PITT Computing

Tech trends by Mike - Here is how I see the future of home computing. I'm guessing between 80% - 90% of all home computer users use their computers for facebook, email (almost obsolete due to facebook), craigslist, ebay, looking things up on sites like google, maps / directions, etc. Everyone that owns a smartphone already knows all of these tasks can be done via their phones. Others like to watch movies, store their pictures and videos... say hello to the iPad if you haven't already. I'm guessing within the next 10 - 20 years, desktops will be extinct and laptops will be virtually obsolete to the average home user, only to be replaced by the smartphones and iPads. Currently smartphones and iPads do not get infected with viruses, they are just easier to drop into the toilet than your PC / laptop. Consider this before going out and purchasing a new PC / laptop.

Computer tip #1: It is a common misconception that having a lot of pictures or music files on your computer will slow it down. This does not slow the computer down at all, unless you have used up all of your disk space, which is rarely the case these days as hard drives are can hold vast amounts of data (pictures, music files, etc).

Security researchers from Symantec warn that a destructive Trojan virus, which wipes all data from the system partition, poses as a Stuxnet removal tool developed by Microsoft. The Trojan — which Symantec has named Trojan.Fadeluxnet — has no apparent monetary motives behind it. It was being passed around on forums where people discussed Stuxnet clean-up solutions, suggesting that it might target the worm’s victims. It comes with a name of “Microsoft Stuxnet Cleaner,” in a likely attempt to leverage Microsoft’s known active involvement in Stuxnet research. When executed, it makes registry modifications to prevent exe, mp3, jpg, bmp and gif files from opening. And as if that does not cripple the system enough, it also starts deleting all files from the system partition. “The tool will certainly remove Stuxnet if it was on the C drive, but it will also take with it any other content including your valuable data,” a researcher at Symantec warned.

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Secured by AVG LinkScanner - http://www.avg.com/fb

Destructive Trojan Poses as Microsoft Stuxnet Removal Tool - Softpedia Destructive Trojan Poses as Microsoft Stuxnet Removal Tool