• Warning: be careful downloading open source apps via search – We’ve always been big proponents of open source software, but lately we’ve noticed a disturbing trend: open source software is being wrapped in crapware-laden installers and search engine ads designed to trick people. Among the ads you will find links to malicious or cr*ppy sites spoofing the likes of Audacity, VLC, Gimp, MPlayer, 7-Zip and CCleaner. Make sure you go to the proper site to download those tools.
• How to access blocked websites – If you live in a mediaeval regime that filters your internet access, then you're probably resigned to the fact that you won't be able to access many banned websites. However, if you're overlords are stupid they may not have blocked access to external DNS servers such as OpenDNS or Google's DNS system. Simply, change your DNS numbers on your router and have another try at viewing that banned site, you might get lucky and your mediaeval overlords will never know. (Don't blame us if they come banging on your door wielding chains and spikes though).
• US government takes down "Coreflood" botnet – US authorities have seized control of a criminal botnet that enslaved millions of computers and used their access to disable the malicious software on infected PCs.
• Microsoft Safety Scanner – Do you think your PC has a virus? The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free download that provides on-demand scanning and helps remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. It works with your existing antivirus software.
• Dropbox security response – Dropbox has responded to the recent security alert concerning its cloud storage app by pointing out that for the attack to work, a hacker would have to gain access to a user's computer. At that point "the security battle is already lost," they say, because the hacker would have access to every file on the computer. They compare it to stealing session cookies from a Web browser in order to impersonate a user, although they add that "there are measures that can be taken to make it more difficult (though not impossible) to gain access…which we'll consider in the future."
• AOL shuts down Switched, DownloadSquad – Is AOL stupid. The answer is obviously, yes. News staff and editors may be leaving other AOL-owned websites, namely the much-reported-about Engadget resignations, but some websites aren't seeing their staff quit—they're essentially all being let go. DownloadSquad and Switched have announced today that they are being closed down. These are two of the most popular tech sites on the web but AOL's sh*tty anti-journalism business model sees them as surplus to requirements. Why is it that a failing corporation can get away with buying up all the toys and then be allowed to throw them out of its pram?

David Bradley selects six stories from the technology sector