Updates 2013-09-10

Hi, Folks!

It’s Patch Tuesday! Along with Apple and Microsoft, Adobe released all of their quarterly updates today. It’s going to be a long day. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released 13 updates for Windows, Internet Explorer, SharePoint and Office. This includes security updates. A reboot is required.
http://update.microsoft.com/

Apple released updates for OS X, iTunes, and AirPort Base Station. Use the Apple Software Updater to get the most current versions.

Adobe Flash Player 11.8.800.168 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Adobe AIR 3.8.0.1430 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?air
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?airmac

Adobe Reader 11.0.04 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Don’t forget to check your mobile devices, too! Many updates will also apply to your tablet, phone or kindle – so check your device-appropriate App Store and install updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Firefox 23.0.1 is a security update. Use Help, About to get the most current version.

Google Chrome 29.0.1547.66 is a security update. Use Menu, About to get the most current version.

Opera 16.00 is a security update. Use Opera, About to get the most current version. If you haven’t yet updated to Opera 15, you may need to download the complete installer from Opera.com

HTTrack 3.47.26 is a security update.
http://www.httrack.com/page/2/en/index.html

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

NK2Edit 2.77 adds the ability to collect emails from the NK2 files. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_nk2_edit.html

OutlookAttachView 2.60 adds configuration profile management. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Raid Call 7.2.8 does not provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
http://www.raidcall.com/

Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228 does not provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
http://messenger.yahoo.com/download/

BrowsingHistoryView 1.40 adds the ability to browse for individual AppData folders. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

Connectify Hotspot 6.0.1 corrects several bugs, including stability and reliability. This is not a security update.
http://www.connectify.me/

Evernote 5.0.0.1137 improves offline security. This is a security update.
http://www.evernote.com/

WinSCP 5.1.7 is a security update.
http://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

ADVANCED Codecs for Windows 7 and 8 4.2.5 updates included codecs. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application.
http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CDBurnerXP 4.5.2.4255 corrects several write bugs. This is not a security update.
http://cdburnerxp.se/

iTunes 11.0.5 is not a security update. Use the Apple Software Updater to get the current version.

Plex Media Server 0.9.8.6.175 corrects a variety of crash bugs and improves performance. This is not a security update.
http://www.plexapp.com/getplex/

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe Acrobat 11.0.04 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 6.0.5 corrects a bug in source monitor. This is not a security update.

Artweaver 4.0.1 improves BMP support, snap-to and various other improvements. This is not a security update.
http://www.artweaver.de/

Audacity 2.0.4 adds reverb, append alignment, ID3 support, system audio recording, as well as other bugfixes and improvements. This is not a security update.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Paint.net 3.5.11 provides a number of performance improvements and bugfixes, including a correction to the updater that will allow it to support 4.x when released.
https://12pd.com/click?paintdotnet

SketchUp 13.0.4812 improves stability and reliability. This is not a security update.
http://www.sketchup.com/

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

Avast! Home Edition 8.0.1497 corrects issues with Win 8 and 8.1, Script shield and Outlook plugin. This is a security update.
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

AVG Anti-Virus Free x86 2014.4117 is a major platform update. No changelog is provided, so this should be treated as a security update. However, AVG is, IMHO, getting worse and worse as they impose additional ‘features’ while causing problems (like how it breaks the firewall under XP under 2014), so I suggest you consider removing AVG and switching to Microsoft Security Essentials instead.
http://www.avg.com/ww-en/download

Wireless Network Watcher 1.67 updates the internal MAC addresses database. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_watcher.html

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Open Broadcaster Software 0.554 Beta fixes the automatic updater and corrects several crash bugs. This is not a security update.
http://obsproject.com/

VideoCacheView 2.60 adds MPEG-DASH support, corrects bugs in IE parsing. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/video_cache_view.html

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Freemake Video Converter 4.0.4 improves reliability, stability, performance, and corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.freemake.com/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

RoboForm 7.9.1 corrects a number of bugs, including sync and performance issues, as well as tuning resource consumption. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

GoodSync 9.5.5.5 fixes a bug with Google Drive and corrects behavior with SSL and other bugfixes. This is a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

CCleaner 4.05.4250 updates detection and cleaning for various applications. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?ccleaner

Defraggler 2.15.742 improves performance and reliability, includes additional drive diagnostic data and information, and bug fixes. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?defraggler

Recuva 1.48.982 adds UDF support, improved user options and bug fixes. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?recuva

Speccy 1.22.537 improves performance, hardware support and other bugfixes. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?speccy

CPU-Z Installer 1.66.1 updates hardware support and adds version checking. This is not a security update.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

DevManView 1.35 adds the ability to view previous device profiles. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/device_manager_view.html

DriverView 1.45 adds the ability to view digital signature. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/driverview.html

FolderChangesView 1.40 adds configuration management. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/folder_changes_view.html

MyEventViewer 2.01 now provides fallback support for event strings if parsing fails. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/my_event_viewer.html

NetworkTrafficView 1.76 adds column for maximum packet size. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/network_traffic_view.html

USBDeview 2.26 adds the ability to collect the ‘real’ device name from the device itself when the device supports it and the feature is enabled. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

WakeMeOnLan 1.53 updates the internal MAC addresses database. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wake_on_lan.html

WirelessKeyView 1.68 corrects a significant stability problem in the previous release. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

TeamViewer 8.0.20768 adds device management, health checks with alerting and other bug fixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows.aspx

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MySQL 5.6.13 corrects dozens of bugs in replication, performance, stability, innodb, partitioning, and more. This is not a security update.
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/installer/

TortoiseGit 1.8.5.0 corrects a dozen bugs. This is a security update.
http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/

TortoiseSVN 1.8.2 corrects a handful of bugs. This is a security update.
http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads.html

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VirtualBox 4.2.18-88780 provides stability, GUI and performance fixes across guests, snapshots, seamless, 3D, NAT, and VMM. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

VMware Player 6.0.0 adds business support (plus), simplified UI, Win 8.1 support, silent installation, and expiring VMs. This is not a security update.
http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

Dada Mail 6.6.0 adds RESTful API for subscriptions, sending error detection & reporting and redesigned membership admin screen. This should be treated as a security update.
http://dadamailproject.com/download/

osCommerce 2.3.3.2 adds Google+, Canonical headers, AdWords conversion tracking, PHP 5.5 compatibility, and more. This is not a security update.
http://www.oscommerce.com/Products

phpList 3.0.2 correts a handful of bugs from the 3.x release. This is not a security update.
http://www.phplist.com/

phpMyAdmin 4.0.6 corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/news.php

InstantWP 4.3.1 updates the included version of WordPress. This is not a security update.
http://www.instantwp.com/download/

bbPress 2.4 corrects several dozen bugs, including security issues.

Conditional Widgets 1.6 improves debugging behavior. This is not a security update.

Contact Form 7 3.5.2 is a security update.

Email Log 1.5.1 corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.

Really Simple CAPTCHA 1.7 normalizes data to correct ‘spacey’ user behavior. This is not a security update.

ShortCodes UI 1.9.6 adds Shortcode UI widget.

Ultimate TinyMCE 4.9.1 improves performance. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 2.0.14 corrects several bugs, including stability and reliability. This is not a security update.

WPtouch 1.9.8.2 is a security update.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2013-08-13

Hi, Folks!

It’s Patch Tuesday! Not too much this month, but it’s almost exclusively security updates. Let’s get right to it.

Microsoft released 8 updates for Windows, Internet Explorer, and Exchange. This includes security updates. A reboot is required. IMPORTANT: Make sure you also install the “optional” root certificate update!
http://update.microsoft.com/

Apple released updates for OS X and a variety of printer drivers. Use the Apple Software Updater to get the most current versions.

Adobe AIR 3.8.0.870 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?air
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?airmac

Don’t forget to check your mobile devices, too! Many updates will also apply to your tablet, phone or kindle – so check your device-appropriate App Store and install updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

BullZip PDF Printer 9.10.0.1629 enables images compression by default, and adds digital signing of PDFs. This is not a security update.
http://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php#download

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Firefox 23.0 is a security update. This version also improves content sanity for security, various diagnostic and performance improvements, and several developer features. Use Help, About to install the most recent version.

Google Chrome 28.0.1500.95 is a security update. Use Menu, About to install the most current version.

HTTrack 3.47.22 adds punycode support, corrects several crashes and other bugfixes. This is a security update.
http://www.httrack.com/page/2/en/index.html

SeaMonkey 2.20 is a security update. Use Help, About to install the most current version.

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 17.0.8 is a security update. Use Help, About to install the most current version.

NK2Edit 2.75 adds several new switches for sanity, output preference and automation. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_nk2_edit.html

OutlookAttachView 2.56 is a cosmetic update. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228 does not provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
http://messenger.yahoo.com/download/

BrowsingHistoryView 1.36 is a cosmetic change only. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

Evernote 4.6.7.8409 provides bug fixes for editing notes across various Evernote clients. This is not a security update.
http://www.evernote.com/

FileZilla 3.7.3 is a security update.
http://filezilla-project.org/

Google Earth 7.1.1.1888 now enables controllers by default, and updates the LEAP API to 0.8.1. This is not a security update.
http://earth.google.com/index.html

Nmap 6.40 adds several new detections, provides bugfixes, and feature improvements. This is not a security update.
http://nmap.org/

PuTTY installer 0.63 is a security update.
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

uTorrent 3.3.1 Build 30003 improves automatic updating. This is not a security update.
http://www.utorrent.com/downloads

WinSCP 5.1.6 is a security update.
http://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

ADVANCED Codec Package 4.2.2 updates included codecs. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This is not a security update.
http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CDBurnerXP 4.5.2.4214 adds the ability to create a print contact sheet, video DVD verification, updated libraries, and minor bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://cdburnerxp.se/

VLC Media Player 2.0.8 corrects several stability and performance issues. This is a security update.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

Winamp 5.65 updates libraries, bug fixes and more. This is a security update.
http://www.winamp.com/media-player/en

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

EA Origin 9.3.1.4482 adds group chat, improved notifications, installation and download improvements. This is not a security update.
http://www.filehippo.com/download_origin/

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe Digital Editions 2.0.1 is a security update.
http://www.adobe.com/products/digital-editions/download.html

Adobe Drive 5.0 is a major version update with workflow and performance improvements. This is not a security update.
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates.html

Adobe Bridge 6.0.1 is a reliability update. This is not a security update.
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates.html

Dynamic Link Media Server 7.0.1 is a bugfix release. This is not a security update.
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates.html

Blender 2.68a corrects 14 bugs including crashes, and reliability bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

Notepad++ 6.4.5 corrects a bug in file history. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?npp

OpenOffice 4.0.0 is a major update, providing over a thousand bugfixes, improvements and features. This is a security update.
http://www.openoffice.org/download/

Scribus 1.4.3 adds QR barcode support, Haiku OS support and new professional Color Tools. This is not a security update.
http://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/Download

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

Bitmessage 0.3.5 adds a number of new distributions, improved OSX support, improved performance and other fixes. This is a security update.
https://bitmessage.org/

DNSQuerySniffer 1.06 is a cosmetic update. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/dns_query_sniffer.html

KeePass 1.26 adds preloading via command line, database repair warning, and a number of improvements including DEP and ASLR compatibility. This is a security update.
http://keepass.sourceforge.net/

SmartSniff 2.07 corrects a cosmetic bug. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/smsniff.html

Stinger 12.0.0.485 adds support for newer malware. This is not a security update.
http://www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/free-tools/stinger.aspx

Wireless Network Watcher 1.66 is a cosmetic update. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_watcher.html

Wireshark 1.10.1 improves logging, trace and updates protocol support. This is not a security update.
http://www.wireshark.org/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Open Broadcaster Software 0.542 Beta corrects several security and performance bugs. This is a security update.
http://obsproject.com/

VideoCacheView 2.52 improves support for Chrome, and adds support for YouTube MPEG-DASH files.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/video_cache_view.html

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MakeMKV 1.8.4 improves performance, reliability with mastering issues, audio selection and minor bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.makemkv.com/download/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Autoruns 11.70 adds a new option to have it show only per-user locations. This is a security update.
Disk2vhd 1.64 now supports disk sizes of up to 2 TB. This is not a security update.
Process Explorer 15.40 now shows WMI providers hosted in Wmiprvse processes, includes an autostart option and introduces a process view column that shows process DPI awareness support on Windows 8.1 systems. This is a security update.
http://sysinternals.com/

CCleaner 4.04.4197 improves software detection and cleaning. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?ccleaner

Defraggler 2.15.741 improves performance, adds file type and modified date to display, and other fixes. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?defraggler

Recuva 1.48.980 adds UDF support, improves LFN support and several drive performance improvements. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?recuva

BlueScreenView 1.52 improves research with quick-search functionality. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

NetworkTrafficView 1.75 adds protocol grouping. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/network_traffic_view.html

NirCmd 2.75 adds moverecyclebin, suspendprocess, resumeprocess parameters, etitle support for find, and the ability to read Unicode files from clipboard. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html

USBDeview 2.25 adds the ability to cycle devices, device control via Instance ID, and improved UAC support. This is not a security update. http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

WakeMeOnLan 1.52 adds cosmetic improvements. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wake_on_lan.html

WhatIsHang 1.20 adds 64-bit support, cosmetic improvements, and improved reporting. This is a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/what_is_hang.html

WirelessKeyView 1.67 modifies application behavior to trigger fewer security alerts. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

TeamViewer 8.0.20202 improves mobile support and provides bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows.aspx

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

TortoiseSVN 1.8.1 corrects a couple dozen bugs, including stability and reliability. This is not a security update.
http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

MailEnable 7.50 provides compatibility fixes to installer, improved language support, and a fix for script handling. This is not a security update.
http://www.mailenable.com/

phpMyAdmin 4.0.5 is a security update.
http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/news.php

SMF 2.0.5 is a security update.
http://download.simplemachines.org/

Dada Mail 6.5.2 fixes a send logging bug. This is not a security update. h
ttp://dadamailproject.com/download/

Drupal 7.23 is a bugfix release. This build also provides significant changes to the image API. Don’t forget to run update.php after updating the code! This is not a security update.
http://drupal.org/download

WordPress 3.6 is a major update that provides a more streamlined approach to uploads, embedding, autosave, revisions, post locking, updates included libraries, and more. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/

BuddyPress 1.8.1 is a minor bugfix release. This is not a security update.

Contact Form 7 3.5.1 is a bugfix release. This is not a security update.

Developer 1.2.2 adds WP-CLI and removes Grunion Contact Form. This is not a security update.

Front-end Editor 2.3.1 updates included libraries and translations. This is not a security update.

Ultimate TinyMCE 4.8.1 fixes a download issue. This is not a security update.

W3 Total Cache 0.9.3 adds a variety of new features, improved plugin compatibility, performance and more. This is a security update.

WPtouch 1.9.8 improves Adsense support, fixes admin bugs. This is not a security update.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2012-06-12

Hi, Folks!

Microsoft released 7 updates today for Windows, RDP, IE, .NET, Office, VBA, Lync, and MS Dynamics. These are all security updates. A reboot is required.
http://update.microsoft.com/

Apple released updates for OS X, Java (now they’re only 1 major and 5 minor versions behind baseline), MacBook Pro, AirPort, iPhoto, iMovie, RDP, and Aperture. This includes security updates. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current versions. A reboot is required.

iTunes 10.6.3 is a security update, but also provides several other fixes, including stability, performance, reliability and several bugfixes. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current version.

QuickTime 7.7.2 is a security update. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current version.

Adobe Flash Player 11.3.300.257 and Adobe AIR 3.3 are security updates that patch actively exploited vulnerabilities. Adobe has reintegrated 32- and 64-bit installers into a single package, which will simplify updates on systems built within the last 5 years. To update, download each of these, close all browsers, then install:
https://12pd.com/click?air
https://12pd.com/click?flash
https://12pd.com/click?flashie

For Mac and Linux, update from here:
http://get.adobe.com/air
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer
This Flash build adds automatic update support to Mac – but you have to install this version before it’ll update for you!

These security updates also apply to every other platform that supports Flash and Air including iOS, Android, and Chrome. Use your device update mechanism to get the most current versions.

Java 7u5 is a security update. This update applies to all prior versions including previous major versions, so after installing 7u5 please visit your OS uninstaller and remove previous releases of Java.
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me anytime, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

nVidia 301.42 adds newer hardware support, improves performance and updates application profiles. This is not a security update.
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

WD SmartWare Software 1.6.0 corrects a memory exhaustion bug and adds shared folder support for NAS backups. This is not a security update.
http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/wdsmartwareupdate/Step1.asp?id=wdfMB_Essential&os=win

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Firefox 13.0 is a security and feature update. This version adds newer CSS and HTML abilities, and corrects over well over a thousand outstanding bugs – most dating back years, some dating back more than a decade. These fixes will NOT be ported to resolve the issues in the original versions they were detected within – you MUST update to the current Firefox version to enjoy the improved stability and security fixes under this release. Use Help, About to install the most current version.

Google Chrome 19.0.1084.56 is a security update. This build incorporates the AIR and Flash security updates from Adobe as well as other fixes. Use Help, About to ensure you have the most current version.

Opera 11.64 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Safari 5.1.7 is a security update. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current version.

SeaMonkey 2.10 is a security update. Use Help, About to get teh most current version.

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 13.0 is a security and feature update. This build incorporates over 200 bugfixes, including several to address bugs reported over a decade ago. Use Help, About to get the most current version.

OutlookAttachView 2.31 adds a new direct export feature that will significantly reduce the memory load while increasing performance. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Trillian Astra for Windows 5.2.10 is a bugfix release. This is not a security update. Get the update here:
http://www.trillian.im/

Skype 5.9.0.123 is a stability fix that corrects a resource exhaustion bug. If you run Skype on Windows, this is very important. This is not a security update. Get the update here:
http://www.skype.com/go/getskype

Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228 does not provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
http://messenger.yahoo.com/download/

Evernote 4.5.6.6884 relaxes the login behavior to allow either the username or email address and corrects a crash bug. This is not a security update.
http://www.evernote.com/

Nmap 6.00 is a new major version, providing a couple dozen improvements and bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://nmap.org/

uTorrent 3.1.3 Build 27327 corrects several bugs. This is not a security update. Use uTorrent, Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

WinSCP 4.3.8 corrects more than a dozen bugs, and incorporates features from the recent 5.x betas. This is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Vista Codec Package 6.3.0 updates included codecs and filters, and FINALLY removes the Bing toolbar! To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This version works for both Windows XP and Windows Vista.
http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html

Win7 Codec Package 3.6.6 updates included codecs and FINALLY removes the Bing toolbar! To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application.
http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Win x64 Codec Support 3.6.6 updates included codecs. This update applies only to 64-bit computers, and requires either the Win7 Codec Package or the Windows Vista Codec package.
http://shark007.net/x64components.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CDBurnerXP 4.4.1.3184 corrects several minor bugs. This is not a security update.
http://cdburnerxp.se/

iTunes 10.6.3 is a security update. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current version.

MPC HC 1.6.2.4902 updates included libraries and fixes several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpc-hc/

MusicBrainz Picard 1.0 is finally “released” after only 5 years of active development and testing. This version corrects a couple dozen bugs, adds several new features and simplifies the user interface. This is not a security update.
http://musicbrainz.org/doc/MusicBrainz_Picard

Picasa 3.9.135.87 fixes several crash bugs. This should be treated as a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Notepad++ 6.1.3 corrects several stability bugs. This is not a security update.
http://notepad-plus-plus.org/

Adobe Photoshop CS5 and CS5.1, Adobe Illustrator CS5 and CS5.5, Adobe After Effects CS6, Adobe Premiere CS6, Adobe Prelude CS6, and Encore CS6 each include security updates. Get the updates for your platform and build here:
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/new.jsp

Artweaver 3.1 corrects multiple bugs and improves several features. This is not a security update.
http://www.artweaver.de/

Google SketchUp 8.0.14346 fixes several bugs, improves compatibility, stability and adds several improvements in licensing behavior and security. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.sketchup.com/

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

AVG Anti-Virus Free 2012.2180 is a feature and performance update. This is not a security update. If you’re using AVG “Free” already, you will be prompted to install the update and during the installation the updater will “offer” a trial of AVG Internet Security, which has a handful of additional features – but likely will interfere with any network activity you perform. I suggest you install only the “free protection” version when prompted.

Wireshark 1.6.8 corrects a handful of bugs, includes a large number of additional protocols, adds GeoIP IPv6 support, and a handful of other features. This is not a security update.
http://www.wireshark.org/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Fraps 3.5.5 corrects several stability and quality bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.fraps.com/

VideoCacheView 2.26 improves Opera support, adds the ability to read temp Flash files from any browser, fixes bugs, and improves reliability under the newest builds of Flash. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/video_cache_view.html

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 8.1.8.5 improves reliability, fixes several bugs, adds support for forced subtitle information. This is not a security update.
http://www.dvdfab.com/download.htm

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

RoboForm 7.7.8 is a stability update. This version corrects several general bugs, as well as targeted fixes for Search, Start Page, Sync, Chrome and Firefox. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

Goodsync 9.2.1 fixes reliability for On File Change operations, Sync, SSL, SFTP, GSFTP and DAV. This should be treated as a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

LogMeIn Win 4.1.2450 improves the automatic updater engine, display quality, and adds screen suspension. This is not a security update.
https://secure.logmein.com/logmein.msi

Autoruns 11.3.1 adds several new autostart locations, sets a file association for its log file extension, reports the target of Rundll32 and other host executables, and fixes several bugs, including a bug that caused Autoruns to not automatically refresh when relaunched from the “Run as Administrator” menu option. This should be treated as a security update.
http://sysinternals.com/

Process Explorer 15.2 merges Autoruns functionality by adding a new Autostart Location column, .NET stack walking, a process timeline and uses the Windows 8 private ETW logger. This should be treated as a security update.
http://sysinternals.com/

Pskill 1.14 includes some minor bug fixes. This is not a security update.
http://sysinternals.com/

Strings 2.5 adds an option to specify the starting offset in the file from where it will scan for strings. This is not a security update.
http://sysinternals.com/

CCleaner 3.19 removes the UAC prompt, adds Firefox 13 support, separated Firefox and Thunderbird cleaning options, improves cleaning in various applications and provides several bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Defraggler 2.10.413 improves defragmentation speed, optimizes free space algorithms, and provides several other bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.piriform.com/defraggler

IPXWrapper 0.3.4 corrects a couple minor bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.solemnwarning.net/ipxwrapper/

USBDeview 2.11 adds newer hardware support. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

WakeMeOnLan 1.36 includes add and edit device options, as well as the ability to bypass the ARP cache on each load. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wake_on_lan.html

Wireless Network Watcher 1.46 adds a device options window to control behavior for specific hardware, and the ability to bypass the ARP cache on each load. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_watcher.html

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Inno Setup 5.5.0 now supports the Windows Restart Manager API, adds detection for locked files, improves auto-retry behavior, and various other changes. This is not a security update.
http://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

MySQL 5.5.25 corrects a number of stability and performance bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

TortoiseSVN 1.7.7 corrects several dozen bugs, including some very important stability and reliability issues. This should be treated as a security update.
http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VirtualBox 4.1.16-78094 cprrects a number of stability, reliability and crash bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

Adobe ColdFusion 9.0.1 and earlier have had a security hotfix released. This fix corrects an actively exploited vulnerability affecting ColdFusion. Get the update here:
http://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-security-hotfix-apsb12-15.html

Dada Mail 5.1.1 corrects two minor bugs. This is not a security update.
http://dadamailproject.com/download/

Movable Type 5.14 is a bugfix release. This is not a security update.
http://www.movabletype.org/download.html

OpenCart 1.5.3.1 adds Company ID, Tax ID, and VAT support, updated components and installed fixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.opencart.com/

After the Deadline is now a part of Jetpack and has been discontinued as a separate project. You’ll need to install and activate Jetpack to continue to receive updates to the After the Deadline functionality.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/jetpack/

Anti-Splog 2.0 is an amazing update to this anti-spam library. This plugin adds regex parsing, custom rules, and adds additional third-party filtering options. This should be treated as a security update. Use the WP Updater to get the most current version.

BuddyStream 2.5.13 corrects a number of bugs. This is not a security update. Use the WP Updater to get the most current version.

Contact Form 7 3.2 improves the user interface, adds Flamingo, and updates included libraries. This is not a security update. Use the WP Updater to get the most current version.

Simple Facebook Connect 1.4 corrects internationalization issues, fixes $post meta data bug, and corrects a couple other issues. This is not a security update. Use the WP Updater to get the most current version.

Theme My Login 6.2 corrects over 20 issues, including security and reliability fixes. This is a security update. Use the WP Updater to get the most current version.

WPtouch 1.9.41 updates translations. This is not a security update. Use the WP Updater to get the most current version.

Also note that WordPress 3.4 is now at RC4. It will be released in a matter of days, perhaps only hours. If you use WordPress, you should start preparing for another significant upgrade, followed by a series of updates to most themes and plugins.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

 

Updates 2012-03-13

Hi, Folks!

Microsoft released 6 updates this week for Windows, RDP, DNS, VS and Expression. This includes security updates, and a reboot is required. Visit Windows Update immediately to install these updates (12mb-45mb).
http://update.microsoft.com/

Apple released updates for iTunes, iOS, Safari, GarageBand, iPhoto, and Aperture, as well as for OSX and various drivers. This includes security updates. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current releases.

Adobe Flash Player 11.1.102.63 is a security update. Download both of these, close all browsers, then install. Even if you think you “just updated”, you did *not* get this one. Install these updates!
https://12pd.com/click?flashie
https://12pd.com/click?flash
This security update affects OSX, too, so if you’re running a Mac go get the update here:
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer

Sick of doing it yourself?

We recenty re-designed the pricing structure to help reduce costs for single-computer homes. You can now get a monthly SaferPC update subscription for as low as $30/month! (Yes, all existing subscribers get the new rate, too.) Click, call or email for more details:
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Looking for an upgrade?

‘Tis the season! We’re coming up on April 15th, which is typically the second-best in-store sale period of the year…second only to Black Friday. The difference is that tax season they actually have the items in stock. This is a good time to replace your WinXP or Vista computer with a Windows 7 one…or you can wait until October and get on with Windows 8. Around August OEM vendors will start providing a certificate with new computers that provides a free upgrade to Windows 8 when it’s released.

Recently several of our clients have been asking about what they should do for a replacement laptop, as theirs are either on it’s last leg or just aren’t sufficient to cope with the hardware requirements for newer software. You can see my recommendations on Amazon here:
https://12pd.com/click?nicelaptops
To further filter that, I also recommend against getting Dell or Toshiba, as they commonly have overheating problems.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

iOS 5.1 is a security update. Use iTunes to install the updated version (700mb-810mb).

AMD Catalyst 12.2 adds newer hardware support, improved performance, more stable video output, and various bug fixes. This is not a security update.
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/auto_detect.aspx

nVidia 296.10 adds newer hardware support, improved performance, and various bug fixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

BullZip PDF Printer 8.2.0.1394 is a major update. This version adds support for Win8, optional Ghostscript Commercial build support, and various other improvements and fixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php#download

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Firefox 10.0.2 is a security update. Use Help, About to install the most current version.

Safari 5.1.4 does not include a changelog, so it should be treated as a security update. Use the Apple Updater to get the current version.

SeaMonkey 2.7.2 is a security udpate. Use Help, About to install the most current version.

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 10.0.2 is a security update. Use Help, About to install the most current version.

OutlookAttachView 2.15 adds tray icon support. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Trillian for Mac 1.2.40 incorporates a number of optimizations and bugfixes, including significant upgrades to the Twitter engine. Get the update from:
http://trillian.im/get/mac

uTorrent 3.1.3 Build 26837 fixes a command-line parsing bug and several other bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.utorrent.com/

WinSCP 4.3.7 corrects a handful of bugs and upgrades the SSL layer. This is not a security update.
http://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Skype 5.8.0.158 is a minor bugfix release. This is not a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.192 does not include a changelog, so it should be treated as a security update. If you use the Yahoo Messenger client, get the update here:
http://messenger.yahoo.com/download/

Connectify 3.3.0.23104 adds drag-and-drop wifi file transfer, connectify peering, and simplifies the interface. This is not a security update.
http://connectify.me/download/

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Win7 Codec Package 3.5.6 updates included codecs. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This is not a security update.
http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Vista Codec Package 6.2.6 updates included codecs. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This version works for both Windows XP and Windows Vista. This is not a security update.
http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html

Win x64 Codec Support 3.5.6 updates included codecs and improves Win8 compatibility. This update applies only to 64-bit computers, and requires either the Win7 Codec Package or the Windows Vista Codec package. This is not a security update.
http://shark007.net/x64components.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 10.6 is a security update. Use the Apple Updater to get the most current version.

CDBurnerXP 4.4.0.2971 improves stability, track printing and adds refresh by interval option to disc checking. This is not a security update.
http://cdburnerxp.se/

Picasa 3.9.2.539 does not include a changelog, so should be treated as a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

VLC 2.0.0 is a major update, adding dozens of new features, vastly improved performance and stability and enhanced support for newer hardware. If you’re not absolutely thrilled about whatever media player you’re using now, give VLC a chance. This is not a security update.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Minecraft and Minecraft Server 1.2.3 add a number of new features, mobs, behaviors, increased map height limit, and corrects various bugs. This is not a security update. Use the Minecraft update option to get the latest version. For the server version, get the update from:
http://www.minecraft.net/download

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

TaskCoach 1.3.9 is a minor bugfix release. This is not a security update.
http://www.taskcoach.org/

Kindle for PC 1.9.0 Build 38364 does not include a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
http://www.amazon.com/kindleforpc

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

Avast! Home Edition 7.0.1426 improves performance, stability, Outlook compatibility, and other bugfixes. This is a security update.
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

SuperAntiSpyware 5.0.1146 improves performance, detection libraries, and various other bugfixes. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

RoboForm 7.7.4 fixes several bugs, addresses performance issues and increases overall responsiveness. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

Goodsync 9.1.2 adds Real Time Sync (on file change), and various bugfixes. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

Hamachi 2.1.0.166 fixes various stability bugs. This is not a security update.
http://help.logmein.com/SelfServiceDownloads

Process Explorer 15.13 adds additional process prioritization options and includes a bug fix for restoring user-entered process comments. This is not a security update.
http://sysinternals.com/

WakeMeOnLan 1.27 improves wakeup command-line option and adds start as hidden option. This is not a security update.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wake_on_lan.html

CCleaner 3.16.1666 provides various improvements and bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

CPU-Z Installer 1.60 adds newer hardware support. This is not a security update.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

Cygwin 1.7.11-1 is a minor bugfix release. This is not a security update.
http://cygwin.com/

USBDeview 2.05 corrects the speed test error details and adds a new feature to submit results to the Nirsoft website.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MySQL 5.5.21 corrects a number of bugs, including a significant error in a recent date-handling change, as well as InnoDB and replication changes. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

MySQL ConnectorNet 6.5.4 improves compatibility with .NET. This is not a security update.
http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/

TortoiseSVN 1.7.6 corrects a number of bugs, inluding stability and a potentially devastating accidental data-delete issue. This should be treated as a security update.
http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VirtualBox 4.1.10-76795 and VirtualBox Extension Pack correct a number of bugs, including stability and reliability issues. This is not a security update.
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

phpMyAdmin 3.4.10.1 is a security update.
http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/news.php

Adminer 3.3.4 corrects a number of bugs including key behaviors, AJAX-browser consistency and platform-specific SQL issues. This is not a security update.
http://www.adminer.org/en/

Hotfix available for ColdFusion 9.0.1, 9.0, 8.0.1 and 8.0 for Windows, Macintosh and UNIX. This is a security update.
http://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-security-hotfix.html

OpenCart 1.5.2.1 is a bugfix release, correcting dozens of issues with stability, reliability and consistency. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.opencart.com/

PHP 5.4.0 is a major update of the PHP engine, incorporating a built-in webserver in CLI mode, cleaner code, improved performance and reduced memory requirements and new language features including traits, shortened arrays and more. This version implements major changes that remove register globals, magic quote, and safe mode, as well as ‘continue $var’ behavior, and provides a number of bugfixes. This should be treated as a security update.
http://php.net/releases/5_4_0.php

Movable Type 5.13 is a security update.
http://www.movabletype.org/download.html

DotNetNuke 06.01.04 is a bugfix release. This is a security update.
http://dotnetnuke.codeplex.com/

Skipfish 2.05b provides a number of stability bugfixes. This is not a security update.
http://code.google.com/p/skipfish/

WURFL 2.3.1 updates device details. This is not a security update.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/wurfl/

Zemanta 1.1.0 provides several minor changes and optimizations, now uses WP_Http for all networking, and adds Featured Images support. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/zemanta/

Multisite Plugin Manager 3.1.1 adds Pro Sites support. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/multisite-plugin-manager/

Simple Facebook Connect 1.3 corrects stability, reliability and sync issues, as well as an issue related to FB auth tokens. This should be treated as a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/simple-facebook-connect/

WPtouch 1.9.39 corrects admin style bug, and adds file and image optimizations. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wptouch/

BuddyStream 2.5.07 fixes FB video imports, adds core functionality to check for existing content and removes time filter to ensure all items are imported from FB. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/buddystream/

Conditional Widgets 1.5 fixes a conditional check bug and improves WP_DEBUG support.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/conditional-widgets/

Contact Form 7 3.1.1 adds Nonce support, improves cached forms behavior, and updates libraries. This should be treated as a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/contact-form-7/

Front-end Editor 2.2.1 updates libraries, and adds type management. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/front-end-editor/

Really Simple CAPTCHA 1.5 reverts to plain text answer files with hashed values as a performance improvement. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/really-simple-captcha/

PressWork 1.0.4.2 provides improved loop handling, post content functions, footer controls, font preview and a number of bug fixes. This is not a security update.
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/presswork/

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

 

Updates 2010-05-11

Hey folks! Patch Tuesday is here again.

Windows Update this month includes three updates – one for Windows, one for Microsoft Office and one for Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Windows Live. These are each security updates. Late last month, Microsoft re-released two updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. One of the updates addresses random lockups during shutdown. If you’ve experienced this issue, it will automatically be added to your update list the next time you run Windows Update, and is likely already installed. An update to support SD cards larger than 32gb was also released as an optional update. Also updated is the Windows 2000 security update for Windows Media Services.
  http://update.microsoft.com

Apple released security updates for all current versions of OSX as well as updates to Digital Camera Raw Compatibility, Aperture, Final Cut Server, Mac Pro Audio and various driver updates. This includes security updates. Use the “Apple Updater” to get the most recent versions of all the affected software.

___

Looking for an upgrade?

I regularly receive requests for recommendations on upgrades and new computers. This is definitely the season of discontent: It seems everyone has been disappointed with their computer performance recently. Operating systems and applications each consume so many more resources than they did just a couple short years ago. If application developers had anything to say, we’d probably be forced to upgrade our computers every month! While the computer linked below is NOT for everyone, it’s something that has so many features and so much power out of the box, that it would likely last anyone purchasing it at least 5+ years, and for many people, over 10 years.

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-120F Desktop PC
  https://12pd.com/amazon?B00318CG5K
Quad-core 64-bit processor, 1 terabyte drive, 8 gb of RAM, and a video card that supports three simultaneous displays, including DVI + VGA + HDMI. It’s over 20% off right now, weighing in at around $850.

___

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

___

Driver Updates
If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

nVidia GeForce 197.75 drivers provides support for newer hardware and games, as well as bridging of up to 4 SLI devices and support for 720p output. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

ATI Catalyst Drivers 10.4 improve performance on some hardware, correct over a dozen bugs, and adds support for higher resolutions up to 4kx2k on some hardware. This is not a security update.
  http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

___

Security Updates
One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

AVG Free Edition 9.0.819 provides several changes to the AVG browser toolbar, including the ability to disable it in IE without removing and reinstalling AVG. This is not a security update.
  http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free

Avast! Free Antivirus 5.0.545 provides a number of minor bug fixes, including features related to VPN compatibility, Outlook integration and rootkit detection. This is a security update.
  http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

MalwareBytes’ AntiMalware 1.46 improves speed and performance, and corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php

SuperAntiSpyware 4.37.1000 adds blended 32/64 installer, portable scanner, updated scanning engine, and improved rootkit detection. This is not a security update
  http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

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Codec Updates
One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Win7 Codec Package 2.4.9 updates several codecs. This is a security update.
  http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Vista Codec Package 5.6.9 updates several codecs. Note that this package DOES work for Windows XP. This is a security update.
  http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html

Win x64 Codec Components Package 2.5.5 updates several codecs. This is a security update.
  http://shark007.net/x64components.html

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Internet Updates
One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Yahoo! Messenger 10.0.0.1264 is the fourth minor update the the 10.x series. This should be considered a security update.
  http://messenger.yahoo.com/

SmartFTP 4.0.1108.0 adds several new features, more than a dozen bugfixes (including proxy support), and improved security options and settings. This is a security update.
  http://www.smartftp.com/download/

Opera 10.53 corrects several dozen bugs across all aspects of the software, including several issues with broken interfaces after scrolling. This is a security update.
  http://www.opera.com/

Trillian for BlackBerry is in Beta right now, so if you’re an avid Trillian user, as I am, and you’re a BlackBerry user, check it out!
  http://blog.ceruleanstudios.com/?p=1278

Skype 4.2.0.166 corrects over a dozen bugs, primarily stability and reiability issues, as well as at least one crash bug. It also adds HD video, call transfer to another Skype contact, mobile or landline, and call quality tools. This is a security update.
  http://www.skype.com/download/skype/

Miranda 0.8.22 improves default settings with Yahoo and GaduGadu, and bugs within Yahoo, ICQ and zlib. This is a security update.
  http://www.miranda-im.org/download/

AIM 7.2.7.2 adds Facebook support. This is not a security update.
  http://products.aim.com/

Google Earth 5.1.3534 doesn’t provide a changelog, so please assume that it’s a security update. If you have Google Earth installed, update it now.
  http://earth.google.com/

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Media updates:
These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 9.1.1 corrects a crash bug when used with some 3rd-party hardware, AAC conversion bugs, as well as several other security and stability issues. This is a security update. Use Apple Updater or download the newest package below:
  http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

QuickTime 7.6.6 is a stability and security update. This is a security update. Use Apple Updater, or download the newest package below:
  http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Silverlight 4.0.50401.0 is a major version upate, adding offline DRM, advanced databinding, and comprehensive printing support, among other features. This is not a security update.
  http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/

CDBurnerXP 4.3.2.2140 adds multiple media formats, nrg-to-iso conversion, cue player, UDF, language features, and other minor bugfixes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

Picasa 3.6 Build 105.65 adds drag and drop in Collage Maker for Mosaic, Frame Mosaic, and Grid. This is not a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the newest package below:
  http://picasa.google.com/

Paint.NET 3.5.5 corrects a bug when saving 8-bit images, improves performance and adds support for .NET Framework 4.0. This is not a security update.
  http://www.getpaint.net/

IrfanView 4.27 improves performance for many features, including window sizing, keyboard controls, and plugin updates. This is a security update.
  http://www.irfanview.com/

SUPER v2010 build 38 adds IFO/BUP rendering, TAK, JTV and SHN support, and corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html#Dnload

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0.3 is a security update. This is a security update.
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4610

Adobe InCopy CS4 6.0.5 provides fixes for INCX, Scripting, Tables, Text import, multiple-story placement, the UI, page items, PDF and graphic import, layout and hyperlinks. This is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the update package below:
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4670

Adobe InDesign CS4 6.0.5 is a compatibility update. This is not a security update. If you do not share files with other users, you may wish to avoid this update, as it can cause some of your placed items to appear to be repositioned. If you publish through a third party, or share files for editing, however, you will want to install this update right away. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the update package below:
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4668

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Utility Updates
These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Goodsync & Goodsync2Go 8.2.5.7 fixes issues with relative path mapping and multi-variant filter. This is not a security update.
  http://www.goodsync.com/download/affs/goodsync-x12pd.exe

UpdateChecker 1.037 from FileHippo was released yesterday, adding multi-language support. This is not a security update.
  http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/

HijackThis 2.0.4 fixes a couple parsing bugs which might result in incomplete scans. This is not a security update.
  http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/

CCleaner 2.31.1153 improves performance and support for several applications, fixes several bugs, and improves cookie handling interface. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

Microsoft has released updates to several SysInternals utilities, including AccessChk, LiveKd, and LogonSessions. This is not a security update.
  http://www.sysinternals.com/

Wireshark 1.2.8 adds several additional protocols, corrects various parsing issues, and fixes a number of bugs, including crash and overrun bugs. This is a security update.
  http://www.wireshark.org/

Slingshot 1.1 adds the ability to disable the URL shortening service. This is not a security update.
  http://slingshot.commanigy.com/

Memtest86+ 4.10 adds support for the i7, i5, i3 and AMD 6-core processors, as well as various other hardware updates. Corrects a crash bug, and several other bugs, and now provides a USB-key installer.
  http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

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Developer updates:
These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

TortoiseSVN 1.6.8 corrects about a dozen bugs, including several crash bugs and reliability for cloning and copying trees. This is not a security update.
  http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads

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Web Package Updates:
These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

phpMyAdmin 3.3.3 corrects a dozen bugs, mostly cosmetic in nature. This is not a security update.
  http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/downloads.php

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/