Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise SP2 Integrated
Applications included in Office 2007 Enterprise:
Microsoft Access 2007
Microsoft Excel 2007
Microsoft Groove 2007
Microsoft Infopath 2007
Microsoft Onenote 2007
Microsoft Outlook 2007
Microsoft Powerpoint 2007
Microsoft Publisher 2007
Microsoft Visio Viewer 2007
Microsoft Word 2007
Notes:
This release has SP2 integrated into the .iso, basically the extracted files from the SP2.exe file are in
the /Updates/ folder as office 2007 doesnt slipsteam in the way earlier office versions did so SP2 will be
installed during the installation.
To find out whats new in Service Pack 2 see here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953195
Download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/226918799/O.SP2_Mr-R-T.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/226917008/O.SP2_Mr-R-T.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/226917020/O.SP2_Mr-R-T.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/226917951/O.SP2_Mr-R-T.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/226918015/O.SP2_Mr-R-T.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/226917161/O.SP2_Mr-R-T.part6.rar
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Javascripts Images Box Gallery Script
javascripts Images Box Gallery Slidershow Script | 7MB
Download
http://www.easy-share.com/1904564453/java_script_images.rar
E-Mail Marketing For Dummies
For Dummies (11-2007) | PDF | 360 pages | 0470190876 | 9.7Mb(rar)
E-Mail Marketing For Dummies/by John Arnold (Author).E-mail seems like a terrific marketing tool — until you think about all that spam clogging up your own inbox. But of course YOUR message isn’t spam. So how do you use e-mail to market without becoming a spammer?
Done properly, e-mail marketing is highly effective. E-Mail Marketing For Dummies can help you send your message to the inboxes of the world while observing professional standards, improving your deliverability, and executing your e-mail marketing strategy in line with current laws.
You'll discover the secrets to creating professional and inviting e-mail messages, locating receptive respondents, tracking the results, and finding out whether your program is working. You’ll be able to:
* Combine e-mail with other marketing media
* Develop a winning strategy, build a quality e-mail list, and find success
* Comply with anti-spam laws
* Set reasonable objectives
* Decide whether to use an e-mail service provider
* Brand your e-mails
* Build relationships with your customers
* Increase your “open” rate and find out who’s actually opening your e-mails
* Use e-mail to improve search engine optimization
And if you’re not a bona fide, pocket-protector-carrying geek, this book is perfect. It’s written for business people who need to get return on their time as well as their marketing efforts. Whether you read it straight through or dive right into the part you need most, E-Mail Marketing For Dummies is all about using e-mail to help your business prosper.
download here:
http://www.easy-share.com/1904477852/EMaDum.rar
or:
http://depositfiles.com/files/r195jbnqo
Designing Online Learning with Flash
Pfeiffer (January 9, 2009) PDF | 336 pages | 0470322632 | 5.45Mb(rar)
Designing Online Learning with Flash/by David Richard Moore (Author).There is a need for a book that provides a model of learning that is appropriate for online learning as well as teaches the user how to create potent Flash applications to deliver online learning content. This book is an Adobe Flash tutorial set in an instructional design context. It demonstrates how to develop Flash tutorials for teaching facts, concepts, principles, and procedures using Merrill s Component Display Theory.
All the book s source files are provided as well as Adobe Captivate tutorials demonstrating the procedures.To be an effective online learning team member or project manager, you need to have some expertise with instructional design and posses the basic skills needed to create Adobe Flash web content. Designing Online Learning with Flash gives training professionals, instructional designers, multimedia developers, and instructors a much-needed guide for designing and developing well-structured instruction for web delivery using Adobe Flash. David Richard Moore—an expert in instructional design—offers step-by-step instruction for developing Flash tutorials for teaching facts, concepts, principles, and procedures using a well-tested model. This model promotes active and participatory learning, which is exactly what Flash does so well. Written in accessible non-technical language, the book explains and clearly demonstrates each learning domain and provides a solid framework for implementing creative, effective, efficient, and appealing online learning modules.
Each chapter in the book begins with a detailed description of the learning domain being addressed. Then the practical theory is followed by easy-to-follow walkthroughs in building Flash applications. The author also challenges you to create your own applications, and to help you along the way, he includes illustrative demonstrations of successful products. Additionally, all source files are provided as well as Adobe Captivate tutorials demonstrating the procedures. Once you have mastered the knowledge of the tools and techniques presented in this book, you will be well on your way to creating successful and engaging online instruction.
http://www.easy-share.com/1904407750/Designing_Online_Learning_Flash.rar
or:
http://depositfiles.com/files/5h99a8ycx
SS 7 Vectors
Download link remove the space
htt p://ra pid sha re. com /files/2 21978 28 6/S SEp s7Ve ct or s.rar
or
ht tp: //w ww.z id du .co m/do wnload/4 323128/S SEps7V ecto rs.ra r.html
or
ht t p ://uploadin g.co m /files/ RFW3N 0C9 /SSEps 7Vecto rs.rar .html
Template Monster 5981 Full
Template Monster 5981 Full
PSD | HTML | FLA | SWF | 57.24 Mb
Download here:
http://uploading.com/files/NRABB6NA/WinterStudio_TM-5981.zip.html
Master Spoken English Special Edition Course
Master Spoken English Special Edition Course
Video | English | Elearning | 1006 MB
This special edition e-course teaches all the core speech dynamics you need for a foundation to master spoken English. You will learn to feel tone and vibration, create well-formed vowels, and develop articulated consonants.
This special edition e-course teaches all the core speech dynamics you need for a foundation to master spoken English. You will learn to feel tone and vibration, create well-formed vowels, and develop articulated consonants. Further, there is extensive linking and phrasing practice, which is the key to fluency. In addition, you will have full access to our newest edutainment practice material–adapted from the Academy Award nominated movie, “My Man Godfrey”, which will keep you entertained while you are practicing. Two original fairy tales are also included here. These movie scenes are broken down for word lists and phrase links, all with color-coded subtitles. Plenty to keep you involved and challenged, no matter what level of English you now speak. SpeechMasters is committed to providing the highest level of training, with programs that are motivating and fun to use.
http://rapidshare.com/files/221470698/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part01.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221470700/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221470703/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part03.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221470701/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part04.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221470828/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part05.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221472341/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part06.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221472431/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part07.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/221472275/MSE_SpecialEdition_LACDMY.part08.rar
Portable Photodex ProShow Producer v4.0.2533 Full
Portable Photodex ProShow Producer v4.0.2533 Full | 23 MB
Professional Slide Show Software
Create professional slide shows with the award-winning ProShow Producer. Promote your business, create proofing shows for clients or blow away any audience with the highly advanced audio & visual tools available at your finger tips. Customize every aspect of your show with precise handling for truly professional results.
Version 4.0 April 14, 2009
Slide Styles
• Apply effects to your show with just a couple of clicks
• Choose from over 75 pre-built styles
• Create, save, and share your own effects
• Apply pre-built slide effects to any show
• Any slide can be made into a style
• Minimize work by re-using your favorite slides
Blur
• Apply blur to any layer
• Use keyframes to turn blur in to a variety of effects
Adjustment Layers
• Create special layers that apply adjustments to parts of your show
• Adjustment layers behave like masks - easily control where adjustments are applied
• Use motion and keyframes to create advanced adjustment effects
Keyframe Editor
• Multi-layer keyframe control window
• View keyframes for all layers at once
• Easily adjust timing for multiple keyframes at once
• Easily align keyframes for layers and captions
• Zoom in and out on keyframes
On-Screen Controls for Playback
• New control bar for Web shows, EXEs, PC Autorun, Share Show
• Auto-hiding integrated toolbar appears only when you need it
• See the length of a show, and your current position
• Seek to any point in the show using the seek bar
• Control volume and mute
• Switch between full-screen and windowed view
• Use output options to disable the control bar for your shows
Animated GIF Support
• Add animated GIF files to any show
• Put all that clip-art to good use
• Use the Video Trimmer to trim the length of animated GIFs
Improved Audio Sync Tool
• Get greatly enhanced control over how your show syncs to audio
• Match to the entire soundtrack length, or length of any combination of tracks
• Modify slide times, transition times, or both
• Limit the amount of change to transition times so they don't get too big
• Make all your times the same, or maintain proportions between slides
• Times that are locked get left alone - so your complex slides aren't fried
Updated User Interface
• New Slide Options interface groups tabs into categories
• Refreshed Slide List display shows icons for locked time, layers, notes, and more
• View Timeline in seconds or minutes/seconds
• Add, remove and manage layers from most Slide Options tabs
• Add, remove and manage captions from the Caption Motion tab
• Easily access related show options from within Slide Options via links
• Configure colors used for the interface
• New 16:9 preview areas give you larger previews for today's hottest output formats
• Use keyboard shortcuts to switch Slide Option tabs and layers
• Menu buttons for previews, layers and captions put more features at your fingertips
• Wider keyframe controls allow more precise timing
Names and Notes
• Specify names for layers and slides to help you stay organized
• Specify notes for layers, slides and shows.
• Use names to keep your templates organized
• Use notes to track your progress as you work on a show
• Document how a show works before sharing with others
Modifiers
• Advanced feature allows for options to be adjusted based on other settings
• Link effect options between layers
• Use constant or function based modifiers for settings
Rotation Center Point
• Adjust the center point for rotation effects
• Easily rotate images around any point, such as a corner
• Use keyframes to move the center point during the effect
Lock Times
• Lock slide time to prevent changes, even during audio sync
• Lock slide time to the length of a video layer
• Lock slide time to the length of a slide sound
Improved Audio Control
• Trim / Crop Audio Visually in the Timeline
• Audio Trimmer Displays Relative Show Timing
• Control fade in/out for audio contained in video layers
Rotate Video File Output
• Change orientation of video file output, great for vertical flat-screen TVs and kiosks
Collect Show Files Listing
• Use the Collect Show Files dialog to save a list of content in your show
Additional Changes and Improvements
Added option to combine slides
Added option to paste contents of one slide into another
Added preference for default slide name
Added option to drop multiple files into show as layers a new slide
Added option to specify custom MPEG4 settings via Video File output
Set Precise Fly In/Out Timing with Right Click on Caption Keyframe
Randomize Pan, Zoom, and Rotate Motion Independently
Option to Remove All Captions from a Slide
Automatic Check for Updates, with Preferences for Frequency
Preferences for Auto-Save Frequency
Preferences for Number of Backups to Save
Preferences for Text Displayed for Files in the File List
Preferences to enable/disable confirmations when you are closing Slide Options.
Download here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/221879257/Portable_Photodex_ProShow_Producer_v4.0.2533_DownTR.NET.rar
Handbook of Research on Geoinformatics
Handbook of Research on Geoinformatics
518 pages | Information Science Reference (December 5, 2008) | 1591409950 | PDF | 9 Mb
Geoinformatics is the science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting,
distributing, and using geospatial information. It encompasses a broad range of disciplines
brought together to create a detailed but understandable picture of the physical world and our
place in it.
The Handbook of Research on Geoinformatics is the first reference work to map this exciting
interdisciplinary field, discussing the complete range of contemporary research topics such as
computer modeling, geometry, geoprocessing, and geographic information systems. This expansive
reference work covers the complete range of geoinformatics related issues, trends, theories,
technologies, and applications.
Download here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/221027421/Geoinformatics.rar
Best International Cooking Recipes Books Collection
Best International Cooking Recipes Books Collection
yummeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Books inside:
. Valentine Recipes
. Fair Recipes
. Moms Favorite Recipes
. Apple Recipes
. Chilli Recipes
. Egg Recipes
. Soup Recipes
. Non Dairy Milk Recipes
. Types of Foods
. Cooking On The Run
. Favorite Summer Time Recipes
. Appetizer Recipes
. Healthy Recipes
. Game Recipes
. Barbecue Recipes
. Lowcarb Recipes
. Italian Recipes
. Chitter Recipes
. Chicken Recipes
. Jelly Recipes
. Copycat Recipes
. Mexicen Recipes
. Pizzeria Recipes
. Cookbook-Vegetable+Soup+Recipe-Tamrin
. Grill Recipes
. Sea Food Recipes
. Salad Recipes
. Apple Recipes-2
. Egg Recipes-2
. Dr. Allinson Recipes
. Vegetable Recipes
. Bath & Beauty Recipes
. Soups Recipes-2
. Food Machine Recipes
. Italian Recipes-2
. Fryer Recipes
. Cakes Recipes
. Chocolate Recipes
. Diabetic Recipes
. Healthy Eating for Kids Taster Edition
. Countries Recipes
. Italian Recipes-3
. Traditional English Recipes
. Fabbynosh - My Favourite Beef Recipes
. Choco Recipes
. Atkins Diet Recipes
. Barbecue Recipes-2
. Bread Recipes
. Busters 550 Cookie Recipes
. Cajun Recipes
. Chinese Recipes
. Chinese Recipes-2
. Indian Recipes
. Egg Recipes-3
. Great Recipes From The South
. Grill Master - Barbecue Recipes
. Holiday Family Fun
. Insider's Recipes Master
. Italian Recipes-4
. Kids Holiday Cooking
. Kids Recipes
. Low Fat Recipes
. Popcorn Recipes
. Pudding Recipes
. Sallad Recipes
. Tasty Recipes
. Chinese Sample Cook Book
. Pizza Recipes Draft
. Pumpkin Heaven
. and much much more......
http://rapidshare.com/files/219656345/recipes_books.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/219660875/recipes_books.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/219662103/recipes_books.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/219662700/recipes_books.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/219663296/recipes_books.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/219663695/recipes_books.part6.rar
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 9.0.0.300 Beta010
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 9.0.0.300 Beta 010 – the backbone of your PC’s security system, offering protection from a range of IT threats. Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 provides the basic tools needed to protect your PC.
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 – the all-in-one security solution that offers a worry-free computing environment for you and your family. Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 has everything you need for a safe and secure Internet experience. Kaspersky Internet Security 9.0 – is a new line of Kaspersky Labs products, which is designed for the multi-tiered protection of personal computers. This product is based on in-house protection components, which are based on variety of technologies for maximum levels of user protection regardless of technical competencies. This product utilizes several technologies, which were jointly developed by Kaspersky Labs and other companies; part of them is implemented via online-services.
Our products for home and home office are specifically designed to provide hassle-free and quality protection against viruses, worms and other malicious programs, as well as hacker attacks, spam and spyware.
During product preparation several competitor offerings were considered and analyzed - firewalls, security suites systems, which position themselves as proactive in defence and HIPS systems. Combination of in-hosue innovative developments and results from analysis gathered through the industry allowed to jump onto a new level of protection for personal users, whereby offering even more hardened and less annoying computer protection from all types of electronic threats – malicious programs of different types, hacker attacks, spam mailings, program-root kits, phishing emails, advertisement popup windows etc.
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 All Features:
Essential Protection:
* Protects from viruses, Trojans and worms
* Blocks spyware and adware
* Scans files in real time (on access) and on demand
* Scans email messages (regardless of email client)
* Scans Internet traffic (regardless of browser)
* Protects instant messengers (ICQ, MSN)
* Provides proactive protection from unknown threats
* Scans Java and Visual Basic scripts
Extended Protection:
* Two-way personal firewall
* Safe Wi-Fi and VPN connections
* Intrusion prevention system
* Intelligent application management and control
o automatically configured application rules
o security rating is assigned to unknown applications
o access to the user’s resources and data is restricted for unknown applications
Preventive Protection:
* Scans operating system and installed applications for vulnerabilities
* Analyzes and closes Internet Explorer vulnerabilities
* Disables links to malware sites
* Detects viruses based on the packers used to compress code
* Global threat monitoring (Kaspersky Security Network)
Advanced Protection & Recovery:
* The program can be installed on infected computers
* Self-protection from being disabled or stopped
* Restores correct system settings after removing malicious software
* Tools for creating a rescue disk
Data & Identity Theft Protection:
* Disables links to fake (phishing) websites
* Blocks all types of keyloggers
* Virtual keyboard is provided for safely entering logins and passwords
* Prevents the theft of data exchanged via secure connections (HTTPS / SSL)
* Blocks unauthorized dial-up connections
* Cleans up any traces of user activity (deletes temporary files, cookies etc.)
Content Filtering:
* Parental control
* Improved antispam protection (plugins for Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, The Bat!, Thunderbird)
* Blocks banners on web pages
Usability:
* Automatic configuration during installation
* Wizards for common tasks
* Visual reports with charts and diagrams
* Alerts provide all the information necessary for informed user decisions
* Automatic or interactive mode
* Round-the-clock technical support
* Automatic database updates
Download link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/221992233/Kaspersky_Internet_Security_2010_DownTR.NET.rar
31 Joomla Templates
Pure Joomla - 31 HQ Templates
31 files | PSD | FLA | HTML | SWF | Fonts | preview | 204 MB (all templates)
all 31 templates in one arch and one template - one arch
Full info & full preview - http://pure-joomla.com/
Pure Joomla - Carbone
Pure Joomla - Craven
Pure Joomla - Enchanted
Pure Joomla - Evident
Pure Joomla - FireFlo1
Pure Joomla - Flexum
Pure Joomla - Flexum_Dark
Pure Joomla - Foret
Pure Joomla - Freeflo2
Pure Joomla - Gear
Pure Joomla - Glo
Pure Joomla - ModerNation
Pure Joomla - Parameter
Pure Joomla - PowerUp
Pure Joomla - Prime
Pure Joomla - QuickSilver
Pure Joomla - Prime_2
Pure Joomla - Radiate
Pure Joomla - Razor
Pure Joomla - Sahel
Pure Joomla - Royale
Pure Joomla - Serene1
Pure Joomla - Serene_2
Pure Joomla - SimpleCity
Pure Joomla - Streamline
Pure Joomla - Sublime1
Pure Joomla - Sublime2
Pure Joomla - Tactile
Pure Joomla - Technique
Pure Joomla - Veritas
Pure Joomla - WinterGreen
Upgrading And Repairing Laptops
912 pages | 8MB | English | CHM | 0789728001 | December 22, 2003
Laptops--call them notebooks, portable computers, or whatever else you like--are tightly
engineered items. It's hard to get all the required components to obey stringent performance
and power-management requirements, and still fit into a small case. The job usually requires a
custom motherboard and other specialized components, and so the laptop owner who wants to
upgrade his or her machine faces a much more difficult task than the owner of a desktop machine
with a similar wish.
One can swap out the hard drive, add more RAM, and make tweaks in software, but almost
everything else requires the addition of external components, which kind of defeat the purpose
of a laptop. That's the message the reader takes away from Scott Mueller's Upgrading and
Repairing Laptops. It's not Mueller's fault that such computers are hard to do much with, and
that your best upgrade procedure is often a visit to an auction site.
That said, Mueller does a great job of explaining how laptops work--how the engineers went
about cramming all those heat-generating components into those miniature chassis in the first
place. He also explains a lot of interesting component theory, such as how magnetic hard drives
store data and how various DVD standards differ. The information makes for good reading, and
comes in handy when you're shopping. He also demonstrates his skill--long well-reputed among
builders and repairers of desktop machines--in teaching diagnostics. He explains, for example,
how to test a laptop power supply, and why you should consider it a prime suspect in a
malfunctioning computer even if the LEDs come on and the cooling fan spins. A CD-ROM features
videos that show disassembly procedures--a strategy that works better than photographs and
numbered steps. --David Wall
Topics covered: How portable computers work (and sometimes fail to work), and how to diagnose
their woes. Sections address general troubleshooting concepts, system disassembly, and various
subsystems such as memory, CPU, storage, and video. Coverage of PCMCIA (PC Card) is
particularly good. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Product Description
Scott Mueller has gone where no computer book author has gone before — right past all the
warranty stickers, the hidden screws, and the fear factor to produce a real owner's manual that
every laptop owner should have on his desk. Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, Second Edition
shows the upgrades users can perform, the ones that are better left to the manufacturer, and
how to use add-on peripherals to make the most of a laptop. This second edition has been
updated to include:
* The latest processors and motherboards
* Complete assembly and disassembly information
* Updated memory standards
* Upgrading your hard drive to increase performance
* Changes in networking and firewalls
The included DVD contains one-of-a-kind video showing just what's inside a portable PC. If you
have ever wondered what goes on inside your portable PC, how to upgrade/repair it, or how to
live on the road with it, this is the one must-have book of the year!
http://rapidshare.com/files/222245603/Upgrading_And_Repairing_Laptops.rar
XAMPP project is a very easy to install Apache distribution for Linux, Solaris, and Windows.
Many people know from their own experience that it´s not easy to install an Apache web server and it gets harder if you want to add MySQL, PHP and Perl. XAMPP is an easy to install Apache distribution containing MySQL, PHP and Perl. XAMPP is really very easy to install and to use - just download, extract and start.
Features:
* Apache HTTPD 2.2.11 + Openssl 0.9.8i
* MySQL 5.1.33
* PHP 5.2.9
* phpMyAdmin 3.1.3.1
* XAMPP CLI Bundle 1.3
* FileZilla FTP Server 0.9.31
* Mercury Mail Transport System 4.62
http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?groupname=xampp&filename=xampp-win32-1.7.1-installer.exe&use_mirror=nchc
The Mind at Night - The New Science of How and Why We Dream
Andrea Rock, "The Mind at Night - The New Science of How and Why We Dream"
ISBN: 0-7382-0755-1 | 224 Pages | PDF | 12.0 Mb
I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY my brain doesn't simply rest at night, as my body does, but instead sets to work creating an artificial world that seems as real as waking life. I don't recall my dreams with any greater frequency than most people I know, but I'm intrigued by the ones I do remember and curious about what—if anything—they mean.
Download: http://rapidshare.com/files/220765837/9_Mind.at.Night.rar
485 Fresh Keys for Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 (16/04/2009)
485 Fresh Keys for Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 (16/04/2009) | 7 MB
Fresh Keys for Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009.Keys for Kaspersky Anti-Virus 5, 6, 7, 8.
Download here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/222244340/Keys_2009.rar
Monday, April 13, 2009
Conficker's Back and Attacking More PCs
Security researchers say the Conficker worm has been reprogrammed to strengthen its defences while also trying to attack more machines.
Conficker, which takes advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft's software, has infected at least 3 million PCs and possibly as many as 12 million, making it into a huge botnet and one of the most severe computer security problems in recent years.
Botnets can be used to send spam and attack other websites, but they need to be able to receive new instructions. Conficker can do this two ways: it can either try to visit a website and pick up instructions or it can receive a file over its custom-built encrypted P2P (peer-to-peer) network.
Over the last day or so, researchers with Websense and Trend Micro said some PCs infected with Conficker received a binary file over P2P. Conficker's controllers have been hampered by efforts of the security community to get directions via a website, so they are now using the P2P function, said Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor for the vendor Trend Micro.
The new binary tells Conficker to start scanning for other computers that haven't patched the Microsoft vulnerability, Ferguson said. A previous update turned that capability off, which hinted that Conficker's controllers maybe thought the botnet had grown too large.
But now, "it certainly indicates they [Conficker's authors] are seeking to control more machines", Ferguson said.
The new update also tells Conficker to contact MySpace.com, MSN.com, Ebay.com, CNN.com and AOL.com apparently to confirm that the infected machine is connected to the internet, Ferguson said. It also blocks infected PCs from visiting some websites. Previous Conficker versions wouldn't let people browse to the websites of security companies.
In another twist, the binary appears to be programmed to stop running on May 3, which will shut off the new functions, he said.
It's not the first time Conficker has been coded with time-based instructions. Computer security experts were bracing for catastrophe on April 1, when Conficker was scheduled to try to visit 500 of some 50,000 random websites generated by an internal algorithm in order to get new instructions, but the day passed without incident.
Also worrying is that the new update tells Conficker to contact a domain that is known to be affiliated with another botnet called Waledec, Ferguson said. The Waledec botnet grew in a fashion that was similar to the Storm worm, another large botnet that has now faded but was used to send spam. It means that perhaps the same group could be linked to all three botnets, Ferguson said.
Even though Conficker doesn't appear to have been used yet for malicious purposes, it still remains a threat, said Carl Leonard, a threat research manager for Websense in Europe. The P2P functionality indicates a level of sophistication, he said.
"It is evident they've put a lot of effort into gathering this suite of machines," Leonard said. "They want to protect their environment and launch these updates in a way they can best capitalise on them."
Not all computers infected with Conficker will necessarily get updated quickly. To use the P2P update functionality, a Conficker-infected PC must search for other infected PCs, a process that isn't immediate, Ferguson.
-pcworld news
Given that security experts differ vastly over how many computers may be infected with Conficker, it's difficult to say what percentage have the new update.
Trend Micro and Websense both cautioned their findings are preliminary, as the binary update is still being analysed.
Although Microsoft issued an emergency software patch last October, Conficker has continued to take advantage of those PCs which haven't been patched. In fact, some variants of the Conficker will actually patch the vulnerability after the machine is infected so no other malware can take advantage of it.
Conficker, which takes advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft's software, has infected at least 3 million PCs and possibly as many as 12 million, making it into a huge botnet and one of the most severe computer security problems in recent years.
Botnets can be used to send spam and attack other websites, but they need to be able to receive new instructions. Conficker can do this two ways: it can either try to visit a website and pick up instructions or it can receive a file over its custom-built encrypted P2P (peer-to-peer) network.
Over the last day or so, researchers with Websense and Trend Micro said some PCs infected with Conficker received a binary file over P2P. Conficker's controllers have been hampered by efforts of the security community to get directions via a website, so they are now using the P2P function, said Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor for the vendor Trend Micro.
The new binary tells Conficker to start scanning for other computers that haven't patched the Microsoft vulnerability, Ferguson said. A previous update turned that capability off, which hinted that Conficker's controllers maybe thought the botnet had grown too large.
But now, "it certainly indicates they [Conficker's authors] are seeking to control more machines", Ferguson said.
The new update also tells Conficker to contact MySpace.com, MSN.com, Ebay.com, CNN.com and AOL.com apparently to confirm that the infected machine is connected to the internet, Ferguson said. It also blocks infected PCs from visiting some websites. Previous Conficker versions wouldn't let people browse to the websites of security companies.
In another twist, the binary appears to be programmed to stop running on May 3, which will shut off the new functions, he said.
It's not the first time Conficker has been coded with time-based instructions. Computer security experts were bracing for catastrophe on April 1, when Conficker was scheduled to try to visit 500 of some 50,000 random websites generated by an internal algorithm in order to get new instructions, but the day passed without incident.
Also worrying is that the new update tells Conficker to contact a domain that is known to be affiliated with another botnet called Waledec, Ferguson said. The Waledec botnet grew in a fashion that was similar to the Storm worm, another large botnet that has now faded but was used to send spam. It means that perhaps the same group could be linked to all three botnets, Ferguson said.
Even though Conficker doesn't appear to have been used yet for malicious purposes, it still remains a threat, said Carl Leonard, a threat research manager for Websense in Europe. The P2P functionality indicates a level of sophistication, he said.
"It is evident they've put a lot of effort into gathering this suite of machines," Leonard said. "They want to protect their environment and launch these updates in a way they can best capitalise on them."
Not all computers infected with Conficker will necessarily get updated quickly. To use the P2P update functionality, a Conficker-infected PC must search for other infected PCs, a process that isn't immediate, Ferguson.
-pcworld news
Given that security experts differ vastly over how many computers may be infected with Conficker, it's difficult to say what percentage have the new update.
Trend Micro and Websense both cautioned their findings are preliminary, as the binary update is still being analysed.
Although Microsoft issued an emergency software patch last October, Conficker has continued to take advantage of those PCs which haven't been patched. In fact, some variants of the Conficker will actually patch the vulnerability after the machine is infected so no other malware can take advantage of it.
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