Over 90 Percent of Emails That Reached Companies in Q3 Were Spam

October 27, 2008
Over 90 Percent of Emails That Reached Companies in Q3 Were Spam,
According to PandaLabs

GLENDALE, Calif., Oct 27, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --PandaLabs, Panda

Security'smalware analysis and detection laboratory, today announced that less than sixpercent of emails that reached companies in the third quarter of 2008 werelegitimate correspondence. Moreover, 1.43 percent of emails contained malware.The data, extracted from a sample of more than 123 million emails and analyzedby TrustLayer Mail

(http://www.pandasecurity.com/enterprise/solutions/trustlayer/), the anti-spammanaged service from Panda Security, found the most frequently detectedstrains of malware during this quarter included Netsky.P, and theSpamtaLoad.DO and SpamtaLoad.CZ Trojans.

% spam % infected
January 76.27 1.84
February 87.83 3.08
March 86.51 1.32
April 94.75 0.88
May 94.71 0.97
June 93.35 0.87
July 90.43 0.98
August 93.01 0.99
September 91.89 2.34

Recent trends:
New Spam TrendsThe third quarter of 2008 saw the expansion of the use of .swf (Flash)files to dodge anti-spam filters. This particular strategy involves includinglinks in junk mail with interesting news headlines or erotic photos that thenconnect to an .swf file. The files themselves are generally hosted onlegitimate websites but are actually designed to redirect users to the webpage that cyber crooks want to advertise. The most common sites involved inthis scheme were fake online pharmacies.Another popular scam that arose in the third quarter was the use ofvertical writing and hidden characters to trick content-based anti-spamengines. The technique involves writing messages vertically instead ofhorizontally to avoid being caught before it can appear in a user's inbox.Also included in these emails is an additional message contained in white fontthat can only be seen once the user selects the content of the mail.

Complete article on security trends including spam pdf link.

Good IT Site - For Small Business Technology

This is a good site for some basic tech learning videos, product reviews, articles and more aimed at Small Business information technology.

Enjoy!

http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/

EMC/Iomega Marriage Produces Big NAS for Small Biz

EMC/Iomega Marriage Produces Big NAS for Small Biz

By Lauren Simonds

October 15, 2008

When a big fish eats a little fish, it's not generally a happy ending for the guppy. But the news coming out of Iomega, now part of EMC, the one of the largest storage tech companies in the world, looks promising. Today Iomega announced the StorCenter ix2, a two-terabyte network attached storage appliance that, the company says, integrates multiple high-end features in a box that takes four mouse-clicks to configure.

The Iomega StorCenter ix2 NAS box features enterprise-level technology from storage giant, EMC.

The StorCenter ix2, available in a 1T capacity for $299.99 and a 2T model for $479.99, offer small businesses a way to centrally store and protect data over a network. The big difference between the ix2 and the StorCenter devices Iomega produced prior to its affiliation with EMC is, well, its affiliation with EMC.

Complete article.

Power Line Networking the home

OK, so you have your wireless network setup nicely in your house BUT the speed of wireless is just not cutting it. Too slow and even the new Wireless N standard is not enough speed.

So, you may want to consider Power Line networking to extend your network without needing to add ethernet cabling throughout your home.

How does it work? Basically, you substitute your electrical wiring for ethernet cabling.

There are various companies that make the Kits (NetGear, Linksys, Belkin) For about $100 bucks, it's not a bad idea!

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From Dell, a bit more about Powerline technology:

What is Powerline Technology?

Wired internet is typically delivered through Ethernet cables installed throughout your home. But how do you extend internet without Ethernet cabling or additional wireless routers?

It turns out that you can use your home’s existing electrical wiring to carry Ethernet signals. Powerline technology is most often used to extend an Ethernet connection from the room where the router is located to another room where a network connection is needed.

A powerline bridge consists of two adapters, one plugged into an outlet near your router, and one plugged into a power outlet in the location where you want network coverage. Powerline adapter starter kits generally come in pairs — with one adapter at each end of the connection. Once you’ve got an adapter attached to your router, you can add another powerline adapter to any plug in your house.

Powerline Speed

Powerline can be fast enough for many uses including streaming large files. If you want a powerline bridge for demanding applications like streaming or game play, make sure you get the latest powerline network products, which are labeled “HomePlug AV.” Some of these new products claim data transmission rates of up to 200Mbps1 and can deliver sufficient bandwidth for a single stream of HDTV.

Avoid older products on the market that are much slower, and be aware that you can’t mix powerline technologies. Be sure to get powerline adapters of the same type and from the same manufacturer.

Also, know that your mileage may vary.

Powerline network coverage and performance depends on many factors including the type of wiring in your home, the length of the wires, how the wires are attached to your service panel, and the types of electrical appliances that are in use. Powerline networking works better in some homes than others, and you might also find that some of your outlets work better than others.

Setting It Up

One of the best things about extending your network with powerline technologies is that it is very easy to set up. Simply plug both adapters (you need at least two) into your wall outlets, one into your router, and then connect the Ethernet cables on each end to your devices and you’re good to go. You can even use powerlines to connect a wireless router to your network

New Blackberry Storm, touchscreen and Verizon exclusive

New Blackberry Storm (first touchscreen by RIM), only on Verizon...

Well, the new Blackberry Storm sounds great... with the touch sensitive touch screen. Will be interesting to try... too bad I don't use Verizon.

In any case, here's a quick look at the device and announcement by RIM at techtree.com.