Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
January 29, 2006
Volume 1, Number 33 — Sunday, January 29, 2006
4. Email Spam Filter and Spam Filtering
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While there are a number of great anti-spam ideas that might eventually stop spam, as individuals, we really need to use an effective email spam filter.
We can use our ISP's spam filtering, which will usually help. Just let it identify what it thinks is spam and and label it — do not let it delete items it things are spam. If you do, you're almost guaranteed to miss important emails.
Create a folder called "spam" in your email program. Then, download the identified spam just like any other email, but let your email program (Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.) use a "rule" to filter it directly into a folder. Then, check the folder occasionally for good email that got misidentified as spam.
Get a good email spam filter. I've used and recommend any of the following: Mailwasher Pro, Mailwasher, and PopFile. With any spam filter, you will have to manually classify emails for a while. Mailwasher Pro and PopFile both learn from what you do, so they are more accurate in the future.
The freeware Mailwasher is a limited version that does not have many of the functions of Mailwasher Pro; it also does not "learn" what you consider spam. If you want to use the freeware version, I suggest getting the free trial of Mailwasher Pro and trying it first so you really know what you'll miss. I think you'll decide that the Pro version is worth it.
An email spam filter will help you take back control of your Inbox.
Shop at CompUSA — I Do!
One of my favorite ways to shop for computer goodies is to stroll through my local CompUSA store. In addition to computers, software, networking goodies and accessories, CompUSA.com has DVDs, MP3s, camcorders and more!
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I'll also shop on their web site, which gives me the same deals, whether my local store has the product, and even lets me purchase online for pick up at the store.
Sometimes, the online store has specials that aren't available in the store, or I can order the product if the local store is out of stock. That's when their Free Shipping
on orders over $150 comes in handy. (Free shipping is a special and will probably be discontinued at some date, but it is available as I write this issue.)
Shop on-line and pick up at the store! If you order from CompUSA's web site using one of the above links (including the "Shop at CompUSA" button at the top of the page), you will help support Terry's Computer Tips.
5. My Computer Security Software Recommendations
My Philosophy: Many people want to pick their most economical solution and prefer an all-in-one anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall solution. In concept, that's a great idea. In actual practice, this type of package is not likely to be the best in all the protection categories you need.
Other people want to pick the best of each type program. I'm one of the these folks.
So, I've got two types of recommendations below: the all-in-one solutions and my picks of the individual products for people who want to pick a program of each type.
Antivirus Software
For your anti-virus needs (and, yes, you do have anti-virus needs!) I recommend anti-virus software from Trend Micro, Panda Software, Kaspersky or ESET.
Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2006
offers anti-virus, anti-spam, and firewall for your PC and PDA. TrendMicro provides an easy-to-use product that is from one of the big names in the anti-virus world.
Panda Software's Platinum 2006 Internet Security
offers anti-virus, anti-spam, firewall and more.
The Kaspersky Personal Security Suite
is a program package specifically developed to provide comprehensive protection from all types of malicious programs for personal computers running under the Windows operating system (Win98, WinMe, 2000, XP). This solution prevents the infiltration of viruses, worms, spyware, adware and other malicious programs via potential penetration paths, provides protection against unauthorized access attempts, and includes anti-spam components. Kaspersky claims the industry leading virus detection rates and the fastest virus updates. Kaspersky offers a 30-day free trial on its products.
My personal choice is the ESET's small, fast NOD32 anti-virus program, which offeres a FREE 30-day evaluation license. Read more about anti-virus programs on my web site.
Firewall Software
If you get either of the above, you are covered from a firewall point of view. Just don't count on the Windows firewall to provide your needs — it's better than nothing, but you need better than that. If you don't get either of the above, ZoneAlarm Pro or the ZoneAlarm free firewall
are my recommendations. ZoneAlarm is my choice for a firewall. Read more about firewalls in The Internet Versus You.
Anti-Spyware / Anti-Adware Software
CounterSpy, from Sunbelt Software, has been getting the kudos from the computer press for its always-running and periodic full system scans. I use CounterSpy on my notebook, my wife's computer and my son's computer. I highly recommend this program.
Panda Software's Platinum 2006 Internet Security also includes anti-spyware. Anti-spyware is one situation where more than one scanner actually is better. Only let one program do the real-time, always running protection, but periodic scans with two different programs are a better solution to adware & spyware than only one scanner. No one anti-spyware program catches everything. Also, different companies differ in their criteria for classifying programs as adware and/or spyware.
Anti-spam Software
In today's Internet world, the question is not "if" you will get spam, but when and how much. I recommend Mailwasher Pro, or the free version of Mailwasher (www.mailwasher.net) to handle spam before it ever gets into your computer's Inbox. Mailwasher Pro uses online Realtime Black Lists mail servers sending spam recently, "training" by you of what you think is spam, and your own "friends" and "blacklist" lists. Mailwasher Pro can even bounce spam messages, as if your email address was not valid, although the usefulness and appropriateness of this is questionable. While "Mailwasher" can do many of the same things, it puts a line of sponsoring ads in the Mailwasher window.
Mailwasher also has less functions than Mailwasher Pro. "Mailwasher Pro" also has "learning filters," can handle multiple email accounts, can access the Realtime Black Lists (Internet sites that maintain lists of which email servers are sending spam now, has technical support, accesses the "FirstAlert! global spam database," and can access IMAP, Hotmail, MSN and AOL email accounts. PopFile (www.popfile.org) uses a different approach to spam — it does nothing to reduce spam but does a good job, after training, of identifying and segregating spam. PopFile, in my opinion, is not a good choice unless you are an advanced PC user.
Cable/DSL Router
If you have a cable modem or a DSL modem, you need to have another layer of inexpensive protection between you and the Internet. A cable/DSL router isolates your computer from direct connection to the Internet. Your computer can easily request your email, web pages, etc. through the router. The responses come back to the router and are smoothly routed to your computer. But, someone on the Internet side of the router can not initiate a connection to your computer — they can only respond to your request.
Even if you only have one computer to connect to your cable or DSL modem, I recommend that you purchase and use a cable/DSL router because of the protection it can give you against attempts to attack through some flaws in Windows itself.
A router isolates your local network, whether it is only one computer or several, from the Internet by actually making it a separate network. The router gets the "public" IP address and handles all your outbound communications and the responses to them. But, it blocks computers on the Internet side from being able to initiate communications with your computer! This will prevent you from falling prey to many worms that try to attack security holes in Windows itself.
My pick is the Linksys WRT54G 802.11g wireless router
, available from Amazon.com for about $40 after rebate, and it is eligible for free "SuperSaver" shipping, too. If you don't want wireless now, or at any time, the function is easily turned off in the router's menu. You may be able to find a wired (that is, non-wireless) Linksys router on sale. Either way, based on my experience, I recommend Linksys routers. Read more on my Wireless Security web page.
Volume 1, Number 33 — Sunday, January 29, 2006
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Copyright © 2006 Terry A. Stockdale. All rights reserved.
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