Peanuts to Profits With Thor Schrock
Peanuts to Profits With Thor Schrock

Maybe this is just something that gets techies like me excited, but I was very pleased to see that today the Schrock Innovations home page received a Page Rank of 6 from Google!

Page Rank (PR) is what Google uses to measure the value of a webpage on the Internet. The scale offers ratings ranging from 1 to 10, with one being irrelevant and 10 being extremely relevant. Each time you go up one number, it becomes exponentially more difficult to move up again.

About 5 minutes ago, my automatic updating function in Windows XP notified me that I had received a new update to install. The update, KB925486, is designed to address “A security issue…that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Microsoft Windows and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by […]

Each time Microsoft releases a “bigger and better” operating system, it seems that someones favorite program is obsoleted because it is not compatible with the latest version of Windows. While Microsoft’s efforts at improving the compatibility mode settings in Windows Vista will help programs, many others will simply not work with Windows Vista.

A new Wiki posted on www.iexbeta.com lists a number programs that work well with Windows Vista. However more importantly, it also lists programs that have minor issues with Vista, or that are completely incompatible. I have compiled a short list of some of the more popular programs that appeared on their list here. Is your favorite program Vista compatible?

In the past week, a number of OEM manufacturers as well as Toshiba have joined Dell, Apple, HP, and Panasonic in the list of vendors who inadvertently provided defective Sony batteries to their customers. After receiving a few emails and getting dozens of phone requests to check the recall lists, I have decided to put together one complete resource for laptop users out there so you can easily find out if you should be the proud recipient of a brand new laptop battery (not a bad deal if I say so myself!).

To start, you are most likely to be effected by these recalls if you own a Dell, HP, Toshiba, or Apple notebook computer. Ironically, Sony has not recalled any of its own Sony Vaio notebook computers. I would assume that Sony uses Sony batteries in their systems, but as of now they are considered safe. (They may have been built by a different subcontractor than the afflicted batteries). In a separate recall unrelated to Sony batteries, Panasonic is also recalling some batteries in its notebook computers.

On September 12, 2006 a new security vulnerability was discovered in Internet Explorer that was confirmed by Microsoft Security Advisory (925568). This vulnerability has been used by websites to take control of a user’s computer. Microsoft has stated that they will not release a patch for the VML rendering security vulnerability until October 10, 2006. This security problem affects all Windows users from Windows 98 to Windows XP, even if you use a browser other than Internet Explorer.

The only way to protect your system at the present time is to completely disable VML rendering in your Internet Explorer browser.

We have created a small utility that easily turns your VML rendering on or off. If you use this utility to turn off VML rendering, the utility will automatically re-enable it on October 11, 2006 – the day after Microsoft’s expected patch release. This is accomplished by adding a start-up item that checks the current date each time your computer is booted. After October 11, 2006 the start-up item is automatically removed.

A new chapter in the history of Mozilla’s Open Source browser, FireFox, was started this week as the first ever recorded FireFox malware infection was reported. The infection reportedly caused popups to appear on the users computer and defied all reasonable attempts at removal. The Schrock Innovations MCHE research team has investigated this infection, and […]

After Microsoft released a whole new batch of security patches early this week, a new and previously unknown security vulnerability in Internet Explorer could allow websites to corrupt the memory of computers running the Microsoft web browser. I am recommending that all computer users temporarily switch to the FireFox browser until a patch is released for this latest flaw. You can download Firefox free of charge at http://www.getfirefox.com.

As a rule, Microsoft releases patches once each month on “Patch Tuesday.” In these releases, the company closes security loopholes and repairs newly discovered flaws in their software products. In an increasing trend, it appears that discoveries of new, previously unknown security problems are being posted to the Internet shortly after Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday. The new trend allows the flaws to go unremedied for a longer period of time and increases the likelihood that they will be exploited to attack computer users.

It seems that suddenly people are realizing that cellphones have become small computers. There have been dozens of stories ranging form the Journal Star, the Omaha World Herald, and many Internet websites about the kinds of interesting (and important) data that can be recovered from a cell phone by anyone with the ability to download a program off the Internet.

Cell phones are becoming more and more sophisticated as they include web browsing packages, text messaging, ringer downloading programs, and the ability to make wireless online purchases. But when you upgrade your cell phone, what happens to all of the stored text messages, credit card information and contact information?

A previously unknown security flaw in Microsoft Word 2000 was discovered today as malicious attackers used it to execute code on infected computers. The vulnerability only impacts computers running Windows 2000 AND Microsoft Word 2000.

The Trojan MDropper.Q virus started exploiting the security flaw on Tuesday and uses a 2-step assault to take control of a computer.
The virus uses the security vulnerability in Microsoft Word vulnerability to place a second Trojan virus on your computer, Backdoor.Femo.

We have been on a quest for the past two months to find firm pricing numbers on Window Vista that has lead us to Microsoft conferences, channel partner phone calls, and countless blogs. Ironically enough, the answer came today on Amazon.com.

After numerous delays that pushed the retail availability of Windows Vista back beyond Christmas, Microsoft has set a firm release date of January 30, 2007.

Amazon had a list of 16 different ways you could purchase Windows Vista, based mostly for the 6 different full and upgrade versions of the operating system. Here’s are the basic prices for those of you who plan on being in line when stores open on the 30th.