Internet security experts are warning computer users of a vulnerability with Internet Explorer that is still not fixed. The hole allows malware on infected sites to infiltrate your machine–and the websites containing the infected code might not even know they have it. This bug affects all versions of Internet Explorer, meaning that it affects over 70% of Internet users worldwide.

Obviously Microsoft is surely working overtime to try and patch this hole, and it appears there will be a Windows update soon.  Until then, we thought you’d want to know.

An easy solution is to temporarily switch to a different browser until a fix is ready. But not all users have more than one browser installed.

Thankfully, most of the infected sites, for now, are Chinese sites.

Also, there is a fix out there… and by editing your registry data you can block access to the one local file that the malware targets.  Now, we don’t for a second suggest you go editing your registry data–well meaning people can cause serious and irreparable harm to their computer by tinkering around in there.  (Keystone Networking Specialists, however, might be able to help you).

You can also use a firewall, or a web filter such as Websense, which will warn you before you visit a site that has malicious code on it.

Also… it’s a good time to remind everyone to keep their Windows Update turned on–regularly checking for Microsoft updates is one of the best ways a user can help keep their system as safe as possible.

Here’s a scenario we’ve probably all experienced:  you craft a well-worded business email message, fire it off to the recipient, and then you get no response at all.  You may even wait a couple days.  Finally you call the person, only to discover your message had been placed in their junk box, identified as spam.

We’ve all had that happen, right?

As spam continues to be a growing problem, spam filters are working overtime to stay ahead of the curve–or at least play catch up.  And that can sometimes lead to periods where honest-to-goodness business emails get falsely labeled as spam.

We get asked all the time how one can go about ensuring their messages are delivered properly and not sent to junk folders, and the truth is that there’s no way to guarantee an email message’s delivery.  However, there are several things you can be mindful of that can help cut down on your emails being falsely accused.

Here now is the Keystone list of tips and tricks to help avoid seeing your messages incorrectly identified as spam:

• Don’t send spam. A bit of an obvious start, I know, but make sure you’re not sending spam messages.
• Don’t send “forwards.” Everyone has that one crazy uncle who keeps sending email forwards–you know those chain-type emails that suggest you “send this to everyone you know right now”?  Yeah, don’t send those.  Many are harmless, such as the cute-animal pictures I get from my mother every week.  But a lot of users are annoyed by such messages, and choose to mark them as unwanted spam.  Once enough recipients declare the message as spam, then you have a problem.
• Watch the number of CC’s. Putting 1000 email addresses in the CC line is one of the biggest red flags you can raise about the contents of your message.  Most spammers send their garbage to huge numbers of recipients, and many still use the rudimentary method of multiple CC’s.  Professional (and legal) email marketing programs are super cheap, and there are a ton of options to choose from.  These programs send messages one at a time, instead of en masse, and help you clear this major hurdle in your efforts to not be spam.
• Use a professional email domain. Hotmail and Yahoo email accounts are great for personal email.  They’re free and super easy to use.  But they’re not for businesses.  Buy a domain name (they’re pretty cheap these days) and set up your office email on that domain.  Hotmail, Yahoo, and other free web-mail accounts are much more likely to be blocked as spam.
• Avoid common spam words. What are the spam messages you receive usually about?  Medications, gambling, mortgage rates… right?   Avoid using these words in your message and subject lines whenever possible.  Avoid using similar or related terms.  Many spam filters are based on content, and using these “danger words” can get your message sent to the junk folder faster than you can say “cheap prescription drugs.”  Tough break for you mortgage lenders, I guess.  Just seems to be a topic the spammers are fond of.
• Avoid overdoing punctuation and capitalization. Even though you’re really excited about your message, try and avoid using 15 exclamation points in the first paragraph.  And don’t use all caps either.  These are common things the spammers do to try and grab attention, so you’re only making yourself look more shady.
• Follow the legal guidelines. There are rules and regulations, set forth by Congress, that govern what email marketing messages need to do to avoid being spam.  So once you’re finally on board with the concept of using email marketing instead of just mass-forwarding something to all your clients, you need to pay attention to these rules.  Mostly they dictate who you can send messages to and what that message needs to look like.  You have to obtain email addresses through your normal course of doing business–you can’t just send your marketing to anyone you like.  You also have to have a physical street address in the footer of email marketing messages.  These rules are crucial to follow; once one of your recipients reports your messages as being in violation of spam laws, you’re toast.
• Use multiple email addresses. Use a business email for business needs, and keep a separate email account for personal use.  Then you can use the personal account to send pretty Grand Canyon photos to your entire extended family and not risk the business account being labeled as spam.
• Know your domain’s email users. If you work with Bob, and both you and Bob have work emails at your business’ domain name (for example, bob@mybusiness.com), then make sure you’re all in the loop on what is and is not acceptable email use.  If Bob ignores the rules and sends a message about Texas Hold ‘Em Poker to a thousand people in the CC line… he’s probably going to be flagged as spam.  Then, future messages from other users on that same domain (like you, for instance) will also see an increase in messages labeled as spam.  Guilt by association.  So make sure your company has uniform email policies that everyone in the office is following.
• Get white-listed with crucial business partners. White-listing is the process of telling the spam filter which email addresses you definitely want to receive mail from no matter what they contain.  If you have partnerships with other businesses–people you’re sending email to on a regular or daily basis–make sure you have them white-list your email address.  White-listing will override most of the above-mentioned common spam identification methods and ensure your emails always get through to that person.

So there you go.  There will always be exceptions, of course.  Spam-blocking is an always-evolving endeavor, and the filters are changing and improving their methods all the time.  But by following these simple rules and guidelines, you’ll see fewer of your messages go to the recipient’s spam filter.  Good luck, and happy emailing!