TechNama

Avast is a major antivirus contender that comes free (not the pro version). I have been lately using AVG and ESET and now switched to Avast to test if it is any good. You know what?? They are all the same apart from some kind of difference every Antivirus on planet earth asks to update new definitions on daily basis, usually they’re light (hey am not talking about Norton ) and do reasonable job to weed out viruses, torjans and other yada yada.

Avast is a popular Anitvirus given the fact that they have joined hands with Google and it will be available in Google Pack application’s package.Currently Avast is only available for selected languages including German but not English. Avast replaced Norton Security Scan in the language versions of Google Pack.

You can download Avast 5.0 free version which obviously does not offer the features that come with Avast 5.0 Professional, like a new sandboxing option, command line controls or push updates.

Avast 5.0 comes with a total new face and you will find the new interface not that boring! plus improvements to the antivirus scanning engine, performance and memory, disk and cpu usage have also been enhanced

The latest beta of Avast 5 can be downloaded from the Avast website. The final version of Avast Antivirus 5.0 is reported to be released very soon and will then be available for download.

It is very hard to find Kespersky or McAfee keys and even if you find one, it turns out to be expired and apart from this you have to undergo lot of laborious task with lots of browsing on vulnerable sites having some sexy/nude images in sidebars making you shy to open such sites in office. Not only this but such sites also bombard you with lots of pop up ads! (and who knows malwares are behind the scenes)

Keeping that hard and toil effort in mind for find keys for Kespersky and McAfee, I usually prefer Eset Nod32. Eset Nod32 also requires username-password (for authentication) to always keep itself updated. Finding the Nod32 username-passwords is not that difficult.

Since it is not that difficult i have found 6 username/password combinations that should work. I will be posting more regularly on this topic since Eset find it out and cancels and then we have to all new again. If your Nod32 Username/password combination expires, do nudge me in comments or try the another combination given below:

(I will be putting such updates in future as well; so do check back if current combainations expire)

Eset Nod32 Username Passwords:

Username: EAV-26221722
Password: e5rkfj4h6a

Username: EAV-26221785
Password: 4h5uesr4je

Username: EAV-26221783
Password: ut52mxfdhk

Username: EAV-26221641
Password: pnxppu7m5c

Username: EAV-26221645
Password: 52xhcjt363

Username: EAV-26221653
Password: dcdhtmrjpe

We have earlier written a post on “Top 8 Best Free Antivirus Softwares” and in that we included Panda Cloud Antivirus beta edition. We also covered it in a separate post here.  Now Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.o Final edition has been released after 7 months of beta testing.

In version 1.0 Panda Cloud Antivirus developers have improved most of the issues submitted during the testing period. Some of the improvements it incorporates are:

* Supports Windows Vista and Windows 7 64bits.

* Ability to restore any neutralized file.

* Improved detection & protection against rootkits.

* Free Technical Support forums.

Remember that Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.0 is 100% FREE for home users and non-profit organizations and schools. In adition, you can install it in multiple PCs.

How to Install Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.0 free edition?

If you have a beta version of Panda Cloud Antivirus installed, you should download and install the final version. Simply follow these simple steps to upgrade to version 1.0:

1- Uninstall any previous version of Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta or any other AV you might have installed from Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Make sure to reboot after uninstalling.

2- Download and run the Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.0 installer directly from http://acs.pandasoftware.com/cloud/CloudAntivirus.exe.

If you are having problems installing Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.0 don’t hesitate to post your problem at our free technical support forum available here.

We hope you like Panda Cloud Antivirus and please feel free to give us your feedback and opinions.

Click here to Download Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.0 Final release

Mac was widely believed to be safe from Malware but it is no more the case. Since 2005, it has come under increasing threats from malware and viruses.  Therefore, Mac users can not stay away from the anti virus softwares. To cater to this increasing need of Mac users, Kaspersky has come out with its Mac version of anti virus. We have previously covered the Windows based version of Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 in our blog post here. Today we will share the new Kaspersky AntiVirus for Mac.Kaspersky anti virus for Mac shields the Mac OS against viruses, worms and Trojan as well as similar problems on other operating systems such as Windows and Linux. According to PC World

It has been observed that the introduction of Mac OS X has made known on a wide scale the usefulness of multi-platform computers, and thus created a room for Mac in corporate and home networks.

The flipside of the coin, however, is that multi-platform feature also made the Mac, like any other computers in a network, prone to malware attack.

“Just because they have not been infected in the past does not mean they are safe now,” Gun said. “For example, a Mac machine may be compromised by Trojans or key loggers without the user being alerted to the presence of the threat.”

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac has been developed to meet the specific security requirements of Mac users who know the value of the data stored on their computers, along with the need to keep them running smoothly. The Kaspersky anti virus for Mac performs real time scanning  of files, internet downloads and mail attachments. It is fast and non intrusive with only 1% CPU impact on Mac performance. This is a feature that really impress me since i hate the usual slowdown in my computer resulting from anti virus softwares.

Main Features of Kaspersky Anti Virus for Mac

Core Protection

* Kaspersky Anti-Virus offers signature-based protection from all known types of threats including viruses, worms, Trojans and bots.

* Files are scanned when opened, downloaded or saved, restricting access to suspicious files and disinfecting them whenever possible.

* Kaspersky Anti-Virus protection is not restricted to threats against files, music, photos and personal information on your Macintosh; it also defends against the 30,000 new threats that target other types of computers every day, preventing you from passing problems on to friends and colleagues.

Fully Automated Updates

* Kaspersky ensures your security is completely up to date without you having to lift a finger.

* Updates containing protection against newly identified threats are distributed daily (or more often if required) and your Kaspersky software is automatically updated to the latest versions as they are released.

Internet and Network Security

* All files downloaded from the Internet are checked against malware. All identified threats are blocked and accompanied by an alert.

Email Protection and Self Protection

* Your email messages and their attachments will be protected by real-time scanning. As threats are identified they will be blocked and you will receive an alert.

* It’s important to know that Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac is more than capable of protecting itself.

* Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac uses a variety of techniques to ensure that protection cannot be modified or deleted. Password protection also prevents people or malware from disabling or making changes to your antivirus settings that could leave your Mac more vulnerable to attack.

Ease of Use and High Performance with After sale support

* Familiar Mac-style interface makes Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac highly intuitive and user friendly.

* Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac delivers award-winning security levels while consuming less than 1% of processing power.

* Technical support from qualified technicians via telephone and email.

* “My Kaspersky Account” service for requests to technical support. FastTrack Support containing a FAQ database.

* Kaspersky Knowledge Base – an online database of detailed answers to questions about installing and using Kaspersky Lab products.

System Requirements of Kaspersky Anti Virus for Mac

Operating System: Mac OS 10.4.11 or higher

Hardware
* Mac system with Intel® processor
* 512 MB RAM
* 80 MB of available hard drive space
* Internet connection (for product activation and updates)

Price of Kaspersky Anti Virus for Mac

The Kaspersky Antivirus for Mac is available for $59.95 for 1 year

Click here to Download Kaspersky Anti Virus for Mac

We have rated AVG as one of the best free anti virus software in our last review here. Now after the big success of AVG 8.5 version and its extensions, AVG has finally released its latest Free Antivirus system labelled AVG 9 Free Anti Virus Edition.  It has always been the philosophy of AVG to provide the basic security to the users free of cost  (80 million customers) and therefore, they actively maintain a free product line beside their premium versions of Anti virus software’s.

The AVG 9 provides all the basic features like protection while surfing the internet and browsing different websites, e mail scanner, protection from phishing attacks, protections against viruses, trojans and spy wares and basic rootkit protection beside the update manager.  Not only this, they also have an active forum to provide online support to their free version users. Check the AVG Free antivirus support forum here for details. The best thing about the AVG 9 version is that it is compatible with approximately all version of Windows including Windows 7 beside Linux and FreeBSD.  It supports Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer with multilingual support.

Click here to Download AVG 9 Free AntiVirus Software (70 Mb)

TechNama has been regularly covering all the antiviruses available and we have made a lot of posts on this topic as well.  However, i personally use Norton AntiVirus and the main reason is that it is a beast even though a bulky one. I recently came across the latest Norton Antivirus 2010 and thought to share it with our readers. The Norton AntiVirus 2010 can be tried for free as it has a 30 day trial version. Below are the main features of Norton AntiVirus 2010.

Main Features of Norton Antivirus 2010

The following updates have been taken from their official site.  The “New” means that it is a new feature while “improved” means the feature has been improved in this latest version.

* NEW! Analyzes downloads, files and applications and tells you if they can be trusted before you install and use them.
* IMPROVED! Norton Protection System uses multiple layers of security that work together to proactively block attacks and detect and remove threats traditional virus scanning alone can’t stop.
* IMPROVED! Vulnerability Protection guards security holes in your operating system, applications, browsers and browser plug-ins.

* IMPROVED! Detects and gets rid of even the hardest to find Internet Explorer and Firefox cookies.
* IMPROVED! Norton Bootable Recovery Tool repairs, restores and boots severely infected, unbootable PCs.
* Automatically scan emails and IMs for threats.
* Finds and eliminates bots to prevent hackers from taking over your PC.
* Intrusion prevention technologies prevent fast-spreading Internet worms from getting on to your PC.

Engineered for Speed

* IMPROVED! Proven fastest, lightest antivirus solution for protection that won’t slow you down, get in your way, or swallow up system resources.*
* IMPROVED! Norton Insight scans only files at risk for fewer, shorter scans and the fastest scanning times in the industry. *
* Uses less memory than any other antivirus solution. *
* Won’t slow you down when you download, copy, or edit files, or install applications. *

Combats today’s rapid-fire attacks

* NEW! Norton Insight Network uses Symantec’s global security network to provide real-time proactive protection from the latest-breaking threats.
* NEW! SONAR 2 (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response) uses real-time online intelligence and proactive monitoring to detect and stop new threats.
* Norton Pulse Updates provide rapid mini security updates every 5 to 15 minutes for up-to-the-minute local protection against the latest threats.
* Norton Bootable Recovery Tool provides a deep level of scanning and cleaning for heavily infected PCs.

Provides info on threats, downloads and files

* NEW! Norton Download Insight warns you of dangerous downloads before you install and use them.
* NEW! Norton Threat Insight tells you if threats were detected, what actions threats attempted to perform on your system, and how Norton AntiVirus eliminated those threats.
* NEW! Norton File Insight tells you where files and applications came from, if they’re trusted, and if they may be impacting your PC’s speed.
* Tells you which application processes currently running on your PC are safe and which are at risk.

Helps keep your PC running at top speed

* NEW! Helps you improve and maintain PC and application performance.
* NEW! Automatic and on-demand application optimization improves application performance.
* NEW! Norton System Insight gives you an overview of recent events on your PC such as installs, downloads, scans, and detected threats, so you can see how they may be impacting your PC’s performance.
* NEW! Norton System Insight resource usage graphs help you pinpoint what’s causing your PC to slow down.
* NEW! Tells you how files and applications impact your system’s performance by monitoring their CPU and memory usage on your PC.

Protection without disruption

* NEW! Automatically delays product updates and other tasks if you’re watching TV or burning CDs/DVDs.
* NEW! Power Saver Settings help extend portable PC battery life by putting off power-intensive activities until your computer is plugged in.
* Smart Scheduler conducts scans and other tasks only when your PC is idle.
* Automatically switches to Silent Mode (no alerts, scans or updates) when you watch movies or play games in full-screen mode.

Additional Features

* NEW! Monthly report tells you what Norton AntiVirus has done in the past month to protect you and your PC.
* Free 24×7 support by phone, email, live chat or online knowledge base.**
* Maps your home network so you can see every device that is using it.
* Automatically downloads protection updates and new product features as they become available during your service period.
* With the Norton Automatic Renewal Service your yearly subscription can be automatically renewed for uninterrupted protection

Download Norton Antivirus 2010 Free Trial  Version here

Being a blogger, i am sure everyone is well aware of the wordpress engine as almost 5317360 bloggers are using it to run their blog sites. Even TechNama is powered by WordPress engine and we are very much satisfied with their services. Recently, i came across a news at TechCrunch that Wordpress has been facing a serious security threat to its older versions and hence all users should immediately update their current version to any version above 2.8.4 since all versions uptil 2.8.4 are vulnerable to the said security threat.

Things that you should know about this attack are following as per lorelle:

1. Reports are that this attack impacts ALL versions of WordPress up to 2.8.4, the most recent release.

2. What Version Am I Using? If you are using a WordPress version after 2.7, the nag screen on the WordPress Administration Panels will alert you to upgrade. If you are using an older version, upgrade now.

3. Use a WordPress Plugin for Protection: Do not rely upon a WordPress Plugin to protect you. There are many reports of Plugins that will “help” in the comments. While they might help in other ways, please upgrade now. That is the only solution if your site has not been impacted.

4. WordPress is Not Secure: WordPress is incredibly secure and monitored constantly by experts in web security. This attack was well anticipated and so far, WordPress 2.8.4 is holding. If necessary, WordPress will immediately release a update with further security improvements. WordPress is used by governments, huge corporations, and me, around the world. Millions of bloggers are using WordPress.com. Have faith they are working overtime to monitor this situation and protect your blog.

5. Fear of Upgrading: This attack is serious enough to overcome all your fears of updating. If older WordPress Plugins are holding you back, update them to the latest version or replace them with new. If your Theme might break, contact the Theme author and update or replace it. There are thousands of free Themes to choose from, probably some better than what you are using. If you are using a recent version of WordPress, updating is as easy as clicking a couple buttons. If you are using an older version, download the most recent version and upgrade now.

6. Other Issues? Whatever your issue is that keeps you from updating WordPress, get over it and update now to protect your site.

To find out if your site has been attacked or not you can check for the following as mentioned by Lorelle:

There are two clues that your WordPress site has been attacked:

First, there are strange additions to permalinks, such as example.com/category/post-title/%&(%7B$%7Beval(base64_decode($_SERVER%5BHTTP_REFERER%5D))%7D%7D|.+)&%/. The keywords are “eval” and “base64_decode.”

The second clue is that a “back door” was created by a “hidden” Administrator. Check your site users for “Administrator (2)” or a name you do not recognize.

There is no other alternative to this problem so better update your version before you face much bigger problems or lose all your effort and data to some exploiters. We have done in our case and we hope our readers will also follow suite. Do give us your feedback and comments in case you have any further info on this case.

FortiClient has finally launched their first free version of antivirus software. It has received alot of attention in the media as well as on blogs.  The FortiClient Endpoint Security Suit is targeted at Home users and is expected to compete against the other free anti virus software available in the market. A detail list can be found here for Free AntiVirus softwares. Now coming back to FortiClient and the special features of this  free version as per their own site:

FortiClient™ standard edition offers one of the most comprehensive security suites for your PC available – including a full range of Fortinet threat protections for PCs and laptops, even when used on insecure public networks. This free download provides SSL and IPSec VPN, a personal firewall, antivirus/antispyware scanning, Intrusion Prevention and web filtering. FortiGate™ users complete their network security framework with Endpoint Control, Application Detection and WAN Optimization. Automatic updates from the FortiGuard™ subscription service ensure protection against the latest threats.

The best thing about the software is that it is just 11 MB and hence very easy to download and install. However, its first update takes a bit longer time then expected since it downloads most of the security updates later. So in case you don’t update it, you will end up having an anti virus system with obsolete definitions.

System Requirements for Free FortiClient Endpoint Security Suite
· Pentium processor or equivalent
· 100 MB hard disk space
· Compatible Operating System & Minimum RAM
- Windows 2000: 128 MB
- Windows XP 32-bit and 64-bit: 256 MB
- Windows Server 2003 32-bit and 64-bit: 384 MB
- Windows Server 2008 32-bit and 64-bit: 512 MB
- Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit: 512 MB
- Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit: 512 MB

Download Free FortiClient Endpoint Security Suite Standard Edition

Do give us your feedback. Below is the screenshot of the software and its control panel.

I must confess, i am one of the person who has been a victim of repeated virus attacks and probably one of the reason is that i never got a good article to guide me about the best available anti viruses. Therefore, when i started TechNama, i wanted to make sure its review of anti virus systems is the most updated section. We have written about the top 8 best free anti virus softwares and we also wrote another blog on Top 5 best free mobile anti virus softwares.

Kaspersky Anti Virus is one of the best and famous anti virus software. Recently, they have released the Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Security Suit 2010.  As we all know Kaspersky has a very good reputation among its users and its one of the best software to locate viruses on your system or while browsing the internet. Below are the details of the new features on Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 and Kaspersky Internet Suit 2010

Download Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010

Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 provide a range of new features and options to its users. Below is the list and link to download it. Remember its not free. However they have Kaspersky Anti-Virus Free Trial Version

New Features and Updated Features of Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010:

* Kaspersky Toolbar for Internet browsers to warn you about infected or unsafe websites New!
* Basic identity theft protection, including improved secure Virtual Keyboard Improved!
* Urgent Detection System to stop fast emerging threats Improved!
* Next generation proactive protection from zero-day attacks and unknown threats Improved!
* Special Game Mode to suspend alerts, updates and scans while you play New!
* Scan system and installed applications for vulnerabilities
* Tune up your OS and Internet browser settings for better security
* Restore correct system settings after malware removal
* Burn a Rescue CD to restore your system in case of infection Improved!
* Remove activity traces in your Internet browser (history, cookies, etc.)

System Requirements for Kashpersky Anti Virus 2010

Required for all installations:

* 300 MB free space on the hard drive (the exact number is based on antivirus database size)
* CD-ROM (for installation of the program from CD)
* Computer mouse
* Internet connection (for product activation)
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher (for downloading updates)
* Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0 or higher

Operating Systems

* Microsoft Windows XP, all editions (Service Pack 2 and higher)
* Microsoft Windows Vista, all editions (32/64 bit)

Hardware Requirements

* Intel Pentium 300 MHz or higher (or equivalent)
* 256 MB available RAM
* Intel Pentium 800 MHz 32 bit (x86) / 64 bit (x64) or higher (or equivalent)
* 512 MB available RAM

Download Kaspersky Antivirus 2010 Trial Version

Download Kaspersky Anti Virus 2010 Purchase (39.95 for 1 year)

Kaspersky Internet Suit 2010:

The following are the new and improved features of Kaspersky Internet Suit 2010;

New and Improved Features Kaspersky Internet Suit 2010

* Unique Safe Run Mode for questionable applications and websites New!
* Security Application Monitor to give you full picture on programs installed on your PC Improved!
* Identity Information Controller to give valuable data an extra layer of protection Improved!
* Kaspersky Toolbar for Internet browsers to warn you about infected or unsafe websites New!
* Advanced identity theft protection, including improved secure Virtual Keyboard Improved!
* Urgent Detection System to stop fast emerging threats Improved!
* Next generation proactive protection from zero-day attacks and unknown threats Improved!
* Special Game Mode to suspend alerts, updates and scans while you play New!

System Requirements for Kaspersky Internet Suit 2010

Required for all installations:

* 300 MB free space on the hard drive (the exact number is based on antivirus database size)
* CD-ROM (for installation of the program from CD)
* Computer mouse
* Internet connection (for product activation)
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher (for downloading updates)
* Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0 or higher

Operating Systems

* Microsoft Windows XP, all editions (Service Pack 2 and higher)
* Microsoft Windows Vista, all editions (32/64 bit)

Hardware Requirements

* Intel Pentium 300 MHz or higher (or equivalent)
* 256 MB available RAM
* Intel Pentium 800 MHz 32 bit (x86) / 64 bit (x64) or higher (or equivalent)
* 512 MB available RAM

Download 30 Days trial Kaspersky Internet Suit 2010

Download Kaspersky Internet Suit ($59.95 for 1 year)

China Great Wall has been a centre of attention for the past many centuries since it once protected the Chinese capital from the attacks by its enemies. To keep up with its tradition, Chinese authorities have come out with a new modern era Great Chinese Cyber Wall to protect the Chinese lands from the cyber attacks. The software has been labeled as China Green Dam Youth Escort. The stated purpose of the software is to protect Chinese children from content that is not suitable for their age i.e pornography.

The installation of the Green Dam has been made mandatory by the directive of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the PRC asking all the vendors of the pc to pre install the software or ship it on a separate cd with all the pc sold in Chinese market. Since historically, the vendors abide by such rules, the implementation of this rule won’t be much different and the vendors are expect to follow the new directives from 1st July, 2009.

OpenNet Initiative,which is a joint project between Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and other universities to monitor government internet surveillance, the program is a lot more then just a simple filtering program to protect Chinese children from pornography. Below are the key finds of OpenNet Initiative after testing the software.

Green Dam exerts unprecedented control over users’ computing experience
The version of the Green Dam software that we tested, when operating under its default settings, is far more intrusive than any other content control software we have reviewed. Not only does it block access to a wide range of web sites based on keywords and image processing, including porn, gaming, gay content, religious sites and political themes, it actively monitors individual computer behavior, such that a wide range of programs including word processing and email can be suddenly terminated if content algorithm detects inappropriate speech. The program installs components deep into the kernel of the computer operating system in order to enable this application layer monitoring. The operation of the software is highly unpredictable and disrupts computer activity far beyond the blocking of websites.

The functionality of Green Dam goes far beyond that which is needed to protect children online and subjects users to security risks
The deeply intrusive nature of the software opens up several possibilities for use other than filtering material harmful to minors. With minor changes introduced through the auto-update feature, the architecture could be used for monitoring personal communications and Internet browsing behavior. Log files are currently recorded locally on the machine, including events and keywords that trigger filtering. The auto-update feature can used to change the scope and targeting of filtering without any notification to users.

The effective level of parental control over the software is poor
Technically, the software may be turned off or uninstalled and the filtering settings adjusted. In practice, a large number of users accept pre-installed software and never change default settings. Moreover, a combination of poor implementation and opaque design makes it very difficult for even expert users to understand what the system is doing by default, let alone understand the impact and scope of auto-updates and configuration changes. These factors severely erode any arguments over parental choice. Moreover, the bundling of filtering to cover many different targets through poorly designed and implemented interfaces leaves parents with inadequate choices in customizing filtering setting to match their personal family preferences.

Mandating the use of a specific software product is a questionable policy decision
Introducing a product standard by mandating the use of a particular software product made by a specific company for individual use at a national level is unprecedented. We are not aware of any comparable requirement by any country in any context. A product mandate provides a strong measure of central control at the cost of consumer choice, security, and product quality, with implications for personal computer performance. This is a remarkably poor choice for computer users in any country. The effects of this product mandate are magnified by the fact that the product and company in question are reported to have little or no experience in the development, testing, deployment, or support of a very widely used software product.

The implementation of the software is the decision of the Chinese Government and hence should not be a major source of controversy. Chinese Government has brought revolutionery changes in the lives of its citizens in the past few decades and i think we should give them the benefit of doubt if they want to keep monitoring the activities of their citizens to protect the state from its enemies.

The privacy of the citizens has been challenged by many governments and even the Bush administration has violated it by monitoring the activities of the American citizens.

In a related development,  US software publisher Solid Oak Software is lobbying to preventing US companies from shipping software bundled with Green Dam, levelling allegations that part of the program was stolen from its CyberSitter filtering program.

According to Reuters story, Solid Oak has claimed that it has found pieces of its proprietary code in Green Dam, as well as a copy of instructions for updating the software, . However, the Chinese builders of the software – Jinhui Computer Systems – denied the allegations.

A detail report by OpenNet Initiative can be found by clicking here (pdf file)

Update:

The Chinese government has backed down on its controversial Green Dam web filtering scheme. The plan, which required all mainland computers to ship with the web filtering application, was due to come into effect from today.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) last night put the proposal on hold, saying PC vendors needed more time, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
“[S]ome computer producers said such a massive installation demanded extra time,” the ministry said in a statement issued at 8pm.
It did not say when the scheme would be resurrected.  Source: Robert Clark, Telecom Asia

Still looking for Free Antivirus? antispware? a protector for your system, the wait might just be over now . Theres good news as Microsoft unveiled its first Free Antivirus ‘Code Name : Morro‘. A Microsoft spokesman said on Wednesday that the world’s biggest software maker is testing an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would “soon” make a trial version, or product beta, available for Download via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.

The impact of this announcement resulted in Symantec shares falling 0.5 percent on Nasdaq and McAfee falling 1.3 percent on the New York Stock Exchange, while Microsoft was up 2.1 percent. The Nasdaq composite index was down 0.47 percent.

Investors are closely monitoring the free service, code-named Morro after Brazil’s Morro de Sao Paolo beach, amid concern it could hurt sales of products from Symantec and McAfee, which generate billions of dollars of revenue a year protecting Windows PCs from attacks by hackers.

Three years ago, Microsoft entered that market with Live OneCare, which turned out to be a commercial flop. It announced plans in November to kill that product suite, saying it would launch the free Morro service by the end of 2009. Analysts said they are looking forward to Morro’s beta to see exactly how its features compare to those in products from competitors.

Microsoft has said it will provide protection from several types of malicious software including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. Officials with Symantec and McAfee have said they do not see Morro as a threat.

“Microsoft’s free product is basically a stripped down version of the OneCare product Microsoft pulled from the shelves. A full Internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected.”

Symantec Consumer division president Janice Chaffin

Source: Reuters , Times of India

Web security firm Websense Security Labs has revealed that more and more criminals are getting involved in creating fake URLs to misled web surfers to reveal their sensitive information. These criminals use url that include words of famous sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. The fake domains, which have no connection to the legitimate websites, are designed to trick users into entering sensitive information, such as passwords, bank account details and PIN numbers, or into downloading malicious code.
Charles Renert, senior director, advanced content research, Websense said”These new threats illustrate that attackers will continue to target Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, along with other social networking sites, for three reasons, these Web sites are popular — fraudsters are able to target lots of victims; people trust the content on it — because they think it’s from other people in their network; and they are easy to compromise because they allow anybody to create and post content. Traditional Web filtering is not enough to protect users from threats on trusted sites, and isn’t enough to keep up with fraudsters generating new URLs almost instantaneously to avoid detection. Only real-time analysis of Web content can prevent users from being exploited by this attack.”
The most common fake site used to dupe people is fake FaceBook sites. According to WebSense, the fake URLs include examples such as unblock.facebookproxy.com. Over 200,000 fake FaceBook URLs were found by the company.

[PC Mag via Websense Security]

I am sure if you are reading this article, you can not claim that you have never been hit by some form of virus. Don’t worry almost everyone who has a computer and is mostly connected to the internet is hit  by viruses, malware and trojans in one way or another. So the first response after being hit by the calamity is to search for an anti virus system. Therefore, i decided to write a blog to list down the best 8 free anti virus softwares that are available for download. Here is a quick tip, its always better to have one before you are actually infected by the antivirus so do not hesitate to have one if you are still operating in this new world of virus filled applications without having an antivirus software.

1) AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5.336

Operating Systems: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000

AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool. AVG Free is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy to use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements. Highlights include automatic update functionality, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files. Version 8.5.336 is a bug fixing release
Click here to Download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition (62 Mb)

2) Avira AntiVir Personal – Free Antivirus 9.0.0.394

Operating Systems:Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 2000, Windows XP

Avira AntiVir Personal Free Antivirus is a comprehensive, easy to use antivirus program, designed to offer reliable free of charge virus protection to home-users only. Avira offers: Extensive Malware Recognition of viruses, Trojans, backdoor programs, worms; Automatic incremental updates of antivirus signatures, engine and entire software; Permanent virus protection, with Virus Guard real time monitoring; Install and configuration in just a couple of steps, setup to protect your PC in minutes; Virus protection against known and unknown threats, using an advanced heuristic system; Scheduler where you can set the scanner to make automatic virus scans or updates on your system; Forum and phone support; Knowledge Base with virus descriptions available on web site; Rootkit Detection and Removal; A modularized AV-search engine for improved scan performance.

Version 9 introduces a quick-removal button for eliminating viruses with a single click, enhanced anti-spyware and anti-adware engines, and support for low resolution netbook screens.

Click here to Download Avira AntiVir Personal Edition

3) PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition 5

Operating Systems: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000

PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition protects you against the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to your PC and personal details. Going online without protection against the latest fast-spreading viruses, worms and Trojans can result in infections within minutes. Once infected, the virus will usually attempt to spread itself to your friends, family and associates by accessing your e-mail contacts and networked PCs. The infection may also allow hackers to access files on your PC, use it to launch attacks against other computers and Websites or to send mass spam email. That’s why PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition provides protection, with rapid database updates, IntelliGuard real-time file, Internet & e-mail protection and comprehensive system scanning to ensure your system remains safe and virus free. Version 5 features new improved scan engine, smaller memory footprint, and much improved system performance.

Click here to Download PC Tools Anti Virus Free Edition 5

4) ThreatFire AntiVirus Free Edition 4.0

Operating Systems: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000

ThreatFire is unlike traditional antivirus products that rely on old fashioned “signature” technology and require updating every time a new threat occurs. ThreatFire’s patent-pending ActiveDefense technology provides powerful protection against zero-day and emerging threats. It constantly monitors for both known and unknown viruses, worms, trojans, rootkits, buffer overflows, spyware, adware and other malware. It uses behavioral analysis to hunt down and paralyze threats that are too new or too clever to be recognized by traditional “signature-based” antivirus software. ThreatFire is the perfect complement to traditional antivirus programs.
Version 4.0 improves protection of new and unknown Internet threats.

Click here to Download ThreatFire AntiVirus Free Edition (8 Mb)

5) Rising Antivirus 2009 Free Edition 21.22.30

Operating Systems: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 98

Rising Antivirus Free Edition protects your computers against all types of viruses, Trojans, Worms, Rootkits and other malicious programs. Easy to use, Active Defense technology, Patented Unknown Virus Scan and Clean technology and Patented Smartupdate technology make Rising Antivirus install and forget product and entitles you to focus on your own jobs with your computers. Rising Antivirus also uses cloud security mechanism.

Click here to Download Rising Antivirus 2009 Free Edition (61 Mb)

6) Multi Virus Cleaner 2009 9.0.1

Operating Systems: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows Server 2008, Windows 3.x, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 98

Multi Virus Cleaner is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove major viruses and spyware. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist administrators and users when cleaning infected systems. Multi Virus Cleaner is regularly updated and can detect hundreds of common viruses, worms, Trojans, dialers and spyware (including all variants of the Sober, MyDoom, Nyxem and Bagle viruses). The program offers a scanner that requires minimal processing power for repairing a compromised system. Multi Virus Cleaner detects over 6,400 viruses variants. The new 2009 version also detects and removes major spyware.

Click here to Download Multi Virus Cleaner (3 Mb)

7) Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta

Operating Systems:Windows Vista, Windows XP

Panda Cloud Antivirus protects you while you browse, play or work and you won’t even notice it. It is extremely light as all the work is done in the cloud. It provides you with the fastest protection against the newest viruses thanks to its cloud-scanning from PandaLabs’ servers. Panda Cloud Antivirus is truly install and forget. Don’t worry about updates, configuration or complicated decisions ever again. TechNama already wrote in detail about Panda Cloud Antivirus in a separate post here.

Click here to Download Panda Cloud Antivirus (18 Mb)

8 ) BitDefender Free Edition 10.0

Operating Systems: Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 98

Benefiting from previous experience, the new BitDefender Free Edition was designed with a centralized management console, which allows protection options configuration for all BitDefender modules. It is enough to open the management console in order to have access to all modules: Virus Scan, Scheduler, Live! Update, Quarantine, Reports. On demand scanning – Powerful scan engines ensure detection and removal of all viruses in the wild every time you need it. You can schedule the checking of your system at any time, periodically, without any other intervention. With just a right click you can check your files and folders. Automatic and manual update are available. Intelligent update of antivirus protection, without your intervention. The update can be done from the network over the Internet, directly or through a Proxy Server. There are over 90,000 Virus Definitions.

Click here to Download BitDefender Free Edition (49 Mb)

Can Windows 7 Survive the Pirates Assault?

Beware of the hackers, Microsoft has warned the latest users of Windows 7 R.C…Look out for Malware Infected Fake Windows 7 Release Client, it is illegitimately distributed. So make sure you are getting the right software.

“It’s so important for customers to get their copies of Windows from a trusted source. In the last few days we’ve seen reports of illegitimate distributions of the release candidate of our latest Windows operating system, Windows 7, being offered in a way that is designed to infect a customer’s PC with malware” Joe Williams, GM Worldwide Genuine Windows at Microsoft.

Microsoft is making Windows 7 Release Candidate available as it puts finishing touches to the operating system that will replace Windows Vista. as its next operating syste. The developers has touted anti-piracy protections it built into Windows 7 to thwart the spread of illegal copies of the operating system. Mr. William further added,

“With Windows Vista, we made significant strides in reducing the threat pirated copies posed to customers, our partners and Microsoft software, and we anticipate we’ll do even better with Windows 7″.

Dawn News reports, that Microsoft consider software piracy as a pervasive problem that costs the world economy more than 45 billion dollars annually and exposes users to risks of identity theft, system crashes, and data loss.

It is estimated 33% of the windows based operating systems have piracy issues, which is a big amount, considering 90% of the computers have windows operating system. Anyways, Technama seriously recommends all its viewers to stay vigilant and make sure they are getting the original software.

Source: Microsoft, Reuters,

HMG (Hindu Militant Guard or Hindu Militant Group) is a group of Indian IT experts who thrives on hacking Pakistani websites and orkut communities. The are lead by a guy aliased ‘Sneak’. The group defends its hacking practices by saying, its revenge against Pakistani hackers who are involved in hacking Indian websites and orkut communities. Their high profile target so far has been the OGRA (Oil & Gas Regularity Authority , Pakistan) website, which they defaced and caused breaking news on tv channels in Pakistan. Apart from that they have hacked a number of orkut communities.

It is believed that the general hacking method they use, specially in orkut is the ‘Fake Orkut Page’. Whereby the community owners are fooled into signing in a fake Orkut login page, which in turns give the username and password to these hackers.

It is a difficult question to ask as to what motivates them or what would stop them from doing such crime, because on the other side Pakistani hacking group like Z Company is doing the same. So its more like both are aggravated by each others atrocities , so the end wont be near.

Websites & Orkut Communities Hacked by HMG:

• OGRA (Pakistani- Oil & Gas Regularity Authority)
• Islamic Republic of Pakistan – Orkut Community
• Dr.Zakir Naik – Orkut Community
• Islam & Muslims – Orkut Community
• Benazir Bhutto -  Orkut Community
• Karachi – – Orkut Community
• Indian Christian – Orkut Community
• India Pakistan Orkut Friends – Orkut Community

These are not all the communities, more an approximate list.  If any visitor has any updates onthis list, please forward it to us or write it down in the comments.