| Despite legislation prohibiting spam in most countries | | | | Spyware, also known as adware or malware, can be |
| of the world, spam is still as prevalent today as it | | | | used in similar ways to viruses and trojan to invade |
| was prior to the legislated prohibitions. Computer | | | | your privacy, compromise your machine's security |
| users, particularly home and private users, need to | | | | and send emails or other electronic communications |
| know and implement five essential security measures | | | | without your knowledge. Some of the more |
| to prevent the majority of spam from ever reaching | | | | advanced antivirus software packages also include |
| their machine. | | | | spyware protection, while others don't. In either case, |
| | | | it is wise to have a standalone anti spyware package |
| 1. Keep your operating system up to date. All major | | | | installed on your computer. Some of the better anti |
| operating systems contain security flaws. When | | | | spyware software packages are available for |
| these are discovered, the software manufacturer will | | | | download online without cost, so no computer owner |
| quickly issue security patches for users to download | | | | should overlook this form of protection. |
| and install, often automatically if the user chooses | | | | 5. Only use email accounts that are filtered at the |
| such a setting in their operating system's | | | | server level. If your email accounts are not filtered |
| preferences. Keep your operating system up to date | | | | for both viruses and spam by your ISP or other email |
| at all time. | | | | provider, close the account and find a new provider |
| 2. Install a software firewall. Some operating systems | | | | immediately. Don't rely on installing your own local |
| these days come with a default firewall, though third | | | | spam filter as spam should ideally be stopped at the |
| party firewalls tend to offer greater levels of | | | | server level so that spam and email borne viruses |
| protection that those provided with an operating | | | | never reach your machine at all. No spam filter is |
| system. Several of these firewalls are available by | | | | 100% accurate, so it is fine to have your own local |
| online download at no cost and offer strong | | | | spam filter for the rare spam that your ISP or email |
| protection against hackers attempting to get in to | | | | provider's server-side filter misses, but do not rely on |
| your machine, as well as malicious software | | | | your local protection alone. Another sound idea is to |
| installations trying to covertly send email or other | | | | filter incoming email through one of the major |
| communications from your machine without your | | | | web-based email services. These can be configured |
| knowledge. | | | | to receive POP3 email from your ISP or from your |
| 3. Install antivirus software and keep it up to date. In | | | | domain (if you own your own website) and filter |
| recent years, viruses have become a popular method | | | | your email. You may either check your now filtered |
| for spammers to infect hundreds of thousands of | | | | email via the web interface, or pay a token annual |
| personal computers with "trojans", thus turning them | | | | fee (though some are at no cost) to be able to |
| into unwitting "zombies" capable of being controlled | | | | automatically download your web-account filtered |
| remotely to send unlimited quantities of spam. If your | | | | email into your choice of local email software such as |
| machine is infected, you could be spamming hundreds | | | | Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird or others. |
| of thousands of other people and not even be | | | | These five measures will not stop all spam from |
| aware that it is happening. Protecting your machine is | | | | reaching your computer. All internet users have other |
| not only for your own protection. It is the responsible | | | | responsibilities to be careful in regards to whom and |
| thing to do to contribute to the protection of the | | | | where they disclose their email address, never open |
| internet as a whole. New viruses are released by vile | | | | unsolicited attachments, and other such security |
| offenders almost every day, so keep your antivirus | | | | considerations. Combined, though, these five |
| software updated, either manually or by selecting | | | | measures will most likely reduce your future spam |
| auto update settings, daily. | | | | volume by at least 95%. |
| 4. Install anti spyware software and keep it updated. | | | | |