The movie Little Black Book features a young woman, Stacy, who is frustrated when her boyfriend refuses to share information about his past relationships. When his PDA, a Palm Tungsten C, falls into her hands, she is faced with a conundrum. Does she give it back, or does she explore it? If she gave it back, we wouldn’t have a movie, now would we? Stacy then proceeds to identify his ex-girlfriends and contact them. Let the games begin.

Could this really happen? Of course it could. Most PDA’s contain a plethora of information about a person and their activities, their digital footprints. People store contact information, appointments, meetings and midnight rendezvous’. They store passwords, login ID’s and PIN numbers. They have photos of people they know and sometimes in awkward circumstances. It’s a lot to have to explain. The courts are only beginning to grapple with how to handle the content in a PDA. One person’s little black book can be very incriminating indeed.

For the rest of us, we have nothing as exotic; however, we are all in danger of exposure and threat. Identify theft has become one of the largest white-collar crimes. There is enough information in the average PDA for someone to take over your life. So, what’s the solution? Give up your PDA? No. You face the same problem with the typical day planner. It has all of the same information, it’s just not as accessible. In fact, a PDA has certain advantages over a planner. You can password protect some of the data. You can even encrypt data. Most importantly, you have a backup. The data is safely stored on your computer and archived on external media if you have taken the proper steps.

That duplication of data also means an identity thief has more ways to get to it. So, what can you do? Well, the first concern is to make sure that you backup your data. Synchronize your PDA at least daily. I synchronize my Treo 600 2-3 times each day, usually when I arrive at my office or leave it. Backing up your data means that you should be creating a copy on tape, CD, zip disk, flash ROM or other external media and storing it offsite. If you are not, you are asking for trouble and your business is at risk. If your PDA is ever stolen, you will need to restore that data on a new PDA.

Next, you need to minimize the amount of data someone can actually access. Let’s face it, if a hacker really wants to get your data, they will succeed. However, not every criminal is a super hacker. Sometimes you just want to keep your information from prying eyes. Just because you labeled something as private in your PDA doesn’t mean someone else can’t read it. It depends on what application you synchronize with. If you sync with Outlook, records that are private on your PDA may be public in Outlook.

The best way to protect passwords and PIN numbers is to store them in a password application that encrypts the data. The best applications have both a PDA application and a desktop application that allows access to the information from either system. The trouble is converting that data from whatever format it’s in currently. I’ve struggled with this one myself. There is no easy method I’ve found so far. Just set aside time to copy and paste the data into the password application. It might take a few hours to get that information into a secure application.

If you’re worried about someone viewing your schedule, the best approach is to archive your past history periodically. Outlook has settings that allow you to specify to how often calendar events will be archived. This will wipe the history from your PDA also. Archives are usually stored in an external file that can be accessed later.

If you have incriminating photos, delete them. If you want a copy, save it on external media like tape, CD and flash ROM. For contacts, you can archive them or simply move the record to an external file. Outlook allows you to create a .pst file that you can use to save email, calendar, address, tasks, or other information. Once you move a record, it will be removed from your PDA.

And, don’t forget to delete the cookies and memory cache on your PDA’s web browser. Remember that website you checked out last week? Is that something you want everyone else to know about? I don’t think so.

Don’t forget physical security; keep an eye on your PDA. It’s possible to take steps to protect your data and remove your digital footprints. Protect your little black book and it will protect you.

Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro, is the PDA Coach for productivity anytime, anywhere. He is a national speaker on business productivity and sales. Rick is President of StratAchieve, a company specializing in coaching services to improve productivity and increase revenues. For more information, visit his website at www.thepdapro.com or call (800) 677-6708.

It has been said that with the wealth of information, freely available, the Internet has the ability to make you smarter, faster, than any other medium on the planet.

Of course with an equal amount of mis-information, it also has the ability to make you dumber, faster, than any other medium on the planet.

So how do you decide which sources of information to trust and which sources to avoid?

It has long been a source of debate, whether or not, any information can be 100% reliable. There is, it is said, no such thing as absolute truth (is that an absolute truth?).

Really though, there is no point in driving yourself mad with such trivial philosophies. All you have to do is decide, in your own mind, where your level of skepticism begins and ends. And skepticism is important in this day and age. That isn’t a negative viewpoint, it’s just a realistic assessment of what you need to survive.

Imagine for a moment that you’re looking for a solution that will send your weekly newsletter to your eagerly awaiting mailing list. You can choose from a myriad of different software, hardware, third-party solutions. Some free, some cheap, some expensive and some unreliable. A decision has to be made. Who’s going to help you? Look at the options.

SPAM: Lots of unsolicited emails promise to have the definitive solution and at one time this might have been worth a look. Today, however, if a company is so discourteous that they ignore the generally accepted rules of spamming do you really want to do business with them?

Verdict: Dubious 

WEBSITE: Ranked high on Google, plenty of glowing testimonials, even a 30 day money-back guarantee. But wait! Are those testimonials real or fictitious? Is there a clause that will prevent you from returning the product if you dislike it? Can you really believe anything you are being told?

The reality is, that many companies will say anything to make a sale. This is true both on the Internet and the High Street. Desire for profit can quickly deteriorate good intentions. I don’t need to preach about this. You know it’s true.

Accept this, then temper your paranoia by checking the facts. Legitimate companies exist on the Internet by the thousand. The ones worth buying from will happily talk to you on the phone and answer your questions in person. They will respond to your questions by email, probably on the same day. And, if they’re really worth spending money on, they will let you personally contact previous customers so you can confirm that what they’re saying is true.

Make the company work for the sale. If they can’t be bothered to reply to your emails or turn the answering machine off, don’t bother to give them your credit card number.

Verdict: Tread carefully

RECOMMENDATIONS: The product/service is recommended by a third party, perhaps in an ezine, or on a website. Sounds great? A genuine testimonial? But wait!

What is the recommender’s motive?

Love for fellow man?

Appreciation of the product?

Cash?

If you picked option number 3, you’re probably right. Joint ventures and affiliate programmes have led to many a recommendation of a product/service that hasn’t been evaluated or even used. There are exceptions but there’s a good chance that the recommendation is linked to a commission.

This doesn’t, by itself, mean the testimonial is bogus. It simply means, as previously stated, that you should use some skepticism.

Look for recommendations from newsletters or websites that have been around for some time. If they have a reputation to consider, they will (should?) think twice before promoting something they haven’t fully investigated.

Verdict: Useful, be sure about the source

SEARCH ENGINES: Once you’ve found the product/service that sets you alight, look for negative feedback. Search for the product name alongside words like "hate" or "problem".

If lots of people have used this product and had problems, then at least few will likely have posted their experiences on a forum.

If no results appear, take this as a good sign and move on.

Verdict: Essential step 

FORUMS: If you’re really having difficulty finding what you are looking for, forums could be the key.

Look around for about half a dozen forums that you like and have plenty of traffic. Then post a description of what you need on all of them. Check back frequently and see what comes up.

Forums are an excellent way to find uncensored information offered solely for its value. Generally speaking, what you see is what you get.

There are, of course, exceptions. Occasionally someone might recommend something, solely because they are affiliated in some way. But if the forum is busy enough, they probably won’t get away with it.

Verdict: About as safe as you can hope to find 

Does the above sound obvious to you? Maybe it is, but every day hundreds or even thousands lose money on poor or useful products/services that they were convinced were perfect. If you doubt it, check through a few related forums.

If you run your own ezine/website/forum, ask yourself what you can do to help those who aren’t as experienced. Your honesty will set you apart from the rest.

If all of this seems helpful, all well and good. Your final task is to apply the above information to this article and ask yourself, with just a touch of skepticism:

"Is it information or misinformation?"

Dylan Campbell has been quietly making a living on the Internet since 2000. He has a unique, and often controversial, view of the industry.

Dylan Campbell writes exclusively for The Nettle Ezine.

This really chapped my lips…

I recently bought a new computer. Mine was getting old, had lost its whistle, and the few remaining bells didn’t ding a nicely as they had in the past. Yep, it was time for a new state-of-the art dream machine with CD burner. DVD player, a bazillion gigabyte drive and more RAM than Rambo has. I whipped out my trusty credit card and told my local CompUSA to ring it up.

Well, needless to say I was enthralled. Blazing speed, working whistles, and bells that were more like the Big Ben gong! I could tear through spreadsheets with one CD/ROM tied behind my back. One day, about three months later, my Son came home form college. having heard all about my new pride and joy, he sat down behind the keyboard and fired that puppy up. He put it through its paces for about 30 minutes and then turned and said "It’s nice Dad, but I thought it would be faster". HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FASTER? What was he, crazy? This box was so hot that it came with it’s own fire department.

Then he started poking around the hard drive. "Dad", he said "You need an exterminator. Your PC is infested." "Infested with what, bugs?". "Nope", he said "Spyware". "Spy What?". "Spyware", he replied. And then he explained.

Even thought I had a good virus prevention utility installed, it didn’t protect me against Spyware. Spyware, it seeks, are nasty little programs that get downloaded in similar fashion to the way a virus does. It can be attached to an email, or even one of those new talking E-Cards. it can hide in one of those "Click Here to close this window" boxes, or in any of seemingly a hundred other secret ways.

There are essentially two types of Spyware. The less dangerous type either causes lots of ads to pop up every time you go on the Internet, or records your shopping and surfing habits in order to report them back to Big Brother somewhere. Of course, these steal your PC’s clock cycles, and cause your hard drive to get bloated, which ends up slowing your entire system down. The problem is, the loss of speed is gradual and you don’t even know it’s happening until Mr. Big Shot college kid comes along and tells you that your PC is slow.

OK, that’s bad enough. But then, there is the second kind of Spyware. used by real spies, or at least the kind that want to steal your credit card and personal information so they can clean out your bank accounts and assume your identity. You know, the scary stuff that you’re starting to hear about more and more.

So, what should I do? Did I need to reformat my hard drive? I hoped not because THAT was no walk in the park. Fortunately my college geek was up on the subject and took me to a site that specialized in safely removing Spyware. We downloaded and installed it in just a few minutes and then fired it up. Holey Schmolie, I was infested. After about 25 minutes of chunking and plunking, the software pronounced me fit and clean. Well, at least my PC was. We rebooted and Boom! All of the speed and performance that had gradually been lost slammed right back into life. Even my Son was impressed.

Folks, this Spyware is serious stuff. You can’t afford to be wiped out by some cyber terrorist half way across the world. protect your PC, and your identity. You probably already are infested. There’s only one way to know for sure, you need to check it out for yourself.

Steve Robichaud and Andrew Wroblewski have been involved in online sales and marketing since 1996. For more information on finding and removing Spyware from your PC, visit: http://spyware.pcwash.com

A little bit of time invested into learning about internet security can go a long way in preventing mishaps on your computer. Temporary internet files are not something we should be afraid of, but we should certainly be careful in how much we trust them and how we deal with them.

Temporary internet files are image, text, and formatting files that are stored on your hard drive by the websites that you visit. They are placed there by the websites without your having to do anything. The files are stored on your computer the first time you visit the site so that the next time you go to that webpage you only have to load new information or files that have changed since the last time you visited - files that have not changed are loaded from the temporary internet files folder at a much faster speed than over the internet.

This seems like an incredibly appealing option, especially to those of us still working at home on dial-up connections (my teenage brother-in-law insists I’m "old school" because I don’t have DSL - I think he may be right). Storing the temporary internet files on the hard drive significantly cuts down the amount of time it takes to completely load and view a website.

There are a few question areas, however, that need to be considered in any discussion about temporary internet files. First, and arguably the most trivial of the concerns, is that you may miss out on all of the updated information the website has to offer. If your browser loads the files from your temporary internet files folder rather than the updated material from the website, you may miss out on an updated football score, or you may get a different image than the one others are viewing. The system is designed so that things like that don’t happen, but the possibility is out there.

Second, storing huge numbers of files can bog down your computer, slowing down its ability to do even the simplest of tasks, such as word processing (a deadly one-two combination if you’re working with dial-up!). Fortunately, you can control the number or size of the files that are being stored on your hard drive. Typically under the Tools>Options menu of your browser you’ll be able to set the amount of your hard drive you’re willing to dedicate to temporary internet files. You may want to set this high or low, depending on your browsing habits and need for speed.

Third, the temporary internet files folder may contain files that contain viruses, inappropriate images or text, and files that could leak personal information to websites. This is obviously a huge concern any time you allow someone virtually unregulated access to your hard drive. Images from an inappropriate website you accidentally stumbled across (it has happened to all of us) may be stored on your hard drive. Corrupted files may be placed there by an unfamiliar website you only visited once. Cookies and other files may potentially spawn popups that cover your screen in a matter of seconds.

Before you grab your pitch fork and storm the beast’s castle, let me mention a few things you can do to bring a little control to your temporary internet files folder without destroying it completely.

I already mentioned limiting the amount of your hard drive dedicated to holding files from visited websites. This is the best option for those who may be less concerned about corrupted or inappropriate files being stored and more concerned about the ability of their Jurassic-era computer to perform at a decent speed. Some versions of the popular browsers won’t allow you to completely eliminate storing files, but you can limit the resources to 1% of your hard drive or a small number of megabytes.

Some opt to regularly clean out their temporary internet files folder - obviously this will eliminate malignant files and free up some space for your computer; but it will also eliminate files you may want. A quick note about the files that begin with "Cookie:" - cleaning out the folder will not actually delete the cookies. The cookie files in the temporary internet files folder are simple files that point the browser to the actual cookie in the "Cookies" folder on your hard drive. If you are interested in truly purging your system of internet files, you’ll need to clean out that folder as well.

In my view, the most judicious option is to utilize available software to manage the content of your temporary internet files. Some files you want because they make your life easier. Some files you don’t want because it bogs down your computer and makes your grandmother blush. Software is available that scans your computer and finds all the internet files (including cookies). The software makes recommendations as to whether the file in question is good, bad, or ugly - all you have to do is decide to keep or trash it, then click the appropriate button.

Temporary internet files can make our internet browsing time a quick and convenient experience. Unfortunately, they may also pose a risk to the security of our hard drives. With a little hands-on management we can keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our computers happy, safe, and protected.

Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For great software that helps manage temporary internet files, check out ContentWatch, Inc.

The words Corporate Security may conjure up images of a group of techies working in a wire-filled basement room of Microsoft or HP, combating hackers and terrorists online using words like algorithm and encryption. If you own your own business, do not allow yourself to think that security is only for big corporations. Every company, big or small, technological or traditional, has two major security concerns: protecting information, and protecting hardware.

Corporate Security: Information

Information is the commodity that makes companies unique. That information could be a process your company does better than others; or it could be how to make the unique product you sell; or it could be a collection of information that you have that others want access to. In any case, protecting the information that makes your company viable could mean financial life or death for your venture. There are three simple corporate security solutions you can implement to decrease the likelihood that your information will be leaked or lost.

Make back ups often. If you are like 90% of computer users out there who use Windows, pressing [ctrl] + S is a habit well worth forming. Besides information, time is one of your most valuable resources, so you can’t afford to lose hours of work every time the system crashes. Save your work as often as you stop typing. Making additional copies of master files in other places beside your hard drive will mean you won’t lose everything if your hard drive becomes corrupted. Keep these discs in a safe place where you can easily access them if you need to.

Keep secret passwords secret. This may seem like a no-brainer, but too often we think of passwords as annoyances slowing us down. Systems are password-protected to ensure that only those persons who should be allowed access are granted access. If you are working out of a home office and have little face-to-face interaction with clients or customers, you may be tempted to leave your system unlocked or pin a list of your user names and passwords near the computer. Remember that children are both curious and smart, and in only a few clicks of the mouse they can accidentally erase important files. Do yourself the favor of memorizing your passwords and changing them on occasion.

Maintain an up-to-date computer system. Computers that run slower also have the terrible tendency of getting overloaded and shutting down. The internet is one of the biggest culprits of bogging down your processing speed, but running several programs at the same time will also do it. Keeping your processor and memory up-to-date will help ensure that you are able to perform all the tasks that are required of you without having to spend a lot of time waiting for your computer to catch up.

Corporate Security: Hardware

Chances are good that IBM’s annual technology budget is quite a bit larger than your home business’s budget. Between putting food on the table and covering the operating costs of your business, purchasing new equipment might seem like a luxury you’ll never have. Protecting your computer system from viruses, spy ware, and malicious software is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure your computer will last as long as you need it to.

Know what is on your computer. Viruses can come through email, discs, or the internet, and are typically well-hidden on your hard drive. Perform systematic checks of the temporary internet files, cookies folder, and the rest of your hard drive to ensure that you have not accidentally picked up a virus. Software can be purchased that filters spam and helps you manage the internet files and cookies that are downloaded automatically on your computer. A proactive approach in combating viruses and spy ware is usually the most effective way to make sure your hardware stays protected.

Though corporate security solutions may seem like a luxury your home business can not afford, protecting information and hardware are priorities that all companies should have. Following these simple, inexpensive solutions to common security concerns your company may have will go a long way in helping you succeed.

Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing – More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For more information about cost-effective corporate security solutions, visit ContentWatch.com.

P C. owners are constantly at risk from attacks by hackers. Spy ware, viruses, trogan horses, and all sorts of other malevolent programs are all trying to take control of your computer.

What can we do about it? How can we be sure that we are properly protected against them?

A hacker will generally not be interested in doing damage to your PC. His main interest is in gaining control of your computer so that he can use it to send out hundreds of thousands of e-mails in your name with the intention of crashing your mail server.

This can get you into very serious trouble with the server. This is something that you do not want. How are you going to prove that you were not to blame?

How do the hackers do it? What tools do they use?

A port scanner. What is a port scanner? A port scanner can locate PCs that are on line and check for an open port. A hacker using a program such as ‘Super Scan’ can find an open port to gain entrance to your computer. Once in, he can use your computer as if it were his own. The only difference is that to all intents and purposes it is you that is causing all of the trouble.

The main port that the hacker is interested in is port 80. This is the one that you use to log on to the internet.

I am not going to confuse you with all the various programs that are designed to show you what ports are open at any particular time. What you need to know is how to protect your computer against these attacks.

There are a number of programs designed to show you what is going on inside your PC. I will give you a short list of some that are recommended by some of the program makers.

The one that I would not be without is: www.testmyfirewall.com As its name implies it will test your firewall for flaws and scan for open ports and any other security problems you may have. You do have a firewall, don’t you?

Another one is: www.pestscan.com This will scan for any nasties that are already on the computer.

Lastly, I use: http://www.security.symantec.com This will run a security check of all my systems.

Don’t put of what you should be doing today. Make sure that your protection is doing its job. Check that you have the latest version of whatever protection you are using. An out of date system is worse than useless. It gives a false sense of security and suddenly you find yourself in serious trouble with your ISP.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your computer will not cause problems for someone else. There are so many free systems out there that you have no excuse for not using one or more of them.

Be safe. Be happy. Be responsible. All the best. …Bob…

—

Robert has been on line for over four years and earns a very good living from some of the very best affiliate programs on the web. This is one of his favorites. If you are interested in growing your very own opt-in mailing list in the shortest possible time, take a look now.

http://www.bz9.com/robjfar ‘It’s free.’

Shopping for horse gifts or other gift items on the internet is quick, convenient and is probably safer than you think. However, you still need to be aware that it is essential to vigorously protect your privacy and financial information when making purchases online.

If you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself when shopping for those special gifts for horse lovers, it should be no riskier than buying by mail order or over the phone.

To make your shopping experience a safe and happy one, the Following suggestions may be of help:

1. When shopping, always be sure that the Web site is secure before you provide any financial information, like your bank account number or credit card information.

Secured Web sites will use encryption to scramble your information when transmitted over the Internet.

There are a couple of ways for you to identify if a Web site is secure.

a. A Web site address that is secure is preceded by "https". For example,https//www.secure-site.com.The letter s at the end of http indicates that Web site is secure.

b. Look for a yellow or golden closed lock or an unbroken key at the bottom of your browser window.

Web sites may use other symbols to indicate their Web site is secure, so if you don’t see the two symbols mentioned above continue to investigate and see if you can locate other symbols or information indicating their Web site is secure.

2. Still uncomfortable with providing your billing information over the Internet? Then you might want to ask the business you’re shopping if they use alternate methods, such as the telephone.

3. Whenever possible, it is recommended paying by credit card; this will offer you added protection if a dispute should arise.

4. If you prefer not paying by credit card, request that your purchase be sent C.O.D. You can make your payment by check or money order, this is easier to trace than cash. It is probably a good idea that you never pay in cash for obvious reasons.

5. Some businesses display the Better Business Bureau logo on their Web Site, others do not. If you’re not feeling at ease, consider checking with the Better Business Bureau for a reliability report. The report will include such information as; the length of time the company has been in business, the company’s complaint history and whether the business participates in BBB programs, such as dispute mediation.

6. If you shop online auctions, be sure you exercise the same good sense you use for your other transactions. Do your homework. Check the "feedback" areas of online auction sites; most of the time they are a good source for getting information about other buyers’ who have purchased from the seller. You can always check with the Better Business Bureau nearest the seller for any complaints if the seller is a business.

Copyright © Mike Gorzalka All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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You can subscribe here,
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You have permission to publish this article
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If you choose to publish this article I would appreciate a
Quick e-mail letting me know where it will be published.
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DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article is
of my personal opinions and beliefs and should not be taken
as anything more.

About The Author:

Mike and his wife Jean own and operate several gift shops.
Their experience spans some 20 years.

Mike has spent the better part of his life around horses.
His dad, Mike Sr., taught him the importance of understanding
the horse and how to use a firm, but kinder and gentler
approach to helping horses understand what it is we humans
are trying to communicate.

You and I are a lot alike. We are both software publishers and eBook authors getting hosed on a regular basis. You and I, my friend, are victims of software piracy that accounted for over $24 BILLION dollars in lost revenue over the last two years*. There are so many ways people can get your product for free these days. If we continue doing nothing we will lose even more money this year as potential customers become more and more aware of just how easy it is to obtain digital products without paying for them.

The question is, why do we put up with this? When we sell our downloadable products they are being easily and freely distributed (read: STOLEN) by the very same people that we are trying to get to purchase. And don’t be fooled, this still occurs very regularly today even though a lot of us take precautions against it. This confirms that people want our products, they just don’t want to pay for them …because they don’t have to. In fact, 70% of potential customers won’t if they can get it for free*.

We know the ideal scenario; what’s supposed to happen. Consider Bob Jones and his knot tying eBook, “Scoutmaster Bob’s Guide To Knots”. Bob uploads his eBook to his web server and creates a sales link to sell it, and this sales link goes through to his payment processor. After the order is placed the customer is redirected to the download page, or "Thank-You" page, in order to automate the delivery process.

Now Bob figures he’s all set up and starts his massive promotion efforts. He spends lots of time and money getting people to visit his site and convinces them to place an order because it really is a great product. So, the customers place orders via the sales link then are redirected back to the download page automatically to get what they’ve paid for. Perfect automated system, right? Sorry Bobby, in a perfect world maybe. But here’s what really happens.

“Back Door” #1:

Our boy Bob sets up a sales link, a download redirection link (where people go after successfully ordering) and spends time and money promoting his site. People come and visit his web site and feel that they could really use such an extensive knot tying resource and want a copy of it. A couple people place orders and Bob is happy. Because Bob has created such a great product they tell their friends about Bob’s eBook. But instead of telling their friends to check out Bob’s web site they simply email them a copy of the actual eBook. Why not, it doesn’t cost Bob any money right? Those people then tell their friends, who tell their friends, who tell their friends. A couple of weeks later Bob’s knot tying eBook is in the hands of hundreds, even thousands of people…for free. And this is just the first “back door”.

There are three (3) "Back Doors" that people use regularly to easily obtain free access to your product:

And here’s another scary fact: For every 10 copies downloaded, 4 of those are stolen*. How lightly would you take it if you sold a tangible product, like a t-shirt, and only 6 out of ten t-shirts that left the store were paid for? These are lost sales and income forgone, there’s no more blunt way to put it. If you can guarantee that the only way they can get your product is through your payment process you’ve just stopped that leak and increased your profits.

But right now online merchants have no idea who is really downloading their products, or what happens after the downloaded. They lose total control of its distribution. Some thieves/weasels/snakes …whatever you want to call them… even go so far as to sell stolen software and eBooks as their own for a greatly reduced price. This is probably the greatest risk to selling a digital product, and if you ask anyone that’s been doing it for a while they will have experienced this nightmare first hand. The people out there that do this are much worse than one guy that just gets your product for free. These people distribute hundreds or thousands of your product and you don’t see a cent of it. They saturate the market and decrease the value of your product, until it’s virtually worthless. They have to be stopped.

“Back Door” #2:

Back to Bob. There is another big problem for Bob when it comes to protecting his eBook. He doesn’t know that many payment processors promptly, and without hesitation, honor each and every refund request, no questions asked. Seriously…no questions at all, one simple email is all it takes. There’s usually no need for the customer to explain anything, just that they would like a refund. They will get their refund right away and the you, the merchant, don’t have a say in the matter at all. And you guessed it, they get to keep the product, for free. There is no requirement to return the product like with a traditional refund, since there’s no way to be sure the product was really deleted. Imagine the absolute uproar brick-and-mortar merchants would be in if customers were allowed 100% unconditional refunds on request, and the customer gets to keep the shirt, vacuum cleaner, DVD player, or whatever? Ridiculous right? But it happens to online merchants like Bob every day.

“Back Door” #3:

Lastly, Bob’s uploaded product is also easily and regularly downloaded for free by potential customers right from his own web site. People can get to his download page in any number of ways. For example, open up Google. Type this into the search box: “thankyou.htm ebook download”. Now go to the second and third pages. Here are some free products for you if you were the type to download copyrighted material without paying for it. Of course I’m not suggesting you do that, in fact I ask you NOT to download these products, just look at the thank you page to see that the “back door” is certainly easy to find. These people are just like Bob, and they work hard to create their web sites and their products. They are simply unaware of the kick-in-the-teeth they’re taking by not protecting it.

Some conscientious merchants claim, "I’m safe, I protect my download location with a third-party tool that creates my download location on the fly." This is a false sense of security and it only blocks one back door. Basically this protection method simply hides the download location, but the product is still just as susceptible to being freely distributed after the download. And it can still be kept if a refund is issued. This is equivalent to the banks simply hiding all the money instead of putting it in the bank vault.

So how are online merchants like Bob, and you, and me supposed to stay afloat? As it is now, the only way to turn a profit is to rely on people’s goodwill in hopes that they will do the right thing. And be content in the fact that some people don’t know how easy it is to get online products for free, so these people actually pay for the product. So, if you think about it, within this system it’s pure luck that anyone actually pays for a digital product.

But there is hope. There is a real way to stop all types of thieves and freebie-seekers. We must protect the product itself with unique identifiers and access codes for each customer. And until more of us become wise to this one simple truth rampant software and eBook piracy will continue to plague online merchants.

* - average 40% worldwide software piracy rate for 2001 & 2002, and dollar losses totaling $24.05 billion, based on intensive studies by the Business Software Alliance http://www.bsa.org, and the report - "Quantifying Online Downloading of Unlicensed Software : Survey of Internet Users for BSA - May 29, 2002"

About The Author

Shawn Pringle is the owner and founder of the Virtual Vault digital product security system. Read his story and how he fought back at http://www.CBProtect.com Email him at shawnpringle@cbprotect.com

Monday morning, 6am; the electric rooster is telling you it’s time to start a new work week. A shower, some coffee, and you’re in the car and off. On the way to work you’re thinking of all you need to accomplished this week. Then, on top of that there’s the recent merger between your company and a competitor. One of your associates told you, you better be on your toes because rumors of layoffs are floating around.

You arrive at the office and stop by the restroom to make sure you look your best. You straighten your tie, and turn to head to your cube when you notice, sitting on the back of the sink, is a CD-ROM. Someone must have left this behind by accident. You pick it up and notice there is a label on it. The label reads "2005 Financials & Layoff’s". You get a sinking feeling in your stomach and hurry to your desk. It looks like your associate has good reasons for concern, and you’re about to find out for your self.

And The "Social Engineering" Game Is In Play:

People Are The Easiest Target
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You make it to your desk and insert the CD-ROM. You find several files on the CD, including a spreadsheet which you quickly open. The spreadsheet contains a list of employee names, start dates, salaries, and a note field that says "Release" or "Retain". You quickly search for your name but cannot find it. In fact, many of the names don’t seem familiar. Why would they, this is pretty large company, you don’t know everyone. Since your name is not on the list you feel a bit of relief. It’s time to turn this over to your boss. Your boss thanks you and you head back to your desk. You have just become a victim of social engineering.

When Did I Become a Victim of Social Engineering?
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Ok, let’s take a step back in time. The CD you found in the restroom, it was not left there by accident. It was strategically placed there by me, or one of my employees. You see, my firm has been hired to perform a Network Security Assessment on your company. In reality, we’ve been contracted to hack into your company from the Internet and have been authorized to utilize social engineering techniques.

The spreadsheet you opened was not the only thing executing on your computer. The moment you open that file you caused a script to execute which installed a few files on your computer. Those files were designed to call home and make a connection to one of our servers on the Internet. Once the connection was made the software on our servers responded by pushing (or downloading) several software tools to your computer. Tools designed to give us complete control of your computer. Now we have a platform, inside your company’s network, where we can continue to hack the network. And, we can do it from inside without even being there.

This is what we call a 180 degree attack. Meaning, we did not have to defeat the security measures of your company’s firewall from the Internet. You took care of that for us. Many organizations give their employees unfettered access (or impose limited control) to the Internet. Given this fact, we devised a method for attacking the network from within with the explicit purpose of gaining control of a computer on the private network. All we had to do is get someone inside to do it for us - Social Engineering! What would you have done if you found a CD with this type of information on it?

What Does It Mean to Be "Human"
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As human beings we are pretty bad at evaluating risk. Self preservation, whether it be from physical danger or any other event that could cause harm, like the loss of a job or income, is a pretty strong human trait. The odd thing is, we tend to worry about things that are not likely to happen. Many people think nothing of climbing a 12 foot ladder to replace an old ceiling fan (sometimes doing so with the electricity still on), but fear getting on a plane. You have a better chance severely inuring yourself climbing a ladder than you do taking a plane ride.

This knowledge gives the social engineer the tools needed to entice another person to take a certain course of action. Because of human weaknesses, inability to properly assess certain risk, and need to believe most people are good, we are an easy target.

In fact, chances are you have been a victim of social engineering many times during the course of your life. For instance, it is my opinion that peer pressure is a form of social engineering. Some of the best sales people I’ve known are very effective social engineers. Direct marketing can be considered a form of social engineering. How many times have you purchased something only to find out you really did not need it? Why did you purchase it? Because you were lead to believe you must.

Conclusion
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Defining The Term "Social Engineering": In the world of computers and technology, social engineering is a technique used to obtain or attempt to obtain secure information by tricking an individual into revealing the information. Social engineering is normally quite successful because most targets (or victims) want to trust people and provide as much help as possible. Victims of social engineering typically have no idea they have been conned out of useful information or have been tricked into performing a particular task.

The main thing to remember is to rely on common sense. If some one calls you asking for your login and password information and states they are from the technical department, do not give them the information. Even if the number on your phone display seems to be from within your company. I can’t tell you how many times we have successfully used that technique. A good way of reducing your risk of becoming a victim of social engineering is to ask questions. Most hackers don’t have time for this and will not consider someone who asks questions an easy target.

About The Author
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Darren Miller is an Industry leading computer and internet security consultant. At the website - http://www.defendingthenet.com you will find information about computer security specifically design to assist home, home office, and small business computer users. Sign up for defending the nets newsletter and become empowered to stay safe on the Internet. You can reach Darren at darren.miller@paralogic.net or at defendthenet@paralogic.net

A couple of years back, I paid my dues the ‘hard way’.

My web site was up and running, the sales letter had been ‘crafted’ with the most influential marketing techniques and the profits had been consistently coming-in, until…

Until I noticed a considerable ‘drop in ClickBank sales’ for 2 months in a row. You can’t imagine how this extensive declination in sales, affected my mood and self-esteem.

I started critiquing my sales literature all over again and re-evaluating every tidbit of my marketing strategy… everything seemed to be "working flawlessly", but yet… "Not enough sales volume - hey, this isn’t me (I contemplated)… I am one of those copywriters who consistently ‘live-by’ the 4%-6% sales ratios!"

Then one Sunday morning, I rushed to thoroughly check my web site’s statistics, and to my blow…

My ClickBank’s "Thank You" page had been the 4th most visited section of my web site!

Holly-Golly! Almost certainly, an ungracious customer had submitted my "Thank You" web page all over the web. My ‘digital gizmo’ had been downloaded over 460+ times, according to my web server’s statistics. Needless to say that my ‘voice of harassment’ starting ‘echoing’ all over the block (something like "aaaarrrrggrgrghhhh!…ahhh..oh!ohhhhh!").

After the stalking bang of a sound psychological burst… after several breathe-ins / outs… I finally decided to ’secure’ my digital product with a ‘hack-proof’ system. No "more free lunches", I sarcastically squealed!

Hence, I installed a simple yet highly powerful CGI script (see http://close-sale.com/automation.htm) and my ClickBank product had finally been ’secured’. from freebie hunters, pranksters and hackers that ‘unconstructively impacted my bank account’.

The ‘Online marketing lesson’ is undeniably straightforward; you *must secure* and automate your business by any means, before your digital product becomes one of the ‘Web’s Top 1000 Free Downloads’; trust me, it doesn’t worth the jeopardy.

This article may be freely distributed / republished, as long as it contains the author’s credits and the precise entirety of the provided article, titled: "Why you Must Secure your Digital Product and ‘Thank You’ Web Page".

About The Author

Bob Mobino is the Author Behind http://close-sale.com.