How to Reduce Spam in Your Inbox and Enhance Your Email Security

Spam is the internet’s equivalent of junk mail. Spam is defined as an e-mail message sent to people without their consent or permission. Addresses of recipients are often harvested from Usenet postings or web pages, obtained from databases, or simply guessed by using common names and domains.

Spam is sent to promote practically any product or service ranging from “Adult” products to logo design for websites. It is also used by hackers to spread viruses or links to dangerous websites used to gather your personal information like credit card details or passwords for sites like Ebay or PayPal. To the average user these messages appear genuine. Even the link has a genuine looking domain name. This technique is known as “Phishing.”

Here are some smart strategies and tips you can employ now to start reducing Spam and boost your email security.

- Configure your anti virus software to automatically scan your incoming email for viruses. Email is still widely used to distribute malicious software. Make sure you keep your anti virus software definitions up to date.

- If you are someone that frequently signs up for “freebies” or other stuff on the internet start using a separate e-mail account just for this purpose. Accounts from providers like Yahoo!, Hotmail, and Google’s Gmail all come with generous storage as standard.

- If sites don’t accept free e-mail address from the services listed above then use a free disposable email service like Sneakemail - http://www.sneakemail.com.

- If you are posting your email to a blog or your website then submit it in a way that is only recognizable to a human. For example if your email is johndoe@hotmail.com then post it as “johndoe at hotmail.com”.

- Never open a message from an address you do not recognize – always delete it straight away. This is especially so if there is an attachment. Never reply to a message as this only confirms the email address is “live” to the spammers.

- If you get an official looking message from your bank or Ebay or another site you are not sure is genuine here is what you do. Instead of clicking on the link embedded in the mail log on to the site normally via your browser. If there are any genuine serious problems you should get a message when you log on. Alternatively contact the site’s customer service via the phone if possible.

- Consider using standalone spam filtering software. This software analyses your email for common characteristics of spam email including words like “click” or “teens.” It also compares senders’ emails against a “Friends List.” Try Mailwasher for free here - http://www.mailwasher.net.

About the Author:
Richard Rogers is a owner of a number of computer related sites. One of his sites offers Free Computer Help for Windows XP Users and has just launched his new Registry Cleaner Blog.
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Where To Buy The Best Spam Blocker And Spyware Removal Programs

There are a lot of spyware removal programs on the market. The most obvious place to buy them is the store where you bought your computer. They will sell the best know brands in a boxed CD package. They are usually very good quality systems, but they can be expensive. If you buy them when you get your computer then you may be able to get a good discount, but do not tell them that you are going to buy the computer until you have asked for it.

You might even be able to get it free with you computer if they think that it will help them to make the sale. But even if you have to buy it at full cost it might still be worth it. The main reason for doing this is that they are usually good and you will not have to do any research. If you do not know anything about spyware removal and do not want to do the research then this might be the best thing to buy.

Some of the best systems are available as downloads, but you need to do some research to make sure that you get the best one. There are a lot of good review sites around that have some good reviews that are written by computer writers, that can let you know which are the best value for money and which are the best for getting rid of the spyware on your computer. They can be very good value and they can also be very good at spyware removal. But it is a good idea to make sure that you are getting the best one by reading the reviews.

If you want something cheaper, then there are some free spyware removal systems. Not all if the ones that are advertised being free are actually free. Sometimes they are just free to scan you computer to see what spyware is on it, but you have to pay to remove it. But there are also a few spyware removal systems that are free. You have to be sure that it is a free system and not just free to scan, but there are some very good program around. there are different ways to get spyware removed from you computer and if you do some research then you should get a good one.

About the Author:
Tim Gorman
For more spyware removal programs please visit PC-Security-Guide.info where you will find a wealth of free and helpful information on computer viruses, email security, virus removal tips and the latest spam scams.
Article Submitted On: October 17, 2006
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

How to Share Important Documents in a Spam-Free Environment

An extranet is a web-based tool that provides a secure environment for the organization and exchange of documents and information among a defined group of users.

Extranets are often used to support team collaboration in circumstances where the team members are geographically dispersed or are drawn from variety external organizations. Examples include a group of departments within a company that collaborate on a common project, or service companies that collaborate with a variety of outside clients, customers and partners.

Access to the extranet requires a valid password with username. The permissions given to your unique username by the network administrator determines which part of the extranet you can have access to. Thus, an extranet allows you to share important documents, exchange information and conduct online collaborations in a secure environment, free from spam and un-authorized access.

Spam-Free Environment

An extranet has the same look and feel of an ordinary web site hosted on the World Wide Web. The only distinguishing feature is that an extranet has a security protection base where access is restricted only to those who can view information on the network. This secure environment of an extranet prevents unwelcome access.

The prime use of an extranet is for document sharing, facilitating collaboration among personnel who have access to the network. Extranets can be accessed from remote locations wherever Internet can be accessed. This convenience makes extranets very popular as against those network technologies that use proprietary protocols. They are an excellent means for information exchange.

Document Sharing

The standard feature of every network is the feature of document sharing. Extranets are no exception to this. They facilitate document sharing between people within an organization, with customers having authorized access and with business partners like suppliers, distributors, channel partners etc.

Better than email

When communicating with a group, sharing of information through an extranet is superior to using regular email messages. In addition to eliminating spam, an extranet permits storage of much larger file sizes than that allowed by email service providers. Thus longer messages can be sent over extranets. In addition, extranets have facility for sharing of graphics and web pages that are useful.

Facility for Collaboration

Another important feature of an extranet is that it facilitates collaborations. Many enterprise processes and projects require collaboration from multiple people across organizations for them to be successful and or efficient. An extranet provides an excellent platform for different people concerned with a particular enterprise process or a new business project to share information, documents and collaborate on one to one, many to one, and/or many-to-many basis to bring things to fruition efficiently and successfully. For example, consider the setting of a new manufacturing facility being built. Many people from different organizations are involved in the project. In an extranet, all people who are concerned with the project will have access to the network. The work’s progress can be visible over the network and different people will have the facility of collaborating together and draw out future necessary plans to keep the project on course.

Conclusion

Extranets are very secure due to their access being restricted. They provide a spam-free platform and environment for exchange of information in a secure and reliable way. Using Internet technologies and protocols make these networks accessible from remote locations. As such, they are increasingly becoming very popular among corporations and other organizations.

About the Author:
Laura Schweiker writes extensively on the use of technology by businesspeople and is an evangelist for document sharing (http://www.trichys.com/document-sharing/document-sharing.vm) and extranet (http://www.trichys.com) solutions.
This article was posted on August 28, 2006
Article Source: articlecity