WyzGuys Tech Talk

If you have ever opened your browser, and found that the familiar home page (Google, Comcast, MSN, etc.) that is usually displayed has been changed, then it is likely that your home page was “hijacked.”  Usually your home page has been replaced by some questionable web site that provides links to software, service, websites, or products that you have no interest in.  You may also have difficulty navigating to your regular web sites, or to security sites for your anti-virus ...

Sophos, a world leading security software developer, has just released the first free security solution for the Apple Mac platform.  As the malware writers begin to take a bigger interest in the apple platforms like the iPhone and iPad, it makes sense to have something installed to protect your computer from malware threats.  Download from Sophos.

I had a question in a class I was teaching that I thought deserved an answer.  We were discussing the beautiful rotating desktop backgrounds that come with Windows 7, and someone wanted to know if there is a way to use your own images.  After a little sleuthing on my part, I found out that it is very easy to add your own backgrounds to Windows 7.

First minimize all your open applications by clicking on the little bar on the ...

Maybe you didn’t know it, but some computer viruses are spread via USB flash drive, also known as USB Keys.  You get one when you plug your flash drive into an infected machine.  Then when you plug it back into your regular computer, PRESTO!  You just transferred the virus.

Rick Broida of PC World magazine posted an interesting story about this lately, and recommended SUPERAntiSpyware Portable Scanner as a good security solution.  You simply download and copy ...

Monday September 27th marked the twelfth year of Google’s existence as the king of web search.  I am struck by the fact that it has “only” been twelve years, to me it seems like Google has been around forever, like water.  What DID we all do before Google?

Well of course in 1998 there was not much of an Internet to index, and we were all using web portals such as AOL, Comserve (anyone?), MSN, and Yahoo.  Then Google came along ...

Sometimes it seems like it takes forever for your computer to shut down.  If, in fact, it really DOES take forever to shut down, this registry tweak will speed up the process by shortening the interval that Windows waits for services and programs to close themselves before force-closing them.

Start regedit from the Search box on the Start Menu, and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControl.   Find the WaitToKillServiceTimeout key in the right column, double click on it to edit and change the interval ...

This from PC World:  Malware writers are turning to SPAM to distribute their software exploits.  Please read the PC world article at the above link for more details.

The mail contains an HTML attachment with a JavaScript component that, when clicked on by an email reader, can send you to web sites selling everything from pharmacy prescription medications to fake anti-virus programs.  Often these programs install a backdoor Trojan so your machine can be accessed from the web without ...

REMEMBER: Cell phone numbers go public this month.  All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls on your cell phone.

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone:  888-382-1222.  It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You ...

Microsoft just posted this alert for Hotmail users.  You may receive an email allegedly coming from Hotmail Customer Care threatening to deactivate your account unless you supply your user ID and password via an active link on the email that guides you to a fraudulent but realistic looking Hotmail web site.  This email is a scam.  The web site is phony.  If you supply your user credentials, in all likelihood your account will be taken over and used ...

This in via PC World:  Fake anti-virus product Total Security, once installed, will disable all applications except the browser, claiming the computer is “infected” and keep the computer frozen until the owner pays for their “fix.”   This works by disabling your actual security product, and then reinstalling itself in a slightly different form when you attempt to remove it using traditional means.  Read the full story on the PC World link above.

The best defense I’ve found against the ...