TCS - Internet Annoyances
Internet Annoyances
by Sherry Zorzi
Secretary, Cajun Clickers Computer Club, Baton Rogue, Louisiana
and Advisor for APCUG Region 8
From the July 2004 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter
The Internet is full of creepy-crawly beasties. Spam, popups, hoaxes, cookies,
spyware -- what are these critters and how do I tame them???
Spam
Unsolicited, usually commercial email, also known as UCE. You can't stop
it; the best you can do is try to limit it.
- Don't post your address on publicly-accessible websites (newsgroups, chat
rooms, directories). Web "crawlers" harvest these addresses for spammers'
mailing lists. You can obtain free, "throwaway" email addresses at sites like
Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) or Hotmail (www.hotmail.com) to use in these situations.
- When you register for a legitimate website (Microsoft, Amazon, Delta Airlines,
etc.), opt-out of any newsletters or mailings they offer to send you. If opting
out is not offered, don't register for the site unless you want advertising
email!
- Use "filters" in your email program to automatically route suspected spam to a
special folder, which you can check periodically and delete. Or use special
(free!) software, like MailWasher (www.mailwasher.net) or K9 Spam Killer
(www.keir.net/k9.html) to automatically check incoming mail and handle suspected
spam for you.
- Don't ever follow directions to "unsubscribe" or stop receiving mail, unless
you know you are dealing with a reputable source. Replying to the message or
clicking a link to supposedly unsubscribe is often just a ruse by the spammer to
verify that your email address is valid and that you are naïve enough to open
spam. You will get more, not less, spam!
- Use SpamCop (www.spamcop.net) to report spam. The service is free. They will
automatically report, in your name, the true source of the spam to the
appropriate ISPs.
- Send a copy of the spam, with full headers, to the Federal Trade Commission at
uce@ftc.gov. They keep a database of fraudulent spammers.
- Support strong legislation at the state and federal level to stop the scourge
of spam!!! Write, call or email your Senators and Representatives and urge them
to support strong legislation.
Popup
Advertising that "pops up" in a small window of its own. Some websites
pop up an unsolicited ad in a window on top of the page you are trying to view.
Others hide the popups beneath the site you're visiting, so that you see it when
you finally close your main window. Some sites pop up several, or even dozens
of popup ads - sometimes "freezing" the computer. The new popup scourge is
controlled by one or more programs hiding on your computer, causing popups even
when you are not online! They are all bad, bad, bad!
The best way to squash popups is with free software like Popup Stopper
(www.panicware.com). Works perfectly and the price can't be beat!
Hoax
Fictitious email forwarded around the Internet by your well-meaning
friends. Flesh-eating bananas, large corporations controlled by Satanists,
viruses that cause your computer to catch fire - all are fabricated hoaxes.
Most of us have at one time been taken in by one of these, forwarding it to
everyone in our address book only to be embarrassed to find out it's a fake. Any
email, even if it's from your mother, that says "Please forward this to everyone
in your address book" is a hoax. Any email that promises you will get something
for nothing is a fake.
- Never, ever forward anything to everyone in your address book, no matter how
"true" it sounds. Even if it is supposedly from IBM, Microsoft, or the
government.
- Type a few keywords from the email into a search engine like Google
(www.google.com) and follow several of the links that come up. You should
quickly discover that the mail is a hoax.
- Before you hit "forward", check out the "story" on one of the websites that
specialize in de-bunking urban legends and hoaxes:
Spyware
Technology that aids in gathering information about a person or
organization without their knowledge. Spyware usually comes "hidden" within
software you voluntarily install. Along with what you wanted, you also get a
small piece of software than installs itself behind the scene and sends back
information on your surfing habits to an advertiser or marketing company.
You can control spyware with some free tools available on the web. The tools
will either prevent spyware from getting on your machine, or remove it once it
is there.
Cookie
A small text file placed on your computer by a website you visit.
Cookies can be innocent, but some operate as spyware. Spyware-controlling
software like Ad-aware will control spyware cookies, too. You can also exercise
some control over cookies in Internet Explorer by clicking Tools, then Internet
Options. Click the "Privacy" tab to allow or disallow various kinds of cookies
on your system. Be aware that some features of some sites won't work properly
unless you allow cookies.
Virus, worm
A piece of programming code that causes some unexpected and
usually undesirable event, such as spreading itself (in your name!) to everyone
in your address book, locking up your computer, or deleting important files.
They can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail, as downloads, or be present
on a diskette or CD.
- Install antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Popular brands include
McAfee Virus Scan, Norton Antivirus, and TrendMicro PC-cillin. Free antivirus
software, which works well, is available at www.grisoft.com. HouseCall, a free
online virus scanner, is available from TrendMicro at
http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp.
- Don't allow "autopreview" features on your email programs. When an email
message is previewed, it is really "opened," which can trigger a virus.
- Don't open emails or attachments from unknown sources. Even when mail is from
a trusted source (such as your mother), don't open any attachments unless you
are expecting them without checking with the source first to be sure they
intended to send the attachment and are sure it's virus-free.
Trojan horse
Similar to viruses and worms, Trojan horses are particularly
nasty as they can open up ports on your computer, making it possible for an
intruder to control your computer remotely.
Anti-virus software is not great at catching Trojan horses. You should install
and periodically run a Trojan scanner, such as the free SwatIt (www.swatit.org).
If you use the available tools, your Internet experience will be more pleasant
for you, your computer, and for all your email correspondents. Don't forget the
most important tool of all - YOUR BRAIN! Use it.
There is no restriction against any non-profit group using this article as long
as it is kept in context with proper credit given the author. The Editorial
Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG), an
international organization of which this group is a member, brings this article
to you.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
Tulsa Computer Society 7/01/2004
Don Singleton, President