"Program Checker" useful new tool

[Carol Haynes]

Still in the early stage but looks like a useful tool. Basically a constantly updated catalogue is being built of .exe files (I have suggested DLLs be added too) and each safe file is being "check-summed". This little utility scans your system for exe files and compares the checksums to ensure you have a pukka copy.

The database is already substantial but needs to grow (and be extended in scope) to be really useful but it looks like a really good start.

Note there appears to be a slight scripting bug in the initial release (just a script error when displaying the user interface) but it is being addressed and doesn't affect the functionality of the program.

Check here for details.

[mouser]

seems like a fantastic idea to me.

note there are similar looking programs which checksum files on your computer and report when one has changed, which can also be very useful for security purposes.

but this program is doing something different - its maintaining a centralized list of official known trustworthy versions of programs, and checking yours against its centralized list, which might be a little troublesome privacy-wise, but seems good from a security standpoint.

[free for personal use].

[Carol Haynes]

No privacy issue I can see. When the program starts it updates its database on your system and then compares your files to the downloaded list.

As far as I can tell no information is sent to their server.

Within the program you can submit applications for inclusion but the data being sent is displayed and you have the option of adding name and email address only if you want - otherwise as far as I can tell no other information is sent.

Basically it is like most of this sort of program the more people use it the better it will get. Hopefully at least DLLs will be added (currently it just looks at EXE files) and I would like to see ActiveX controls added since they seem to be the biggest spreaders of trouble under windows!