OUCH! Thanks, this is wild!
Time to figure out Linux perhaps.
I am somewhat cautious about how I navigate the web. I run Sygate as a second firewall and Avast anti-virus. Both AdAware and Spybot are excellent. On top of this I run Spywareblaster and ewido security suite.
Check out
(http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm
I used Mircosoft's anti-spyware beta version (which is a fairly robust program) until they required you verify your copy of Windows with them. No thank you!
I ran though a proxy server for a while but found it slowed things down too dramatically to make it worth hiding my IP address.
I refuse all cookies and Java script unless they are absolutely needed.
Also, if I need passwords I use BugMeNot rather than register with any real info. (http://www.bugmenot.com/
Microsoft and security is an unbelivevably constant problem ... less than a month ago;
Microsoft warns of 'critical' Windows security flaw
Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:00 PM ET169
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday warned users of its Windows operating system of a "critical" security flaw in its software that could allow attackers to take complete control of a computer.
The world's largest software maker issued a patch to fix the problem as part of its monthly security bulletin. The problem mainly affects the Windows operating system and Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser.
Microsoft said the vulnerability exists in its Internet Explorer Web browser, which an attacker could exploit to take over a PC by running software code after luring users to malicious Web pages.
Microsoft also issued one other security warning it rated at its second-highest level of "important."
A vulnerability defined as "important" is one where an outsider could break into a machine and gain access to confidential data but not replicate itself to other computers, Microsoft said.
Microsoft defines a flaw as "critical" when the vulnerability could allow a damaging Internet worm to replicate without the user doing anything to the machine.
The "critical" flaw affects Internet Explorer which is a part of Windows while the "important" flaw is a vulnerability in the fundamental code that the higher level functions of Windows are all based on.
For more than three years, Microsoft has been working to improve the security and reliability of its software as more and more malicious software targets weaknesses in Windows and other Microsoft software.
(http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=
2005-12-14T005737Z_01_ARM403434_RTRUKOC_0_US-MICROSOFT-SECURITY.xml
PC Doctor has excellent information about the patch and how to info on installation;
(http://www.pcdoctor-guide.com/wordpress/?p=2068
A bit more including mirror site links for the patch can be found at;
(http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/01/unofficial_patc.html
The more I read the worse it gets. Plus the fix seems to block ability to view photos in thumbnail form to upload here ... anyway test.
Wiener dogs ... I think if properly prepared they can be delicious ; )
