Steve Gibson (computer programmer): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:08, 2 February 2023

Revision as of 09:36, 18 February 2023

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GRC has created a number of [[utility software|utilities]], most of which are [[freeware]].<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Luo |url=http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/fileadmin/cp_archive/pdf/0303/0303_Psyberpsy.pdf |title=Open-source and general public license programs cost little or nothing. Are they right for your practice? |work=Current Psychiatry |date=March 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Daniel S. |last=Coolidge |work=GPSolo Magazine |date=January–February 2006 |url=http://www.americanbar.org/newsletter/publications/gp_solo_magazine_home/gp_solo_magazine_index/cybervermin.html |title=Cyber-Vermin: Dealing with Dangerous Fauna Infesting the Internet}}</ref>

* DNS Benchmark, freeware that lets users test the performance of the ___domain name servers used by their internet service providers.<ref>{{cite webnews |author=Softpedia |url=http://www.softpedia.com/get/Network-Tools/Network-Testing/DNS-Benchmark.shtml |title=DNS Benchmark |work=Softpedia |access-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref>

* Securable, freeware to test whether a pre-[[Windows 7]] computer is 64-bit compatible. It also tells the user whether [[Data Execution Prevention]] is enabled.<ref>{{cite book |first=Jorge |last=Orchilles |title=Microsoft Windows 7 Administrator's Reference: Upgrading, Deploying, Managing, and Securing Windows 7 |publisher=Syngress |year=2010 |isbn=9781597495622 |page=10}}</ref>

* [[Shields Up]], a free browser-based firewall testing service; one of the oldest available<ref>{{cite web |first=J. D. |last=Biersdorfer |work=The New York Times |date=April 6, 2010 |url=http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/qatorching-your-firewall-on-purpose/?_r=0 |title=Q.&A.: Torching Your Firewall — On Purpose}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Woody |last=Leonhard |title=Windows XP Timesaving Techniques For Dummies |url=https://archive.org/details/windowsxptimesav00leon |url-access=registration |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2005 |isbn=9780764596179 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/windowsxptimesav00leon/page/429 429–30]}}</ref>

* [[SpinRite]], a [[hard disk]] scanning and [[data recovery]] utility first released in 1988.<ref name="pcmag1">{{cite news |title=First Looks |first1=Edward |last1=Mendelson |author-link1=Edward Mendelson |first2=Craig L. |last2= Stark |work=PC Magazine |date=October 11, 1988 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_H7d93IWwogC&q=spinrite&pg=PA38}}</ref> {{as of|2019|01}} the current version was 6.0,<ref name=SpinRite>{{cite web |work=GRC.com |url=https://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm |title=SpinRite |access-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref> which was first released in 2004.<ref>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Mainelli |work=PCWorld |date=August 2, 2004 |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/117080/article.html |title=Review: SpinRite 6 to the Rescue}}</ref> SpinRite is a commercial product, costing {{US$|89}} {{as of|2021|07|lc=y}}.<ref name=SpinRite/> Gibson's work on SpinRite has led to him being considered an expert on hard drive failure.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nate |last=Anderson |work=Ars Technica |date=February 25, 2007 |url=https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2007/02/8917/ |title=Experts: No cure in sight for unpredictable hard drive loss}}</ref>

* Spoofarino, freeware released in 2006 and promised since the controversy over the launch of Windows&nbsp;XP in 2001, it enables users to test whether their internet service providers allow them to send forged or "spoofed" packets of data to Gibson's Web site.<ref name=SpoofarinoLaunch>{{cite news |first=Rob |last=Rosenberger |work=Spyware Point |date=April 1, 2006 |url=http://www.spywarepoint.com/steve-gibson-finally-releases-ddos-attack-tool-t56793.html |title=Steve Gibson finally releases DDoS attack tool}}</ref>

* Never10, standalone freeware program that toggles registry values in Windows&nbsp;7, 8, and 8.1, which either disables or enables Microsoft's Get Windows&nbsp;10 app and automatic OS upgrade. As of version 1.3, it also triggers the removal of any previously downloaded [[Windows&nbsp;10]] upgrade files as part of the disable function.<ref>{{cite webnews|title=Steve Gibson's Never 10 Helps You Turn Off the Windows 10 Upgrade|url=https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/65706/steve-gibsons-never-10-helps-turn-off-windows-10-upgrade-announcement|website=thurrott.com|date=March 28, 2016|access-date=April 30, 2016|last1=Thurrott |first1=Paul }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=This simple app will block Microsoft from downloading Windows 10 on your PC|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/never-10-stops-windows-10-upgrade-2016-3|access-date=April 30, 2016|publisher=businessinsider.com}}</ref> He has also stated that he is producing "Never11", to stop automatic upgrading to [[Windows&nbsp;11]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grc.com/sn/sn-857.htm|title=Security Now! Transcript of Episode #857}}</ref>

* InSpectre, a utility that examines a computer's vulnerability to the [[Meltdown (security vulnerability)|Meltdown]] and [[Spectre (security vulnerability)|Spectre]] attacks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/inspectre-lets-you-quickly-check-if-your-pc-vulnerable-meltdown-and-spectre |title=InSpectre will quickly check if your PC is vulnerable to Meltdown and Spectre |last=Thorp-Lancaster |first=Dan |date=January 17, 2017 |work=Windows Central |publisher=Mobile Nations |access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref>

* InitDisk, a tool that was developed for GRC's next release of SpinRite(6.1). It's a safe [[USB]] drive formatter that allows the user to reformat any USB device and make it bootable.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.grc.com/initdisk.htm |title=GRC InitDisk}}</ref>