Posted 7/13/2011
By Angie Kilbourne, AAM

Web Wise: Keeping Spam in Check

Have you noticed a drop in spam ending up in your email inbox recently? Earlier this year, online security organizations announced the shutdown of the web servers controlling the major spam botnets Rustock and Waledac.

This effort effectively cut the connections between the control websites and more than a million affected zombie computers around the world. However, it did nothing to clean up those infected systems. What frustrates this situation is that most system owners have no idea their computers are even infected; the code is deeply embedded in the Windows operating system, making it difficult to detect.

So how does a small business owner - with a small IT budget - do battle with these nasties? It's not difficult, but it does entail effort.

1. Use common sense when opening email. If you don't open suspicious-looking messages, you can't be infected. If a message appears from your bank, but you're using a different email address for your online banking, it's a safe bet this is a phishing scheme to get your account info.

2. Turn off the preview pane in your email client, such as Outlook or Thunderbird. Previewing a message is the same as opening it, allowing malware to be downloaded into your computer.

3. Keep all anti-virus, anti-spam, operating system and other peripheral software up-to-date.

4. Ensure your computer security software is robust and effective. Free software is a great start, but we're talking about your business' and your customers' information here. Don't they deserve the best you can afford?

ASA Web Ways: Show Off Your Site

AutoInc.'s annual competition for the Top 10 Automotive Repair Websites opens this month. Click here for the online submission form, as well as links to the articles showcasing previous Top 10 - an excellent opportunity to get some great ideas for your own website. Judging begins in September, so make sure your websites are ready to go! Winners will be featured in the January issue of AutoInc.