Someone can gain control of your PC through some flaws in Internet Explorer.

Microsoft has released a patch and their “official” page on the deal is here:  MS08-078 - addresses a vulnerability in Internet Explorer (KB 960714)

You may want to run the updates on your system to be safe.

If you are running Firefox (www.firefox.com) or Google Chrome those browsers are still safe, but if you ever use Internet Explorer, it’s probably not a bad idea to update next time your system does.

Browse safely and have a Merry Christmas!

The message looks something like this:

From what I’ve been able to find, the email has a Trojan virus attached and the link that it goes to can take you to a Malware Keylogger (a piece of spyware that logs your keystrokes) if you’re not careful.

So, if you get this, delete it, and don’t open the attachment.

Source URL for picture:  http://askgordroutley.com/blog/?tag=spoof

They say if it sounds too good to be true it is, right?  In this case… WRONG.   I have a client who has been using the MagicJack for 3 months now and loves it.

The MagicJack is a USB dongle that plugs into your computer and gives you a phone jack on the other end.  Along with software on your PC, your regular phone becomes a VoIP phone with a U.S. Phone Number and the ability to make and receive unlimited calls in the U.S. for $20 per year.  There’s an upfront cost of $40 for the device.

I will give one word of caution… there is very limited customer support for this device.  I have a client whose happy with it and there are many others who use it flawlessly.

Some reviews here:

http://www.floridaestateplanninglawyerblog.com/2008/03/magicjack_product_review_every.html

http://www.getusb.info/usb-review-magicjack-phone/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-9908996-58.html?tag=mncol;txt

Official site: http://www.magicjack.com/9/index.asp

We found this program called OggSync for one of my clients who has 10 calendars (count them TEN!) in Outlook to manage different facets of his business… This lets him give access to others to particular calendars in his Outlook through Google calendars as well as lets him change the public calendar on his website right from Outlook (we’re using the embedded Google calendar on his website).  How sweet is that?

OggSync Pro costs $30 per year.  For the right person, it’s definitely worth it.  It also syncs Contacts with native Google support… meaning that you don’t lose extra data that Google is capable of holding about contacts.  Apparently it can sync Windows Mobile as well.

CompanionLink Software has a program that allows you to Sync multiple Google Calendars as well as your tasks and contacts from Outlook to your GMail account.  Best of all… it’s pretty easy to use and offers scheduled synchronization.

UPDATE: I have to make one note here.. it does not support multiple Outlook Calendars to multiple Google Calendars.  Still it’s powerful.

You get a 14-day trial with no limitations and then there’s a $30 registration for the software should you choose to keep using it.  Check out this link: CompanionLink for Google — synchronize Google Calendar with any phone, PDA or Microsoft Outlook.  It works with ACT and tons of other PIM type programs out there…

I can see it now… let’s say you want a blog that has your Google calendar embedded, but you want to make changes to that blog calendar right from Outlook.  With this it’s done.  Awesome… I’m gonna go grab a Coke.

We have noticed a lot of clients getting a message that their license has expired.  Not to worry.
Go here and download the new version.

LogMeIn Hamachi: Download it for Free at Logmein.com

It should install and preserve your existing settings.

What about making external links show a preview bubble?  (I set this up on the link below so you could see what I’m talking about)

You can do this for FREE! Go here to websnapr.com

Very cool.

One that has gotten most people is a FEDEX email scam.  It tells you that you have an issue with a package you recently sent and gets you to install a piece of software on your computer that actually in a virus.  Not cute.  Here’s an article on it:
http://blog.mxlab.be/2008/08/09/fedex-tracking-number-trojan/

There are also a few labeled as if they are from CNN.com and also MSNBC.  They have fake news articles attached to them and try, again, to get you to install malicious software.

The CNN Message looks like this:

Web related articles below:

http://www.spywareremove.com/security/cnn-com-daily-top-10-email-contains-malware/

http://www.mxlogic.com/itsecurityblog/1/2008/08/Spam-Alert-Huge-Volumes-of-Fake-CNN-News-Updates.cfm

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2008/08/msnbc-cnn-hit-b.html