Summer 2004
Content
. . . Are You Receiving More Spam? Well, Stop It!
. . . Have You Changed Your Network Logon Password? [deleted]
. . . Keep It Legal!
. . . Generate More Web Traffic [deleted]
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Summer 2004 Content |
Are You Receiving More Spam? Well, Stop It!If you think you are receiving more junk e-mail (spam) at work or at home than last year, you are probably correct. The article "U.S. Sending More Than Half of All Spam," July 1, 2004, Internetnews.com, provides these numbers:
How can you reduce the amount of spam you receive?Use a spam filter. If you have a Lotus Notes account, you should be using spamJam to stop the spam. SpamJam has default settings that catch most spam, and, if needed, you can add configuration settings to stop additional mail items from reaching your inbox. [NOTE: UNL switched to SpamSentinel, July 2008.] With spamJam activated, you will receive a "Summary Message" from the spamJam log of what was caught during the previous day. If you see a message that you want to read you can View it or Restore it to your inbox. Messages are kept in the log for 14 days and then are deleted from the server. To request that spamJam be added to your account, go to the spamJam Web page. You will need to use the Lotus Notes full-client software to make changes to your configuration settings and to view or restore messages from the spamJam log. More information is available on the spamJam page. For spam filtering on a home e-mail account, please check with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or e-mail service to set up spam filtering. Don’t display your e-mail address on public Internet sites. Typically, an e-mail spammer buys a list of e-mail addresses from a list broker, who compiles it by "harvesting" addresses from the Internet. If your e-mail address appears in a newsgroup posting, on a website, in a chat room, or in an online service’s membership directory, it may find its way onto these lists. If you do participate in chat rooms or newsgroups, you should use a different e-mail address for this activity or use an alias or disposable e-mail address service. Don’t provide your address without knowing how it will be used. If you need to provide your e-mail address to a website before you can access the full array of information or before you can complete a purchase, be sure to read the privacy policy. Also, make sure that you have correctly "opted out" of receiving e-mail from their "partners," and even from the site owner’s list. You may also want to use an alias or disposable address for these sites. What should you do with the spam that is in your inbox?Delete it! If the sender’s address is unknown and the subject is suspect (or missing), don’t even open it. A lot of spam e-mails now contain images that when viewed (the e-mail note is opened) runs a small program that alerts the sender that their mail has arrived and that the receiving e-mail address is valid. You may find yourself receiving even more spam! Never respond! If you open the e-mail, DO NOT use the reply option to take yourself off the list. Any response or acknowledgment tells the spammer your e-mail account is active, and you may then find yourself receiving more spam. DO NOT buy anything — most offers are scams. Spam is growing because it works. Netscape news reported that according to a Yahoo! Mail survey of over 35,000 Internet users, 20% of Americans buy something advertised in spam. DO NOT answer e-mail asking you to help someone recover their personal fortune. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission, (FTC), your ISP, and the sender’s ISP. Please see the FTC article "You’ve Got Spam: How to ‘Can’ Unwanted E-mail" for more information on reporting spam. ~ Pam Peters [ Return to Table of Contents | CIT Information newsletter Index ] |
Keep It Legal!Lots of new computers have arrived on campus and at offices across the state so it is time to remind everyone that the University has a strict policy against violating software licenses or copyrights. You should review the Executive Memorandum #16: Policy for Responsible Use of University Computers and Information Systems (revised and dated August 28, 2001). Section six of the policy “Misuse of computers and network systems” states, in part, that misuse of University information systems is prohibited. Misuse includes the following: Violating any software license or copyright, including copying or redistributing copyrighted software, without the written authorization of the software owner. (Subsection h) Be sure to maintain all records of software purchases and licensing information to verify that all installations are legal. It is also the responsibility of each office to have UNL server access or purchased CDs for all installed software. The media is needed for installing new licenses on new computers, for fixing problems, or for uninstalling programs. UNL has site licenses for several software suites and individual applications. All licenses are basically the same. The site licenses are for departmental purchases, not purchases by individuals for home use. Each computer must have a separate license. To upgrade the license to a newer version of the software, you must have purchased a “maintenance license” or purchase a new license. For the details on each UNL site license, including at-home or portable computer use, please see the UNL Dept. Site Licensing Overview page.
[ Return to Table of Contents | CIT Information newsletter Index ] Posted July 15, 2004
CIT Information is published by Communications and Information Technology, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Newsletter articles may be copied and distributed for nonprofit, educational purposes only and the source must be acknowledged. Direct all correspondence to the editor, Pamela K. Peters (E-mail: pkpeters@unlnotes.unl.edu; Phone: 402/472-5630; FAX: 402/472-5639). The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is an affirmative action - equal opportunity employer. |