A Few Words On Password Security

Have a webmail account? The most common method of gaining access to someone else's eMail account is by guessing the password. Take a look at this list of the ten most common passwords used on the Internet, and if any of your passwords come close to one of these, Change It!

The top 10 most common passwords
1. 123456
2. 12345
3. 123456789
4. Password
5. iloveyou
6. princess
7. rockyou
8. 1234567
9. 12345678
10. abc123

Do not use correctly spelled words in your password, or do common substitutions within correctly spelled words (zero for Oh or one for I). For 'challenge questions,' I recommend you create a set of false answers that only you know, and keep those written down -- another common method of gaining access to someone's account is to research their history and then guess the answer to challenge questions on the password reset page.

Don't make the mistake of thinking there's no harm in someone reading your eMail -- a criminal can usually find a treasure trove of personal information hidden in your Inbox. Google 'most common passwords' to see more passwords you should not be using.

Teamviewer

For desktop sharing remote support, Teamviewer really works great. Even runs on the Windows Emulator under Linux! Free for personal use.

Internet Explorer Still Unsafe -- Doh!

For 11 years, since the days of Netscape, I've implored people to quit using Internet Explorer. Using IE to browse the web is the 2nd most popular way a virus gets into your PC (opening a virus eMail attachement is 1st). This has not changed for 3 versions (6, 7 and 8) and countless updates over 11 years. With the most recent IE exploit 'found in the wild,' both Germany and France have joined me in warning people to quit using Internet Explorer to browse the web. My customers who religiously avoid Internet Explorer are far less likely to get a virus infection (100 to 1) than those who use IE. Mozilla Firefox is the browser I recommend -- why not give Firefox a try -- ITS FREE!

Leap Year, What's a Leap Year?

If there's anyone left who thinks that Microsoft software is well written, consider this latest embarrassment affecting their Zune 30GB portable media player and it's inability to handle leap years: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,474690,00.html. Zune 30GB players all become unusable on the 366th day of 2008 (a leap year), then need to be reset and synced on January 1st in order to work. Microsoft says this 'undocumented enhancement' is by design, and they recommend upgrading all Zune 30GB players to the new version of the Zune, dubbed 'ZuneVista.' While slower, more 'clicky,' and with a completely different user interface grafted onto the top of the same old Zune, 'ZuneVista' is guaranteed by Microsoft not to suffer from any similar leap year issue through Dec 30th 2012.

Internet Explorer - Unsafe At Any Speed.

Its that little blue 'e' on your desktop, and its the source of almost all Windows PC Virus and Spyware infections. Internet Explorer is simply not safe to use to browse the web: It Leaves You Wide Open for Virus Attack. Here's a BBC story on the latest IE vulberability to be actively exploited in the wild:
Serious security flaw found in IE. Of course Microsoft gives us the usual 'nothing to be concerned about', but its not their passwords that are being stolen, and its not their PC that needs to be dropped off for virus and spyware removal. Stop clicking on the blue 'e' -- Switch to Mozilla Firefox, a free, fast, safe, secure, standards-based browser that simply does not have the security vulnerabilities Microsoft so skillfully crafts into all their software. And, if you're a victim of Virus or Spyware, let Indigo Computer expertly clean your PC for a flat fee of $99. Call us for more information 614-975-0680.

How Does Spam Work?

The BBC has a story about Spam eMails, and the inner workings of a spammer's operation, along with other facts and figures. Its an interesting read if you'd like to learn more about how Spam eMails are sent, who's sending them, how Spam relates to viruses and Internet Security, and how these people make money from Spam. Here's the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7719281.stm

Remember, Indigo Computer is available for your company or personal Internet Security review.

New Free Software Alert: CrossLoop

CrossLoop is a free service that allows remote desktop sharing for Windows. It easily gets around firewalls and routers, allowing a technician to remote control a client's PC. Using this tool, we can help users remotely without physically making the trip to their location, getting them back to working quicker and minimizing downtime. Based on TightVNC, CrossLoop adds a secure server to TightVNC's connection, bypassing most firewalls and routers, and making sure noone can eavesdrop on the datastream. CrossLoop client and server installs are free for download at CrossLoop.com. Crossloop.com also has a directory of people willing to help you with your PC issues for a fee.