Facebook - new UN-private default setting

Facebook has introduced a new privacy setting that is set on Allow by default. It allows sharing of your information with non-Facebook sites. To turn it off, go to
Account
Privacy Settings
Applications and Websites
Instant Personalization
Un-check Allow...
then
Go to the page for Microsoft Docs and block application
Go to the page for Pandora and block application
Go to the page for Yelp and block application

For more information and details, check out
http://w2.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/04/how-opt-out-facebook-s-instant-personalization/
(thanks Jane!)

Here is the page that lists what applications are enabled for Instant Personalization:
http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=17103
Check back here periodically to disable further application as they are added.

McAfee update deletes part of Windows XP

McAfee Update Thinks Windows XP is a Virus | Maximum PC
Users of McAfee's corporate antivirus product found themselves wrestling
with some pretty serious
problems today. The most recent DAT update for the antivirus suite
caused the scanner to identify the benign Windows svchost.exe file as a
virus. The antivirus' course of action is clear; it deletes the file.
The result is a lot of crashed PCs and unhappy IT departments. This
isn't even the first
time McAfee has had an error like this.
...

Get the problem fixed, then remove McAfee and install AVG Free

Why do people create computer viruses?

Why do People Create Computer Viruses? | Technibble

There are hundreds of thousands of viruses out there (if not
millions) and they often designed for different objectives. Most of them
fall under the following categories:

• To take control of a computer and use it for specific tasks
• To generate money
• To steal sensitive information (credit card numbers, passwords,
  personal details, data etc.)
• To prove a point, to prove it can be done, to prove ones skill or
  for revenge purposes
• To cripple a computer or network

Read the link for more details.

Most of the viruses I find and deal with on a regular basis on client computers generally fall under points 4 and 2 - to prove it can be done and to generate money.

PDF threat

Foxit and Adobe Warn Users of PDF Attack | Maximum PC
...
Didier Stevens, an IT consultant with Contraste Europe, discovered the
vulnerability, which entails getting PDF viewers to automatically
execute embedded executables when the PDF file is opened. ...
...

"To address the specific problems outlined, Foxit has added a warning
dialog box that will pop up when a PDF file is opened with Foxit
Reader, asking the user to agree to execute or not," the company
continued. "This solution adds a layer of safety yet maintains Foxit
Reader’s compliance with current PDF standards."

Adobe already has a warning box in place, but Stevens claims there's a
way for hackers to partially alter the dialog. According to eWEEK,
Adobe is discussing the potential threat but didn't say if it would take
any further precautions.

So, Foxit has dealt with the threat while Adobe has not yet.

Download the latest version of Foxit Reader here to fix this security hole.