes for 57 vulnerabilities on Tuesday, in their monthly Patch Tuesday update. Make sure you install it!
Now that I have given you plenty to worry about, let’s move forward with more news, information and tips. –JRC
How to fix the UPnP security holes
The US Department of Homeland Security is urging everyone to disable the common networking Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol. This is being done because Rapid7 security researchers have found that tens of million devices worldwide are wide open to attack because of flaws in the network protocol and its implementations.
Microsoft Security Essentials Tanks Another Antivirus Test
Microsoft Security Essentials is free, which is great, but its protection has been getting slammed in antivirus tests in the last few months. The vast majority of antivirus products manage to pass certification with AV-Test; not Microsoft.
Patch Tuesday: IE at risk of malware attacks; 57 flaws in total
In the latest round of monthly patches from Microsoft, due out this coming Tuesday, users of Internet Explorer should jump ship for the next few days as all versions of the browser are at risk of malware attacks. There are 12 patches for 57 vulnerabilities for Windows, Office, and Microsoft Office.
Macmillan reaches e-book pricing settlement with DOJ
Now all that's left is Apple. The Justice Department says it will continue to litigate against the electronics giant for allegedly conspiring with Macmillan and four other big book publishers to raise e-book prices.
Windows 8 app releases grind to a near-complete halt
The Windows Store's growth has slowed to a near-standstill. That's a catastrophe for a platform that started out lagging far behind the competition. Worse, the pace of new submissions has only slowed since Windows 8's launch.
Surface Pro reviews are in and the results are sobering
The new Surface Pro tablet is now available. A survey of more than a dozen reviews of Microsoft's tablet reveals a surprisingly critical, sometimes bitter tone about the Surface Pro.
The case for renting Office 2013 instead of buying it
Office 365 may seem more expensive at first, but it's actually cheaper in most circumstances -- and offers more functionality
America's Worst Online Retailers
Research company ForeSee recently released its “E-Retail Satisfaction Index (U.S. Holiday Edition),” which is based on more than 24,000 customer surveys conducted between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The companies covered by the study are 100 of the largest online retailers based on revenue.
LibreOffice 4: A new, better open-source office suite
LibreOffice 4 has just arrived and, at first glance, this popular open-source office suite looks really good. Oh, and by the way, it is free.
How to Use Disposable Email Addresses and Avoid Spam
Are there times when you would like to try some free service that is offered on the Internet but are reluctant to provide your email address because it might lead to spam? Don’t skip that free service – use a disposable email address. Here is how to get addresses that you can throw away.
'Should I Remove It?' Helps You Decide Which Windows Apps To Uninstall
Should I Remove It? is a Windows application that analyzes your installed programs and provides you suggestions regarding the ones you can safely remove. Free.
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