The internet is a part of everyday life. Whether we like it or not, the World Wide Web has become a tool most people cannot live without, or at least without using each day. With this tool, like any other, you have your ups and downs, pros and cons, good days and bad days. One pesky circumstance that happens to come along with using the internet is…junk.
Everyone who has an e-mail address, whether work or personal, knows the constant struggle to maintain a clean inbox. At VB Consulting, one of the most frequent questions we get asked is how we can help maintain a company’s spam/junk mail. While you may have been given some spam advice in the past, it is always good to refresh your memory or possibly hear a new take on filtering these unnecessary messages. Below are a few of VB Consulting’s current tips on how to ease the pain, living in a virtual world of junk.
- Secure your computer: If your PC is running a mail server (such as Zimbra or Exchange) it may be used by spammers. Spammers often hijack innocent machines. Check yourself at MXToolbox.
- Never reply to junk/spam mail: Replies verify to spammers that your email address is valid and you will continue to receive, if not get even more, spam messages or be subject to a computer virus
- Use care when joining a new site using your company email address or posting to a message board: Adding your email address to message boards, social media outlets or online media subscriptions, enhances your chances of junk/spam emails
- Unsubscribe from mailing lists, you no longer use to avoid a clogged inbox: Make sure to take actions to remove your email address from newsletters, sites, and online subscriptions you no longer use to eliminate unnecessary emails
- Filter your junk mail, by only opening emails from contacts you know: Make sure you know who is sending you mail and what looks fishy, as well as adding new contacts to email list
- Remove any malicious programs causing spam on the local computer: Pirated programs increase your chances of junk/spam and viruses on your computer and should be removed
- Invest in an internet security/real-time protection software package: Online internet security packages are an extremely useful way to monitor and eliminate junk/spam/viruses on your computer systems, below are a few top packages to review and keep in mind:
- AVG Internet Security 2011 – Business Edition
- Kaspersky Small Office Security
- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Pro
- Webroot Antispyware Corporate Edition
- Discover real time protection: Online Real Time, or On-Demand services, help reduce junk/spam on a daily basis and will eliminate any “computer down time” you encounter in the office. Services such as:
These tips are important ways anyone in business can battle online junk on a day to day basis. It is beneficial to review updated IT junk/spam tips in company meetings, so employees know what they can each do to clean up an ‘online mess’ in the office. VBC also offers in-office training for users and companies on proper email practices. We remove current junk/spam contributors on workstations, servers, and the network environment, and also have hosted Anti-Virus and Anti-Spam services which ensure maximum local machine protection. Contact us, 512-233-4714, if you are experiencing continuous internet junk and spam issues at your company and visit our News site again for more helpful and updated IT tips, resources and information.
