There is a vast array of security products

Three tips to avoid the black screen and death of windows successfully

Originally reported by security firm Prevx , the black screen of death issuewas believed to have been caused by updates issued by Microsoft on the November Patch Tuesday.The combination of a headline like "Black Screenwoes could affect millions on Windows7, Vista and XP" and the fact that Prevx didn't bother to contact Microsoft about the issue suggest that Prevxwas primarily interested in sensational publicity for itself.

Microsoft investigated the issue and determined that its patches are not toblame . Prevx followed up with a post apologizing to Microsoft for the inconvenience, and admittingthat the root cause that triggers the black screenof death is, in fact, not related to Microsoft's patches. The prevailing theory now is that it is related to a malware infection, mostllikely somethingfrom the Daonol family of Trojans.

All FUD aside, there does seem to be an actual black screen of death issue, it just isn't impacting "millions" of Windows 7, Vista, and XP systems. Maybe hundreds. Here arethree tips to help ensure your Windows PC doesn't become one of the afflicted:

1.Keep I have a secret for you--most malware exploits known vulnerabilities for which patches already exist. Sure, there are zero-day vulnerabilities as well, but one of the best defenses against malwareof all kinds is to simply ensure that your operating system and theapplications you use have all of the latest patches applied.

2.Protect Against Malware. If its true that the black screen of deathis caused by some variant of the Daonol family of Trojans, then itmakes sense that anti-malware software could protect your PC fromit.

There is a vast array of security products for Windows PC's--both free and commercial. Microsoft offers its anti-malware security software, MicrosoftSecurity Essentials , for free.

3.Run the Fix. While Prevx was mistaken about the Microsoft updates being guilty for causing the black screen of death, it still has apretty solid reputation as a security vendor and its research into theroot cause that triggers the issue seems to be accurate.