Could Your Email Compromise Your Safety?

Hackers, phishers, viruses, worms…simply having your computer online can expose your data and personal information to all kinds of malicious and worrisome problems. If you’re somewhat new to the 'net' or to computers in general, these four tips could help protect you from identity theft, credit card fraud, or a complete computer takeover – all of which can happen without you even knowing about it! 1. What’s in Your Inbox? – If your e-mail program allows you to preview the entire message before or while it is being downloaded, turn this setting off. Some e-mails can contain dangerous code that could unknowingly compromise your computer and leave you vulnerable to viruses, worms or worse! Check the options in your e-mail program for a way to disable the message preview pane. 2. Scrutinize Your Messages – Don’t ever respond to messages claiming to be from your bank, credit card company, or other financial institution, which ask for personally identifiable information such as card or account numbers, passwords, or other private information – even if the e-mail looks to have come from the actual company. It may be a hoax designed to get you to unknowingly part with crucial financial or private contact information, leaving you vulnerable to credit card fraud, identity theft or credit card theft. Contact the institution or company that claims to be sending the e-mail and verify the contents of the message with them. Chances are – they never sent it. Only use the number on your statement though, and not the number that appears in the e-mail message. It may direct you right to the scammer, who will do everything they can to assure you that nothing is wrong! 3. If it’s From a Friend, it must be Safe, Right? – It’s logical to assume that a message from your friend or colleague is safe, but that isn’t always the case! If you receive an email from a friend or colleague which contains an attachment (could be a media clip, a screensaver, a picture or anything else), call them up to check and see if they really did send it. Many viruses and worms can hijack your computer and blast out a virus-ridden email to everyone in your address book, making it appear that it came from you and therefore, making it appear trustworthy. 4. Read Your Messages in Plain Text – Some e-mails written in HTML (the coding language that makes up many web pages) can be harmless. Others can contain malicious code that can hijack your e-mail program, browser, or your entire computer – and send your personal and financial information out to a hacker or scammer without you even knowing about it! Stay safe by setting your e-mail program to only show messages in plain text format (often in the options or settings section of the software). This will prevent threatening code from installing itself and compromising your system and private information. Possibly one of the best ways to protect your e-mail is simply by exercising common sense. The Internet is a lot like a crowded plaza. Would your banker or credit card lender walk out into the middle of the throng of people and shout out to you to ask for your account information? Would you tell him where everyone could hear? Definitely not! The same caution should be exercised when checking your e-mail. These tips can help you stop scammers dead in their tracks while keeping you from becoming another victim of fraud or theft.

Computer-Virus Writer's: A Few Bats In The Belfry?

"Male. Obsessed with computers. Lacking a girlfriend. Aged 14 to 34. Capable of creating chaos worldwide." The above description is the profile of the average computer-virus writer, according to Jan Hruska, the chief executive of British-based Sophos PLC, the world's fourth-largest anti-virus solutions provider. "They have a chronic lack of girlfriends, are usually socially inadequate and are drawn compulsively to write self- replicating codes. It's a form of digital graffiti to them," Hruska added. To create and spread cyber infections, virus writers explore known bugs in existing software, or look for vulnerabilities in new versions. With more and more new OS (operating system) versions, there will be more new forms of viruses, as every single software or OS will carry new features, and new executables that can be carriers of the infection. Executables are files that launch applications in a computer's operating system, and feature more prominently in new platforms like Microsoft's Windows 2000 and Windows XP than they did in the older DOS or Windows 3.1. Virus writers also share information to create variants of the same infection, such as the Klez worm, which has been among the world's most prolific viruses. The Klez, a mass-mailing worm that originated in November 2001, propagates via e-mail using a wide variety of messages and destroys files on local and network drives. But the news gets worse. Recent events have uncovered what may be a new trend: spammers paying virus writers to create worms that plant an open proxy, which the spammer then can use to forward spam automatically. Many suspect this occurred with the SoBig virus. The Sobig worms, began spreading in the early part of 2003. The unusual thing about them was they contained an expiration date and were given a short life cycle to see how features worked in the wild. Having an expiration date also makes the virus more dangerous, because most people would have been alerted to the new worm within a few weeks and anti-virus definitions would have been updated. A variant of Sobig, Sobig-F was so efficient that just a few infected machines could send thousands of messages. Sobig-F created a denial-of-service effect on some networks, as e- mail servers became clogged with copies of the worm. According to Mikko Hypponen, manager of anti-virus research for Finland-based F-Secure Corp, Sobig-F sent an estimated 300 million copies of itself. Computer Economics, Inc. states, "Nearly 63,000 viruses have rolled through the Internet, causing an estimated $65 billion in damage." However criminal prosecutions have been few, penalties light and just a handful of people have gone to prison for spreading the destructive bugs. Why is so little being done? Antiquated laws and, for many years, as crazy as it sounds, a "wink, wink" or even admiring attitude toward virus creators. One person has been sent to prison in the United States and just two in Britain, authorities say. But the low numbers are "not reflective of how seriously we take these cases, but more reflective of the fact that these are very hard cases to prosecute," said Chris Painter, the deputy chief of computer crimes at the U.S. Department of Justice. So what can you do to protect yourself against computer viruses? Well, first and foremost, make sure you have proven anti-virus protection like like Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus or McAfee's ViruScan. In addition, If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend installing Microsoft's Service Pack 2. SP2 tightens your PC's security with a new Windows Firewall, an improved Automatic Updates feature, and a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer. Plus, the newly minted Security Center gives you one easy-to-use interface for keeping tabs on your PC's security apps. "Male. Obsessed with computers. Lacking a girlfriend. Aged 14 to 34. Capable of creating chaos worldwide." Now, I'm no psychiatrist, but to me, the above description sounds more like someone with a few "bats in the belfry!"

Computer Hardware Preventive Maintenance Software -

Computers often break down at the worst of all times. These problems can be averted, or at least minimized with preventive maintenance. Several methods of keeping computer hardware in good working order deal with the external components of the computer, such as the keyboard and monitor. For example, it is important to keep the processor away from excess heat and moisture. There are also computer hardware preventive maintenance software programs that can help with the upkeep of other internal aspects of a computer. While it is rare to find a CMMS that works on all of a computer’s hardware, many different programs can be utilized simultaneously. Some computers have periodic automatic updates available that can be downloaded and used to improve the computer’s performance. Other software programs, known as disk defragmenters, manage hard drive space so that software programs take less time to access. Programs known as hardware diagnostic utilities can check the computer’s hardware components and alert the user about any potential failures. Since some new hardware will not always work on all computers and could cause existing hardware to malfunction, it is important to have a CMMS program to ensure that the new hardware is compatible with existing hardware. Antivirus programs are another important component of computer hardware preventive maintenance software. Computer viruses have become increasingly common in recent years and can render a good computer useless. While computer viruses mainly attack software programs, they can ruin hardware as well. Several manufacturers make reliable antivirus software. A couple of well-known companies are Norton and McAfee. As with much preventive maintenance software, these programs are usually available for a free trial period before the user must pay a subscription fee. Computer hardware preventive maintenance software is necessary to keep computers in good working order. This software manages aspects of computer hardware that would be difficult and time-consuming for even the most computer savvy users.

COMPUTER COURTESY

The tips that follow should help you to write e-mail that will be well received every time Pay attention to punctuation, spelling, grammar and capitals. It shows that you value us and that you’ve thought about what you’ve written rather than an off-the-cuff rushed message in the heat of the moment. Your subject line should be descriptive, especially when we get so many emails or if we like to save the emails in a file. It’d be great a practice to start the subject with “Recipient or group name” then a hyphen, your subject (specific and changed for each email), another hyphen and then the date. E.g. Thea–Email tips attached–15Oct05 Make the subject crystal clear. Use short paragraphs and leave lines between them. This makes for more easy and quick reading when you experience a lot of email activity on a regular basis. Tidy up all those ">" characters when replying or forwarding. I use a handy tool for this http://www.dsoft.com.tr/stripmail/ I’ve downloaded it and I keep it on my desktop. Check the source of any "news" or "chain" mailings before passing on. Here is a good resource for that: http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/ Avoid sending unsolicited, large attachments. That 3MB movie file may be the funniest thing you've seen for a long time, but don't automatically send it to everyone to know. Ask them first if they want to receive it. A great tool for large file sending is http://www.yousendit.com/ Ensure that your PC is protected against viruses. Your virus scanner might not protect against Spyware and Adware. Good quality free tools are: ~ http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5 ~ http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ ~ http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm ~ Remember to set your email service to scan viruses for emails coming in and out. Use lower case font. When in all capitals, it is harder to read and may be perceived as aggressive. Thou shalt not spam! Go to http://www.acma.gov.au/ACMAINTER.65690:STANDARD:298294164:pc=PC_1965 Or click here for same http://yatuc.com/a0 Another handy tool http://yatuc.com/index.php?lang=en Re-read your message before sending. Read it from the perspective of the recipient. Consider first if your message needs the “Reply To All” treatment, or if it is sufficient to simply “Reply To Sender” only. Always ask permission if wanting to pass another's contact details forward. If you need to keep another’s email details hidden when you “Cc:” then place their email address in the “Bcc:” text box. Limit your “non-group related topic” emails to e.g. one per week, when using the group email option. Keep emails short i.e. to a single screen page. When it’s a more complicated issue to discuss, why not use the telephone and speak? In emails to busy people, tell recipients if/when you do/don’t want a reply. Be mindful of when you use the ‘priority’ or the ‘request receipt’ options (these are under ‘Tools’ and ‘Message’ when you have email open & ready to send). Less use has greater impact when you need it. Is it clear who’s the sender? Use an email signature that has contact details and change the “From:” option for your emails. As an email signature I use http://www.addbranding.com/ or you can go to your task bar Tools, Options, Signatures. To change what shows in the “From:” box, go to Tools, Accounts, Properties and change “Your Name:” in User Information. It won’t impact account settings, it’s safe to do.

Can You Survive In An Online World?

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved http://www.thenetreporter.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Do you have the skills to make it in a computer driven, increasingly online world? Your immediate, knee-jerk reaction may be "Yes! Of course I have the skills. I know how to send and receive email and surf the web. I can even download and install files." Well, three or four years ago, email, Web surfing and downloading files qualified you as "electronically literate," but not any more! Computer and online survival skills now encompass much more than that. Surviving in an online world involves maintaining a high degree of "electronic literacy," which means focusing on and developing skills in the following areas: ** Personal Computer skills ** In the old days of 1998, the ability to use a computer, keyboard and mouse rated anyone as computer-literate. In fact, you were a real pro if you could burn a CD, scan documents and manipulate digital pictures. Fast forward to today and "personal computer skills" carries a whole new meaning. You must know how to maintain and update not only anti-virus, but "anti-spyware," and firewall software too. You also need to understand how operating with Windows ME, or 2000, or XP will affect your ability to use certain software along with specific security precautions to avoid trouble from hackers. ** Internet Skills ** In the bygone era of 1998, friends considered you an online genius if you possessed basic surfing and navigation skills. They watched in awe as you used search engines like InfoSeek.com (a long-defunct search engine) to find and download programs, pictures, and information on specific topics. Now electronic literacy means the ability to set up, upload, and maintain basic web pages and blogs. It also means understanding terms such as "RSS" and "news aggregator" because that's the next generation of how information will get disseminated online (and it arrives for the masses this year). ** Email Skills ** Perhaps the most deceptively simple of all the areas of electronic literacy, email actually presents the most challenges for keeping up with the times. Previously, clicking the "send and receive" button meant you were proficient at using email. Now, because of spam, viruses and "phishing scams" (identity theft schemes delivered through email), email requires a whole new set of skills, "street smarts" and software just to survive. You must understand how to use an email "preview" program such as MailWasher.net to eliminate spam and virus email messages before they ever reach your computer. You also must learn to protect your identity and avoid "phishing scams" by learning to recognize and defend against online con-artist tactics. ** Buy or Borrow Expertise ** Though you should constantly upgrade your skills through personal education, nobody can do or know it all (except maybe your know-it-all bother in law). The good news is that you can always buy or borrow someone else's expertise to solve any online challenge. A prime example of outsourcing in the consumer market is all the little stores popping up in strip malls to help you sell your stuff on eBay. Through outsourcing, online survival skills can also mean taking what was previously the exclusive realm of computer geeks and making it as easy as dropping off the dry cleaning. About the author: Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links... Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com

Broadband Feature Connections

The variety of Internet service providers available is growing as the Internet makes its way into more homes in America. This proliferation of ISP providers makes it difficult to decide which ISP you should subscribe to. To make matters more confusing, most offer a huge list of benefits to entice customers away from their current ISP. What follows is some information on the kind of features that should be available with any good ISP. Security is of uppermost concern. With new viruses invading the Internet everyday, virus protection is a must. A virus blocker is a critical feature for any ISP. Many offer a pop up blocker, too, and this is also a good thing. The ads from pop up blockers can be harmful to your computer in addition to being extremely annoying. This is why ISPs are beginning to have features that not only speed up customer's computer but also make their Internet experience more enjoyable. A good ISP will also have tools to protect your children while they are on the Internet by providing parent-controlled blocks for blocking unwanted adult material. You will also want to have multiple e-mail accounts. This is so common that most ISPs now offer between 5 and 10 e-mail accounts to each subscriber. Now everyone in the family can have their own email account. This way, parents don't have to scroll through a long list of messages and forwards from their children's friends, and the children don't have to skip over their parent's business emails. This is definitely the best solution for families. Finding an ISP with plenty of accounts gives you the option of having family accounts, business accounts and personal accounts. If you have always dreamed of having your own web page, you may be able to get one without any unwanted ads. This is due to the fact that many ISPs now offer a free web space as part of their standard package. This space may be more limited in size than other free web spaces. A good ISP will often have templates and special tools such as counters to help you create the perfect web site. Since some ISPs will not allow you to use a free web site for your business, it is important to check with them about the parameters of free web site use. Another important feature of your ISP should be the opportunity to use it with multiple computers in your home. This service could be free, but may cost you some kind of fee. However, the freedom it provides is worth it. Parents can access things for work online, while at the same time, your son is doing research for a school assignment. The point is that whatever features are important; you should be able to find an ISP that has them. The key is doing your homework on the various ISPs. This is the best way to find the features that you need at a price you can afford.

Basic Steps To Optimize Your Internet Security

After seeing many people complain about their weak Internet security I decided to write down some things that will help you for your Internet security. First, here are some tips to make windows safer : For basic security and update patches install Service Pack 2 for Windows XP or Service Pack 4 for Windows 2000. Once a month use Windows Update so you can get the latest pacthes. When you download software from the Internet make sure you download it from the original website. Always run anti Trojan and anti virus software. Even if you don't use it you have to make your Internet Explorer as safe as possible. When you access the Internet you are browsing the web using a browser such as Internet Explorer.The Internet Explorer contains several security vulnerabilities. You should make it as safe as possible or switch your default browser to an alternative. You will have to set some options from the Manage Add-Ons in the Internet Options. You will see a list of add-ons that can be activated or deactivated. If you see any unusual entries just deactivate them so you can be sure you don't have a trojan/worm. Under Internet Options -> Security -> Internet -> you will see the Edit Level.You should set it to high in order to disable most of the security threats. Your Web Browser should be ok now. Let's see what we have to do from our email point of view. Because it's built-in in their Windows system lots of users like to use Outlook Express for emailing. But it's a fact that it contains many security vulnerabilities so I advise you to use alternatives. If you use a web based Email (you can browse your email with your web browser) you can delete viruses even if you don't download them to your PC. Make sure you have installed an Anti Virus for 100% virus protection. One that I've found to be very good and never disappointed me is the AVG Anti virus. If you take the time to regularly update it you will be safe enough with it. Lots of people install Firewalls because they belive their Internet security will be higher. I personaly disagree. If you do not know how to best configure it, and you have to know much about the tech behind it to do so, it will just make your PC slow and software not working.You can just use the Windows XP SP2 firewall for basic security. All this tips should make your PC safer. I browse the Internet every single day for some time now and they worked great for me. I haven't met a virus/worm for some time now.