Spam (not the stuff from Hormel)

Click here to visit the folks that make the food-stuff that the email we will discuss is named after.

Have you noticed an increase in spam in your inbox? Last September Microsoft and Kaspersky managed to temporarily disable a botnet comprised of an estimated 45,000 computers. A botnet is a collection of compromised computers connected to the Internet (each compromised computer is known as a 'bot'). They could have removed the malicious software from the infected computers but apparently that is illegal. This botnet is called Kelihos.

Well, the bad guys have managed to reestablish control of Kelihos, and with 45,000 computers it sends an estimated 4 billion spam messages a day. It seems like most of it is directed to email servers I manage. You can get more details by clicking here.

So what can you do to block spam? There isn't a silver bullet, but here are some programs that can help.

SPAMfighter

MailWasher

As always, be aware of piggyback programs.

Piggyback Programs

A piggyback program is a program that you don't want that gets installed when you install another program that you want. Usually you are asked if you want to install the piggyback program and given an opportunity to skip the install. I find these programs on computers everyday. Often they are toolbars and present themselves in Internet Explorer as shown below.

These programs slow down your computer and are generally a nuisance. There is a good posting on how to avoid and remove these piggyback programs, click here.

Scams

I had a customer that fell for a scam yesterday. Someone called him claiming they were from Microsoft and stated his computer was infected with a virus. They wanted to help him remove the virus and convinced him to install a program that gave the caller complete control of his computer. Bottom line: SCAM!!! If someone calls with such a claim HANG UP THE PHONE. Let me just say that Microsoft is not going to call you if your computer has a virus. They don't have a way to correlate your phone number to your computer (at least right now).

Click here to read what Microsoft suggests you do if you've fallen for something like this. If you are unsure you should call a computer expert.

Keep Your Keys Secure!

No, I'm not talking about your car or house keys. There are lots of things about your computer that no one tells you. Like when your hard drive crashes you will most like need some information on the bottom of your laptop. I'm referring to the Windows License Key, one of Microsoft's methods to prevent piracy. I have had several laptops come in lately and the Window License Key is worn off. The sticker used to be almost invincible, but not anymore. And when you need to reinstall Windows you need that key. My suggestion is that you either write down the 25 character key, or walk your laptop to the copier and make a copy. This isn't near the problem on stationary computers, the label doesn't tend to fade. Take a minute and do it now.

Here are a few examples of what Microsoft refers to as a CD Key, Product ID, Certificate of Authenticity, and License Key.

iPhone 4s Siri Doubles Data Usage

I came across an interesting article on data usage for the new iPhone 4s with Siri. Siri is the impressive voice recognition software introduced on the 4s. Basically the article states that the use of Siri doubles your data usage. If you have an iPhone 4s and use Siri you should keep an eye on your monthly data usage to avoid an overage.

Protect your Money

If your username and password for your online banking are compromised, the bank is not responsible for lost funds (read the article by clicking here). You need to protect yourself by protecting your account credentials. A few tips:

• Use a strong password
• Have a good anti-malware program installed (I like Vipre Premium)
• In a business environment, you should consider dedicating a PC to banking tasks.

In an article published January 2010, USA Today reported that the American Banking Association recommends that if involved in financial transactions on the Internet, small business should dedicate a PC to the task. In other words, use one PC for your financial transactions, and use that PC for nothing else, and isolate that PC on a separate network.

Is the Mac immune to viruses

It seems that about once a week someone asks me if they should switch to a Mac computer because they just got hit by some sort of mal-ware (malicious software). The answer is usually the same (and is phrased in the form of a question for you Jeopardy fans), "Do you need a Windows computer to run any of the applications that you use?" If the answer is no, and the price doesn't cause pause, then a Mac may be the computer for you. But don't buy a Mac to avoid mal-ware, at least not anymore. The article at this link points out that due to the increase in the Mac market share criminals are taking aim at that computer line. So if you get a Mac, be vigilant about protecting it.