Hi Folks,

Grisoft Anti-Rootkit

Rootkits are a specific type of malware that has become increasingly popular in the past year and a half, but they have actually been around for a long time in the computer world. Rootkits are a type of specially crafted code that is embedded within another application or even in a system's operating system. They spy on and capture information from the infected system.

Rootkits disguise their actions from within another program and hide in the system's kernel in such a way that they appear as if they are invisible to most traditional antivirus solutions. This inability to identify the offending code leaves the system still compromised while the owner has a feeling as though they are protected and they continue to conduct their business as usual.

Grisoft, the makers of the popular free personal antivirus solution AVG, have seen the rise of rootkits over the past year or so and they have been feverishly working to create a solution now, when the public needs it most. Grisoft has spent six months trying to get their anti-rootkit application perfect and they say it will successfully find and remove rootkits, without hassling the user with false findings that are so prevalent in other such similar programs.

The program is simple to use too. Just download the application here. Once you have that completed, double click the .exe file and install it to the drive of your choice, just like with any other application. After the install, you will be prompted to reboot your system. When your system has started back up, the AVG anti-rootkit application will be in your programs list (Start, All Programs, AVG Anti-Rootkit) where it can be launched. From the main interface, simply select either "Search for rootkits" or "Perform an in depth scan." Then, just watch the progress bar.

At the end of the scan, AVG Anti-Rootkit will display the results and offer more options as necessary. It's that easy to check your system for rootkits. The rootkit remover has an update feature and it should be a very welcome edition to any user's security and cleaning arsenal!

Here are some of the features of AVG's rootkit remover, along with the system requirements:

Highlights

• Powerful cleaning due to advanced cleaning driver.
• Easy to use interface.
• Fast and efficient detection (even for NTFS-ADS objects).
• Special interface for visually impaired people.

Minimum System Requirements

• MS Windows 2000 (32-bit) or MS Windows XP (32-Bit).
• AVG Anti-Rootkit is available in English only.

Until next week, stay safe out there!

~ Chad Stelnicki

Q:
In the past, you've told us how to be safe on certain Web sites, etc., but what about chat room safety? Do you have any tips we all can abide by for that?

A:
I'm so glad you asked! We here at WorldStart are always telling you to be as safe as possible when you're visiting the World Wide Web. We've covered the Internet, social networking Web sites and even some Web sites for children, but what about regular ol' chat rooms? Everyday, more and more people are using chat sites and to be honest, chat rooms can make you just as vulnerable as anything else in today's Internet world. So, what can you do to keep yourself safe? Well, give these tips a try!

1.) As much as we may not want it to be true, there are many people online who are very dangerous. If you don't keep your eyes and ears open, you may put yourself at risk. When you're talking to someone in a chat room that you've never talked to before, don't ever, for one second, think you know them. Plain and simple, they are a stranger to you and you should never give them your real name, address, phone number or any other personal information. This goes for your e-mail address as well, especially if it contains part of your name, etc.

2.) Another rule of thumb to follow is to never tell anyone you're chatting with what your daily routine is. If you do the same thing everyday, such as go to work or to school, don't give that information out. Or if you visit the same places regularly (parks, stores, etc.), don't tell anyone! You don't want to give anyone any leads in knowing where you're going to be during certain times of the day.

3.) It's strongly advised as well that you do not meet anyone in person that you have met off the Internet. We all know it happens on a daily basis, but in this case, we're just talking about you. Don't worry about what other people have done in the past, just worry about yourself and stray away from meeting people in real life that you don't know. If you mix your real life with your computer life, you could be in for a big letdown or an unwelcome surprise.

Now, I know that some of you may not listen to all of that, so just in case you're stubborn, here are some guidelines to follow if you do actually meet someone. Always do it in a public place where other people are around. Tell one of your friends or family members where you're going, what time, etc. If someone else knows, they will be able to look out for you. And better yet, invite someone else to go along with you. Two is better than one!

4.) If you receive Web site links during your chat sessions, it's best not to open them. They could contain viruses or even be of a disturbing matter. Just leave them alone and all will be good.

5.) Try to visit chat rooms that you know have moderators. This way, no one will be able to get away with threats, harassment or illegal behavior. I'm not sure about you, but it makes me feel better knowing someone else is there to watch my back if I happen to need them.

6.) It's best not to post any pictures of yourself either. Sometimes the people you chat with may ask you for your picture, but if you give it to them, it's just going to open another can of worms. It will give that person a chance to know more about you. They'll also know what you look like and that is just not good.

7.) I know that it's fun and exciting to talk to new people every once in awhile, but it's really best to keep your chat room conversations limited to people you really do know. You know, your family members, your friends, your co-workers, etc. These are people you know and can trust, so why not just talk to them instead? And besides, we all talk to our friends and family less than we should in the first place, so just set up a chat session with them and stay in touch!

Alright, I think that covers all the main points. I know some of these tips may not apply to all of you, but maybe you could forward them off to other people you know, such as your children or grandchildren. If you share this information with others, it will help to keep everyone you know and love safe. I also know that this may be a little repetitive for some of you, but there's nothing like a refresher course. At least that's what I always like to say. Now, go on and be safe. Do it!

~ Erin

Send To

So, what exactly is the Send To option for? Does it even have a purpose? Well, if you've ever wondered what the answer to that question is, then come along with me. I'll explain everything!

One of the most powerful tools in the Windows operating systems is the right mouse button. That one little button opens up so many new options and it makes so many things so much easier. I find myself using this right mouse button almost more often than the left one. Now, a particularly useful, but not very commonly used right click option is Send To.

Where to Find Send To

To find out what you can do with the Send To feature, let's create a test file to play around with. Go to Start, Run, type in Notepad and click OK. Notepad will then open on your screen. Next, just type something. For example, "This is a test file." (Or, if you feel creative and daring, type something else!) When you're done, click File, Save As and save this file as "test.txt" on your C: drive in the root directory.

Now, open Windows Explorer (right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and choose Explore). Once that's open, click your C: drive on the left to see its contents on the right. You should see your file called "test.txt" listed. Right click on the test file to get the right click menu and choose the Send To option. You'll see a submenu pop up. At the very least, you should have four options listed here that Windows installs as the default options. You may have more on your computer, but for the default's sake, they are:

• 3½ Floppy (A:) (if you have a floppy disk drive installed on your computer)
• Desktop (create shortcut)
• Mail Recipient
• My Documents

Like I said before, you might see some more, but we'll get to that in a moment. First, let's see how the default options work.

How They Work

3½ Floppy (A:)

Selecting this option will automatically copy the file that you right clicked to your floppy drive of A:. Of course, you should insert a floppy with sufficient disk space first. Send To can't insert it for you. It's good, but not that good!

Desktop (create shortcut)

Selecting this option will create a shortcut to this file on your desktop. This makes it a lot easier to access this file in the future by simply double clicking the shortcut, instead of having to dig for the file on your hard drive first.

Mail Recipient

Selecting this option will open up Outlook Express, pull up a new e-mail message window and automatically attach a copy of the selected file to the e-mail. All you do is enter the recipient's e-mail address and some text and you're ready to send the file on its way.

My Documents

Selecting this option will automatically copy the selected file to your My Documents folder. This is a great way to save some steps and make it easier to perform those tasks.

So, I'm sure you're probably beginning to see how handy this feature can be. Of course, the question that still pops up though is "How do I customize this Send To menu to make it work better for me"? Well, I'm willing to guess that you'd be surprised as to how easy it is and maybe we'll cover that in the near future! Until then, experiment with the Send To option and see how it can make your computer life so much better. Enjoy!

~ Ramachandran Kumaraswami

More Next Friday,
Chuckstr
----My Web Site----

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