Spam is malicious. It is not just annoying, but it can wreak havoc on your computer (not to mention your nerves) as long as you are connected to the internet. The fact is that spam does more than just send a few emails here and there. It actually can do a lot of destructive work, too.
There are plenty of ways that spam can hurt your computer and even your business. Take a look at these dangers that are imposed on your computer regularly.
Security:
No matter if you are in business or a personal user, spam can cause numbers of problems with security. Not only do they often contain viruses including Trojan viruses, but they also can contain spyware.
Some forms of spyware can actually track the keystrokes you make on your computer, allowing others to assess pass codes and key pieces of information that could later be used to steal your identity or your money.
Confidentiality:
Many of today's employees are setting up outside email sources that they use so that they can avoid being caught by security programs set up by the computer system.
Using Hotmail of Yahoo! will allow them to get past that security but also puts them at risk for a loss in confidentiality of the information they are passing along. This can be portal for malicious spam to get in.
Costs:
If you were to mistakenly click through spam emails and did have adware, malware, or even spyware downloaded onto your computer, a simple program may not sweep it clean.
In fact, many people will allow these too pile up so much so that the cleaning process is difficult, often too difficult to actually allow them to restore full use to their computer.
The downtime of your computer, especially in business related avenues, is high. Spam could be the cause of this downtime and loss of funds.
Legally:
Did you know that email users are responsible for the email that comes out of their email box? Many ISP regulate this, but the problem lies in spam.
If a spam email contains a Trojan or other virus that invades your address book and sends emails from your account to others, it can be later marked as spam and reported. That means you are legally responsible for those emails even though you had nothing to do with sending them.
Even more so, spam is annoying and a time waster. If you don't realize just how much it can cost you and your business, you are putting yourself at risk for potential problems.
Spam truly can block the benefits your online connection can provide to you.
Beware: Spam is malicious, as malicious as anything you can get.
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Malicious Nature of Spam On Your Computer
Monday, May 19, 2008
How Does Satellite Internet Access Work?
Just as satellite dishes competed with cable decades ago for premium movie channel services, dishes are now back, offering satellite acces to the internet to compete with cable and DSL. In a practical sense, satellite Internet access isn't so much of a competing technology as much as it is an alternative in areas where cable or DSL services are not available. Internet access via satellite is a somewhat pricey option at this time, though with downstream rates from 150-1,200 Kbps and upstream rates around 50-150 Kbps, available bandwidth is far greater than dialup connectivity.
Satellite Internet access operates via geostationary (fixed-position) satellites that beam microwaves from about 22,300 miles above the Earth's equator to your dish antenna and transceiver (transmitter/receiver). Satellite Internet access is available in two forms: two-way and one-way.
A typical two-way satellite Internet connection allows for upstream and downstream transmissions via satellite. Here is an example of a typical two-way satellite data transmission:
1. Your transceiver (connected to your computer) passes the digital signal to your dish antenna, which beams the information to the satellite (transponder).
2. The transponder forwards/beams the digital signal to a network operations center (NOC) back on the ground.
3. The NOC forwards the data request on to the Internet via land-based infrastructure.
4. Data returning from the Internet follows the same process (in reverse) back to your computer.
In theory, this entire process takes only about half of a second, but in practice it takes longer, so this isn't the method of choice for online gamers. (The time delays inherent in satellite communication can be somewhat distracting to online gainers.) A two-way setup provides always-on Internet connectivity that makes access convenient.
A one-way satellite transmission downstreams data from the transponder to your dish antenna but does not allow for transmitting data upstream in the same manner. One-way internet satellite access requires that you transmit upstream data through a dialup connection but only downstream data travels via satellite.
It is worth noting that because satellite Internet access operates off "lineof-sight" communication, transmissions are susceptible to heavy precipitation signal degradation (rain fade) and occasional solar interference. A variation of this technology called fixed wireless uses cell towers and has less latency but even more line-of-sight problems. But with the growth of the internet, and need of customers, satellite internet service is improving both in practicality and price.
So if DSL or cable or even dial up internet service is not an option for you, satellite internet service may be your ticket to net freedom.
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Saturday, May 10, 2008
Toshiba notebook unveils 128GB solid state laptops
Erica Ogg, CNET News.com
Tags: toshiba, notebook, ssd, 128 gb, solid state, laptop, battery life, hard drives
Toshiba has announced a model of its Dynabook SS RX notebook including a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD), making it twice the size of the SSD offered on latest notebooks from its competitors: the MacBook Air and the Lenovo X300.
Currently, the laptop is only available in Japan, with 128GB SSD being an option, while the standard is an 80GB SSD. Other specs include a 1.2-gigahertz Core 2 Duo U7600 processor and 2GB of RAM. Toshiba promises a battery life of just over six hours.
Longer battery life is one of the principal benefits of using solid-state drives, as well as faster boot times and reduced weight allowing notebook makers to thin down their laptops. In addition, the lack of moving parts makes an SSDs more rugged.
However SSDs are considerably more expensive than conventional hard drives. They can double the price of a notebook, and have the potential to wear out quicker than conventional drives.
Despite this, all the top hard drive makers are gearing up to produce larger volumes of SSDs. A Samsung spokesperson said the company -- currently ranked fourth in total hard drives shipped worldwide -- expects the market share of SSDs to increase from one percent to 27 percent over the next three years.
