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Spam seems to be getting worse and worse every year. The good news is that new laws are now requiring business
advertisements or newsletter e-mailers to only send e-mails to customers who had previously used or
inquired about their services. They also require the e-mails to have an “opt-in” option so that
their customer can get off the e-mailer list if they request removal.
California Anti-Spam Law
This law has significantly encouraged spammers to move overseas and find better ways to remain undetected.
The easiest way to remain undetected without moving overseas is to acquire a number of
Zombie computers(say about 100) and use these computers to send out spam on behalf of the spammer.
Zombie computers are computers that house viruses that may be connected together through the internet. If they work together
they form a Botnet. These computers are then used by the spammer
to either get you to buy something from their website or get to you buy something from their website so they can steal your
credit card number or any other information you give them. All of the information you hand over is then resalable including
your e-mail address. Of course as soon as you find out that your credit card has been compromised then you’ll call your
credit card company and cancel it, however there may be few years before your credit card number actually finds a new owner
that would be willing to use it and by then you may not have any records of your original transaction with the spammers.
Also the spammers and their trail of bots will be long gone.
Every now and then the
good guys (See Article) get lucky and find the spammers. It’s also helpful when
governments work with business (see article) to
stop the problems as we’re finally starting to see in Nigeria after years of bank fraud scams.
However, most of the identity thieves are close to impossible to catch because they are 100 computers down the line
and across international boundaries. Also, if they’re really smart, I suspect they don’t own a computer.
There’s enough internet café’s around the world for them to control their armies before margarita hour. |
Start by protecting your identity on your computer.
1. Make sure you have antivirus software and that it’s up to date.
At WitzEnd Computing we recommend
Norton Antivirus 2007 basic. Unfortunately, because new viruses come out daily, no antivirus software is 100%.
2. We know it’s annoying but configure a
logon password on your computer.
This is the last line of defense for identity thieves. Computers and networks with good password will most
likely be bypassed for computers that are easier to access.
3. Remove any file sharing or Peer to Peer programs, such as Kazaa or Limewire.
Viruses often package inside music and videos in order to get by your antivirus
program or firewall. Be aware of what programs are on your computer.
Programs from well-established companies are generally safe.
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1. For Individuals: We recommend using the junkmail filter from Outlook 2003 or 2007.
View the WitzEnd Computing Tech Tips section to find out
how to configure your Junkmail Filter in Outlook.
The junkmail filter catches about 95% of the spam if it’s configured properly.
Other antispam solutions to consider:
Cloudmark
Norton AntiSpam.
This download is available after you purchase Norton Internet Security 2007.
2. For Small Bussinesses: Small businesses can filter they’re e-mails before they get to your computer.
MX Logic offers a fabulous spam filtering
service that will catch 99% of the spam. Every day it sends you an e-mail that tells you what was blocked.
Links on the e-mail allow you to easily log into a console and unblock any e-mails that aren’t spam. You can also install a
program into Outlook that will allow you to block or unblock spam without logging into the website.
3. For Large Business We recommend Barracuda spam firewalls.
Microsoft Exchange 2003 can also be configured to filter more or less spam.
Give us a call if you need help with an AntiSpam solution! |
- Steve Fink, MCSE, A+, Network+, Witzend Computing -
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