Have you ever been a victim of an e-mail hoax? The answer is probably, yes. Did you did forward that message about the missing child, or the one about the everyday product that could cause cancer? We’ve started a new series here in the Computing Blog all about e-mail hoaxes. If you missed the beginning of the series, you can click below to review. Other interesting blogs this week include some tips on what to do if you accidentally sent out an e-mail that you shouldn’t have sent.
Here is the Computing Blog Week in Review for September 8th Through September 14th
September 10th
I don’t know where I would be without our car’s GPS navigation system. No doubt I’d probably be somewhere in Cap Cod, Massachusetts, despite the fact that I live in suburban/rural Pennsylvania and was only trying to get to the grocery store. You see, I am one of those rare people that is directionally challenged. Tell me to turn right at the gas station, and I’ll probably turn left at the convenience store.
September 11th
E-Mail Crisis! What to Do When…
We have all been there. The time that you inadvertently sent an e-mail that you shouldn’t have sent. Misdirected e-mail is even a common subject matter for sitcoms and movies. But sometimes the consequences aren’t so funny. For instance, what if you sent out an e-mail to your boss that was full of typos or incorrect information? Or instead of forwarding a message asking advice about a demanding friend, you hit the reply button and sent your thoughts or discouraging remarks right back to the person you were complaining about? Maybe you sent someone an attachment that had personal information, such as your bank balance or a password.
September 12th
Microsoft Releases “Critical” and “Important” Security Patches
Yesterday, Microsoft released a total of four software patches to fix various security flaws. One patch in particular was labeled “critical” by Microsoft; it fixes a hole that could potentially let hackers take over a user’s computer. Victims would be at risk if they visited a website and installed a program that then downloaded malicious code. This “critical” patch affects only Windows 2000 users.
September 14th
With the popularity of the Internet has come the popularity of the Internet or e-mail hoax. Some hoaxes are harmless but annoying, while others can even be dangerous. These hoaxes are very convincing and often very believable, so how can you protect yourself and your family? Read this article to learn more.