Mobile botnets run different than your average malware or virus. Their sole purpose is to make money through fraud by pumping ads onto your phone. They do this by sending spam SMS, pushing ads onto your mobile home screen and selling your personal information to spammers.

There are five different ways a smartphone can become infected by a botnet:

1. Cracked or malicious apps
2. SMS with spam links
3. Coordinating with PC Botnets
4. Emails with spam links
5. Websites with hidden frames (e.g. when you visit a website, a message pops up that tells you to update your mobile system)

So how do you steer clear of botnets? The CTIA panel gave these few tips to make sure your mobile devices doesn’t become a malicious spam machine:

• Install OS updates. Any time your phone has a system update, make sure to accept it.
• Get an antivirus app on your phone and make sure to keep it updated. Make sure to do your research as well. Sometimes a premium paid antivirus app may be worth it.
• Be smart about the apps you download. If an Angry Birds look-alike app is asking for access to your contacts, you know something is up.
• Be extra careful on entertainment, hacking, adult and file sharing sites. This is typically where botnets like to hang out.
• Monitor your monthly data usage and the amount of data used per app. Sometimes you can catch a botnet before it wreaks havoc on your phone.

Safe searching out there in the mobile ether!

(This is the third post in our “CTIA 2013 – CyberSecurity” series. The first post was “Future of Cybersecurity: Imagine Only Having One Online Username and Password By 2016“)

User-experience may be the most prohibitive factor in the adoption of mobile security solutions. Currently, much of the security industry thinks of extra-long and complicated passwords as the golden standard for a secure experience. But it’s not as fun for a consumer to have to remember something that is 16 characters long, includes four numbers and three symbols.

The way the secure apps of the future will tackle the user experience piece is through a quick two-step authentication process. Imagine instead of remembering that password, having to input a four digit code and then press your finger to the screen for a biometric reading. If that sounds a bit too futuristic to work today, look at Apple, which just acquired a biometrics company. We can expect some interesting announcements down the road.

Tell us what you think. How important is your phone’s security to you?

(This is the second post in our “CTIA 2013 – CyberSecurity” series. The first post was “Future of Cybersecurity: Imagine Only Having One Online Username and Password By 2016” and the third post is “Mobile Cybersecurity: Brace Yourself for Botnets“)

Currently a number of pilot programs are being run by organizations and institutions like AARP, PayPal and Purdue University that give their users one overarching login for all services. By binding your tablet, smartphone and computer to one login, the same secure login can be transferred between your devices.

Of course, there are a few hurdles to overcome by 2016. A full secure web experience will require collaboration between businesses, internet providers and governments. Security within the system also has to be incredibly sophisticated. An Identity Ecosystem Steering Group was launched in 2012 to answer both of these issues. With the private sector currently driving new pilot programs and governments providing funding to research new technologies, they are on the right path.

Would you be comfortable having one login for all of your online accounts?

(This is the first post in our “CTIA 2013 – CyberSecurity” series. The next post is “Mobile Cybersecurity: Smartphone Users Still Not Interested in Protecting Their Phones“)

With a focus on simplicity; making complex technology easy to use and understand, CTIA 2013 has got off to a cracking start and introduced some great ideas about our ever more connected lives.

Jas makes a good point that as our lives accommodate a growing number of connected devices, the need for security protection also grows. For example, when the risk of losing your mobile device also carries with it the risk of losing control of your home and car, clearly you need to be extremely careful about security.

In a CTIA 2013 panel on the Connected Vehicle, members with Airbiquity, T-Mobile and Telenav talked about refocusing the importance on the driver. In the past, technology in cars was focused on giving the passengers a great experience. We’ve seen cars with television screens and more recently cars with internet access. These are great for the passengers, but what about the driver?

There is a very fine line to walk with giving the driver new technologies while they’re driving. Too much and they could be distracted from actually driving. Too little and they don’t feel connected. But one of the ultimate goals of a connected car, according to the panel, is to make it so the driver never feels like they need to pull out their phone. With better voice recognition, smarter car communication and connections to the cloud, your car becomes a smartphone replacement.

That sounds great. But the panel also discussed the dark side of having a connected car: internet security. As soon as manufacturers integrate car services with each other or the cloud, it opens the vehicle up to hacking or hijacking. The good news is all of the major players in the connected vehicle space are working on making your car secure enough so this never needs to be a worry.

What do you think? What would you want your car to be able to do while you’re driving?

(This is the second post in our “CTIA 2013 – The Connected Home” series. The first post was “The Smart Home: Redefining Connected“)

These things are all possible. Almost every device you buy today is connected to a network. Technology providers need to pull all of these things together though. And that can be a tall order, because the way everything is linked together is complicated. The next revolution in the connected home is happening right now and it is being driven by those companies that are trying to understand how to connect everything together.

More and more “things” are connected to the web. The world is becoming an “Internet of Things” where everything from your TV to your thermostat has a running internet connection. Your devices just need to find their way to the internet to enable a connected home.

So what can we expect from the next connected home? A few things:

• Trusted communications in-home
• Device self-announcement and discovery
• Automatic updating services
• Full device configuration

What would you want to see out of a connected home?

(This is the first post in our “CTIA 2013 – The Connected Home” series. Read our next post: “The Connected Vehicle: Focusing on the Driver While They are Driving“)

1. Security Concerns. The industry faces a number of regulatory challenges with regards to security. Much of the first half of the panel discussion was spent grappling with the idea of how the wireless industry can come together to help solve this and where it makes sense for government to help.
2. User Experience. If a mobile wallet has a greater user experience then that leather wallet in your pocket, consumers will start using mobile over credit card. The panel discussed a few innovations like Apple’s proposed fingerprint sensor and Google’s integrated wallet. But the key to a successful mobile wallet will be to have an open-source solution with the same user experience on every mobile device.

The last question asked of the panel was “Who will win with your wallet in the end?” There is built in trust with companies like MasterCard and VISA already. Consumers have an expectation that their money is safe. Can we have that same trust in Google?

Sound off on what you think in the comments section below.

A few interesting additional thoughts that came from the panel discussion:

• There are a lot of bottlenecks and fragmented regulations that right now limit the ability to provide a mobile wallet. This is the biggest hurdle we need to overcome.
• If someone makes fraudulent charges on your credit card, your credit card company will reimburse you for that. How can we evolve that into the mobile space now?
• Moms live in a “want it now” culture. There is a need and an expectation for instant gratification and this is something that a mobile wallet could help them achieve.
• John Giamatteo said “Today there’s more data on devices than ever before. Consumers have a role in protecting their devices. What they are looking for is simplicity, trust and security.”

For those unfamiliar with CTIA, it’s a place to showcase some of the gadgets and technologies that will very soon be changing our lives.

This year the focus is on the “Internet of things” and how everyday objects in our lives will become smart and connected; including the connected car and even connected home.

Here is Tony Anscombe with a short introduction from CTIA.

For more videos from CTIA and from AVG, check out the AVG YouTube Channel.

Please welcome the AVG Image Shrinker – new member of the AVG mobile family. AVG Image Shrinker is a free application for Android which helps you save storage space and reduce mobile data usage when you upload and share pictures with family, friends and colleagues! Try it now.

AVG Firewall is missing

AVG 2013 users are often confused why Firewall shows the ACTIVATE NOW status.

We would like to let you know that this is not an error message but information that another layer of protection is available. It is displayed only in the AVG AntiVirus and AVG Free editions because the Firewall is part of AVG Internet Security and AVG Premium Security. If you would like to maximize your computer protection and activate Firewall in your AVG just click on the Firewall button and follow displayed instructions.

False positive alarms

We noticed a couple of false positive alarms reported on forums in the past week. Any AntiVirus software may detect a legitimate application sometimes when a part of its code is similar to a code in newly created malware. AVG implements advanced anti-false mechanisms to minimize risk of false alarms to prevent this. We have prepared the AVG detects infection on file that I suppose to be clean article for such rare coincidence when AVG detects a clean file.

Toolbar_log.txt

The AVG Toolbar log file (toolbar_log.txt) may rapidly increase its size under specific circumstances. The symptoms are computer slowdown, decreasing disk space and slowed-down internet connection. We recommend re-installing AVG toolbar by using the latest installation file. You may also check the Slowdown of computer or internet connection and decreasing disk space article if the issue still persists.

Restoring changes made by AVG PC TuneUp

Few users reported that the AVG PC TuneUp made unwanted changes to their computers. We would like to inform you that your computer is protected by AVG Rescue Center which creates and manages backups of selected AVG PC TuneUp modules. Please follow the How to restore changes made to your computer by AVG PC TuneUp article if unwanted changes were made.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

AVG Memory & Cache Cleaner

VProtect Application

Please be informed that process vprot.exe (VProtect Application) is a legitimate part of the AVG toolbar. We have prepared the What is VProtect Application and vprot.exe article where you can find more information and instructions how to fix common issues.

AVG System tray notifications

System tray notifications are useful when you want to know what tasks AVG does on your computer. However some users may not be interested in such information so we’ve made it possible to disable these notifications. You can disable all at once or just those you are not interested in. Please follow the How to disable AVG system tray notifications article if you want to change AVG’s notifications.

My computer is infected

Many users are asking us how to proceed when they suspect that their computer has become infected. We have summarized the general procedure in the My computer is infected. What do I do now? article. If AVG is not already installed on the infected machine, we recommend going through the How to install AVG on an infected computer article.

AVG Toolbar and Secure Search uninstallation

If you want to completely remove the AVG Secure Search and/or AVG Toolbar and associated browser changes, please follow the How to remove AVG Toolbar, homepage and Secure Search from your browser article where you can find detailed instructions.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

AVG requesting system restart repeatedly

AVG users have reported that after updating, AVG is repeatedly requesting a system restart. This issue is caused by certain update files being unsuccessfully renamed during the update process.

Please proceed as follows to rectify the situation:

1. Navigate to the following folder (some files and folders are hidden by default operating system configuration):

C:\ProgramData\avg<VERSION>\cfg\

…or (if using Windows XP):

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\avg<VERSION>\cfg\

2. Verify that the updatecomps.cfg.prepare or updatecomps.bak file is present in this folder.

3. Delete the updatecomps.cfg file.

4. Rename the updatecomps.cfg.prepare or updatecomps.bak to updatecomps.cfg.

We recommend performing the complete AVG reinstallation if the issue is not rectified.

AVG Trial expired

When your trial version of AVG expires, you will receive the “Don’t lose your AVG protection!” message (the wording may vary).

There are two options how to resume AVG protection once the trial expires.

1) You can purchase a license for the advanced protection you were enjoying.

2) You can remove the Trial version and install AVG Free for continued basic protection.

Toolbar_log.txt

The AVG Toolbar log file (toolbar_log.txt) may rapidly increase its size under specific circumstances. The symptoms are computer slowdown, decreasing disk space and slowed-down internet connection. We have found the source of the issue and fix was already released as AVG Toolbar update. If you are still having any of described symptoms please re-install AVG toolbar using latest installation and follow the Slowdown of computer or internet connection and decreasing disk space article.

Download Failed – Virus Detected

Some users have reported difficulty downloading certain files from the internet after the most recent AVG update. This issue occurs under specific circumstances and the “Download Failed – Virus Detected” error message is displayed by your internet browser. We have prepared the Virus detected when downloading files from internet article which should help you in such cases.

Developers are already working on a permanent fix however data from various computer setups are required. Please go to this AVG Forums thread if you would like to participate.

AVG Toolbar and Secure Search uninstallation

If you want to completely remove the AVG Secure Search and/or AVG Toolbar and associated browser changes, please follow the How to remove AVG Toolbar, homepage and Secure Search from your browser article where you can find detailed instructions.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

When the AVG Trial has expired, users will receive the “Don’t lose your AVG protection!” message (the wording may vary).

There are two options how to resume AVG protection once the trial expires.

1) You can purchase a license for the advanced protection you were enjoying.

2) You can remove the Trial version and install AVG Free for continued basic protection

Strange rootkit detected?
Recently, a few AVG users reported the detection of an unknown rootkit infection. Although rootkit techniques could be used by legitimate applications for various purposes (e.g. copy protection), if you suspect that your machine has a malicios rootkit we recommend conducting a thorough scan of your system. More information about rootkits and how to remove them can be found in the following FAQ articles:
What is a rootkit?
How to deal with rootkits?

AVG Anti-Theft service

The AVG Anti-Theft service is designed to help and support AVG AntiVirus for Android users in case their mobile device is lost or stolen. This feature needs to be registered and requires active internet connection on your device. It is then possible to remotely Locate, Wipe, Shout or Lock your device through the Remote Management web interface.

Download Failed – Virus Detected

Some users have reported that the latest version of AVG is preventing them from downloading certain files from the internet. This issue occurs under specific circumstances and the “Download Failed – Virus Detected” error message is displayed by your internet browser. We have prepared the Virus detected when downloading files from internet article which should help you in such cases.

AVG PC TuneUp 2013 trial has expired

Once the AVG PC TuneUp trial expires, you will receive the “Keep your PC in tip-top condition – always!; Your trial period has expired!” pop-up (the wording may vary).

Please follow the What to do when your AVG PC TuneUp trial expires article to stop this pop-up.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

iTunes library is missing

Some of you reported that iTunes library is missing lately. We would like to inform you that new virus database (3162/6241) which contains fix was released today via automatic update. It is recommended to restore previous backup of iTunes library if it was removed. There are two options how to restore iTunes library:

1. From manually created backup.
2. From automatic backup.
   1. Display hidden folders and show file extensions.
   2. Navigate to iTunes library folder.
   3. Close iTunes and temporarily disable AVG.
   4. Find *.tmp file created on day when issue appeared for the first time.
   5. Copy and rename it to iTunes Library.itl.
   6. Run iTunes.

If the library is not loaded repeat steps 3-6 and try another *.tmp file.

Download Failed – Virus Detected

The ability of downloading files from the internet can be limited after upgrading your AVG to the latest version. This issue occurs under specific circumstances and the “Download Failed – Virus Detected” error message is displayed by your internet browser. We have prepared article which should help you in such cases.

AVG TuneUp for Android

We would like to announce that the AVG TuneUp for Android was released on 10^th of April. The AVG TuneUp optimizes smartphone or tablet for longer battery life, more stability and performance. You may find more details as well as download link here.

VProtect Application

Please be informed that process vprot.exe (VProtect Application) is legitimate part of the AVG toolbar. AVG toolbar is standalone application which can be uninstalled if you are no longer interested in it.

Trusted device in your network

The How to allow or block all connections for a particular IP address article may save some time to anyone who needs to allow or block network access to a specific device in his network. Such device could be a smart TV, NAS server, network scanner/printer, etc.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

iTunes library is missing

Some users have reported that the iTunes library is missing lately. We are happy to announce that we’ve released a fix for this with the most recent virus database (3162/6241) update which should update your system automatically. If you’ve already experienced this issue we would recommend restoring a previous backup of your iTunes library. There are two options how to restore iTunes library:

1. From manually created backup.
2. From automatic backup.
   1. Display hidden folders and show file extensions.
   2. Navigate to iTunes library folder.
   3. Close iTunes and temporarily disable AVG.
   4. Find *.tmp file created on day when issue appeared for the first time.
   5. Copy and rename it to iTunes Library.itl.
   6. Run iTunes.

If the library is not loaded repeat steps 3-6 and try another *.tmp file.

Download Failed – Virus Detected

After installing the latest version of AVG, some users have experienced difficulty downloading certain files from the web. This issue occurs under specific circumstances and the “Download Failed – Virus Detected” error message is displayed by your internet browser. We have prepared article which should help you in such cases.

AVG TuneUp for Android

We would like to announce that the AVG TuneUp for Android was released on April 10. The AVG TuneUp optimizes smartphone or tablet for longer battery life, more stability and performance. You may find more details as well as download link here.

VProtect Application

Please Note that process vprot.exe (VProtect Application) is legitimate part of the AVG toolbar. AVG toolbar is standalone application which can be uninstalled if you are no longer interested in it.

Trusted device in your network

The How to allow or block all connections for a particular IP address article may save some time to anyone who needs to allow or block network access to a specific device in his network. Such device could be a smart TV, NAS server, network scanner/printer, etc.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

iTunes library is missing

Some users have recently reported that iTunes library is missing. We’d like to inform you that fix was released on 5^th of April via automatic database update. Your iTunes library should be back after the update but library may have been already overwritten by iTunes. It is recommended to restore a previous backup in such cases. There are two options how to restore iTunes library:

• From manually created backup.
• From automatic backup.
• Display hidden folders and show file extensions.
• Navigate to iTunes library folder.
• Close iTunes and temporarily disable AVG.
• Find *.tmp file created on day when issue appeared for the first time.
• Copy and rename it to iTunes Library.itl.
• Run iTunes.

If the library is not loaded repeat steps 3-6 and try another *.tmp file.

Toolbar_log.txt

The AVG Toolbar log file (toolbar_log.txt) may rapidly increase its size under certain circumstances. The symptoms are computer slowdown, decreasing disk space and slowed-down internet connection. We have found source of the issue and have already issued a fix in the form of an AVG Toolbar update. If you are still having any of described symptoms please re-install AVG toolbar using latest installation and follow the Slowdown of computer or internet connection and decreasing disk space article.

AVG needs to be updated

Some users may receive a pop-up saying that their AVG needs to be updated.

This pop-up is legitimate and related to the latest AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 update and is recommended for all users. However, if you’ve cancelled the prompt or not received it and you would now like to update, just download the latest installation file and run Repair installation to install.

ScriptHelper.exe

After installing AVG, users may encounter the “A website wants to open web content using this program on your computer; Name: ScriptHelper.exe; Publisher: AVG Technologies” message when running Internet Explorer.

To remove this message, tick the “Do not show me the warning for this program again” option, and then click Allow. Please follow this article if this message is still displayed when running the Internet Explorer.

AVG PC TuneUp uninstallation

If you want to completely remove the AVG PC TuneUp please follow recommended steps in the How to uninstall AVG PC TuneUp article.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

We’re delighted to say that on Tuesday our Facebook community surpassed two million fans!

Our Facebook community brings us closer to the people who really matter our users, fans and supporters.  It also plays an important role in how we talk to and engage with our users so we understand what they want and what they need and how this feeds into AVG’s mission to simplify, optimize and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world.

And they tell us! Not only that but our Facebook page has become a positive, helpful online community for privacy or safety tips as well as AVG product help and our community members play a big part in that.

In fact we have a system in place to recognise and reward our most helpful community members, who assist others with their questions about our products and services.

We aim to keep inspiring conversation at the heart of our communities –whether on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or YouTube.  This is evidenced by the fact that not only have people joined our communities, but they have made it their daily destination for security news and updates.

We are also one of the first companies in our industry to launch a full-scale advocacy program that aims to find, encourage and reward those people who have good things to say about our brand. Along, with our award winning two million strong Facebook community, our You Tube page now has over seven million views and are industry leaders with over 117,000 Twitter followers.

If you want to see what all the buzz is about, you can learn more about us and our community below:

Http://www.facebook.com/AVGFree

http://www.twitter.com/AVGFree

http://www.youtube.com/OfficialAVG

AVG Anti-Theft service

The AVG Anti-Theft service is designed to help and support AVG AntiVirus for Android users in case their mobile device is lost or stolen. This feature needs to be registered and requires active internet connection on your device. It is possible to remotely Locate, Wipe, Shout or Lock your device through the Remote Management web interface then.

AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 released

We are happy to announce that the AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 (build 2013.0.3258 and higher) was released recently. This update contains many bug fixes, improvements and a new feature (Release Notes). AVG Quick Tune is now part of all paid versions of AVG. AVG Quick Tune keeps your PC running smoothly by regularly defragmenting your hard drive, removing junk files, eliminating broken short cuts and repairing your registry keys. Please download the latest installation file and run Repair installation to get AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 installed today.

AVG needs to be updated

Some of you may receive a pop-up saying that their AVG needs to be updated.

This pop-up is legitimate and related to the latest AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 update. we recommended installing this update.

False positive alarms

This week a few forum users reported experiencing false positive alarms. Any antivirus software may detect a legitimate application as malicious when a part of its code is similar to a code in newly created malware. AVG implements advanced anti-false mechanisms to minimize risk of false alarms to prevent this. We have prepared the AVG detects infection on file that I suppose to be clean article for such rare coincidence when AVG detects a clean file.

Installation/upgrade to AVG 2013 is incomplete

In some cases, the AVG 2013 installation doesn’t complete correctly. When the error dialogue appears, please click Go online to learn about this issue for specific instructions, if available. We have prepared the AVG installation is failing article which may help if no specific solution is provided. We also recommend running the Custom Installation and deselecting all available components to install core AVG components if the installation is still failing. Additional components can be added later if the installation is successful.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 released

We are happy to announce that the AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 (build 2013.0.3258 and higher) was released recently. This update contains many bug fixes, improvements and also a new feature (Release Notes). AVG Quick Tune is now part of all paid versions of AVG. AVG Quick Tune keeps your PC running smoothly by regularly defragmenting your hard drive, removing junk files, eliminating broken short cuts and repairing your registry keys. Please download latest installation file and run Repair installation to get AVG 2013 Service Pack 1 installed today.

How to set up AVG E-mail Scanner

AVG E-mail Scanner is able to scan e-mails without further configuration. However some e-mail providers uses specific settings and AVG E-mail Scanner has to be configured manually. We have prepared articles for most the popular providers – Gmail and AOL – and also general article How to set up servers for scanning e-mails – SSL communication for providers with secured connections.

AVG Add-in caused MS Outlook 2013 to crash

We have received reports that MS Outlook 2013 crashed due to an AVG 2013 Add-in. The “Outlook detected and add-in problem; AVG Add-in for MS Outlook; This add-in caused Outlook to crash” error message is displayed.

We would like to inform you that this issue is fixed in the latest version of AVG 2013 (build 2013.0.3258 and higher). Please download latest installation file and run Repair installation to fix this issue.

AVG Family Safety and iTunes

AVG Family Safety and iTunes 10.5 (and newer) may be in conflict under specific circumstances. Developers are working on a fix while temporary fix can be found here.

False positive alarms

We noticed a couple of false positive alarms reported on forums in the past week. Any AntiVirus software may detect a legitimate application sometimes when a part of its code is similar to a code in newly created malware. AVG implements advanced anti-false mechanisms to minimize risk of false alarms to prevent this. We have prepared the AVG detects infection on file that I suppose to be clean article for such rare coincidence when AVG detects a clean file.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts.

For businesses of all sizes, using the right equipment to do the job is a prerequisite for growth and ultimately success. You and your team need to trust the tools you use to work efficiently and accurately, without them breaking or slowing you down.

It’s why logistics companies update their fleet every few years, why companies move or update their office space regularly and, for that matter, why as consumers we upgrade our smartphones every 18 months at a push; 12 months if we can get a good enough deal.

But the same doesn’t always apply to businesses’ attitude to their IT networks, including the hardware systems and software programmes that help all companies to communicate, do research and marketing, access data, strategise, administer payroll and so on.

Technology companies upgrade their product lines every year with major releases complementing, in the case of software, regular tweaks and fixes that enhance user experience. It means old versions go out of date quickly – a fact that hands a competitive edge to businesses prepared to invest in the latest, quickest and most powerful systems.

A case in point is Microsoft’s Windows XP platform. An article published by The Economist journal in November suggests that use of XP peaked in 2007 when it provided the engine for some 80 per cent of the world’s computers. Late last year it was still the second most popular operating system in the world despite the release of Windows Vista, 7 and 8.

But despite more than one billion machines still running on XP, the IT industry has moved on. Mobile technologies and cloud services are now the order of the day. Official support from Microsoft for the XP platform will draw to a close in April 2014, meaning patches and fixes will no longer be available from official sources.

More to the point, XP has already fallen well behind its more modern counterparts in the security stakes. According to Microsoft Intelligence Security Report, the operating system is twice as vulnerable as Vista or Windows 7, and malware infection rates have increased sharply since security updates started drying up a few years ago.

This example alone is an important reminder that out-of-date technology can seriously encumber your business. The ‘stick’ is that old and obsolete IT equates to slowness and disruption; the ‘carrot’ is that having up-to-date IT means you have an opportunity to steal a march on your competitors.

Better IT means faster working, impressed and happy clients, deadlines met and employees satisfied. Upgrading is not an expense, rather an investment in growth, so it’s less a case of ‘can I afford to’ and more ‘can I afford not to’. Next time you upgrade your vehicles, premises or furniture, think: ‘could our network use the same treatment?’

By Dan Matthews

Dan Matthews is a business owner and journalist with more than 12 years’ experience writing in print and online.

Dan has written for, amongst others, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Financial Times, The Guardian and Growing Business Magazine.

Where can I send an Android malware app or false positive samples

We have prepared the Where can I send an Android malware app sample? article for situations when you have found a malicious Android app or AVG for Android (Mobilation) falsely detected legitimate application.

AVG Toolbar and Secure Search uninstallation

If you want to completely remove the AVG Secure Search and/or AVG Toolbar and associated browser changes, please follow the How to remove AVG Toolbar, homepage and Secure Search from your browser article where you can find detailed instructions.

General update error

A few users reported general error during AVG update this week. Although a cause of the issue varies across the individual cases, the AVG re-installation will rectify the problem in most cases.

AVG Add-in caused MS Outlook 2013 to crash

We have received reports that MS Outlook 2013 crashed due to AVG 2013 Add-in. The “Outlook detected and add-in problem; AVG Add-in for MS Outlook; This add-in caused Outlook to crash” error message is displayed.

We would like to inform you that the developers prepared fix for this issue which needs to be tested. If you would like to test it please follow this post on AVG Forums.

How to allow Files and printer sharing in AVG Firewall

If you cannot access files on the computer with AVG Firewall from another computer in your local network, it is most probably caused by disabled Files and printer sharing. The I cannot access files on a PC with AVG Firewall from another PC in my network article contains information how to allow it on your computer.

If you have any questions about any of these issues or need help resolving them, please contact AVG customer care experts