E-mail wel ove to hate.ppt

E-mail we love to hate : 

E-mail we love to hate Viruses, hoaxes, chain letters & spam

Viruses : 

Viruses

What is a virus? : 

What is a virus? A virus is a program written intentionally to enter a computer without the user’s permission or knowledge, usually to cause harm.

Other types of infectors : 

Other types of infectors Worms are programs the have the ability to move through networks and replicate themselves from computer to computer. Trojan horses are files that claim to be one thing (e.g. a screensaver or a game), but, in fact, are a malicious program. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves. They just cause damage.

Beware of e-mail attachments : 

Beware of e-mail attachments Do not open any e-mail attachments from people you do not know. Do not open an e-mail attachment from someone you know if you are not expecting it. Exercise caution with these file extensions: vbs, exe, com, pif, bat, scr, bas, Ink, class, ocx. Image files (.jpg, .gif) are generally safe. Word and Excel files (.doc, .xls) are also safe if Macros are disabled.

Macros : 

Macros If you open a document or spreadsheet with macros, you will see the following message: Click on Disable Macros to be safe.

More about Macros : 

More about Macros To make sure macro virus protection is turned on: Word: From the Tools menu, click on Options. Click on the General tab. Make sure there is a checkmark next to Macro Virus Protection. Excel: From the Tools menus, scroll to Macro and click on Security. Set the security level to Medium.

Anti-virus software : 

Anti-virus software Update your anti-virus software weekly. Configure anti-virus software to automatically scan e-mail attachments. If anti-virus software does not work with your e-mail software, save attachment to hard drive and manually scan the file before opening it.

Other preventative measures : 

Other preventative measures Update Internet Explorer to 5.5 Service Pack 2 or version 6. Install Windows Critical Updates regularly at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ If using Outlook, install security update at www.microsoft.com/security/articles/update.asp Will limit the types of attachments you can receive. Protect sensitive documents with a password.

Did I send that virus? : 

Did I send that virus? Klez is a new virus that not only sends itself to people in your address book, but puts a randomly-chosen name from your address book in the From field. You could receive an e-mail message saying you sent the virus to someone else when it never touched your computer. (If there is an attachment with this message, do not open it.)

What if my computer is infected with a virus? : 

What if my computer is infected with a virus? Disconnect the network cable from your computer. Do not reboot. Download a copy of updated virus definitions on a “clean” computer. Transfer virus definitions to infected computer. Scan all files on computer with anti-virus software. Look up virus on McAfee’s or Symantec’s web site for more information on removing that specific virus.

Virus resources on the Internet : 

Virus resources on the Internet www.mcafee.com/anti-virus www.symantec.com/avcenter www.antivirus.com www.microsoft.com/security www.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm

Hoaxes : 

Hoaxes

Virus hoaxes : 

Virus hoaxes E-mails about viruses, unless from an authoritative source, are almost always hoaxes. Before forwarding the e-mail, look up the virus information at: www.mcafee.com/anti-virus www.symantec.com/avcenter

Other hoaxes : 

Other hoaxes Congress is not considering legislation allowing phone companies to impose Internet connect charges. Nieman Marcus did not charge $250 for a recipe. Petitions do not work. Nobody from Nigeria is going to transfer money into your bank account. If it tells you to forward to as many people as possible, be skeptical. www.scopes.com

Chain letters and jokes : 

Chain letters and jokes Chain letters involving money are illegal. Be selective when forwarding jokes.

SPAM : 

SPAM

Methods for reducing SPAM : 

Methods for reducing SPAM Read privacy policies and be careful of checkmarks when doing online registrations. Beware of posting your e-mail address and using Chat Rooms. Encrypt e-mail addresses on your web site www.robertgraham.com/tools/mailtoencoder.html Unsubscribing (or sometimes just opening the e-mail) is the way Spammers verify your e-mail address is active.

Managing your SPAM : 

Managing your SPAM Use an ISP that filters SPAM. (imperfect) Set up your own filters in your e-mail software. Outlook refers to them as Rules and provides access to them through the Organize button on your toolbar. Filters can be used to manage legitimate e-mail as well. Hit the Delete key.

SPAM resources on the Internet : 

SPAM resources on the Internet www.spywareinfo.com/links.html www.cauce.org

Say good-bye to pop-ups : 

Say good-bye to pop-ups These products were recently reviewed in September 2002 issue of Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals. Pop-up stopper: Only one browser window can open at a time unless you hold down Shift or Ctrl key. Free. www.panicware.com CookieCop2: Free. www.pcmag.com/article/0,2997,s=1478&a=20845,00.asp AdSubtract Pro: Blocks banner ads and offers cookie control as well. $29.95 www.adsubtract.com