Microsoft Safety Scanner

Early 2011, Microsoft released a downloadable on-demand personal desktop security scanner to help end-users deal with malware/virus outbreaks. The tool is a small 70 Mb of self-contained security scanner package that you download and run. It's called Microsoft Safety Scanner

Microsoft Safety Scanner is not an anti-virus program. It does not replace your real time anti-virus client such as Microsoft Security Essentials. It is a tool that you can use to remove malware/virus on computers that don't have anti-virus software or where the regular anti-virus software was disabled by the malware/virus.

Microsoft Fix It Solution Center

One of the easiest ways to troubleshoot problem with your desktop or laptop is to download a solution from Microsoft's Fix It Solution Center. The site has all sort of solutions that would otherwise require the user to have some knowledge about the Windows registry or know certain advanced troubleshooting methods. The solutions are classified under Windows, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Xbox, Zune, Office, Server and Enterprise.

Exchange System Manager 2003 ID no: c007054b Error

Error c007054b is caused by System Attendant service that did not start automatically according to KB 252137 when you tried to launch Exchange System Manager 2003. The Exchange 2003 is unable to connect to Global Catalog server. The easiest way to fix this issue is to run Netdiag /fix command on all of the Domain Controller.

Shortcut Local Login in Windows 7

For those users in Active Directory environment, there will be a time when you need to login to your local account. The easiest way to switch into your local account without having to type the entire computer name is to use the following command.

.\your user name

 Example:

.\JohnDoe

The dot and back slash followed by username indicating user's local account.

New Zeus Variant Steals Victim's Banking Information

FBI warns of new Zeus trojan variant called "Gameover". It is being distributed via e-mails claiming that there's a problem with the recipient's bank account. The malware promptly infects the computer and in turn, steals victim's banking information. Unlike the normal Zeus variants however, Gameover then initiates a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack via botnet.

10 Things to Avoid for Weak Passwords

1. Password is the same as username or part of the username
2. Name of family members, friends or pets.
3. Personal information about yourself or family members. This includes information that can be obtained about you quite easily, such as birth date, phone number, vehicle license plate number, street name, apartment/house number etc.
4. Consecutive alphabets, numbers or keys on the keyboard. for e.g. abcde, 12345, qwert.
5. Dictionary words. Dictionary words with number or character in front or back
6. Real word from any language
7. Word found in dictionary with number substitution for word look alike. for e.g. Replacing the letter O with number 0. i.e passw0rd.
8. Any of the above in reverse sequence
9. Any of the above with a number in front or back.
10. Empty password or auto login.