Posted on September 10th, 2009 by Terence Kierans, aka TK
Conventionally, spammers obtain e-mail addresses from public sources such as newsgroups; forums, or the “TO:” and “CC:” lines of e-mail messages with an extensive circulation.
It has been known for some unscrupulous Internet service providers to rent out their customer list to earn extra income, but it probably doesn’t happens much these days due to the increasingly restrictive “anti-spam” legislations.
However, would you believe that there is a way for spammers to get your e-mail address – even if you’ve never, ever, used it.
It is called a “dictionary harvest attack” where legitimate e-mail addresses are found by brute force; guessing valid e-mail addresses at a domain using different permutations of common usernames.
The most targeted technique is to create a list that combines common first name and surnames and initials. For example jdoe@example.com, johnd@example.com, or johndoe@example.com. For each message the example.com mail system will either accept the message, which means the address is valid, or decline it with an “invalid mailbox” message, which means that address is discarded.
If you have your own e-mail domain, and you have a “catch-all” account for unallocated addresses, then you’ve probably seen spam addressed to “webmaster@” or “manager@” for example.
The larger e-mail providers are aware of this and battle against these attacks. Computers that attempt to send out multiple messages with such a pattern should be blocked; but it is very difficult for computer systems to differentiate between a dictionary harvest attack and other, genuine, high-volume mailings such as e-mail newsletters.
Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services, Western Australia
www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 9304 3202 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723
Having problems coping with all that paperwork?
Turn those piles into files and find any document
in 10 seconds or less!
http://tinyurl.com/64ag2
Permalink
Posted on June 8th, 2009 by Terence Kierans, aka TK
I thought that multi-tasking was specific to the female of our species – apparently not. So I could not resist this article to restart my blogging.
This great article by Mary McDonald, CEO/CTO of the McDonald Consulting Group http://www.mcdcg.com/10.html , an occasional client of mine, explains why multi-tasking can be detrimental to productivity.
People have different opinions on multi-tasking vs. one focus approach… so which is better?
“The Myth of Multitasking” by Christine Rosen details several reasons why multi-tasking is not the optimum approach:
- a fall in IQ (more so than if the subject were smoking marijuana
- decrease in learning
- negative impact on productivity (affecting the economy?)
- lost ‘brain time’ as the brain works to juggle several tasks
- and many more.
I’ve seen first-hand how multi-tasking affects our decision making — while sitting at a light waiting to make a left, I watched a woman coming through the intersection from the other side, talking on a cell phone, and drive right into a telephone pole. She never braked until she actually impacted the pole; and she continue to chat as she got out of the SUV to inspect her damage! Unluckily for her, a patrol car was at the red light on the cross street; he simply flicked on his lights and pulled over to write her up.
When trying to get a project complete, divide the project into smaller tasks. This tip: do those smaller tasks in their entirety prior to moving on to the next step.
Good ways to accomplish this:
- ignore the phone and email while working on a project
- set aside time on your calendar to do research, gather materials, and write rough drafts
- work from start to finish without pause, if possible
- if you must break, take a break at a logical stopping point, and leave your materials in place for easy restart
WARNING: These simple ideas may cause you to become more focused, productive, and happy. PROCEED WITH CAUTION! <grin!>
Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services, Western Australia
www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
www.virtualservices.com.au/CVS_blog – My contribution to business owners
www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 9304 3202 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723
Having problems coping with all that paperwork?
Turn those piles into files and find any document
in 10 seconds or less!
http://tinyurl.com/64ag2
Permalink
Posted on April 7th, 2009 by Terence Kierans, aka TK
Picking up, at long last, from the theme in an earlier post here is another tip regarding email.
If you want to send an email while surfing the web, there is no need to open your email program.
Just type in mailto:, without the quotes and don’t forget the colon, in the browser location box, where a Web site URL normally goes. Then, without spacing, type the email address of your recipient. Press “Enter” and your email application message window will open with the email already addressed for you.
Permalink
Posted on January 4th, 2009 by Terence Kierans, aka TK
I can’t believe so much time has passed simcve I last posted to this blog – and even Christmas has come and gone.
A break in the thread.
I don’t know the origin of this, but feel it very applicable to the current world economic situation.
So, with grateful thanks to the author —
The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs
There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.
He was hard of hearing so he had no radio.
He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspapers.
But he sold good hot dogs.
He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were.
He stood on the side of the road and cried; “Buy a hot dog, mister?
And people bought.
He increased his meat and bun orders.
He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.
He finally got his son home from college to help him out.
But then something happened.
His son said, “Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio?
Haven’t you been reading the newspapers?
There’s a big depression.
The European situation is terrible.
The domestic situation is worse.”
Where upon the father thought, “Well, my son’s been to college, he reads the papers and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know.”
So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs.
And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.
“You’re right, son” the father said to the boy.
“We certainly are in the middle of a great depression.”
Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services, Western Australia
www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
www.virtualservices.com.au/CVS_blog – My contribution to business owners
www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 9304 3202 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723
Having problems coping with all that paperwork?
Turn those piles into files and find any document
in 10 seconds or less!
http://tinyurl.com/64ag2
Permalink
Posted on November 25th, 2008 by Terence Kierans, aka TK
Email has become a necessary evil. Let those messages accumulate a little before interrupting what you are doing to respond
Even if your business structure requires prompt response to email messages try only responding once every half-hour or even hourly. Doing it this way will decrease the number of interruptions to your workflow. It may not be possible for you to make use of this strategy, but if you can, then there is a number of benefits.
Very often, relevant information supplied in email messages tends to arrive bit by bit. So, by responding to your email messages only periodically, you can collect those threads all at once, reducing the amount of time spent on each issue. Using this approach will also minimise indulging in trivial email discussions.
Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services, Western Australia
www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
www.virtualservices.com.au/CVS_blog – My contribution to business owners
www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 9304 3202 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723
Having problems coping with all that paperwork?
Turn those piles into files and find any document
in 10 seconds or less!
http://tinyurl.com/64ag2
Permalink
« Previous Page — « Previous entries « Previous Page · Next Page » Next entries » — Next Page »
