Due to the reoccurring of hacked/stolen email addresses I think it's time for a Internet safety refresher course. I really love our list, however if these links from hijacked accounts doesn't stop soon I will have to unsubscribe from the list. I use my PC, Phone, and Work PC for email from this account and can not afford to get my computers hacked, I depend on my PCs and can't live without them. Maybe you can, but I can't!
The most common way your email gets hijacked is people use the same password over and over on different sites. All a hacker has to do is get you email and password from one site and they can get into all your stuff. Bank accounts, email, computer, forums, etc. The next most common way is via web sites. People put malicious code on websites. What that means is bad people hack (steal) a website, put something on it that when you loads the page places a tiny little program on your PC that steals your information, email, passwords and worse. Many times this is done with Java based ads or videos. Java is trusted by most people and used on most PCs. It is one of the most unsecured things you can use on your PC, something many businesses and the government do not allow to run on their PCs. I do not let Java run on my computers, it's not worth it. Of course you can have somebody hack your account, say your email account, and run a program till it guesses your password and then they have control of your email and can send out links like the ones we have been getting via the list that will infect the next PC and keep going and going.
You can stop this BS by doing some simple things. Very simple things.
1. Get an antivirus program. Buy one or get a free one. This will help your PC not get infected in the first place. The first 3 are free, the last one you have to buy. I don't care what you use, just pick something and use it. There are many more choices, if you don't like any of these, find another one.
c.
http://windows.
microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download
2. Change your damn password. I know you don't do it, I know you use the same password over and over....it's easy to change and a very bad habit not to. Write down you E-Mail password and keep it on a card in your wallet if you have to. Change it once every 90 days. It's not that hard, take the time to protect yourself and the rest of us. Everybody that is reading this, if you don't change your password for your E-Mail you're a fool. You are just asking for trouble and when it comes they can do very bad things to your credit, email, bank accounts, etc. If you are lucky you will only loose every photo, and file on your PC. All of it....gone.
3. Update your anti virus software, update your browsers, update your PC. If you don't know how to do it, ask a relative, neighbor or friend. You don't have to be a computer whiz, you just have to ask. Many people that live near you will be happy to help you out. If not, you can pay 30-50 to get this done on most computers.
4. Don't use Java if you can avoid it. Yes some things will not work or play on your PC but you will be very safe. This one is hard for most people to do, but if you can live without it you are better off.
5. NEVER EVER click on some link in an E-Mail you get. Clicking that Innocent looking link is what will get your PC infected and pass it along to everybody else in your life. Even if you have the BEST anti Virus software, if it's out of date or something new comes along you're hosed. Many times you can tell an that an E-Mail is fake and the link is bad. Just take a moment to read the email, read the subject line. Is it related to what you are interested in? If not, don't click it. Do you have an anti virus you like and have installed on your PC? Then don't click the links in this E-Mail you will be safer if you don't.
6. CHANGE your PASSWORD. If you change it, they can't get in. Make it a good one. For tips on a good password, Google it, Bing it. Whatever makes you happy. If your PC or E-Mail has already been hacked you will have to get anti viruses software installed in your PC to get the viruses out before you change your password. If you can't do it, take it in for repairs. The Geek Squad can do it for you, or any other PC repair center.
Sorry for the rant, but it seems that people have earned it. I don't like feeling unsafe in a place I feel safe in. Some simple common sense thing will stop this. It will take you less time to do these things than it takes you to read it.
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Eric Sturgis
Tacoma, WA
1962 Chrysler Newport 2 door HT
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