Welcome to the third edition of the Zoonini Web Services newsletter, ZooNews. Here's hoping everyone's enjoying their summer, whether it's a relaxing vacation time or whether - like mine - it's turning out to be a busy work-filled few months!

Gone fishing this summer? OK, but I betcha probably haven't gone phishing... Never heard of this nefarious pastime? While you may not have known there was a name for it, you've probably received one of its byproducts, an often legitimate-looking, sometimes dubious-looking email, supposedly sent from a recognizable institution like a bank, store, auction house or credit-card company. The message usually requests that you click on a link to confirm or update details such as bank account numbers or credit-card information. Unfortunately, if the message was fraudulent, once you reveal personal or financial information you're vulnerable to financial loss and identity theft.

According to the Wikipedia definition, "The term phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they 'fish' for users' financial information and password data."

But how can you tell the genuine emails apart from the scams? Take the Phishing IQ Test to find out how susceptible you might be to actual phishing attempts by rating real-life examples as fake or not, then discover the clues that reveal whether the message was indeed legitimate. (My own score of 8/10 - while seemingly respectable - was still a bit sobering for someone who likes to consider herself very savvy about these things.)

And always keep in mind: if you have any doubts whatsoever about the veracity of an email you've received asking for any type of financial or personal information, contact the institution in question via their Web site, by typing the address into your browser's address bar directly (not by clicking on the link in the message), or better yet - pick up the phone and call the company.

Got some jargon you'd like clarified in a future edition of ZooNews? Send it to questions@zoonini.com.

I'm pleased to have finished transferring virtually all my clients' sites to my dedicated Web server. For about seven months now, I've been delighted to offer Web hosting directly to my clients at competitive rates, providing a one-stop shop for both Web design and hosting. Adding this service to my roster means I'm able to offer more flexibility to my clients, providing them with all the features they need without making them pay for those they don't, as is the practice with most commercial Web hosts. In addition, having a dedicated server means that my clients' sites are not sharing a server with several hundred other sites. This makes them less vulnerable to the risks inherent in a shared Web server, where a security slip by one of several hundred strangers' sites can affect everyone else hosted on the same machine.

Questions about Web hosting - and any other services I offer - are always welcome. Drop me a note anytime and I'll be glad to be of help.

I received a few messages from clients this month asking about a strange email they received saying that their email account would be suspended because of fraudulent activity, unless they opened an attachment to rectify the problem. Strangely, the emails look to come from their own company, complete with signature line like "Sincerely, the Zoonini Web Services Team." I informed them that this message was actually sent (probably inadvertently) by someone with a virus on their computer, and I suggested that they make sure their virus software and accompanying virus definitions are up-to-date. And of course, it goes without saying that any attachment you have doubts about should never be opened, or you risk infecting your whole computer. The best policy is always to follow the old spoiled-food adage: "When in doubt, throw it out." Remember: the delete button is your friend.

Still don't have any virus software and you use a PC? Don't take chances. PC viruses are so ubiquitous that it's not worth risking an infection. A few recommended anti-virus programs are: AVG, avast! and Nod32. All three have either a free home-use version, or a free trial.

If you're a Mac user like me, you have less to worry about, as the vast majority of viruses and other malicious nasties attack PCs - but we probably shouldn't be too smug. If Macs become more popular, it's likely inevitable that Mac viruses will become more commonplace too.

While email fraud and scammers are certainly a serious topic, it's a nice change of pace to hear about someone who's taken a fun approach (dubbed "scambaiting") to dealing with a particular breed of con artist, the Nigerian swindler who promises you great riches to be siphoned off from corporate or government funds... if only you would just provide him with your complete bank-account details. Check out www.419eater.com to find out how some citizens have beaten some of these fraud artists at their own game.

À la prochaine,

kp
aka Kathryn Presner