Tech tips -
So, my last two columns about the CRTC and internet traffic management absolutely bored you to tears. This week you are ready for more free software. Well, good news, free software returns.
You have figured out by now that I download and install a lot of software, and I tell ya that sometimes I am a little concerned about how vulnerable this software is making my computer for all the nasty people on the internet.
You know that my Windows auto update is turned on so the OS is as up to date as it can be. But, what about everything else? Some programs check for new updates automatically, however, most don't and I just have way too many programs installed to go checking each and everyone of them manually. There has got to be an easier way!
Yep, there is an easier way (and a free way, my favorite kind).
Browse on over to secunia.com and click vulnerability scanning. Secunia's software inspectors can scan for, detect and update a long list of software. The home user has two choices, to scan online (OSI) or do download and install the personal version (PSI).
I suggest you try the online scanner first. Just click, scan online then click the Start Scanner button. This is Java based so your computer must have Java installed. If you don't have java installed, if such a computer still exists, browse on over to java.com and click the free java download button. On the scan now page, click the start button.
The online version checks for 70 common programs and takes a couple of minutes at most. You will be surprised by the results I promise! To fix most of the problems it finds, you would simply click the update link and download the fix right from the software vendor.
Now, if you like what you see from the online scan, click the personal PSI link and download and install the full copy. It scans for many more software packages. To resolve the issues it finds, click the down arrow under "solution" to download the fix just like you did in the online version.
Secunia Personal's first run is in simple mode. For the more technically inclined, click the advanced link in the top right corner. This will disable the "Easy-to-Patch" feature of simple mode. This means that some of the problem programs it finds are not necessarily easily patched with a simple click of a solutions button.
The advanced mode is divided between insecure, end-of-life, patched, and secure browsing sections. You need to browse all these categories to get the full picture.
My personal preference is to disable the two PSI Settings that start Secunia on boot and enable program monitoring. I just run it manually when I feel the need.
toddmusseau@gmail.com
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