Monday, May 29, 2006

Attracting Flies

Foods with sugar in them are a good ways to attract flies. My wife being from Louisiana has the habit of putting sugar or anything that might attract flies or pest in the refrigerator. I thought it was strange. Then she explained that to me she was taught to keep pest from getting in the sugar by putting sweet food in the refrigerator.
It is the same way spam email is attached to our email inbox. Your money is their sugar. Your email address is their way of getting to you. Spammers do not care about you. All they want is your email address and have you send as much money as possible on products from their spam.
There are two ways to get on a spammers list. First, buy anything from span email. This marks your email address as alive and gets you more spam. The second way is if you open an email, even through Outlook preview pane, sends a web bug report back to the spammer that you email address is good.
Several opt-out lists are to get you off the spammers email lists. Many of these lists actually confirm to spammer that you have are a good email address. Thus getting you more spam email.
Remember, there is no free lunch when it comes to the internet. E-cards, jokes, cartoons and games all are means for spammers to get your email address. Advertising spammer like noting better for you to give out email addresses from you address book.
In the same way, there are similar habits to keep away spammers.

  • Send links when sharing pictures or jokes.
  • Don’t buy anything through spam
  • Don’t open your email in a preview pane of you email client
  • Don’t give you your email address on websites that you are not sure about there reputation.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Social Responsibility

I want to talk to you about our social responsibility to our family, friends, and the world around us. As adults and members of this planet, earth social responsibility is nothing new. We drive a car, at work, or sitting behind a computer terminal, we have certain responsibilities. When drive a car down the city street, we are obligated to drive in a way that does not damage people or property. At the workplace, we have the obligation to work safe and respect to our co-workers. While sitting behind the computer, we have the obligation not to aid the spread the malicious software.

The lack of good safe computer habits has aided the spread of computer viruses, Trojans, and spyware. A Zombie is a non-resistant tool hacker's use to your computer as a relay to them schemes. That is why I wrote Safe Computer Habits.Safe driving habits, workplace habits, and habits behind sitting a computer at home or at work can affect so many people around you and around the world.

A little habit like not opening email attachments will greatly reduce the spread of computer viruses. A little habit of checking that you have a secure connection before entering a credit card number on a trusted website. A little habit like a good strong password can deter attacks aimed at getting your personal information. These three little habits can make a big difference.