- hy-giene:
- conditions or practices (as of cleanliness)
conducive to health
-- Merriam-Webster
Dictionary
- Be super-suspicious. Do not trust any email
message that asks for personal information,
and do not complete any web forms that such
email messages link you to. Watch out especially
for messages that are apparently from Microsoft™,
your bank, a vendor you have dealt with (e.g.
eBay), or your ISP (Earthlink, Yahoo, etc.).
Such links are almost always counterfeit!
- Do not send (or redistribute) email messages
with long "To:" or "Cc:" lists. Move the distribution
list to the "Bcc:" line, and address the message
"To:" just one or two addresses (such as your
own). (To make a "Bcc:" line available in Outlook
Express, in the New Message box click View /
All Headers.)
- Do not open an e-mail attachment unless
either
- you can tell from its extension (see
below) that it is "safe", or
- it comes from someone you trust as part
of a current message that makes sense explaining
what it is. (Note: Just appearing to come
from someone you trust is not sufficient.)
Note: By default Windows may
hide certain "file name extensions" (the last
three characters of a file name, after the last
period). To "unhide" and see them: In "My Computer",
go to [Tools / Folder Options] or [View / Folder
Options], and on the View tab uncheck "Hide
extensions for known file types".
Attachments with the following extensions are
safe: .txt, .pdf, .gif, .bmp, .jpg, .tif (and
.rtf if opened with Wordpad).
Attachments with the following extensions are
NOT safe: .com, .exe, .pif, .sys, .ovl, .scr,
.vbs, .bat, .reg, .zip.
Attachments with .doc and .xls are safe only
if you have set Tools / Macros / Security to
"High" in Word and Excel.
- Use Windows Update regularly, and install
all security patches. (My-Computer/Help/Help-and-Support-Center)
- Do not "preview" email; delete the obvious
garbage messages by their titles without opening.
(In Outlook Express, close the preview panel
under View / Layout / Show-preview-pane.)
- Install a good, self-updating virus protection
program (e.g. Norton AntiVirus, $40:
www.Symantec.com/, or McAfee VirusScan
http://us.mcafee.com/ $30/year.)
- If you want to check the authenticity of
a message that appears to be from Microsoft,
review the instructions on the following web
site:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/email/ms_genuine_mail.mspx
- If you have a DSL or cable-modem Internet
connection, install and use a firewall program.
E.g.:
- Turn on "Internet Connection Firewall"
in Windows XP (under Control Panel / Network
Connections / [network] / Properties / Advanced).
And/or,
- If you have multiple computers, access
the Internet through a Router with a built-in
firewall; or,
- Use special firewall software, such
as ZoneAlarm (free from
http://www.zonelabs.com/)
- Control "cookies". In Internet Explorer,
set "Tools / Internet-Options / Privacy" to
at least Medium-High or customize it to "Block
third party cookies."
- Install and periodically run a good "spyware"
detection and removal program, such as Ad-Aware
(free, from
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware
)
- If you get a virus-warning email message,
do not believe and forward it; first go to
http://www.truthorfiction.com/ or
http://www.snopes.com to find out whether
it is valid.
- If infected with a virus, look at
http://www.sarc.com/ for virus removal tools
and other help.
- If you think your personal information may
have been compromised, call Equifax at 800-525-6285
to put a "fraud alert" on your account at all
three major credit-reporting bureaus (Equifax,
Experian and TransUnion).
This was the Leadership Seminar of March 24,
2004, Handout of
Bert Raphael
bert@RaphaelConsulting.com
|
Forms
Graphics