E-Mail Hoax Spam Campaign Targets NFL Fans New Technology Can Make You Safer By Christopher Phillips - VP Sales for DakotaCom.Net Ask The Help Desk How Do I Make My Inbox Appear When Opening Outlook Express? Sites Of The Month Great Sites To Check Out In October! Short Tutorial Changing The Default Search Engine On Your Browser

Dear Valued DakotaCom.Net Customer This October newsletter is an action-packed one that will keep you moving. We train you to tackle the current Storm spam attack featuring a fake NFL website. We lead you through Great Sites to help you run a marathon, navigate through a corn maze, sort through toy recalls, decipher text messaging acronyms, and redecorate your home. Finally, we teach you how to make your Inbox folder automatically appear when you open Outlook Express, and change the default search box on your browser. The goal of each of our monthly eNewsletters is to keep our subscribers informed regarding their Internet connection and to improve their Internet experience. To meet this goal, each monthly newsletter will usually contain information related to: Warnings on a recent virus, e-mail hoax, or security issue that may affect you An update on new services and other local interests An answer to a frequently asked Internet related question Some fun, seasonal websites to check out A short, step-by-step tutorial on an e-mail or browser related task We think you'll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable tool for enhancing your Internet experience. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE. To see what's inside this issue, take a look at the index to the left and thanks for reading! - The DakotaCom.Net Team

E-Mail Hoax - Spam Campaign Targets NFL Fans

The latest Storm spam campaign has been timed to coincide with the start of the NFL season. Inboxes worldwide have received e-mails like the one below, which contain a message luring recipients to a fake NFL website with the enticement of a "Free NFL Game Tracker." It's supposed to update football fans on game results; in actuality, when users download the tracker, they download a Trojan horse and become part of a botnet (an army of commandeered computers used by attackers without their owners' knowledge).



According to Internet security experts, this malicious NFL spam campaign is being generated by the Storm Gang — responsible for up to 20 percent of all spam traffic worldwide. Their name refers to the "Storm worm," one of the larger Trojan horse attacks in recent years, which baited people with timely information about a deadly, real-life storm front in Europe. The Storm Gang changes the content of their attacks frequently, sometimes on a daily basis.

To help protect your computer from spam like this, make sure you use and regularly update your computer's anti-virus software. In addition, do not click on website links contained in e-mail messages from unfamiliar or suspicious sources.

Back to Top

New Technology Can Make You Safer - By Christopher Phillips - VP Sales for DakotaCom.Net

Looking back at the past two decades, tremendous advances in technology have changed the way we work, communicate, and conduct business. The Internet has brought with it incredible gains in productivity and new capabilities that allow us to communicate with greater speed and agility than ever before. Nothing in this world remains untouched for long. Just as the Internet offers a platform to increase our productivity and access to information, it brings with it a myriad of security problems. I could easily produce hundreds of examples of every type of computer crime imaginable and unimaginable. It's truly a serious problem for both home and business Internet users and its getting worse by the day.

It's interesting to note that the amount of viruses detected in spam emails has significantly dropped in recent months do to the installation of anti-virus and anti-spam software now deployed by most companies and network service providers in conjunction with their email systems. But the new generation of hacker-spammer has shifted their focus to a new type of attack - the compromised web page.

A recent newspaper article talks about a substitute teacher that was recently prosecuted for a computer crime. While in the classroom, she was innocently perusing a hair salon website, and suddenly found her computer displaying all sorts of pornography in front of a bunch of young students. She did not know that the harmless web site she had frequently visited had been compromised and loaded with malware. Unfortunately, the legal system in the USA has not caught up to the fact that a person's computer can be taken over by someone with malicious intent, without the owner's knowledge or permission and used for all sorts of horrible things beyond their control. This is not just an anecdotal story. There are hundreds of incidents just like this that happen every day.

Most people don't realize that they can download a virus or malware program with a single mouse click on a compromised web page. I've heard comments like,"I'm not worried about getting viruses or malware from a web site, I only go to safe sites." So, how do you know if a site is safe? - the bottom line - you don't. Any web site can be compromised at any time and turned into a server of viruses and malware designed to steal your private information and use your computer to host illegal materials or attack other Internet users. Most of the time when your computer is compromised you don't even know it. It might just seem a little slower than normal or you might not notice any change at all. So how can you protect your computer from becoming a mindless zombie that logs every key stroke and silently sends your bank information back to a hacker in Asia or Russia?

Enter the UTM security appliance.

UTM stands for Unified Threat Management. Firewalls and PC-based anti-virus software are simply not enough protection against today's Internet threats. The latest UTM technology combines the features of a firewall, VPN server, anti-virus gateway, anti-malware gateway, anti-spam gateway and web content filter onto a single appliance. It's like a shield against the constant bombardment of a wide variety of security threats that your Internet connection serves up 24 hours a day. In order for a UTM appliance to be truly effective, it must have its software updated on a daily or weekly basis. Most firewalls that you buy for less than $100 at retail stores offer little to no protection against today's modern Internet threats. They do offer a certain false-sense of security however.

In response to customer concerns, DakotaCom.Net has begun offering a managed security solution for small businesses that is both cost effective and provides a level of protection that previously only Fortune 500 companies could afford. In fact, Check Point Technologies protects 98% of Fortune 500 companies with its security products. The Safe@Office Managed Security Service from DakotaCom.Net is based on UTM technology and can protect your business or home from the real and ever-present threats on the Internet. In the cold war against hackers and malware, there is a tool that is winning the battle today. For more information on how to protect your home or business from the security threats of the Internet, please contact DakotaCom at 520-745-3900 and ask to speak with one of our Internet Solutions Consultants about a no-risk demo of the technology.

Back to Top

Ask The Help Desk - How Do I Make My Inbox Appear When Opening Outlook Express?

Question: When I start Outlook Express, it doesn't go directly to my Inbox folder. I always have to click on the Inbox icon. Is there a way for Outlook Express to go there first?

Answer: Yes. To change this setting in Outlook Express 6.0, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click your cursor arrow on the "Tools" menu and then drop down to and select "Options."
3. When the Options window opens, click on the General Tab. Next, put a check in the box next to "When starting, go directly to my 'Inbox' folder."
4. Click on the "OK" button. Your Inbox will now appear each time you open Outlook Express.

Back to Top

Great Sites To Check Out This Month

Maze Craze
http://www.cornfieldmaze.com/site_list.html -  It may sound corny, but making your way through a corn maze can be a wonderful bonding moment for families. This increasingly popular form of agri-entertainment is spreading across the globe, so chances are good that there's one near you. To find a corn maze this fall, check your local newspapers or navigate through this site. It contains listings for nearly 200 locations in five countries, as well as helpful tips on how to conquer the twists and turns to make your way to the exit.

Room for Discussion
http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com -  Fall is a popular time for home decorating projects. Are you particularly proud of your painting performance? Or feel you have a flair for furniture? You can share photos and videos of your home's highlights at this HGTV site. Just sign in, name your spaces, and you’re ready to upload. Users can rate entries, post comments, and search for design inspiration by type of room.

Toy Recalls
http://www.cpsc.gov -  Much has been in the news lately about safety hazards involving lead paint on toys. Stay informed on the latest toy recalls by visiting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission site. In one convenient place, you can review all the current recalls from Mattel, Fisher-Price, and RC2, plus sign up for the CPSC's e-mail subscription lists to automatically receive notices on the product categories of most interest to you.

RU Confused?
http://www.netlingo.com -  In the interest of speed while sending e-mail or instant messages, more and more people are talking in code. These acronyms and shorthand terms can be confusing, especially since their numbers keep growing and it's a challenge to keep up. Fortunately, it's easy to get the definitions you need here. NetLingo is an online dictionary that explains this jargon, and offers pages targeted to the needs of parents, new MySpace participants, and businesspeople.

Up and Running
http://www.nycmarathon.org -  The ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing more than 90,000 applicants including many world-class professional athletes. Organizers expect two million cheering spectators along the course, plus 315 million worldwide television viewers. This year's marathon will be held on Sunday, November 4 and you can share in the Big Apple's big excitement by visiting this site. Find details on the television and web coverage, learn about the event's history, buy official ING New York City Marathon gear -- and begin training for next year's event.

Back to Top

Short Tutorial - Changing The Default Search Engine On Your Browser

Rather than having to type in the URL of a search engine into your browser, newer browsers provide a default search engine box option so you can go straight to a search engine. This saves you time but the default search engine may not be the one you like to use. You can change the default search engine listed on your browser by following the steps below.

Changing The Default Search Engine In The Instant Search Box On Your Internet Explorer 7 Browser When Using Windows XP Home Edition

1. With Internet Explorer open, click on the down arrow to the right side of the search button on the right side of the Instant Search Box and select "Change Search Defaults..." from the drop-down menu. (The search button looks like a magnifying glass.)
   
   
2. When the "Change Search Defaults" window opens, click on the search engine you want from the field called "Search Providers."
   
   
3. Click the "Set Default" button and your selection will be labeled "(Default)" in the "Search Providers" field.
   
   
4. Click the "OK" button.
   
   
5. The Instant Search Box will now show the name of your new search provider.

Back to Top

We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the happenings here. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE.

Thanks for your business!

Best regards,

The DakotaCom.net Team





DakotaCom.Net, 2006 BBB Ethics Award winner
4003 E. Speedway, Suite 111
Tucson, Arizona 85712
520-745-3900
800-498-1050

©2007 Cornerstone Publishing Group Inc.

Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this eNewsletter are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.