Web Tips for The Public

Here's a couple really easy steps to taking back control of your computer:

On the Web

• Turn off Javascript.
  Some sites misuse Javascript to do things you might not want, like pop up those annoying Ad windows, for example. Most web sites will (and should, webmasters!) work fine without it. In Internet Explorer, you can turn Javascript on for certain "trusted" sites. If you want to get fancy, you can even allow some page's scripts to run and deny others by having IE prompt you when it encounters Javascript.
  (For more on Javascript Abuse, and on how to turn it off, our SysAdmin Russell has set up an annoying little demo page at http://fenrir.loosenut.com/~russell/annoy/).
  
  
• Watch 'cookies'.
  A 'cookie' is a bit of data that a web site can store on your computer. While mostly harmless, I still like to know when a site is using them. Setting IE to "prompt for each site" for "cookies" in Preferences takes care of that. You'll notice that those banner ads will usually store cookies, for example. You'll see IE prompt you for "ads.aol.com" and "ads.doubleclick.net" show up alot on different sites.

  Cookies can be used for a variety of things including but not limited to storing information about you or your web viewing habits. While the intention could be considered a good idea for legitimate use out there, many sites use them illegitimately... for example, advertisements that store cookies to track your buying or response habits. These ads are often embedded by sites like doubleclick that probably aren't the sites you are actually browsing (note that many browsers specifically have a cookie setting to "accept only cookies that get sent back to the originating server" for reasons such as this (even though we must admit that we think people like Netscape really lost track of what this sort of setting was useful for in the first place).

  In short, cookies can be used to store a lot of information about you and your habits. Now you can choose whether you want them to count you or not. :)

  (webmasters: be sure to check out the security warning on the Web Tips for Webmasters page.)

In Email

• Viruses.
  This should be common knowledge by now, but NEVER open an attachment in an email message unless you're sure it's safe. If you do, you're allowing an unknown program full access to your computer. They can read your files, install a monitoring program to track anything you do (even if you're behind a firewall), erase your data, email your friends, etc. You might not even know it (just because it displayed a word document or a cute picture doesn't mean it didn't do something else too...).
  
  
• Spam.
  I always get asked "Is there some way to get rid of all junk email I get?". Well, the short answer is: sorta.

  Most email programs have some basic filtering you can use. Hotmail has a filtering feature that is very easy to turn on with a few different selectable levels of spam filtering.

  There are a few simple things you can do to cut down on your spam problem:

  • Don't reply to spam.
    Many spammers use your reply to verify that your email address is valid and they've reached a person. If you reply, (for example to "remove" yourself from their spam list), you've just validated their list. The exception to this rule is valid email lists (like those from stores, etc). You can usually tell a valid email list by the email address it came from. Addresses like "listserver@amazon.com" are ok. "affji33@hotmail.com" probably isn't.
    
    
  • Don't use "mailto" links on web pages you create.
    Spammers comb websites for mailto links and add them to their spam lists. Use a contact CGI form instead. If you need one, we have a good one written in Perl that we use here.
    
    
  • "Munge" your email address in newsgroup postings.
    Spammers also comb through newsgroup postings for email addresses. Make your email address human-readable only. Be creative. For example:

    Email me at: g4r3a2n1t at cscorp1.1com.
This is a munged address - remove the numbers and replace "at" with "@". Thanks, spammers, for making this difficult.
    
    

  • Filter it in your email program
    Learn how to use the filter feature in your email program. Then, set up a simple filter that does the following:
    
    • Allow email that has your email address in the "To" or "Cc" fields through.
    • Allow email From any mailing lists you want to be on.
    • Send all other email into a "Spam" folder.

    You can periodically go through the Spam folder and throw stuff out. You do need to check it though. If someone includes you in a "Bcc" field, it'll go into your spam folder, but may be legitimate email.

Hopefully that'll help you out a bit. If you have a question that you'd like to see here, email it to us at webtips4at4cscorp4.4com... :)

Web Tips is written by Grant Grueninger, President of Commercial Systems Corporation. Grant has over 22 years programming experience, and has been working in the computer industry since 1979.
Web Tips © 2001 Grant Grueninger, Commercial Systems Corporation. Additional Cookie information by Russell VanTassell, Commercial Systems Corporation.