Consumer Reports Investigates How to Protect Against Spam, Spyware and Phi

[Dover]

Consumer Reports Investigates How to Protect Against Spam, Spyware and Phishing; Report Includes Survey Results, Software Ratings and Tips to Avoid Online Hazards Such as ID Theft

8/9/2004 6:25:00 PM



YONKERS, N.Y., Aug. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- While viruses and spam continue to proliferate, they have been joined by two emerging threats: spyware and phishing, according to the September issue of Consumer Reports (CR). The issue takes an in- depth look at the state of online security, including results of two nationally-representative surveys of at-home Internet users' and email users' experiences, ratings of anti-virus and antispyware programs, anti-spam software, and tips to help consumers avoid online annoyances.

"For now, keeping spam out of your life requires setting up a fortress around your computer with help from your Internet service provider and spam-blocking software," said James Guest, president of Consumers Union. "While consumers are busy protecting themselves, service providers and the software industry have work to do."

On January 1, 2004 the first federal law regulating junk e- mail, the CAN-SPAM Act, went into effect and has resulted in a few prosecutions of people charged with spamming by the Department of Justice. But a CR survey of 2,000 email users indicates that the new law hasn't reduced spam yet. In fact, most people who received spam in the previous month said it outnumbered legitimate messages.

-- 69 percent said half or more of their e-mail was spam

-- About 55 percent said they received pornographic or other objectionable material

-- 47 percent said they were receiving more spam three months after Can-Spam went into effect

To avoid spam, Consumer Reports recommends that consumers:

-- Don't buy anything promoted in a spam message

-- Don't reply to spam or click on its "unsubscribe" link

-- Disable preview panels in email programs to prevent the spam from reporting back to its sender. (HOW DO YOU DO THAT?)

cont'd >
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=147-08092004

[onebigbadwulf]

1. There's no way to stop spam

but there's an easy way to bypass it.


I use one real address for all business / family related things.


And one hotmail address for all websites and order forms.


That way, I can look for the occassional "click here for confirmation" links without ever polluting my real address. Then just click "delete all".