Rebuilding your PC after a malware infection is a total pain in the butt. Its time consuming, troublesome and occasionally problematic. Ransomware has been making the rounds worldwide, and short of forking over the required cash, there’s little you can do to save your PC from a complete rebuild once infected.  Ridding your system of this malware is difficult. It’s well written and in most cases even activates even in Safe Mode. It’s for this reason that I really like Anvi Rescue Disk. It’s a must have Windows utility.

Anvi Rescue Disk helps users remove ransomware infections. If your computer is locked up due to a ransomware infection, and won’t even boot into safe mode, then Anvi Rescue Disk may be able to save your computer.  In many Eastern and Western European nations, users have seen law enforcement logos displayed on their screens with messages saying that their  browsing habits have broken the law and they must now pay a fine in order to be able to continue using their PC’s.  While this type of malware is extremely difficult to get rid of, Anvisoft seems to have finally found a way to combat this problem.

Using the software is simple.  You download, burn a CD/DVD, restart your PC using the burned CD/DVD, scan and clean.  A simple restart after that, and your PC should be ransomware free.   However, a word of caution – both the problem and the cure are very new and likely to undergo a lot of tweaking in the immediate future. If you get infected more than once, you will likely need to rerun the tool or may need to wait for an update.

download Anvi Rescue Disk

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The internet is said to be the next great operating system. With so many different web based applications available – Gmail, Office 365 and the like – keeping unneeded and unwanted ads out of the way isn’t easy. This is one of the reasons why I like Adguard Web Filter. It’s a Windows based internet tool.

Adguard Web Filter helps you remove online ads from the web pages your view.  Online ads always slow down the loading of web pages you need and may open ones you don’t. The biggest problem is when indecent ads damage your reputation at work or affect the wellbeing of your children.  Web ads are widely used for fraud, circulation of viruses and other types of malware. Ads often distort the appearance of web pages.

Adguard Web Filter removes these annoying ads, reduces the page loading time and saves your traffic. It works with all major browser, including Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Adguard Web Filter blocks video ads, rich media and other non-standard types of ads, as well as standard ads. It prevents counters and tracking by ad networks. Adguard starts working right after installation, requires no additional configuration and is regularly updated.

Adguard Web Filter is an app that nearly everyone can benefit from. The app installs quickly and easily and the benefits are seen immediately. The removal of online ads is something that you don’t necessarily think about when the ads are gone, but immediately comes to mind when they blink and flash in front of you when they are left unchecked. Available at no charge, the application is something everyone should use to improve their browsing experience on their Windows PC.

download Adguard Web Filter

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• Anti-Malware Programs Should be Free

Anti-malware apps want to be free.

It’s true. I really believe that anti-malware apps want to be free. Serious security vendors provide free apps that can hold their own against just about any bug that hits the internet. Their premium version adds, in my opinion, convenience features that make the paid version that much more of a value-add, so the purchase is a natural extension of continuing on with use of the app. However, for that to really work, the free version needs to hold its own. This is the major reason why I like IObit’s Malware Fighter. It’s a free anti-malware app for Windows.

IObit Malware Fighter is an advanced malware removal utility. It detects and removes the deepest malware infections, and protects your PC from potential spyware, adware, Trojans, key loggers, bots, worms, etc. With its improved, unique “Dual-Core” engine and heuristic malware detection, Malware Fighter is tough to beat.

Malware Fighter has IObit’s unique “Dual-Core” engine; and improved program core structure. It now delivers more comprehensive and deeper system scans to find the deepest system infections. It removes or quarantines them, protecting your PC from more security threats and privacy compromises. IObit Malware Fighter can assist your antivirus to defend against tricky and complex threats. However, please note, that no solution, despite vendor or technology used, offers a 100% effectiveness rate for detecting viruses and malware.

Malware Fighter’s enhanced real-time protection provides you with tools to keep your computer secure all the times. It uses the latest Cloud Computing and Heuristic Analyzing technology to analyze the behavior of the malware it detects a fully automated mode. It’s fast, light weight, and easy to use.

Read full review | Download IObit Malware Fighter

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Keeping your PC free from malware isn’t always easy. Even with a malware scanner, it’s not always easy to keep your PC clean. When it comes to removing tenacious malware, like rootkits, I’m glad there’re tools like TDSSKiller. It’s a malware removal tool for Windows.

A rootkit is a program or a group of programs kit that hide the presence of malware on your system. A rootkit for Windows systems penetrates into the system and intercepts the system functions, replacing the proper instructions with their own. Moreover it can hide the presence of particular processes, folders, files and registry keys. Some rootkits install its own drivers and services in the system. They also remain “invisible.”

Kaspersky Lab developed the TDSSKiller utility enabling the removal of rootkits. The utility supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems; and can be run in Normal and Safe Mode. TDSSKiller detects and removes malware family Rootkit.Win32.TDSS, bootkits, as well as rootkits.

Rootkits are a very serious problem. They can be very destructive, and are very difficult to remove. TDSSKiller is a decent rootkit removal tool, but it doesn’t remove any other kind of malware. If you have a rootkit, give TDSSKiller a try. It should remove the problem and leave you with a clean, manageable system.

Download TDSSKiller

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Keeping your PC safe while you run around the internet can be a full time job. It’s very easy to click here, there and everywhere and come away with some kind of ugly bug. It’s all too easy to have your personal information and even your identity stolen right out from under you. That’s why I like having applications like Anvi Smart Defender available to me. It’s a malware security package for Windows.

Anvi Smart Defender delivers powerful protection against malware – viruses, Trojans, adware, spyware, bots and other threats. With its Smart-Engine, it scans and detects threats on your PC quickly. It has a system optimization function that speeds up your PC; and provides a cloud scan feature that protects your PC more effectively while working with items stored remotely.

Anvi Smart Defender’s smart, active scanning engine is made up of Guards. Its Privacy Guard, Startup Guard, Process Guard, Behavior Guard, and Files Guard stop and block malware by actively monitoring your system and alerting you when it detects a threat. It will not interfere with active tasks and activities when it is scanning. It runs silently in the background. Whether you are surfing, shopping, charting, socializing, sharing or banking, Anvi Smart Defender’s guards protect your PC from malware more efficiently than other, traditional security software.

If you do bump into a file that’s infected with suspected malware, Anvi Smart Defender gives your PC Cloud-based malware identification. You can upload the suspicious file and get a cloud-security report.   Anvi Smart Defender discovers the newest threats first.

Anvi Smart Defender also helps protect your PC by providing traditional PC utilities to help keep it running efficiently. This way if something goes wrong, you know it must be malware related. Anvi Smart Defender includes System Optimize, Registry Fix, Privacy Cleaner, Memory Sweep, and Disk Defragment.

read full review | download Anvi Smart Defender

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• Get rid of malware with the latest version of Emsisoft Anti-Malware

I had a friend of mine come to me and tell me of a malware infection he caught over the weekend. It happened because he was sent a piece of email, that he did NOT open; but the message hit his inbox and created a huge amount of havoc anyway. The virus got around his AV scanner.

Having the right AV scanner for your system is important, as my friend is likely going to have to completely blow his system and rebuild it from scratch. This is one of the reasons why I like ESET NOD32 Antivirus. It’s a professional malware prevention application for Windows.

ESET NOD32 Antivirus intercepts and eliminates viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware and other Internet threats with their proactive, heuristic technology. ESET NOD32 Antivirus protects you from known and emerging threats. It offers a simpler, more secure digital experience; and its accompanying Internet security training teaches you how to avoid cyber threats, scams and hackers to make your online experience even safer.

Its New, Enhanced Interface allows you to manage functionality efficiently with intuitive controls that includes access to Most Frequently Used Actions from all its screens. It also enables easier navigation of the advanced setup tree, including its customized, behavior-based HIPS to improve your PC’s security by specifying rules and permissions for the system registry and active processes and programs.

In today’s information-centric communities, ESET NOD32 Antivirus helps protect your data and your PC when you share files.  Not all computer threats come through the Internet. Removable Media Control protects you from potentially infected files exchanged through USB flash drives, CDs and DVDs. Its Cloud-Enhanced Whitelisting allows you to scan faster using its Cloud-Powered Reputation engine that compares your data to trusted files compiled in ESET’s Live Grid database of over 100 million ESET users.

Read full review | Download ESET NOD32 Antivirus

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You’re gonna hear me say this a lot here. Soft32 is serious about security software, and keeping your computer safe from malware. All of our downloads are certified malware free, and you’re going to hear us talk up anti-malware and Internet suites quite a bit. Case in point – Norton and Symantec are synonymous with security and safe computing. This is why we love it for both on Windows and Mac machines.

Norton Internet Security for Windows runs on Windows XP SP 2 or later, Windows Vista SP 1 or later and Windows 7. The Mac versions runs on OS X 10.4.11 to 10.7; and it includes versions 4.x and 5.x so it runs on both Intel and PPC based Macs. Version 5.x is for Intel multi-core processors only. If you have an early Intel based Mac or a PowerPC based Mac, then Version 4 is for you. However, both will provide you with advanced security options and will protect your home network and your data from malware.

NIS protects you while you surf with Norton Safe Web. It proactively protects you while you surf by identifying and blocking unsafe and fake websites right in your search results. However, this feature requires Mac OS X 10.7 if you’re a Mac user. Its anti-phishing technology blocks fraudulent phishing websites trying to steal your identity and your money. Its Smart Two-Way Firewall prevents cybercriminals from hacking into your machine, and from stealing your personal information and messing with your data.

The best thing about NIS is that its location aware. It lets you adjust your level of protection depending upon where you’re using your Mac.  It has settings for at home, the office, the local coffee shop, on the road, etc.

Read full review | Download Norton Internet Security 2012

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We left a busy week behind us with lots of good articles and reviews. Let’s take a look:

Traktor Pro 2 – the maximum freedom in DJing

If you spin tracks for a living or on the side, then you need to listen up. I’ve looked at some mixing software over the past few months, but none have really “sent” me. Traktor however, is a completely different story. It’s a DJ-ing and track mixing application and its available for both Windows and Mac, and quite frankly, it floored me.

If ain’t dirty, don’t clean it

Amid all the Holiday Hullaballoo, malware attacks can be nasty. However, beware where the warnings are coming from. You must have a malware scanner on your computer – Mac, Windows or Linux – don’t compute without one. Period. You also need to heed the warning dialogs they display. If you’ve got a bug, or if it catches one before it infects you, do what it tells you in order to get rid of it. However, do yourself a favor, mind where the dialog boxes are coming from.

Make use of a synchro calendar with GoCal

In case the default calendar app for iOS isn’t enough for you and you want something more advanced and with some additional synchronization features, GoCal can be the solution to your needs. At its core, GoCal is nothing else but a calendar client that can integrate the default iOS calendar, and the Google Calendar. Actually the Google Calendar integration is the main reason you should try this software out.

2011 Gift Guide Part 2 – Suggested Gifts

Following the 2011 Gift Guide Part1 – Ok, Great! Now what should I buy? article here are my recommendations for just about every budget level, given our recent thorough discussion about Mobile Device Ecosystems. It’s true.  The hottest ticket items this 2011 Holiday Season are all mobile – tablets, smartphones, music players, ultra-portable notebooks (the netbook is dead) – and the like will undoubtedly find their way to a gift box near you. Ecosystem aside, there are some really cool gadgets out there right now, and figuring out which basket to put all your eggs in can be confusing.

Pho.to Lab lets you create fun photo montages on your iPhone & Android

Android has some great picture and image editing apps to adjust and enhance your photos, such as Photoshop Mobile and PicSay. But what if you just want to add some cool photo frames and effects to your pictures? We all love having fun, right? Then you definitely have to try Pho.to Lab. This simple app is a winner for two reasons: first, it is very easy to use and second, it has more than 450 awesome effects for your photos!

Zemana AntiMalware

You’ll hear me say it over and over again – you simply can’t run a computer now-a-days without some kind of antivirus or security software running in the background.  You’re just asking for problems if you think you don’t need one…and if you get a virus, bug or worm, THEN what do you do??  This is why I’m thankful for applications like Zemana Anti-Malware. It’s a specialized malware scanner for Windows and it’s the kind that most people need.

NoteLege – your iPad note-taking app that takes the hassle out of organizing your notes and thoughts

We’re in the information age now. Everything gets around faster and the number of sources and amount of information we need to remember can get overwhelming. Now, for those who own an iPad, let me suggest you a great note-taking application that combines handwriting, typing, audio and video recording. The application is called NoteLedge and it’s developed by Kdan Mobile.

iOS 6 Wish List

iOS5 is out and available to all supported iOS devices. With the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 rumored to be coming in 2012, let’s take a quick moment to speak to a couple desired features. The release of the iPhone 4S also gave us iOS5. Battery life issues and improvements not-withstanding, any additional additions or life altering improvements will need to wait until iOS 6 is released. In light of that, I’d like to speak to a quick wish list for iOS6. The list is below, in no particular order.

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