Hopping around the web downloading programs willy-nilly is a surefire way of putting your PC's security software to the test. Think you're in the clear if you download judiciously? If only! According to Microsoft, 1 out of every 14 programs downloaded by Windows users contains malware. What's worse, even though Internet Explorer 9 has multiple layers of security designed to protect surfers from socially engineered malware attacks, 5 percent of IE9 users blatantly ignore the warnings.

The entire source code for the Zeus trojan is now floating around the web within easy reach of any would-be miscreant who aspires to modify the code for their own evil deeds. Security firm CSIS discovered the source code being sold on at least two black market forums back in late March, and now says the crime kit is being leaked to the public on several underground forums and through other channels.

So the big news over the weekend is that U.S. forces tracked down and killed Osama bin Laden in a gunfight, who was later buried at sea. To be clear, the 'PC' in 'Maximum PC' doesn't stand for 'Politically Correct' or else we'd be all over this. Rather than open that can of worms, as topics on politics, religion, and capital punishment tend to do, we'll instead point out that scammers are using bin Laden's death to spread malware. Color us not the least bit surprised.

How many times have you been called to fix a PC that was invested with malware, only to discover that the user fell for one of the oldest tricks in the malware Bible, fake AV and utility programs? It's a common occurrence because, well, it simply works. Fake AV programs disguised as legitimate security software is getting tougher to discern from the real deal, and that's bad news for less savvy computer users. Security vendor McAfee put together a "Dirty Dozen" list of the most common fake AV software and utilities, and some of the entries might just surprise you.