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Bleeping Computer
The word "BLEEPINGCOMPUTER" is displayed in white lowercase letters over a dark blue background.
Type of site
Technology news and computer help
Available inEnglish
OwnerBleeping Computer LLC.
Created byLawrence Abrams
URLwww.bleepingcomputer.com
RegistrationOptional
Launched26 January 2004; 20 years ago (2004-01-26)[1]
Current statusOnline

Bleeping Computer is a website covering technology news and offering free computer help via its forums that was created by Lawrence Abrams in 2004.[2] It publishes news focusing heavily on cybersecurity, but also covers other topics including computer software, computer hardware, operating system and general technology.

In 2018, Bleeping Computer was added as an associate partner to the Europol NoMoreRansom project[3] for the ransomware information and decryption tools provided by the site.

History

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BleepingComputer was founded in 2004 after Abrams could not find existing technical support sites that could offer easy-to-understand instructions for his friends and family.[2]

The domain name bleepingcomputer.com originates from the sounds made by a broken computer and because a user might want to curse at a computer when it does not work properly.[2]

Since the CryptoLocker ransomware attack in September 2013, and a subsequent DDoS of the site due to its reporting on the new malware,[4] Bleeping Computer has been reporting on new ransomware families as they are released.[5]

Content

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The articles published at Bleeping Computer are categorized as news articles, tutorials and virus removal guides. Its content includes searchable databases for looking up Windows start-up programs and uninstall entries, as well as a free Internet forum to receive computer help.

The site covers news released by researchers and companies, but also performs in-house investigative reporting [6] and analysis of ransomware[7] and malware. [8]

Free decryptors to unlock files encrypted by various ransomware families have been released through the forums or the site's news section by third-party researchers.[9]

Government agencies have included Bleeping Computer cybersecurity articles and analysis in numerous advisories.[10][11]

Bleeping Computer's reporting has been cited by major media that cover technology and IT security news.[12]

The site used to offer a malware removal training program[13] through its forums that teaches volunteers how to remove Windows infections using various tools, including Combofix, HijackThis, DDS,[14] OTL, GMER, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Rkill,[15] developed by Abrams.

In October 2020, there were over 840,000 registered members on the site.[citation needed]

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In early February 2016, Enigma Software, the developers of the anti-malware suite SpyHunter, filed a lawsuit[16] against Bleeping Computer in response to a negative review of SpyHunter, alleging a campaign to damage the reputation of their company and product.[17] Bleeping Computer requested financial aid from its readers to help pay legal fees arising from the lawsuit.[18] At the beginning of August 2016, Bleeping Computer filed[19] its own lawsuit against Enigma Software for an alleged long-running smear campaign against Bleeping Computer.[19] The lawsuit against BleepingComputer ended in settlement, with BleepingComputer removing Quietman7's posts on Enigma Software's product.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bleeping Computer Technical Support Forums". Bleeping Computer. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Behind the scenes of a free PC troubleshooting helpsite: Interview with BleepingComputer". Emsisoft | Security Blog. 17 February 2016. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Join the global 'No More Ransom' initiative to help more victims fight back". Europol. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Information regarding October 10th's DDOS attack". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Articles tagged with Ransomware". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Garmin outage caused by confirmed WastedLocker ransomware attack". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "Canon confirms ransomware attack in internal memo". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  7. ^ "DarkSide: New targeted ransomware demands million dollar ransoms". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Fake VPN Site Pushes CryptBot and Vidar Info-Stealing Trojans". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  9. ^ "TeslaDecoder released to decrypt .EXX, .EZZ, .ECC files encrypted by TeslaCrypt". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "ECh0raix Ransomware Decryptor Restores QNAP Files For Free". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "Windows Ransomware Decryptors Downloads". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Petya Ransomware". CISA. 15 February 2018. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "Microsoft Operating Systems BlueKeep Vulnerability". CISA. 17 June 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "Customer Alerts: Frauds and Scams". US Treasury. Archived from the original on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "Cybersecuritybeeld Nederland CSBN 2019" (PDF) (in Dutch). Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding en Veiligheid. Retrieved 6 January 2019.[dead link]
    - "LokiBot Malware". CISA. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Emotet Malware". CISA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Easy-to-use ransomware code discovered". BBC News. 4 January 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
    - Turkel, Dan (9 January 2016). "Hackers are now offering 'customer support' to the victims they extort money from". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
    - Storm, Darlene (10 August 2016). "Thugs developing cat-themed ransomware for Androids and Hitler ransomware for PCs". Computer World. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
    - "Cybercrime Gets Personal". Time. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
    - Smith, Ms. (27 September 2016). "Ransomware targets government, others honor Donald Trump and Voldemort". Network World. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
    - "Malware Uses Fake PCMag Review as 'Proof'". PCMag. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
    - Chokshi, Niraj (22 May 2019). "Hackers Are Holding Baltimore Hostage: How They Struck and What's Next". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - Bajak, Frank. "Garmin acknowledges cyberattack, doesn't mention ransomware". Washington Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - Crothers, Brooke (5 December 2019). "Smith & Wesson targeted in cyberattack, report says". Fox News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - "Cognizant hit by 'Maze' ransomware attack". Reuters. 19 April 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    - Stanglin, Doug. "N.C. county rejects hackers' $26K ransom demand to unlock infected computers". USA Today. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  13. ^ Elise. "Malware Removal Training Program - Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Help". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Am I Infected? What do I do? How do I get help? Who is helping me? - Am I infected? What do I do?". Bleeping Computer. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  15. ^ "RKill - What it does and What it Doesn't - A brief introduction to the program - Anti-Virus, Anti-Malware, and Privacy Software". Bleeping Computer. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Enigma Software sues BleepingComputer for a smear campaign". Digital Trends. 8 February 2016. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  17. ^ Smith, Ms. (3 February 2016). "BleepingComputer under free speech attack as SpyHunter makers sue over bad review". Network World. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Help BleepingComputer Defend Freedom of Speech". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  19. ^ a b "BleepingComputer's lawsuit document" (PDF). Bleepstatic. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  20. ^ Abrams, Lawrence (1 March 2017). "Press Release". BleepingComputer. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
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