Another excellent Worldstart
tip -- this one about email.
What are the 25 most common
mistakes we all make in accordance to e-mail security?
Okay, I must confess. No one wrote in and asked
me that question, but I thought it was so important to cover, I had to
get it in here somehow. Now, I know that 25 is a rather large number, but
don't worry. I'm not going to go over all of them in one day. We'll do
12 of them today and the other 13 for tomorrow. So, make sure you stay
tuned, because all 25 of them are very important to know! Alright, what
do you say we get started?!
1.) Only Using One E-mail Account
- We here at WorldStart have actually told you this before. It's
very important that you familiarize yourself with more than one e-mail
program. You can't think of your e-mail address like your home address.
You need to have more than one! In all actuality, it's best to have even
up to three open e-mail accounts. That way, you can have one for your home
e-mails, one for your office e-mails and an extra one for all the other
things you do online. For example, always use your third account to sign
up for newsletters, contests, etc. It's also best to have maybe one paid
e-mail account and the other two can be one of the free ones that are available
today, such as Yahoo!, Hotmail or Gmail. With more than one account, you
are saving yourself in the long run.
2.) Keeping the Spam Around -
Have you ever had an e-mail account that just got spammed out? You know,
pretty much all you ever received from that account was spam. So, after
awhile, you probably got tired of it, but instead of switching to another
e-mail client, you just started to accept it. Well, I'm here to tell you
not to do that anymore! When one of your accounts gets spammed out, just
get rid of it and start fresh. I know it's easy to get attached to an e-mail
program, because you're familiar with it, etc., but it's not healthy to
keep all that spam around. It's only going to get worse, so my advice is
to get rid of it while you're still somewhat ahead.
3.) Forgot to Close the Browser
- Do you ever check your e-mail from another location apart from
your home computer? You know, like the library or even maybe a cyber café.
Well, when you do that, you have to make sure you log out of your e-mail
account when you're finished. Along with that, be sure that you always
close down the browser window as well. If you don't do this, your username
may remain on the screen and it will really put you on target for some
security risks.
4.) Forgot to Clear It -
Here's another important tip if you're using another computer outside of
your home. Always make sure you clear the browser cache, the history and
your passwords. Most Web browsers will hold onto that information and even
though it's trying to save you time, it's a hazard if you're using a public
computer. You never know who could get on that computer after you. Here
are some quick instructions on how to do all of that, so you won't ever
have to worry about it.
In Internet Explorer,
go to Tools, Internet Options and click on all three buttons that say,
"Clear History," "Delete Cookies" and "Delete Files." In
Firefox, you can simply use the keyboard combination of Ctrl + Shift
+ Del in the open browser window. Doing that will keep you much safer!
5.) Using Insecure Accounts -
This one has a little more to do with larger corporations, but you never
know when it could affect you. Often times, corporation employees are careless
and they use their personal e-mail accounts for business purposes. If this
happens, they are at risk of sending out sensitive information that could
really hurt the company. Doing this could put their job at risk as well.
Always use your personal account for personal items and leave everything
else out.
6.) Forgot to Use the Telephone
- We all know how convenient e-mail is, but in some cases, it's
not always the best option. If you're going to be e-mailing something very
sensitive or private, you might want to consider just picking up the telephone
and doing it that way. In these types of cases, using the telephone is
a much safer option to use than e-mail. It may take a few more minutes
to do, but if it's possible, just call.
7.) Forgot to Use the BCC -
We've told you about the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) feature before in the
newsletter, but I'm willing to guess that some of you still don't use it.
This works the best when you're e-mailing multiple people. If you insert
the e-mail addresses onto the BCC line, the recipients won't be able to
see any of the other e-mail addresses you're sending the e-mail to. Now,
don't get this confused with the CC option either. BCC is really the way
to go to keep everyone's addresses safe and secure.
8.) Used the Reply All Button
- Do you ever get confused as to whether you should hit the Reply
or Reply All buttons when you're replying to an e-mail message? If you
click on Reply All, your reply will go to each and every e-mail address
that the original message was sent to. Yes, it will go to the person you
intended as well, but if you're sending them a personal message, you don't
want everyone else to be able to see it. Always use Reply first. It's a
safer shot.
9.) Forwarding Spam -
Did you know that forwarding e-mails can bring on a new batch of spam mail?
Well, if you didn't know before, you know now. If you aren't careful, forwarding
e-mails can pose a big security threat for you and the earlier recipients
of the e-mail. When you forward an e-mail, make sure you delete all of
the previous addresses first. This way, the person you forward the message
to won't be able to see the addresses of who all already got it. If you
keep all the e-mail addresses on there, spammers can quickly grab up that
entire list and just go to town. Everyone will get spammed, including you.
And I know you don't want that to happen!
10.) Forgot to Back It Up -
Again, we here at WorldStart are always telling you to back up the data
on your computer. Well, e-mails are no exception. If you've got important
e-mails on your computer that you're going to want to hang on to for awhile,
don't forget to back them up frequently. These types of e-mails could be
anything from legal contracts to financial information or even personal
information you want to keep. Either way, run a backup on them and you
won't ever have to worry about losing them for good. Read here for some
tips on getting the backup process done easily.
11.) Mobile Access - Do
you ever access your e-mail through a mobile device, such as your cell
phone or a Blackberry? With today's technology, you can check your e-mail
from just about anywhere, but is it really safe? They are safe, but you
have to remember a couple of things if you're using this method. Sometimes,
the software on your mobile device will not keep the e-mails you check
on the server for very long. Therefore, certain e-mails will not be on
your home or office computer later on when you need them. So, if you delete
them from the device, they will be deleted from your Inbox as well. Check
the default settings on your mobile device to make sure they are set to
keep the e-mails around for as long as you need them. This is very important,
especially for urgent e-mails.
12.) It's Gone For Good -
Yes, we've all done it. We've sent embarrassing e-mails to our friends
or we received very inappropriate e-mails from other senders. When those
come in, what do you do? Probably delete them right away, right? Well,
when you delete them, are they gone for good? The answer is no. Just because
you delete an e-mail from your Inbox or even your Deleted folder, the e-mails
are not gone forever. They usually remain on your server until something
else takes its place. Even then, they sometimes stay in backup folders
and other remote servers for years. If this happens, spammers can get ahold
of them and you know what happens after that. So, when you're sending e-mails,
think about what you're writing in them. It may come back to haunt you
later on.
13.) Believing Scam Titles -
We've all received them before. You know, the e-mails that tell us we've
won the lottery or that someone wants to send us a bunch of money or maybe
even one that told us we won an iPod or a laptop. No matter which way they
come through, they are all junk! Don't ever fall for one of these scams,
because I'm here to tell you that they're just not true. They never were
and they never will be. The best thing to do is just delete them from your
Inbox as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you'll fall into the trap and
you'll be the one to lose out in the end. Please trust me on this one!
14.) Falling for the Phish -
This is another one that we've all probably fallen for before. Even the
most experienced e-mail user probably opens up a phishing e-mail from time
to time. Whether it's on purpose or by accident, those e-mails are tempting,
but it's important to see those e-mails for what they really are. Phishers
send out these types of fraud e-mails in an attempt to trick you into giving
out some of your personal information, etc. This could be anything from
your passwords to your bank account information, etc.
Phishing e-mails can come in several different
forms as well. Usually, the phishers will steal the logo from a well known
company and pass it off for the real thing. Some of the most popular ones
are PayPal and different banks. The e-mail will then ask you to click on
a link to verify some information and once you do that, you're done. They
will have all of your personal information and you will have a hard time
getting things back to normal. So, just be cautious with every e-mail you
open. Don't give your personal details out to anyone. Keeping to yourself
in the e-mail world is just the best way to stay safe.
15.) Sending Personal Information
- You may have done this before in an e-mail conversation with one
of your friends or family members. And while it may seem safe to do that
with those people, it's still not a good idea to send those kinds of details
through e-mail. This holds true for any personal information, such as your
address, phone number, social security number or any of your usernames
and passwords, as well as, any financial information. Also, you should
always avoid writing your bank via e-mail. You never know when those e-mails
will end up in the wrong hands. It's best to leave your personal information
to a face to face form of contact, instead of through your e-mail program.
16.) Unsubscribing to Nothing
- Do you ever receive a newsletter in your e-mail that you never
even signed up for? Well, if you have, they are more than likely coming
from a spammer. That's one of the oldest spam tricks in the book. They
send you fake newsletters and then provide you with a link that will allow
you to unsubscribe if you'd like. If you ever get something like that,
don't ever click on that Unsubscribe button. If you do, you may end up
with a whole new load of spam mail the next day. The best thing to do is
just block the e-mail address that the newsletters are coming from. That
way, you won't have to deal with them in your e-mail anymore and you will
also save yourself from a lot of spam or even a virus.
17.) Trusting Your Friends -
Okay,
I'm not telling you to not trust your friends, but I am telling you to
not always trust the e-mails you get from them. When you get an e-mail
from a friend, you probably instantly throw all of your caution instincts
out the window. You figure the e-mail is safe to open since it has your
friend's e-mail address right there in front of you. Well, unfortunately,
that may not always be the case. Hackers are able to retrieve the information
they need to send out e-mails that look like they're coming from a legit
source. If you open an e-mail like this, you may be at risk for a virus
or even just a lot of malware. If you get an e-mail from a friend where
the subject line seems a little fishy, don't open it. Scan all of your
incoming e-mails very carefully and only open those that you know for sure
are safe.
18.) Not Blocking the Spam -
When you get spam in your e-mail, do you delete it or do you actually add
the address it came from to your blacklist? Well, the best thing to do
is add it to your list. If you just delete the spam mail, it will still
come back time and time again. But, if you add the e-mail address to your
blocked senders list, you will save yourself from receiving any e-mails
from that address again. Now, a lot of the spam e-mails that circulate
around do not come from the same users, but a lot of it does. So, if you
hit that Block button each time you get a new piece of spam, you will be
putting a stop to a lot of the spam you receive.
19.) Disabling the Filter -
If you're just starting out with a new e-mail account, you may not give
a lot of value to the spam filter each e-mail client provides. Yes, it
can be a little frustrating when the filter blocks an e-mail that should
have gone through to your Inbox, but in the end, it's really doing you
a favor. This is especially true for older e-mail accounts that have had
the chance to accumulate a lot of spam mail. The best thing to do is whitelist
all of your friends and family members. That way, those e-mail addresses
won't get caught up in the spam filter and you'll be able to read all of
the wanted e-mail you get, while the unwanted stuff stays where it belongs.
In the trash!
20.) Not Scanning Attachments
- Do you receive a lot of attachments with the e-mails you get?
If so, did you know that attachments are very likely to carry viruses?
If you didn't know, you do now and it's time you do something about it.
It's very important that you scan all attachments before you open them.
A lot of e-mail clients have a built in scanner and they will take care
of it as your e-mail comes in. If that's the case, you won't even have
to worry about your attachments, because they will have already been checked
for you. If your e-mail doesn't have a scanner, you may want to think about
switching e-mail clients. Either do that or you may have to pay for a scanner
of your own. (Just FYI, most free e-mail programs have the scanner option,
including Yahoo! and Gmail). So, it may be worth opening up a free account,
don't you think? After all, it is your computer's safety!
21.) Sharing Your Information
- Have you ever been in a jam and you needed to check your e-mail
right away? It's happened to all of us at one time or another, but when
it happens to you, what do you do? Do you call up your closest friend or
a co-worker and ask them to check it for you? If so, that's a big no no!
Of course, you probably call someone you trust, but either way, once you
give out that password, your e-mail account is no longer as safe as it
was. This is especially true if the person checking your e-mail doesn't
use the same security measures as you. If they're checking it on another
computer, you know it's probably not as safe as yours. Also, if you happen
to write down your account information, make sure it is destroyed after
it's used. You don't want just anyone finding it and accessing your information.
But, the best thing to do is just keep it all to yourself. You can check
your e-mail at your earliest convenience. It's not going to be the end
of the world!
22.) Using the Wrong Passwords
- What type of password do you have for your e-mail account? Hopefully
it's not your name or some other easy to guess word. If you use a simple
password, hackers will be able to crack it in a matter of seconds. Once
they do, you know what happens. Yep, you will start to get piles and piles
of spam e-mail. So, if you're trying to think of a good password to use
or if you need to change yours after reading this tip, follow these suggestions.
A good, strong password should have at least eight characters and it should
be as meaningless to you as possible. It's also a good idea to use both
small and capital letters when typing it out. If you do all of that, hackers
will have a hard time figuring out your password and that means less spam!
23.) Forgetting to Encrypt -
Do
you encrypt your e-mails? If not, you should seriously think about starting
to do so. If you do this, it will make it extremely hard for anyone who
may be watching your computer to understand what you're saying. This will
then make it difficult for them to get any of your information, etc. If
you don't already have an encryption program installed on your computer,
you may want to check out PGP. It is one of the most popular e-mail encryption
programs. Now, it may not be completely realistic to encrypt every single
one of your e-mails, but it's smart to at least do it for any that contain
sensitive information. Remember, it's for your own security!
24.) Not Encrypting Your Wireless
- This one goes along with number 23, but it has to do with encrypting
your wireless Internet connection. Above, I told you to encrypt your e-mail
messages, but if you start with your wireless connection, you won't even
have to worry about hackers getting into your e-mail account in the first
place. It only takes a few minutes to encrypt your wireless, so it's definitely
worth the time. The most common encryption standard for wireless is WPA2
and you can find information about getting that done by doing a search
for it with your favorite search engine.
25.) Not Using Digital Signatures
- We're almost done now! If you didn't know, you can now use digital
signatures at the end of your e-mails. Digital signatures will help to
prove where certain e-mails come from and who they're sent by. They also
make it a lot harder for anyone to modify your signature and change all
of your information around. It's very important to use this type of signature
when sending out sensitive e-mails. It will keep both you and the receiver
as safe as possible. You can find information about getting your own digital
signature by searching for the term with any search engine.
So, there you have it. The 25 most common e-mail
mistakes. We've all done them and if we haven't, we probably will. In today's
world, it's hard not to make some safety mistakes when dealing with your
e-mail, but at least you now know some things you can do to combat any
insecurity. I hope this tip will help to keep all of you just a little
bit safer in the e-mail world! |