CNET Malware Removal

Cnet/Download.com is a very popular tech site that over the years has given products bad names by installing toolbars without their permission. Now there are 2 things wrong with that idea 1. The software companies don't include them CNET has the decision to do it which is why they are practically on every major download now CNET does probably pay them a percentage or maybe not. 2. You are not forced to download anything and I will elaborate on that after the jump. CNET is a safe and trusted site, and I am not trying to insult them in anyway all I am trying to say is you (the reader) need to be careful when downloading from there.

CNET Gave Me Malware!!!!
No it did not you gave it to yourself when you are in the download screen you uncheck the box and then click agree to the terms and service.. HELLO that are you agreeing to download that toolbar regardless of it being unchecked. You have to click deny agreement or decline or something along those lines that is the only way to completely avoid downloading of toolbars. So follow the steps below on the necessary tools that you can use to remove the toolbars and their effects. If they are followed then it should be as if they were never there.

How do I remove CNET Malware?
That answer is simple download a tool called Iobit Uninstaller, and it has an option to remove toolbars completely. Or do the steps above to avoid getting malware in the first place. This is technically a form of Spyware/Adware because it collects information about you that is not passwords but browsing activity. So if you have downloaded malware just uninstall it through the Iobit Uninstaller which is linked to download it. If you still feel that you are not safe I recommend you download Spybot search and destroy or Malwarebytes.

Can I Still Trust CNET?
Yes CNET is a very reliable website and in no way was i trying to make them seem like the bad guys most of my software is downloaded from there and I am very active on the site. I just want you to remember that they are doing it for money. It is not cheap hosting thousands of programs and having millions of downloads their servers are expensive, and they use those optional toolbars to help pay for the program. So CNET is not trying to do you any harm it is a business and if they are going to continue offering the free service they need a way to pay for it. Now granted CNET probably makes more money than they know what to do with they are still not to be in question as far as your security and privacy.

Why Do Companies Use CNET?
The answer is actually very simple it is cheaper and easier. Why would a company like Avast! want to set up their own download servers when they can use Cnet who can make money and is already well established and a very trusted company. So CNET basically has the backing of those companies that use it so don't think that the publishers are to blame it is the hosts.

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What Is Malware?

Above is a video that I recommend watching before you go and read the entire post because this can do a summary of it and it will also give you the option to listen as well as read, so you can retain the information.
Read my full in depth post after the jump!

What Is Malware?

This is the very basic question that I am going to be answering. The answer is simple malware is short for Malicious Software. Many people will try to tell you that is a virus the answer is NO malware is the starting point viruses are a branch of malware. Don't get the 2 confused not to mention viruses are actually becoming less and less common and are being replaced by Trojans which I will explain in a later post. Trojans are already  the most common type of malware that you will encounter online. You will be thinking okay well then what is a virus? Hold on that will have to be a whole separate post it's self since these things are not black and white some forms of malware fit under the gray area.

What Is Malicious Software?

Malicious Software is the direct definition, but this is not a 100% true definition because for something to be classified as malware it does not have to be a program it can even an internet cookie of which some can be classified as malware. So you will be thinking that is great and all but how is something determined as malware. The answer to that is simple malware is basically any form of file/program/cookie anything that you can find that causes damage to your computer or data. You can look at it like this if you have downloaded a program from an unknown website and your computer start's slowing down or it downloads other programs without your consent that is malware. It is difficult to give a good analogy for it so if the above analogy does not make any sense disregard it.

How Do I Prevent Malware From Getting On My Computer? Free version

The most security you will ever get for free will have a set up like this.
Go here and download avast antivirus
Go here and download Comodo firewall
Optional Can conflict with bad updates.
Antispyware

These three programs if set up properly will give your computer the best security (according to testing and features) for free. Between these you have an award winning free antivirus a firewall that is known to be the best free one on the market and an antispyware that has had years of experience.

How Do I Prevent Malware From Getting On My Computer? Paid Version

Bitdefender Total Security 100% detection rate on av-test.org (this is not 100% safe these were the results of 2 tests)
Firewall: This is included in the total security suite.
Antispyware: Included with the package you can go to the above link if you want an on demand scanner,

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How To Get Past School Wifi Block

May students go to school and have their Smartphones and try to access websites and you will always get this pop up something like website blocked or error loading page. Then it will show you a link to your school districts policies and regulations. So today I will be showing you how to get pass your schools WiFi blockage with a free app for your iPhone or Android device.

What Is The App?

The app is called Hotspot shield as the picture above shows, and it is basically a mobile proxy severs. What this means is your phone will connect to their servers and will change your IP address to one that is on their server. This will show you entering the server as another outside IP that the school does not know and cannot block. 

Is The Program Free?

The app itself and it does offer a paid version which offers a lot more features than the free to use version app and it will get rid of their ads.  Also if you think the service is good thing about getting a paid version of it so that you won't have to worry about the ads popping up and you will get some more reports.

Is This App Secure?

According to Hotspot Shield's Terms of Use, all of your data is encrypted, and is not saved. However, as is always, it is advised not to use it to connect to anything important such as a bank account in a public location.

What Devices Is It On?

This app is available on your Windows or Mac computer and it is available on the Android and IOS. This is one of the only working ways for me that allows me to get pass school blocking. This is a well known proxy and if you have any questions or concerns please ask them and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.

Now if you are on an Android head my warning that if it gives an error saying it can't connect to the network all you have to do is reset your phone and then you will be able to use it.

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Hootsuite Review

Hootsuite is a program that allows you to share your posts across multiple social networks without collecting any of your personal data. I personally use Hootsuite and I think that any big time Facebook or Twitter users should use this amazing program. 

What is Hootsuite?

Hootsuite is a program as I mentioned above that will allow you to share one post across multiple social networks with one click. This makes it so much easier than logging into each of the pages individually. I personally use this and I find it to be the most useful tool that I have when it comes to social networking. The reason that this is so great is it allows me to get my website updates out with one message across multiple places.

Should I Use Hootsuite?

Yes if you have a website or are tired of trying to micromanage all of your posts then use this to get it done faster and get your name out faster. I also would recommend that you create and get a lot of followers on as many social networks as you can so that your name can grow even faster. Also if your website starts bringing in a lot of money then you should sign up for the professional package which gives you unlimited social networks to post your updates on. This is why I mentioned that you should sign up and get popular on as many social networks as possible. 

Are There Risks?

Now as far as some bad reviews that Hootsuite is stealing their passwords, they are wrong and have no clue what they are talking about. Hootsuite does not collect your password it just has an app on each of the networks and connects to those each time you want to post something. So don't trust false reviews that say that this is a bad software/app it is not and if you don't want to believe I make a dummy Facebook account and try it out there and I am willing to bet nothing will happen. 

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What Does It Mean To Root Your Android

http://www.android.com/devices/images/device/nexus-4/large/0

As most people know the iPhone has the ability to " Jail Break " which gives the users more freedom and allows certain programs to be installed. However many people do not know what it means to root their Android Device. Since many people understand Jail Breaking I will explain using that. When you jailbreak your phone you are allowing yourself to run any code that was restricted by Apple hence why it is called " Jail Breaking". Now rooting on your Android device is similar in the sense of you breaking free.

What Does Rooting Allow Me to do?

Well since we established that this would allow you to break away more what does this do for you. The answer is simple you will practically be able to do whatever you want to your phone. You can change what OS you are running some people have done this with success you will just have to get one that is supported by your phone. It will allow you to give super user privileges in programs that require it. Such as avast! Mobile security which requires you to root for you to use the firewall. They are not trying to force you to root but it needs to access certain files in your system that it can't do unless you root and let it. Rooting is a very common practice by IT professionals, but unless you are tech savvy I recommend that you don't bother with it.

Are There Risks?

There are risks not legal issues which Google and all carriers are fine with rooting the risks come into what it is you change when you root your phone. Many people have turned their phones into bricks, which is essentially a paper weight that has no use. This is the danger with rooting a device however there are programs that say they can un brick your phone. You can root brick your device by downloading some malware app or installing a bad firmware. All that they do is attempt to factory reset your phone, so you will lose all of your contacts' photos, apps, along with anything else you have on there. But on the bright side you will get your phone back to a usable state.

Summary 

There are plenty of benefits to rooting your device but you should not do it unless you are tech savvy or have a friend who knows how to do it and can explain to you what it is you should/should not do. 

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Free Ebook Converter And Library

Are looking for an easy way to convert and Organize your e books for free? Well the solution is less known program of which I use personally that program is Calibre. Calibre is a program that will organize your e books and convert them to alternate formats such as PDF to Kindle and many other options. The best part about this program is that it makes it so easy to use and if you are in need of help the creator has a free e book that he wrote to help you even more. 

Read more after the jump.

Calibre as you can see above may look complex at first however you will get the hang of things fairly quickly if you have ever used ITunes before then you will probably be more comfortable with the interface. The best thing besides its features is that Calibre is completely free and all the developer asks is that you share it and donate. You are not required to donate but it is a good thing since he did develop the program for free instead of charging you some outrageous price for it.. I have tried to find other programs like this on the Internet, and this is the only one that I can find that is free and offers so a wide array of features. The best part is that it does convert to kindle which means that you can convert to kindle and send in your own book to Amazon who will see the correct file format. Then they will see the layout which if it is wrong or not up to par if not then they will reject you. The best thing is that once it is converted you have it that way, so you must either save a back up or convert the file back to its original format.

You may be asking how do I convert the Books. Well it is very simple all you need to do is right click on One of the books and click bulk or individually. Then a menu will open up and at your top right you will see output. Choose the file you want it to be converted to and hit okay. Don’t get confused by all the extra buttons they are just rules you can set to convert your books. If this is something that you find interesting and want to try it out click the link at the bottom of this post and download it from a safe site and reliable site. 

* There are no viruses on CNET people don't realize that they are installing Ad ware by not reading what it says, (they are installing optional toolbars) if you want help feel free to post in the comments below*

http://download.cnet.com/Calibre/3000-20412_4-10910277.html 

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Super Anti Spyware 5.6 Review

Super Anti Spyware 5.6 Review

This review will cover my experience with Super Anti Spyware and basically picking apart it's cost of features. I am not here to judge the effectiveness of the programs detection rate, but I can tell you what it is I think this program is worth. There will be a video as well that you can watch just in case you do not want to read the entire review the video will sum it up. -Scott Hartley

Above is my video review of super anti spyware pro, but I was able to show you what you would not be able to use if you are a free user.

Free Users Only: 

Free users will only get access to scanners. There are 5 scanners that you will have access to and they will all do something different. 

Quick Scan: This will scan the files that are most likely to get infected cookies, temporary internet files, and some windows files. This is the most basic scan and is only used when you want to get rid of some tracking cookies. 

Complete Scan: this scan will go through and scan every file that it has access to. There will be some windows files that it won't be allowed to scan for security reasons, but it will scan through everything in the quick scan and more. This scan should be used if you think that your computer is under attack by some sort of Adware, bloatware, or fake AV.

Critical Scan: This scan will go over the most important files on your computer most of the time it will be your system files (windows files) and it will scan everything that the quick scanner scans. This is used if you feel your main system has an infection and you are having a hard time trying to do basic windows functions. 

Custom Scan: This scan will allow you to pick what files are being scanned most of the time unless you have a good idea what is wrong with your system then you should not use this scan type. If you are in IT then be careful because there have been people who scan the wrong files and they end up deleting something important from the system. 

Rescue Scan: This scan you should not use unless your system is heavily infected. The reason is this will scan everything and has been known to be over sensitive this will also take a long time no matter what system you are on. DON'T USE UNLESS YOU ARE OVERLY INFECTED.

Professional Edition $29.95

You will get all of the above features and you will also get the listed items below.

Real-time Protection: This feature will actively protect you from spyware and adware from getting into your system. THIS DOES NOT REPLACE AN ANTI VIRUS PROGRAM. When using this you must remeber to have some sort of anti virus running and if it has a built in firewall allow the super anti spyware to go through. If not there might be a confliction despite what the SAS website says.

Automatic Updates: Basically does what it says it will automatically updates your software for you based on a time schedule of your own choice.

Schedule Scanning: You will get the ability to schedule your scanning. Not a whole lot to say about that... Schedule it at a different time from your antivirus software and make sure the computer is on at that time.

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5 Must-Have Jailbreak Tweaks for your Newly Jailbroken iOS 6.x Device

The iOS 6.x Jailbreak is here and you might need some help figuring out what you might need. So I am glad to help. These are my top 5 must have apps for a jail broken iPhone.

IntelliScreenX
The ultimate tweak for Twitter, Facebook, Email, RSS, and SMS all in iOS 6′s Notification Center. If you care about information that’s easily accessible, it’s a must have. - Trial / $9.99

Click the read more below to continue reading


Password Pilot
Password Pilot is a tweak that helps you save your apple ID's password, so you do not have to type it in every time you install an application. In addition, it uses encryption so that your password stays secure. - Free

Springtomize
Helps fix up and modify your status bar to make it more personal to you. It's one of those tweaks that makes you think 'why hasn't apple done this yet!?' - $2.99

Action Menu
An incredible copy and paste menu enhancer that allows you to save favorite items for easy copy and paste best way to keep your most used website urls in a neat and organized location. - Free

FolderEnhancer
Add folders within folders and increase the app limit within folders to infinite. Includes paging, and visual customization as well really good if you are looking to keep your apps organized. A much-needed tweak if you are a heavy App Store  and another tweak that makes you think 'why hasn't apple done this yet!?' - $2.99

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Top 5 Free Antivirus Programs

My Top 5 Free Antivirus Programs 

Before I begin this list will include information based on av-test.org and the features that each program has.

1. Avast Free Antivirus 7.0

Avast is a very well known name in the antivirus market and it is known to have one of the best security suites as well. Av-test.org gave it a 4.5 out of 6 which is good, but if you look at home users doing tests it will score much higher on the scale. The program has a large community who will answer whatever questions you have on their community forum. I personally use avast and I never worry about getting viruses. I personally use this program and I recommend it to everyone I know. You may also upgrade to its internet security suite which offers a lot more protection with a firewall and other features.  

2. Bitdefender

Bitdefender is arguably the most secure antivirus on the market, but to get the best out of it you will need to buy the total security package which for one pc is $70 for 1 year. The reason I can say this is because on the AV-test,  it scored a 6.0/6.0 on protection 2 times in a row including the most recent one (at the time of this post). I am going to say if you ever are planning on paying for an antivirus you should buy Bitdefender Total Security you won't regret it.  

3. Kaspersky

Kaspersky has become one of the "big boys" in the industry. Their products have never failed a AV-test with in recent years and have almost become a household name when it comes security. It also has a high score on tests with a score of 5.5/6.0 on protection which is really good. Kaspersky is not one of those programs anyone uses they are generally more corporate like Bitdefender  but we do know that they are both extremely well programed AV programs.

4. Ad-Aware

Ad-Aware scored a 3.5/6.0 which is not good for protection rating. Home users have had this security program score much higher than those which could mean it was just the randomness considering Vipre scored higher on the test and they both use the same exact engine, which i found to be strange but i will let that slide. The main reason that I chose this program is because it has a total security which is a little more then the pro security, but uses 2 anti virus engines which gives it an edge over an other anti virus on the market.

5. Norton Security  

Norton scored a 4.0/6.0 on the Av-test, which is respectable, but not good enough compared to its competitors. The program has gotten slander over the years for it bogging down your system and many people still believe this. However it is not true they have been improving over the years and from  more recent tests they do slow it more then average, but not as bad as it used to be. Norton is a well trusted brand so if you trust their products go ahead and by them.

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Advanced System Care 6.1

Full written Review For Advanced System Care 6.1

This is my written in-depth review of Advanced System Care 6.1. You will be able to see the entire review after the jump.

Features

Simplified Mode/Smart Scan: This is a mode that is the basics that you should run daily on your computer. It will scan for malware, delete your cookies/history, delete registry items, delete junk files, fix hijacked browser, and fix shortcut errors. Now what does this mean to you? These are the simple items that your computer will probably run into every day. Below I am going to explain each item so that you will be able to full understand its purpose and functionality. 

Malware Removal: The malware removal is limited to tracking cookies and sometimes Trojans but that is not bad for it not being an antivirus program. I have learned that when it says it has found something it is generally a tracking cookie which is no threat to your computer.

 Registry Fix: This is a little misleading because it does not fix anything from the registry it just deletes items that do not need to be there. This will speed up your computer and enhance its performance because your computer does not need to load up all those items that were in the registry.

Privacy Sweep: The privacy sweep option will search your browser history and look for the cookies on your computer and it will delete them. This will speed up your browsers loading speed and will fix tracking issues. It will delete tracking cookies making it kind of annoying to have a malware scanner, but it has its own purpose.

Junk Files Clean: This option will allow you to find files that may have been left over from an uninstall or items that are still in the recycle bin and it will delete them for you. Do not worry about any important system files being deleted because the search bypasses all of them. This will speed up your computer and give more space on your storage device. 

Internet Boost: To make it simple this option will disable any add-ons that you do not enable by choice and it will disable any useless toolbars. This will speed up your Internet browser.

Shortcut Fix: This does what it says if there are any broken shortcuts it will attempt to fix those and if the shortcut goes to a file that does not exist it will be delete it.

Registry Defrag: This will go into the registry (after a restart) and it will defragment the registry putting important files with a similar location next to each other. This will improve your system's performance.

System Optimization: This option will increase your system speed by stopping unnecessary processes and it will allow your computer to be at its full potential.

Security Defense: This will scan your computer and check if you have an antivirus program running and if not it will recommend you download their malware fighter pro. Don't download this anti virus there have been no major testing with it so until we can get some numbers out there is not point in using it use another program such as avast! 

Disk Scan: This will scan your computer and test if it has ant issues such as its ability to read and transfer data. If it finds an issue it will prompt you to restart the computer if you do a scan and the same issue is there try to back up your computer and look up the exact error.

Vulnerability Fix: This will scan your computer and check if windows is out of date if it is the program will download the update. 

 Disk Defragment: This is similar to the registry defragment but it will do it with all the files on your computer and not the registry. This will greatly increase your system's performance.

Thank you for reading. 

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Is Your Computer Running Slow?

Computers will slow down with age, and many people do not know why and there can be a number of reasons why your computer is slowing down. I will explain to you one way that you can try to speed up your computer using free software.

There are many programs that can help you speed up your computer and I will be giving 3 that I have used and are my favorite the last one being the best one. The scale will be on a 1-10 and I will rate these 3 programs out of my personal preference. I can assure to you that these programs are safe and are reliable to use. You will be able to see the entire review after the jump

Glary Utilities  Rating: 8.0

This is a tool that is basically a little bit of everything it can clean your registry, scan for malware, delete history, and cookies with just 1 click. It is my least favorite due to it having a very cluttered looking UI and it is not very appealing to look at. These tools are very nice but for the organization it is where it lacks, however that is not a bad thing because you can easily overlook these and get an amazing tool. I would recommend this for people who have some computer experience and know what to look for in files they don't want to be deleted. Don't fear if it says that it has detected malware the scanner is actually only useful for finding tracking cookies. So you should not use this program if you fear that you will delete something of value. Stay Tuned for a video review.
Overall score 8.0 

Ccleaner  Rating 9.0

This program is probably one of the most well known and most trusted programs for speeding up your system. The program is published by Piriform who is a well trusted company that has been creating programs like Ccleaner for many years. The cleaner is one of the easiest tools that I have seen to date when it comes to cleaning up your computer. It offers a simple user interface and  is able to clean a variety of browsers and has the support of a very trusting company. The program does have issues with the registry cleaner and not deleting certain items leaving them there for the next clean. Other then that Ccleaner has been very nice to me which is why i recommend to anyone regardless of their experience.

The down side is that the program does not do that much other than the basic browser cleaning. The program basically comes features that Glary does but misses out on most of the extras which is what brings the product down to a respectable 9.0. The program is not bloatware like some would say but it does not offer that much at the same time. The program has been improved and there are other programs that can work along side this, but then you will be downloading a bunch of unnecessary programs.

Advanced Systemcare   Rating: 10.0

The, third and final program is Advanced System Care by Iobit, and this is my personal favorite. This program allows you to do anything like Glary utilities with a ton of extras in the tool box there are an extra 20+ useful tools that you can find in the toolbox section in expert mode. I have used this product for a couple of months now and  have found it to do what it says it speeds up and optimizes my computer to new speeds. This computer is for skilled users since it offers a lot of extras that should be only used if you know what you are doing.

A downside to the program is it is always running, so you will have to exit the program from the tool bar for it to completely close. Other than that i have found every tool that i would need in this 1 little program excluding an antivirus program which avast! has me covered. 

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