This week we learned how to disable scan and fix for removable drives in Windows, quickly create new Google documents with a shortcut or hotkey, lock the screen orientation on an iPad with iOS 4.2, have fun cleaning up after a snow storm with Friday Fun, and see the tech that the writers at How-To Geek are thankful for.

Photo by Artifex creation.

Weekly Feature

Brighten your desktop with sparkling images of holiday celebration and winter wonder in this Windows 7 theme from Microsoft. The theme comes with 17 beautiful holiday wallpapers to get you in a Christmas and wintry frame of mind.

Photo by Asian Angel.

Holiday Lights Theme for Windows 7

Random Geek Links

This week we have extra content for you here with information that is good to know.

Photo by CNET News.

• U.S. seizes sites linked to copyright infringement
  The U.S. government has launched a major crackdown on online copyright infringement, seizing dozens of Web site domains linked to illegal file sharing and counterfeit goods.
• Cyber Monday: Beware the malware
  It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving and you’re sitting at your work computer suffering from food coma. Too bloated to get any real work done, you decide to do something that doesn’t occupy too much of the brain–online Christmas shopping.
• Report: Infected Web sites double in 2010
  The number of Web sites infected with malware has doubled from a year ago to more than 1.2 million, according to a study released by Internet security company Dasient.
• Study: Fifth of Facebook users exposed to malware
  20 percent of Facebook users are exposed to malicious posts in their “news feeds” of friends’ activity, generally defined as posts that, when clicked on, result in “the user’s account being hijacked and in malware being automatically posted on the walls of the respective user’s friends.”
• Secunia’s domain hijacked
  Attackers seized control of security firm Secunia’s top domain and set it up in such a way that a visit to secunia.com displayed a message from the hacker group instead of the company’s actual home page.
• Sophos: Malware threats greater risk than Stuxnet
  Security specialist Paul Ducklin has “rubbished” the latest Stuxnet development published by Sky News, calling it “inaccurate, inflammatory and irresponsible”.
• Mac OS X no longer a safe haven
  Mac OS X users are no longer “safe from attacks” on a platform that is “no different from others”.
• Windows 7 0-Day Vulnerability Bypasses UAC
  Details of a zero-day vulnerability impacting Windows 7 but also Windows Vista and Windows XP have been published in the wild. *Includes video of the exploit in action.
• Android vulnerability permits data theft
  Security expert Thomas Cannon has discovered a security vulnerability in the Android browser which can be exploited by attackers to read local files when a smartphone user visits a crafted web site.
• Report: European ATM skimmer attacks on the rise
  According to the European ATM Security Team (EAST), ATM skimming attacks are on the rise in Europe.
• Stuxnet just the tip of the iceberg
  Security experts from the SANS Institute said that they have found multiple instances of Stuxnet-like malware tailored to attack specific industrial systems.
• Exploit released for unpatched Stuxnet hole
  Microsoft has already patched three of the four security holes targeted by Stuxnet, but an exploit currently being circulated on the web targets the remaining hole in the Windows Task Planner.
• Report: Stuxnet code being sold on black market
  According to a report from Sky News, the Stuxnet worm has already been traded on the black market.
• So… whatever happened to Google’s Chrome OS?
  So where is it? In June 2009, Google officials said to expect Chrome OS to ship in the second half of 2010. In mid-November 2010, CEO Eric Schmidt said Chrome OS was still a few months away.

Geek Video of the Week

All of your favorite old-skool video game characters do battle in a platform racing showdown! And you just may be surprised at who the winner turns out to be.

Photo by Eyspire.

Classic video game characters in a race

Random TinyHacker Links

• TIME’s Greatest Gadgets List
  Check out this list of the 100 greatest gadgets since 1923, according to TIME Magazine.
• How to Stream Music From Your Computer to Android Phone
  A guide to help you stream music from your computer to your Android phone.
• How Many Companies Google Has Bought?
  An interesting infographic showing the companies that Google has bought so far this calendar year.
• Cookie Monster Auditions for Saturday Night Live [Video]
  Join Cookie Monster in his campaign to be a host for Saturday Night Live.
• Angry Birds Peace Treaty (NSFW language) [Video]
  The mobile game comes to life in this Israeli parody.

Super User Questions

See what people have been talking about over at Super User this week.

• Prepare desktop for a long-distance move
• Alternatives to Windows Home Server Drive Extender?
• How to paste Print Screen on MS Paint automatically when press “PrtScr” button?
• How to show date with clock when Windows 7 taskbar is vertical?
• Why is there usually a folder called 1033 in Microsoft Folders?

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

Did you have a crazy holiday and now you are behind on your HTG reading? Get caught up with our five hottest articles from this past week.

• How To Harmonize Your Dual-Boot Setup for Windows and Ubuntu
• How to Use the Kaspersky Rescue Disk to Clean Your Infected PC
• How to Display a Quote On Your Desktop Using Rainmeter
• Improve Digital Photography by Calibrating Your Monitor
• The Eightfold Noble Geek Path

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

Travel back in time to one year ago and see the great topics that we were writing about then.

• How To Find Commands and Functions in Office 2007 the Easy Way
• Print Only What You Want with Printliminator
• Move Live Messenger Icon to the System Tray in Windows 7
• Add the Recycle Bin to the Taskbar in Windows 7
• Stupid Geek Tricks: Create a Shortcut to Quickly Edit Your Hosts File

The Geek Note

That is all we have for you this week. We hope that you and your families enjoy the remainder of your holiday break! Know about a new awesome software app, website, or other geeky goodness? Send it in to us at tips@howtogeek.com.

Photo by smithereen11.