With two prominent malware attacks occurring back-to-back during the past two months, you’re likely familiar with the term  – “Ransomware” – a cyber-crime gaining worldwide attention. In this article we explore ransomware in depth and offer recommendations and instructions to prevent it from happening and to protect your PC.

Ransomware defined:

You can think of ransomware as “data kidnapping”. It is the result of a malware attack that blocks access to a user’s PC data. Once infected, the attackers try to force you into paying money so you can regain access. In some cases there is a threat to publish or delete the data unless the ransom is paid. Data and access is blocked by using strong file encryption.

Computers can be infected whether at home or in the work environment. This includes PCs on an enterprise network or government agency servers.

Some ways of infecting your PC include:

• Surfing to unsafe or fake websites.
• Opening emails and email attachments from unknown sources.
• Opening malicious links in emails, Facebook, Twitter, and from online chat apps such as Skype.

The two main types of ransomware are: Lockscreen and Encryption.

1. Lockscreen ransomware prevents you from accessing your PC or files and instead displays a full-screen message saying you have to pay a ransom to regain access.
2. Encryption ransomware prevents you from opening your files by encrypting them. The encryption is very strong (uses an AES-256 “military grade” cipher algorithm), and would take an estimated 3×10⁵¹ years to crack. Also, a unique encryption key is generated for each infected computer so you can’t just get someone else’s key.

Note: There are older versions of ransomware that display false messages such as claiming you have performed an illegal activity with your PC. They then state you are being fined by a police force or government agency. We want to stress that these claims are false and can be considered a scare tactic designed to extort money from you.

What is the result of the attack?

While there are various forms of ransomware, all of them prevent you from performing normal PC functions. This includes:

• Getting locked out! Preventing you from accessing your operating system.
• Blocked access to files! Files are now encrypted and you can’t access them.
• Disabled apps! Certain programs (like your web browser), are no longer able to run.

What about the ransom?

Some ransomware attacks involve the victim having to pay money while some make you complete a survey. Payment of money is performed online and sometimes involves the victim having to pay in Internet currency Bitcoins. Due to the nature of those that commit these cybercrimes – there is no guarantee that your data or PC will return to the pre-attack state.

How much do they extort?

Symantec gained access to a malware server in 2012. This provided them first hand insight of the ransoms that were paid out. In a single day 5,700 computers were infected and 2.9% paid the ransom. This comes out to approximately $33,600 for one day.

“Given the number of different gangs operating ransomware scams, a conservative estimate is that over $5 million dollars a year is being extorted from victims. The real number is, however, likely much higher.”[1]

Recent Ransomware attacks…

WannaCrypt; May 12, 2017:

Many users around the world were victims of the malicious “WannaCrypt” software attack which has been considered one of the worst and most widespread cyber-attacks. More than 230,000 computers in over 150 countries were affected. All files on infected PCs were locked and the demanded ransom was 300 dollars in bitcoins.

Interestingly, people running Windows 10 were not targeted by the attack. Despite this, this attack was serious as evidenced in the steps Microsoft took. They took a highly unusual step in providing a security update for all customers to protect even the Windows platforms that are in custom support only. This includes Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003.

Supported versions of the operating system (Vista, Windows 7, 8.1, 10, etc.), have access to the security update MS17-010. If users have automatic updates enabled or have installed the update, they are protected. Microsoft states[2]: “For those organizations who have not yet applied the security update, we suggest you immediately deploy Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010“. They go on to state that this attack may evolve over time and additional defense strategies are warranted.

Petya; June 27, 2017:

Companies across Europe and the US were affected by the ‘Petya’ ransomware attacks. Infected computers displayed a message demanding a Bitcoin ransom of $300. Victims were unable to unlock their computers even if they paid the ransom.[3] The instructions included sending confirmation of payment to an email address. However, that email address was shut down by the email provider and there was no way to contact the attacker for a decryption key to unlock their computer.

This ransomware attack exploited the same Microsoft exploit as WannaCry – the vulnerability known as EternalBlue. Even with the patch, this cyber-attack has two other ways to spread within an organization focusing on the network administrator’s tools. Experts believe the initial infection is suspected to have been delivered through email (as with WannaCry).

If Infected With Ransomware:

You are a victim of a ransomware infection once you see some form of ransom demand appearing in a dialog window, an app, or a full-screen message. Unfortunately, this demand is displayed after encrypting your files or disabling some part of your PC.

Before you try to recover your files, Microsoft suggests trying to fully clean your PC with Windows Defender Offline. After this you can try to Backup and Restore in Windows.

We fully agree with Microsoft: “Do not pay any money to recover your files. Even if you were to pay the ransom, there is no guarantee that you will regain access to your PC or files.”

If You Already Paid:

If you paid the ransom, contact your bank and local authorities immediately. Your bank may be able to block the transaction and return your funds if you paid with a credit card. Inform your bank if you did submit credit card details to the cyber thieves.

We suggest you also contact the following government agencies that deal with fraud and scam reporting:

• In the United States, go to: On Guard Online.
• In Canada, go to: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
• For other countries: go to this Microsoft site.

Prevention:

There are safe measures you can take to lessen the impact of attacks and failures and there are ways to prevent malicious attacks from crippling your PC and network.

1. Keep a current back up of your data files (images, video, documents and music).
2. Keep your Windows install up-to-date with the latest Windows security updates.
3. Keep your antivirus program up-to-date. We highly recommend a reputable AV program with active subscription (one that keeps up to recent malicious attacks). We invite you to check out the performance and protection offered by CompuClever Antivirus PLUS.
4. Do not open email links or files from a sender you do not recognize. In many cases you can recognize a fake email and webpage because they have bad spelling or look unusual.
5. Be careful where you surf on the internet especially with less reputable sites. There is a greater chance of contracting a malware virus. Quite often unsafe sites can look convincing and have only subtle differences.

Microsoft states[4]: “Look out for strange spellings of company names (like “PayePal” instead of “PayPal”) or unusual spaces, symbols, or punctuation (like “iTunesCustomer Service” instead of “iTunes Customer Service”).”

Stay Safe:

Hundreds of millions of emails that include a ransomware attachment are being sent out every month. Many of these are being blocked and software vendors are working hard to shrink security holes and fix this ongoing cyber-crime.

As can be seen with the information provided here, staying informed, taking precautions, and using safe practices can help prevent you from getting an infection that could save you time and your data. If you require further information on this subject we recommend Microsoft’s Ransomware FAQ page.

[1] http://www.symantec.com
[2] https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com
[3] https://www.theguardian.com
[4] General information on ransomware

The post Don’t be Held at Ransomeware appeared first on CompuClever.

Thanks for choosing Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc, featuring Microsoft ReadyBoost technology. Before you start, please save all your documents and exit all running applications. Follow the steps below to install your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc and optimize your PC.

Step 1. Insert the Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc to a USB slot of your choice.

Step 2. If AutoPlay/AutoRun is enabled, you can click the Speed up my system using Windows ReadyBoost option.

Alternatively, you can open Windows | File Explorer (or use keyboard shortcut: Windows Key + E), right-click the newly discovered removable drive and select Properties from the menu. Select the ReadyBoost tab from the Properties dialog box that appears.

If Windows states that “This device cannot be used for ReadyBoost – The device does not have the required performance characteristics for use in speeding up your system“, follow the instructions of Reformatting Your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc below. And then come back to this step.

If Windows states that “ReadyBoost is not enabled because this computer is fast enough that ReadyBoost is unlikely to provide additional benefit“, this probably means that Windows is installed on an SSD and no performance gain is possible. Please contact our support team (support@paretologic.com) for further options of how to speed up your PC.

Step 3. If ReadyBoost options appear, you can use the device for speeding up Windows Vista, 7, 8/8.1 or 10.

In Windows Vista, enable the Use this device option and move the Space to reserve for system speed slider all the way to the right.

In Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, select the Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost option.

Click OK and your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc device is ready!

Reformatting Your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc

Occasionally, your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc requires initial reformatting prior being used. Follow the steps below to format your drive.

Step 1. Open Windows | File Explorer (or use keyboard shortcut: Windows Key + E), right-click the newly discovered removable drive and select Format.

Step 2. In File system dropdown menu, choose NTFS. In Allocation unit size, choose Default allocation size. And check Quick Format under Format options. Click Start.

You will be notified once your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc has been formatted and ready for being used. Simply follow the steps in the previous section to finish setting up your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc.

Need Support or Help?

Email us at support@compuclever.com for more information and get help with using your Digital Care ReadyBoost Disc device.

The post A Quick Start Guide for Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc appeared first on CompuClever.

A: ReadyBoost is a Microsoft Windows technology that allows you to use ReadyBoost compatible USB flash drive, such as Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc, as an additional memory. Doing so, ReadyBoost improves your system’s performance by providing quicker access to data compared to accessing the information from the hard drive. To learn more about the ReadyBoost technology, please read this blog post.

Q: What’s the System Requirement for Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc?

A: Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc supports Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 10

Q: Do all USB flash drives support the ReadyBoost technology?

A: No. A USB flash drive must meet the minimum random ready and write speeds requirements to support the ReadyBoost feature.  In order for ReadyBoost to work, it requires a USB storage device to have at least: 64MB, USB 2.0, read at 3.5 MB/s, and write at 2.5 MB/s. Our Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc well exceeds this requirements.

Q: Aren’t Hard Disks faster than flash? My HDD has 80MB/sec throughput.
A: Hard drives are great for large sequential I/O. For those situations, ReadyBoost gets out of the way. We concentrate on improving the performance of small, random I/Os, like paging to and from disk.

Q: What’s the recommended capacity for a USB flash drive for ReadyBoost?

A: We recommend a 1:1 ratio of flash to system memory at the low end and as high as 3:1 flash to system memory. So if your existing PC has a 4 GB of RAM, then you should choose a 4 GB USB flash drive for ReadyBoost, or consider an 8 GB or 12 GB USB flash drive if possible.

Q: I encounter the message: “This device cannot be used for ReadyBoost – The device does not have the required performance characteristics for use in speeding up your system”. What should I do?

A: Your Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc is fully compatible for Microsoft ReadyBoost technology. When you encounter this message, you simply need to format your USB flash drive.

To do so, open Windows | File Explorer (or use keyboard shortcut: Windows Key + E), right-click the newly discovered removable drive and select Format…

In File system dropdown menu, choose NTFS. In Allocation unit size, choose Default allocation size. And check Quick Format under Format options. Click Start.

Once the formatting is completed, your Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc is ready to be used.

Q: What does it mean if Windows states that “ReadyBoost is not enabled because this computer is fast enough that ReadyBoost is unlikely to provide additional benefit“?

A: This probably means that your Windows operating systems is installed on an SSD and no performance gain is possible. This is only true in theory because each PC is different. If you feel that your PC is sluggish and requires optimization, please contact our support team (support@CompuClever.com) for further options of how to speed up your PC.

Q: What happens when you remove the drive?
A: When a surprise remove event occurs and we can’t find the drive, Windows fall back to disk. Again, all pages on the device are backed by a page on disk. No exceptions. This isn’t a separate page file store, but rather a cache to speed up access to frequently used data. So no data loss will occur.

Q: Won’t ReadyBoost wear out the drive?
A: Nope. ReadyBoost technology is designed to take care of the lifecycle issues with flash drives and are smart about how and when it performs writes to the device. Relevant third party tests show that you will get at least 10+ years out of flash devices by using the ReadyBoost technology.

Q: How secure is ReadyBoost?

A: ReadyBoost is secure. ReadyBoost by default uses Advanced Encryption Standard 128 (AES-128) encryption, which should be sufficient as the chances of exposing sensitive data are very slim.

Q: What alternatives are there to ReadyBoost?

A: Two alternatives that will significantly improve performance over ReadyBoost are:

• Using a Solid State Drive (SSD) for your Operating System drive.
• Adding additional memory (RAM) to your computer.

Nevertheless, neither alternatives are cheap or easy to perform, as compared to using the ReadyBoost option.

The post FAQ – Digital Care ReadyBoost USB Disc appeared first on CompuClever.

This process will refresh your systems Windows files and is useful for correcting issues within the operating system itself; the process will not delete your personal files or data.  Windows Store programs are also safe, but you may need to reinstall third party programs in some cases.

To start the process simply insert the USB key into a port and when Windows asks what to do with it select the option to view it with the “Explore” program.  Double click on “setup.exe” to start the program.

This document will illustrate, screen-by-screen, the process for refreshing your Windows 8 installation using the USB key.

Once the system has determined some details about your PC you will get the screen below, make any changes to the language and keyboard you wish and then click “Next”.

Look to the bottom left corner to find the “Repair” option.  Do NOT click “Install now”.

Next you will see the following options, “Continue” will return you to Windows, or, you can turn the computer off if you wish.  To get to the repair option click “Troubleshoot”.

You can choose between Refreshing and Resetting your PC, for our purposes here click on “Refresh your PC”.

You then choose the operating system (Windows 8.1 will update Windows 8 systems as part of the process).

The tool then advises you of what it will do, giving you the option to “Cancel” if you decide to not refresh, or “Next” to continue with the process, click “Next”.

Start the process and let it run, the install requires minimal input from here and once complete there may be some programs you will have to reinstall depending on the source of the programs.

The post Repair Windows 8 with Your Recovery Disc appeared first on CompuClever.

If you have a flaky computer, a Recovery Disc can help by repairing Windows to make things run smoothly again. If you ever encounter a corrupted system file, a Recovery Disc will help you find it and fix it as well. If Windows crashes and you can’t get it to restart, you can also use a Recovery Disc to restore your computer’s operating system.

The best thing is by using a Recovery Disc you’ll be able to save all the data on your computer. This includes Word documents and spreadsheets, your photo collection and your valuable photos and movies.

In short, the Recovery Disc is a lifesaver that provides peace of mind. But, surprisingly, few people have access to one.

Recovery Discs Are Hard to Find

In the past, when you purchased a Windows PC, you likely received a “recovery disc”– an actual compact disc – that you would use to troubleshoot problems and restore Windows on your computer. Over the years these recovery discs can be easy to misplace. If you ever need one in an emergency, they are nowhere to be found.

Microsoft and most PC manufacturers stopped shipping Windows installation disc a few years ago – which is probably better for the environment.

Windows 10 doesn’t come with a Recovery Disc by default – this can be a real problem if you run into trouble with your computer.

Produce a Recovery Disc On Your Own

However there is a step-by-step process you can follow to download and create a Windows Recovery Disc for both Windows 8 and Windows 10, but if you want to protect your Windows 7 computer, you’re basically out of luck. Windows 7 has basically been “retired” by Microsoft, so a Recovery Disc with the full reinstall option is very hard to find online.

But no matter what, the process of producing a Recovery Disc takes some dedicated effort, and can be a real hassle. That’s because, to do it right, you need:

• A blank USB key that’s at least 4GB in capacity
• An actual working PC to produce a recovery disc (but what do you do if your PC won’t start?)

On top of that, the actual process of downloading and setting up a full Recovery Disc with the option of reinstalling the Windows OS could take as long as a few hours!

Imagine when you actually need a Recovery Disc, this could be a massive pain… but we have a simple solution.

Choose Your Windows Recovery Disc

Our CompuCleverGEAR store offers Windows Recovery Disc for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7 for both 32- and 64-bit versions. Please select the right version for your PC.

Having a Windows Recovery Disc ready by your PC provides you a peace of mind with an emergency plan for both your PC and your important files and data.

Always be prepared and don’t be caught in the rain without an umbrella.

The post Windows Recovery Disc – Be Prepared Ahead of Time appeared first on CompuClever.

Can you guess what version of Windows is the most popular among all PC users? Is it Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, or even Windows XP?

Answer: Windows 7. According to NetMarketShare.com, Windows 7 dominates over 45% of the entire desktop market.

Do you know how to identify the version and edition of your Windows Operating System (OS)? Sometimes, it is critical that you have all the necessary version and edition information, including the type of system, whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. For instance, when you need to refresh, repair, or even reinstall your Windows OS, you must have all this data ready. This article instructs you how obtain it.

The System Properties Dialog Box

It turns out that you can find the complete set of Windows version and edition information from the System Properties dialog box. It provides an overview of your PC’s hardware and OS information including Windows OS version, edition, and system type.

For instance, the System Properties dialog box shown above provides us with the following information:

• Windows OS version: Windows 7 (Windows Edition section)
• Windows 7 edition: Windows 7 Professional (Windows Edition section)
• System type: 64-bit OS (System | System type section)

To summarize this and to use the most technically correct format, we can say this PC is running: Windows 7 Professional (64-bit). As you can see, once you have the System Properties dialog open, it’s not too hard to identify this key information. But how do you open the System Property dialog box?

Use a keyboard combination

If you are feeling “geeky”, try this keyboard combination: Windows + Pause/Break, that is

• Press and hold down the Windows key, and then
• Press the Pause/Break key (usually located in the top-right corner of your keyboard)

This trick works for Windows 10, 8, and Windows 7 on most keyboards.

If this doesn’t work for you, don’t panic! There are other ways to access the System Property dialog box.

Windows 7

• Click the Start button.
• Click Control Panel from the list in the right margin.
• In the Control Panel, select System and Security From the list of categories on the left pane.
  
• From the Systems section on the right, select either the section title System or View amount of RAM and processor speed.

This opens the System Properties dialog box.

Windows 8

Method One – The Quick Link Menu

This method takes advantage of the Windows Quick Link menu.

• Hold down the Windows key and press X at the same time to open the Quick Link menu as shown above.
• Select System from the list of commands.

Method Two – Access the Control Panel

You can always access the System Properties dialog box from the Control Panel.

• Click the Start button.
• Click Control Panel from the right menu.
• Select System from the list of items.

Windows 10

Method One – The Quick Link Menu

This method uses the Windows Quick Link menu which is almost identical to the one used in Windows 8.

• Hold down the Windows key and press X at the same time to open the Quick Link menu as shown above.
• Select System from the list of commands.

Method Two – Search for System Properties

• Click the Start button.
• Type the word “system“.
• Windows 10 will display the System Properties tool under “Best match” as shown above.
• Click System.

Did You Get It?

By now, you should be able to:

1. Master at least one method of opening the System Properties dialog box, and…
2. Know how to extract your Windows version, edition, and system type information.

We hope this blog helps you become more familiar with your PC. Should it require some kind of repair, refresh, or even reinstall, you know exactly what you will be dealing with.

Last but not the least, you can impress or even help your friends and family by applying what you’ve learned in times of need!

The post How to Identify Your Windows Version and Edition appeared first on CompuClever.

The Windows operating system can be a maze of commands, and people new to Windows or to computers in general, can find it daunting.  As with anything though there are always some hidden tricks that make things easier so I thought we should shed some light on them to make using Windows less intimidating and let you wow your friends with your new nerdy skills.

The Windows Logo Key

PC computer keyboards come with a button that some of us at CompuClever were not 100% certain about in terms of functionality.  So we are all learning something new!  The Windows Logo button is between the Ctrl and Alt keys and has the Microsoft Windows “flag” on it.  We will refer to it as the Windows key or simply the Win key. Most of the Windows shortcuts introduced below involve this particular key.

The Windows Key Shortcuts

We compiled a list of top 5 Windows key shortcuts that work across all versions of Windows:

Give them a try and you will be amazed at how easy it is to accomplish common tasks that would otherwise require a lot more effort.

Support for the Windows key shortcuts varies quite a bit across different versions of Windows. For those who are keen to explore a bit on this topic, please check out the Windows key shortcuts below:

Of course, there are a lot more shortcuts but many of these are not too applicable when considering typical day-to-day computing activities.

The Windows Quick Link Menu

We are purposely holding off from talking about the Windows key +X shortcut, which opens the Quick Link menu – a “treasure box” full of magical shortcuts! It really deserves your particular attention. Interestingly, some of our seasoned techies claim that they never knew the existence of the Quick Link until we were putting together this article. Here are some of the shortcuts that are very useful:

Press Windows key +X to bring up the Quick Link menu (shown above), and press one of the keys below:

Alternatively, you can also use the mouse to click and launch an item listed on the Quick Link menu.

Note: Quick Link menu function is not available for Windows XP or Windows 7.

Other Tricks

We have a few shortcuts that we have named here which we feel will really help you move around in Windows and impress friends and family.

Shake It: Here is another trick that can be useful if you have many open windows and you want to minimize all but the one you are working with.  If you click on the topmost section of the window – the top pane where you will find the name of the program – and  hold the left mouse button down, then move your mouse left and right like you are shaking it, all other applications will minimize leaving only that program is showing on the desktop.

Toggle:  One of the best ways to move from one open window to another is to use the Alt + Tab key combination.  Press and hold the Alt key first with your thumb and then use your middle finger on the Tab key and you will see all the items that are open.  When you hold the Alt key and click repeatedly on the Tab key you will toggle through all the open items.  You can get a 3D visual representation of this when you use the Windows key and then the Tab key as described above. Microsoft refers to this as “Aero Flip 3D”

When you select one of the choices and take your fingers off the keys you switch to the selected item.  If you want to move to the last active item, just click the Alt key and once on the Tab key.

Magnify:  Having troubles seeing something on your screen?  You can magnify the screen of Windows programs by doing the following: click and hold the Ctrl key and use the scroll wheel up to magnify and down to make smaller.  You can also try the Windows magnifier tool by clicking the Windows key and the + and the – keys.

In Summary

Windows operating systems can be tough to get around and you can spend too much time trying to find what you are looking for.  We hope you can take one or two shortcuts suggestions offered here and put them to use on a regular basis to help save time.  Once you start using them it’ll be part of your PC practices and you’ll start looking like a “geek” in no time.

The post Groovy Windows Shortcuts appeared first on CompuClever.

How could a PUP be unwanted?  Well, in this case, we are not referring to a fluffy, playful dog or even Power Pup the Office Assistant.  We’re referring to a term that is increasingly being used to describe Potentially Unwanted Programs.  We are likely all too familiar with a virus infection; your PC becomes infected when opening something such as an email attachment or having something downloaded without your consent when visiting an infected website – even ones that are considered legitimate can be sabotaged.  A PUP on the other hand can be installed with your consent – even though you may not know it.

Let’s Get Started!

We’re going to look at a general definition and description of these two types of PC predicaments.

Virus

A virus is a type of malware (malicious software program), that is installed on your system without consent and will replicate itself in whole or in part.  It behaves in a manner that can be thought of as an infection by targeting one or more areas of your PC.  You can often expect to experience harmful activities or negative impacts such as monopolizing system resources (disk space and CPU), gaining access to private data, sending out spam content, corrupting data on the system, and displaying messages on the screen (popups).  While these harmful behaviours are typically expected not all viruses come equipped with a damaging payload.
Other traits:

PUP

This term, short for Potentially Unwanted Program, refers to items that may be unwanted.  This can include spyware (tracking software that gathers information), adware (where advertisements are displayed during operation), and dialers (if you have a modem, a dialer can make pay-per-call phone calls to other computers).  Most frequently it includes items you downloaded but without explicit consent.  In other words, you said yes but didn’t read the fine print.  One or more PUPs are most often downloaded along with software that you did in fact want (bundled together).  These items can bog down your system and can cause poor PC performance.

In a previous article we introduced “foistware” – a term derived from the word “foist” which is to foist upon or impose fraudulently or unjustifiably as with inferior merchandise on a customer.  This includes software that gets installed in addition to software you intended to install without your full knowledge or through stealthy methods such as being bundled with software you actually want.  The result can take the form of:

Unlike a virus, a PUP does not have the ability to replicate itself.  As for “unwanted”, they can include behaviours that result in negative impacts such as popups and annoying messages appearing and resources being excessively utilized (hard drive space or CPU).

Software vendors use bundling techniques frequently when offering a free application.  We have mentioned in previous articles how “free” is not always free; this is yet another example.  This is yet another example.  To gain revenue a software vendor will partner with a less desirable software creator to deliver a bundled program that requires you to carefully select what you are installing during the install process as we soon point out.  Once on your system, the manufactures of the less desired software provide advertisement or benefit from you clicking to their site.

These types of unwanted programs are not technically malware but have undesirable side effects for your PC as listed above.  Side effects can also include slower performance as these items will launch processes that run in the background.

Treatments:

There are ways of treating these PC plights.  However, as can be expected there is not one solution that works in all instances.  You cannot expect anti-virus tools to work for items that have been installed to your system with your consent albeit using dodgy methods.  We are going to reverse the order here and start with what should be easier to deal with –potentially unwanted programs.  If you cannot deal with them using these methods… chances are you are dealing with something more malicious.

Remove PUP

The process of removing a PUP is to begin by identifying it.  With PC Clean Maestro you can use the Uninstaller tool.  Begin by opening the program and following these steps:

1. Click the Uninstaller button in the left navigation bar.
2. The Uninstaller tool will appear and a complete list of programs is displayed as seen here:

1. Review the list by selecting any item and use the Program Information in the right pane to help identify programs.
2. If there are items you do not know and you are unsure if you should remove the item go online to better verify it.  You can enter the program name in the Should I Remove It website.  This site provides removal percentages and ratings for a wide range of programs.
3. Return back to PC Clean Maestro when making your decision and uninstall the item if you are certain you do not need it using the Uninstall button.

Clean Virus

There are free anti-virus tools that have been developed and there are pay-to-use solutions that are part of a multi-billion dollar industry.  Unfortunately, no one software program can provide 100% protection and offer the ability to remove all types of viruses as there are countless known viruses and new ones constantly being introduced.  New viruses that appear take time for the creators of anti-virus programs to include in their arsenal of protection.  This is why constant updating of these kinds of programs is required.  Fortunately free tools are open source; that is, free and open for anyone to run, modify and update so as to be available to the public domain.

Detection and Prevention:

To prevent a PUP from being downloaded to your system you need to be very vigilant when downloading anything.  This means you need to detect when a program is bundled with other add-ons during the installation process.   When installing software you typically see a step-by-step install wizard that guides you through the process and offers you choices along the way.  The choices you make – even during the EULA (End User License Agreement) – will determine what you accept to be downloaded.

We recommend that you follow this link for a very clear, step-by-step example of potentially unwanted programs and how you can detect and avoid downloading these unwanted apps.

In Summary:

Even when software is installed to your system using legitimate means there are instances when additional software and add-ons, sometimes referred to as “crapware”, are included.  What you get isn’t what you see.  Removal can be questionable when you don’t know what you are dealing with.  With the information provided here you now have the tools and knowledge to better identify these and to remove them.

We hope this article has helped gain some insight and offered you some effective strategies on cleaning your PC.  We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post Virus vs. PUP and how to remove both appeared first on CompuClever.

Something new always brings an element of excitement thrown in with a bit of apprehension.  Windows 8 is now available and it comes in three flavors.  This article shines some light on the versions offered in an effort to make them a little more familiar.  The latest versions of Windows 8 are: RT, Windows 8 (Basic) and Windows 8 Pro.  Here is a little about each.

Windows RT

The “RT” stands for Runtime.  The first most important aspect anyone needs to know is that it is only available on tablets; in this case the thin and light PCs with extended battery life, designed for mobility, and are “touch enabled” (that is, they support touch screen functionality such as swipe, tap, pinch-and-stretch, and more).  As it is only available on tablets, this means it is not available as a separate download.  Instead, anyone interested will need to go to a retail store to try one out and test run the operating system.  The software that runs on Windows RT comes exclusively from the Windows App store.  It includes Windows Update to keep your system and apps up-to-date, and Windows Defender for virus and malware protection.

Features: Windows RT includes some different features than Windows 8 and some features that are not included. Read this official Windows RT FAQ for more information.

• Windows Update and Windows Defender are always on and up to date.
• Device encryption: advanced data protection to keep your information more secure.
• The PC can turn on instantly with connected standby.
• Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview with touch-optimized desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Features that are not include in Windows RT: Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, HomeGroup creation (you can join an existing HomeGroup but you can’t create a new one), Remote Desktop, and Domain join.

One comfort for those who like to use peripherals… it is mouse and keyboard enabled.

Windows 8 (Basic)

Windows 8 is the basic edition of Windows – the standard edition.  This is targeted at the typically consumer and provides all of the basic new Windows 8 features.  This includes: the Start screen with semantic zoom, tiles, Windows Store, connected standby, Microsoft account integration, Internet Explorer 10, and the Windows desktop among others.

Terms explained:

• Semantic zoom: touch-optimized technique used by Windows Store apps for presenting and navigating large sets of related data or content.
• Tiles: numerous square tiles each of which is connected to a person, app, website, playlist, etc.  Tiles light up when there is new information available.
• Windows Store:  The central repository and download centre for Microsoft applications.  It opened on October 25, 2012 with 7,873 applications.
• Connected standby:  This is a power management feature similar to the way you use a mobile phone: when the screen is on, you have access to the full power and capabilities.  When the screen goes dark, the system is standby: a low-power mode designed to extend battery life.
• Microsoft account integration:  this is a single web service that you can sign into which was developed by Microsoft to enable the ability to log into many websites with one account.
• Windows desktop:  For those familiar with previous version of Microsoft, getting adjusted to the new Windows 8 Start screen will be an undertaking.  For some it will be comforting to know that the familiar Windows desktop is easily accessible as a tile on the Start screen.

Windows 8 Pro

Simply stated, the Pro version is for more advanced users that use their computer for both personal and business use.  First and foremost – you need to know that it includes all the Windows 8 standard features.  It also includes: Remote desktop connectivity, File system encryption, Hyper-V, Virtual Hard Disk booting, BitLocker, Group policy, and more.

Terms explained:

• Remote desktop connectivity:  This involves the ability to access applications and data on a computer remotely through the use of a network connection.
• File system encryption:  This technology involves having files transparently encrypted (encoded) to protect confidential data from attackers with access to the computer.
• Hyper-V:  This relates to platform virtualization and is associated with Windows Server.  Microsoft states that these tools can assist organizations of all sizes to realize cost savings and operational efficiencies.
• Virtual Hard Disk booting:  A file format which represents a virtual hard disk drive (HDD).  This enables the user to interact with a virtual representation of what is typically on a physical hard disk, partitions and a file system with files and folders.
• BitLocker:  An encryption feature for the entire disk.
• Group policy:  A feature from Windows NT.  It is designed to control the working environment of user accounts and computer accounts in a network.

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