MyCleanPC Revisited

A few years back, I decided to take the time to look into the much talked about MyCleanPC program. As expected, the program turned out to be a huge scam. Unfortunately, the company seems to not only still be in operation, but getting a hold of new customers.

Recently, a client of mine (who I hadn't heard from in awhile) called explaining various oddities and felt that his computer finally needed a good once over by a professional. Among other problems, I found the MyCleanPC program installed. I figured this would be a good opportunity to revisit the program to see if they had made any changes.

NOPE!

The program is still complete bunk. 

This program, and programs like it, use standard scare tactics to trick users into purchasing unneeded software. Their website promises that “the full, paid version of the MyCleanPC software will attempt to remove issues found with your PC’s registry and hard drive, including removal of junk files, unneeded registry entries, Internet browsing traces, and fragmented portions of your hard drive.”

However, both this description and the literal functionality of this program only features abilities which Windows already has. This means that you would be paying for a poor imitation of what you already have. 

MyCleanPC's "free diagnosis," simply provides an attempt to scare people into thinking their computers are in horribly dire straits and that MyCleanPC (or was it MaxMySpeed.com?) can fix it all for the low low price of $39.99.

After running a scan, you’ll see an alarming count of the number of problems on your computer. However, MyCleanPC creates the no doubt alarming results by:

• Counting every browser cookie and history entry as a single issue.
• Counting every temporary file as a single issue, no matter how tiny it is.
• Considering invalid registry entries as issues, when it has been proven time and time again that this would not make a noticeable difference in performance and could even harm the functionality of the computer.
• Counting every single little fragmented file as a single issue.

All of this works together to show the user a massive number in large red font, which is almost so ridiculously text book for scare tactics that I cant help but laugh out loud every time I see it. 

I've said it before and nothing has changed;

If your computer is acting strangely - call a technician. 

I'll even take a look at your computer remotely for free. Please take a moment to read some of my reviews HERE and do not hesitate to contact me directly at (617) 396-7044 with any questions or concerns.

Symantec Norton presents Security Vulnerabilities to your Computer

For some time now, I have recommended users to steer clear of Symantec products, namely Norton.
I remind clients that though no antivirus or internet security program is completely infallible, I have encountered literately dozens of computers which were riddled with infections whilst a fully updated, paid version of Norton sat there with a great big green check mark reassuring the user that everything is just peachy!

Well, recently my claims have been further justified when security researcher Tavis Ormandy of Google's Project Zero Security discovered major security flaws within several internet security programs including Symantec Norton and Symantec Endpoint Security - the security solution most major industries use such as United Bank of Switzerland, Walmart and the Home Depot.

Project Zero security researcher Tavis Ormandy said:

"These vulnerabilities are as bad as it gets. They don't require any user interaction, they affect the default configuration, and the software runs at the highest privilege levels possible.

In certain cases on Windows, vulnerable code is even loaded into the kernel, resulting in remote kernel memory corruption."

No user interaction is required to exploit this issue as just "emailing a file to a victim or sending them a link to an exploit is enough to trigger it," according to Ormandy. Ormandy also reports that "A quick look at the decomposer library shipped by Symantec showed that they were using code derived from open source libraries like libmspack and unrarsrc, but hadn't updated them in at least seven years."

The problems mentioned in the article (as well as others referencing the discoveries) are not isolated to Symantec products. While I was working at Staples back when I was still learning the trade, I remember management pushing us Electronics Associates to sell versions of Panda Antivirus - one of the many reasons I quit as I knew Panda was absolute trash. In March of this year, both the free and enterprise versions of Panda Antivirus would report files from the System32 folder as malware, leaving computers inoperable after reboot.This would often result in systems loosing the networking functions (among other things) so Panda, in its infinite wisdom, released an update to fix the problem to be deployed....over the network. Yeah.

Several issues with the popular Comodo Antivirus program were discovered this year, which included the bundling of the program "GeekBuddy". This program installs and starts a poorly protected VNC server. This disclosure is actually the "fixed" version of this program, as disclosures made in 2015 noted that the VNC server had no password at all.

Trend Micro, another popular antivirus program, bundled a password manager which would launch a local web server that listens for API commands from the internet, without a whitelist or same origin policy—effectively allowing remote code execution. In a message to Trend Micro, Ormandy stated that "Anyone on the internet can steal all of your passwords completely silently, as well as execute arbitrary code with zero user interaction. I really hope the gravity of this is clear to you, because I'm astonished about this."

Several other programs have been found to have similarly major vulnerabilities. If you are interested, you can check out the full article HERE. My point with all of this information is that, as with most technical decisions, it is critical to have someone by your side with the knowledge and skill to both help to prevent these things from happening to you and to take action when things go awry.
Check out my reviews HERE and please do not hesitate to contact MooreITHelp.com at Help@MooreITHelp.com.

Windows 10 for Businesses?

So here's something interesting;
I've been reading a few articles that predict  that half of all organizations will have commenced their Windows 10 roll out by January next year.
"I believe that CIOs will begin to upgrade to Windows 10 this year if their software vendors support it," said Matt Mielke, director of IT at Innovations Federal Credit Union.
John Gracyalny, VP of IT at SafeAmerica Credit Union says "We have board approval for workstation memory upgrades and for moving to Windows 10 and Office 2016 this year. But it's not so much a result of what Microsoft has done as it is that our various technology vendors now support it."
Dirk De Busser, IT manager at Fashion Club 70, claims that he has been rolling out Windows 10 Enterprise since October last year on new computers.
I found this particularly interesting as I have actually gained new clients as a result of Windows 10 and the problems users encountered. That's not to say that the OS is a problem - but companies usually take the "Let's Wait and See" approach when it comes to upgrading OS's. Heck, I know companies who are still on XP and choose to pay the various fines that come with running the obsolete OS. Windows 7 simply wasn't compatible with their back-end systems.

From what I have seen at the front lines, it seems that the dust is only just now settling with Windows 10 after several large updates.

Regardless, I'm happy with Windows 10 and am actually using it on my primary system. I suppose these articles and the aforementioned quotes shows that Windows 10 is more than ready. But I'm still getting emails along the lines of "Hey Christopher, I just installed Windows 10 to get rid of the Microsoft nag - now how do I go back to 7?"

The Windows "Installer" Folder and Hard Drive Space

By now, many of you have probably heard of the SSD - the Solid State Drive. This piece of hardware is many times faster than the traditional mechanical hard drive found in most computers, however it is usually significantly more expensive. So, if you have a fairly expensive computer, it may run off of an SSD with the caveat of  being significantly smaller than the traditional drive. This reintroduces the old 90's problem of conserving hard drive space.

Most PC enthusiasts with a Desktop computer will use a small SSD to store their OS and then store all their data on a larger, inexpensive traditional mechanical drive. But over time, various temporary files will begin to fill up your little SSD. These files build up through the course of simply using the computer, whether it be through the course of installing programs to various Windows Updates to program patches to MS Office upgrades. Through various means, you can find a folder within Windows called the "INSTALLER" folder - where a good deal of this stuff is stored. The problem is that a good deal of the stuff in this folder can be referred to as "Orphaned" files - files and folders which are no longer required but remain on the drive regardless, causing this folder to grow to over 15, 20, even 30GB.

Unfortunately, it gets worse - this folder cant just be deleted outright. A good deal of the files and folders within the Installer folder are still used by the system. So, if you are looking to save drive space, save the Installer folder for last. Before risking damage to your system, let me revisit some classic steps to cleaning up your drive, then, if your drive is still pretty full, we can look at the Installer folder again. I have tools that can find the files and folders which are safe to delete, and if that doesnt work, i always provide other options.

Give me a call at 617-396-7044 or shoot me an email at Help@MooreITHelp.com

How Your PC Effects Your Android Device

I've been asked a few times in casual conversation if ones phone can be infected. The short answer is "yes", but it's not too common. But now a new (and rather late, in my opinion) vulnerability to your phone exists; Your computer. We all know that a PC can become infected and how that can result in anything from identity theft to being just plain annoying, but now the vulnerability of your PC can have a direct impact on the vulnerability of your Android Smart Phone.

The Windows Trojan "Droidpak" is designed (like most Trojans) to download itself and desgiese itself as a critical system service. Once installed, the Torjan contacts a remote server which then downloads a configuration file in order to download the malware under the guise of the "Google App Store." The malware, Android.Fakebank.B, is actually a malicious replica of a Korean online banking application. If a legitimate banking app is detected on the Android device, it is  replaced with a fake one in order to obtain user credentials and thus full access to your bank account. The malware is also capable of intercepting SMS messages and sending them to cybercriminals.

Now that we are aware of the program and how it works, most reliable Internet Security Solutions, such as ESET Smart Security 7, can now protect you against this infection. This is another prime example of why 1. a good Internet Security Solution is critical to any user, and 2. why it is critical to keep said Internet Security Solution updated. One should also be aware that there are Internet Security Apps available for the Droid. One such app is LookOut Mobile Security. 

If you are unsure if your computer is running the current most reliable Internet Security Solution, or your computer is running slow and you are suspicious of infection, spyware, or malware - give us a call at 617-396-7044 or check us out on the web at www.MooreITHelp.com

Boost System Performance On Windows 7 Machines

Hey Guys,

Recently I serviced a Windows 7 computer that surprisingly only had 2GB of RAM. In case you didn’t know, 4GB is the preferred comfort level for Windows 7 to run properly but I usually recommend 6GB. This made me think to post some easy do it yourself options to boost system performance on Windows 7 machines. Before you do any of this - make sure to backup your system and/or create a Restore Point. Windows 7, though a fantastically awesome OS, has a few features that not everyone needs. Here are a few steps that could help to boost system performance:

1. Remove Unnecesary Startup Items

Programs which have been installed over time often install various helper programs (such as iTunes Helper) which essentially just help the program to start faster. Other startup programs are meant for updates for their corresponding programs. These programs take up system resources such as RAM which could be freed up for more important tasks. 

Going through these start up programs is easy. Click the Start Orb and type MSCONFIG in the Search bar and hit ENTER. As soon as the RUN dialogue comes up, let go. Type in MSCONFIG and click on the START UP tab at the top. Run through these programs with caution - some of them are kind of important so if you are unsure on what one does, Google it. Anything that says iTunes or Adobe are usually safe to remove by simply clicking the tic box to remove the check mark. Skype is another item that loves to chill in the Systray which is totally unnecessary so you can kill that too.

2. Removing Bloatware

"Bloatware" is software installed by your vendor that isnt necessary at all. A great deal of it is free trials of stuff you never asked for. Usually the process is to click on the Start Orb, go to Control Panel, Programs And Features, and then just remove software you no longer plan to use. If you aren't sure what the program is for, Google it.
 

3. Infections

The most secure and guaranteed way to clean your system of infectious and/or malicious programs is to give us a call at 617-386-7044. Virus removal starts at $75 with a cap of $175 depending on the severity of the infection(s). If you would like a free alternative, then I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. I ran this on a few test computers and believe it or not, it did a pretty decent job, especially for a free software. I use to recommend AVG Free, but AVG has been doing more and more poorly as time goes on. If your computer is able to get online, we can even clean up your machine remotely. Visit www.MooreITHelp.com or give us a call at 617-386-7044 for more information.

4. Disable or Fine Tune Windows Search Indexing

Windows 7’s search is good, but it can also affect system performance. If you really need to run a tool at full tilt, you can disable indexing altogether. To access the search index, click the Start Orb and type Index in the Search box. From there, select INDEXING OPTIONS. Once the Indexing Options window pops up, you can modify all aspects of how Windows indexes your files and folders. You can pause the indexing process, omit specific file extensions, or even ignore entire hard drives. 

5. Windows Ready Boost
Without getting too detailed, basically a flash drive runs faster than a traditional hard drive (except for SSD). Windows Ready Boost takes advantage of this by replacing the system cache with a flash drive or solid state cards that are traditionally used with cameras such as SD cards and CF cards. On systems with low RAM such as 1GB, Ready Boost can boost system performance an average of about 10%. On machines with more than 1GB of RAM, the results are kind of random but certainly not harmful, so I would give it a shot.

I wont fill up this page with statistical data, but if you are interested in proof, this website does a good job:
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/455/2/
There are a few ways to access Ready Boost. One usually occurs when you first plug in your flash media. An Autoplay dialogue box should pop up and one of the options should be Ready Boost. If you do not see this option, you should be able to right click on the drive within COMPUTER and select Ready Boost. Your flash media should be at least 256MB in size with at least 64KB of free space, have at least a 2.5MB/sec throughput for 4KB random reads, and have at least a 1.75MB/sec throughput for 1MB random writes. This information is usually available on the back of the box the device came in but there are also flash drives that say "Windows Ready Boost Enhanced" right on them. Once the Read Boost window comes up, the program will tell you if the device is compatible. If it is, you should select the "Dedicate This Device to ReadyBoost" option to enable ReadyBoost and specify how much space you want to make available to the disk cache.

Hope this helps,
Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at Help@MooreITHelp.com

MyCleanPC.com - Scam or Legit?

Many of you have probably seen the various ads on TV about DoubleMySpeed.com and MaxMySpeed.com and all these other free to use softwares that claim to speed up your machine in minutes. As a technician, I am skeptical of any service that claims to solve all of your computer problems. Before I get into whether the program does as it claims, allow me to address the fact that the issues these ads describe, such as slow performance and Blue Screens, are NOT "tell tale signs of a virus" as the ad claims. Many times this is the result of hardware failure, incorrect/out of date drivers, and even reputable programs that simply aren't compatible with your machine or were improperly installed. Sometimes it can even be as simple as installing a Windows Update to correct the problem. Allow me to also briefly address their categorization of "taking more than three seconds for email to load". First of all - that question is so vague it becomes inapplicable. The question doesn't take into consideration how the user is accessing their email - through a program such as Outlook or if they are using a web based email. Let's put aside for the moment your PC's specs and current versions of programs such as Outlook and take into consideration the speed of the user's Internet connection.

Now, being that I prefer to support my claims rather than go on a blind, rage-fueled rant, i downloaded and ran the MyCleanPC.com program on a new computer which was just purchased today. After running the scan, MyCleanPC found over 4000 problems with my brand new computer. How is this possible? Well - let's take a look at what MyCleanPC considers to be critical issues which can "cause permanent damage to your computer."

What the - My web history? How is this a problem? Okay, clearing your web history IS a basic step in boosting system performance, but 1. this isn't worth $39.98, and 2. this would be more useful in 1997 than for current systems with decent hard drives.

Okay, a fragmented drive. This is probably a result of the data I transferred over and the number of bloatware programs I removed from the manufacturer. This is mildly useful, but again, any user can do this themselves and definitely shouldn't pay $39.98 for it. And look at this - it's counting every single fragmented file individually. This is clearly to boost the number of "problems" with your computer. A basic marketing tactic to scare you into purchasing their software. And here's something interesting:

All these ads you're seeing are all from the same guy. That's a little disturbing.

I could go on with these bogus results, but I haven't seen a single thing about a virus. These are all basic steps in speeding up a machine. Just as you bring your car to a mechanic for simple oil changes, computer maintenance and tune ups should always be performed by a trained specialist as they can tell if there is something else wrong with your computer. Kinda like the time my mechanic found a wrench stuck in my serpentine belt. Good times....Good times...

IN SHORT:

I would not call this a scam - but i would call it a waist of money. If you are experiencing Blue Screens, slow performance,  and repetitive and odd error messages - call a tech. Call 617-396-7044 or visit us at www.MooreITHelp.com