''Bleeping Computer'' is a website covering technology news and offering free computer help via its forums that was created by Lawrence Abrams in 2004.
It publishes news focusing heavily on cybersecurity, but also covers other topics including
computer software
Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work.
At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...
,
computer hardware,
operating system
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs.
Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also i ...
and general technology.
In 2018, ''Bleeping Computer'' was added as an associate partner to the
Europol NoMoreRansom project for the ransomware information and decryption tools provided by the site.
History
''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.
The domain name bleepingcomputer.com originates from the sounds made by a broken computer and because you want to curse at a computer when it does not work properly.
Since the
CryptoLocker ransomware attack in September 2013, and a subsequent
DDoS of the site due to its reporting on the new malware, ''Bleeping Computer'' has been reporting on new ransomware families as they are released.
Content
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
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are at least temporar ...
to receive computer help.
The site covers news released by researchers and companies, but also performs in-house investigative reporting and analysis of ransomware and malware.
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.
Government agencies have included ''Bleeping Computer'' cybersecurity articles and analysis in numerous advisories.
''Bleeping Computer's'' reporting has been cited by major media that cover technology and IT security news.
The site offers a malware removal training program through its forums that teaches volunteers how to remove Windows infections using various tools, including Combofix,
HijackThis
HijackThis (also HiJackThis or HJT) is a free and open-source tool to detect malware and adware on Microsoft Windows. It was originally created by Merijn Bellekom, and later sold to Trend Micro. The program is notable for quickly scanning a user's ...
, DDS, OTL,
GMER
GMER is a software tool written by a Polish researcher Przemysław Gmerek, for detecting and removing rootkits. It runs on Microsoft Windows and has support for Windows NT, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10. With version 2.0.18327 full support for Wind ...
,
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Rkill, developed by Abrams.
In October 2020, there were over 840,000 registered members on the site.
Legal issues
In early February 2016,
Enigma Software, the developers of the anti-malware suite ''
SpyHunter
''SpyHunter'' is a vehicular combat game. It is a remake and sequel of the 1983 arcade game of the same name first released for PlayStation 2 in 2001. It has since been ported to GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, OS X, and T ...
'', filed a lawsuit against ''Bleeping Computer'' in response to a negative review of ''SpyHunter'', alleging a campaign to damage the reputation of their company and product. ''Bleeping Computer'' requested financial aid from its readers to help pay legal fees arising from the lawsuit. At the beginning of August 2016, ''Bleeping Computer'' filed
its own lawsuit against Enigma Software for an alleged long-running smear campaign against ''Bleeping Computer''.
The lawsuit against ''BleepingComputer'' ended in settlement, with ''BleepingComputer'' removing Quietman7's posts on Enigma Software's product.
See also
*
Technology journalism
References
External links
*{{Official website, www.bleepingcomputer.com
Computing websites
Internet forums
Community websites
Internet properties established in 2004
American technology news websites