Tag: Security
Here is your chance to get an insight into the OEM Pre-installation Kit (OPK) that Microsoft will offer for Windows 7. Of course, at the same time, the Redmond company is also delivering a close look at the next iteration of the Windows client. It is all available via the Windows 7 OEM Pre-installation Kit (OPK) Online Training, resources addressed at company partners, but which can be accessed by end-users, provided they go through the signup process. The online training is essentially a set of courses focused on Windows 7 and the OPK.
âWindows 7 is the next-generation operating system from Microsoft, and its release will open new sales and services opportunities for partners. With Windows 7, you can offer your customers a robust foundation for high-quality experiences across applications, services, PCs, and devices. Participate in this one-day course and learn how you will be able to derive service opportunities around Windows 7, and get quality guidance on how to sell this exciting new business platform,â an excerpt from the training’s description reads. Read More»
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Itâs time once again for another episode of our Windows XP optimization series. In the past few months, youâve seen tweaks that helped you change the Start Menu, Desktop, Display Properties, Control Panel, Folder Options, and so on. Most optimizations could not be made the old-fashioned way (from the Control Panel or any other native Windows configuration utility). As you might have guessed already from the title, this article isnât any different: today, youâll find out how you can easily customize the way your Internet Options window looks. So, if, for one reason or another, you need to remove a few tabs from Internet Options and have no idea how to go about in order to accomplish this, youâve come to the right place.
If this is your first encounter with the Microsoft Windows XP registry tweaks saga, hereâs a quick tour on all the highlights: we provide an absolutely free, easy tutorial on how to activate hidden tweaks inside your XP operating system, just by using good-old Notepad. You can start by reading the first article that not only provides a full insight into the highlights, but clearly specifies the few steps that must be taken before heading on. Read More»
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1. Delete items from address bar history
While it’s very handy to have your recently visited pages autocompleted as you type, it’s not always desirable. Go to the address bar (Ctrl-L), start typing an address, and the drop-down menu will appear with the URLs of pages you’ve visited. You can highlight and delete these at will, for maximum privacy.
2. Protect your PC from malware
You don’t have to visit the seedy side of the web to pick up a virus – even the best social networking sites regularly host all kinds of malware. But you can reduce the chance of infection by installing NoScript. This handy add-on blocks Javascript, Java, Flash and other executable content from running unless you explicitly allow it, and is a great way to keep yourself safe online.
3. Speedily search for images
Browse Google images and your results are split into blocks of 21. But use CoolIris and you’ll get all your results displayed on a 3D photo wall, a much faster and easier way to find the images you need. It only works with some sites, unfortunately, but as these include Google, Flickr, Picasa, Yahoo, Photobucket, Facebook and MySpace then you’ll still have plenty to browse. Especially as it searches and displays YouTube videos, too. Give it a try. Read More»
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Contrary to some of the stories circulating in the more excitable sections of the media millions of PCs didnât suddenly blow up following the much-anticipated reactivation of the Conflicker C virus on April 1st. In fact, at the time of writing nothing much seemed to have happened and the world moved on to more important matters. Nevertheless, this virus, and its ilk do present an ongoing threat, especially for PC owners who do not keep their security software and Windows Updates current. By the way, if you have any concerns about Conflicker C and malware in general and you think your PC may be infected I wouldnât ask Google. I typed in âConflicker C Removalâ a couple of days ago and the first three hits all led to websites carrying the virus!
If you have been lax with your security updates then your best bet is to download the free Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, which scans your PC for Conflicker and a raft of other nasties, but in the end the best way to avoid becoming infected is to install a decent anti-virus program and regularly sweep your PC with cleaners like AdAware, A-Squared and Spybot.

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The release of proof-of-concept exploit code for an unresolved critical bug that allows for remote arbitrary code execution on the latest stable version of Mozilla Firefox has put developers on alert. A fix will be included in the 3.0.8 version of the browser, which is scheduled for release in a few days.
The vulnerability is described on SecurityFocus as a “Boundary Condition Error” and allows an attacker to execute potentially malicious code by calling a malformed XML file from a Web page. Parsing a specially crafted “root” XML tag in an XSL file results in a memory-corruption error.
These drive-by types of attacks have become the weapon of choice for many of today’s malware distributors. Cross-site scripting (XSS) weaknesses are used to inject rogue exploit-serving IFrames into legitimate pages. These exploits target vulnerabilities in popular software such as Adobe Reader, Flash Player, or the browsers themselves. Read More»
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The Security Compliance Management Toolkit series builds on previous Solution Accelerators to provide you with expanded best practices and additional automation tools to help configure and deploy security settings for the following operating systems and applications: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Vista SP1, Windows XP Professional SP3, and 2007 Microsoft Office SP1.
After deploying the security settings, you can verify the accuracy of the setting policies and monitor policy changes by applying one or more of 26 Configuration Packs using the desired configuration management (DCM) feature of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1. This series includes the following toolkits:
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Interested in moving your Exchange Server messaging environment into the âcloudâ? Want to maintain an experience thatâs seamless to your end users, allowing them to continue to use Outlook, while providing a completely maintained Exchange environment in our datacenters.
Microsoft Online Services is very likely your easiest, most secure, & cost-effective answer. Hereâs a document that goes through the process of migrating existing Exchange mailboxes to Microsoftâs Exchange Online Services.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Understand Migration
1. Simple Microsoft Online Services
2. Microsoft Online Services Using Your E-Mail Domain
3. E-Mail Coexistence
4. Directory Synchronization
5. Mailbox Migration
6. Migration Tools Read More»
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Microsoft is offering not only pre-release versions of Windows 7 but also resources accompanying the development milestones designed to highlight the best aspects of the next iteration of the Windows client. An illustrative example in this regard is a set of guides offered for the IT professional audience of Windows 7. Which is not to say that the documentation is not available to all users to read and get an idea of what Windows Vista’s successor will bring to the table. Via the Windows 7 IT Pro Guides, Microsoft is offering the Windows 7 Manageability and Windows 7 Whatâs New resources for download.
These documents include:
1) A What’s New in Windows 7 Guide, covering many new and changed Windows 7 features of interest to IT professionals, including DirectAccess, BranchCache and other networking technologies, VHD boot and other deployment technologies, and AppLocker, Biometrics, and other security technologies.
Read More»
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Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security âbest practicesâ to prevent the virus attack to your computer:
1. Use a firewall to block all incoming connections from the Internet to services that should not be publicly available. By default, you should deny all incoming connections and only allow services you explicitly want to offer to the outside world.
2. Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
3. Ensure that programs and users of the computer use the lowest level of privileges necessary to complete a task. When prompted for a root or UAC password, ensure that the program asking for administration-level access is a legitimate application. Read More»
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