The Importance of Referrer Logs

Referrer logging is used to allow web servers and websites to identify where people are visiting them either for promotional or security purposes. You can find out which search engine they used to find your site and whether your customer has come from a ‘linked site’. It is basically the URL of the previous webpage from which your link was followed. 

 

By default, most hosting accounts don’t include referrer logs but may be subscribedd for an extra monthly fee. If your web host does not provide a graphic report of your log files, you can still view the referrer logs for your website by logging into the host server using free or low-cost FTP software, like these:

 

FTP Explorer:   http://www.ftpx.com/

LogMeIn: http://secure.logmein.com/dmcq/103/support.asp

SmartFTP: http://www.smartftp.com/

FTP Voyager: http://www.ftpvoyager.com/

 

The log file is available on your web server which can be download into your computer later. You can use a log analysis tool, like those mentioned below, to create a graphic report from your log files so that the files are easier to understand.

 

Abacre Advanced Log Analyzer http://www.abacre.com/ala/

Referrer Soft http://www.softplatz.com/software/referrer/

Log Analyzer http://www.loganalyzer.net

 

You can view the files using Word, Word Perfect, txt or WordPad files even if you don’t have the right tool. This information is very crucial to your business and marketing plans and is not advisable to neglect it.

 

In addition to identifying the search engine or linked site from where your visitor arrived, referrer logs can also tell you what keywords or keyword phrases your client used for searching.

 

As referrer information can sometimes violate privacy, some browsers allow the user to disable the sending of referrer information. Proxy and Firewall software can also filter out referrer information, to avoid leaking the location of private websites. This can result in other problems, as some servers block parts of their site to browsers that don't send the right referrer information, in an attempt to prevent deep linking or unauthorized use of bandwidth. Some proxy software gives the top-level address of the target site itself as the referrer, which prevents these problems and still not divulging the user's last visited site.

 

Since the referrer can easily be spoofed or faked, however, it is of limited use in this regard except on a casual basis.

 

Shopping Cart Protection

Like what the title states: the protection of shopping carts is forever a mainstream issue, it was before, it is today, and it will forever be. If you’re a little business attempting to break into a fairly big and competitive market, shopping cart applications merged with your site would be a good investment. However numerous issues need to be addressed and likely among the more important one is the problem of security. 

 

A shopping cart commonly runs with having a check out, returns the total purchase, computes for the shipping costs, and records the required personal data. The security aspect of the shopping cart relies on the Secured Socket Layer certificate or the SSL which essentially manages the security of the personal data entered by buyers up till the time the data reaches the payment gateway. The SSSL is the responsible for making “https”. If you see this on the URL bar, it signifies the transaction is a secure environment. Meanwhile, the payment gateway or credit cart gateway is the one that corroborates and charges the buy on the charge card. 

 

There are choices now where the shopping cart suppliers no more needs SSL but rather directly sends the data to a payment gateway. The personal data entered by the buyers will then be the obligation of the gateway. This does away with the need for you to maintain any SSL. 

 

It's crucial that you let your buyers know most importantly the possible security risks of net dealings. But likewise make certain that your customers know that in spite of the risks, you've done your part to make the site secure and hack-free. Do not underestimate your buyers. Frequently, if they feel that something’s not proper with a site’s shopping cart, they'll most likely bail out of their transactions. 

 

Likewise, be accurate and clear about your shopping cart’s policy rules of thumb. I know it may be enticing to utilize assorted legal and marketing jargons. But, you have to remember that your users are not authorities and confronting them with a policy guideline that's highly complicated and hard to comprehend will reflect on your business’ report. 

 

We may only stress the importance of protection in these sorts of web applications. I've heard tales of identity thefts before and your buyers will certainly go with a shopping cart that may protect them from potential theft of charge card and personal data. 

 

Among the simplest ways to bear a secure network is to avail of the services of well esteemed and secure service supplier. That naturally is a sure way to bear a secure network for your shopping cart. Banking on the credible services of 3rd party providers isn't a bad course to take. You just require some time checking on these shopping cart providers to get to know them. 

 

The bottom-line is to buy and maintain a secure shopping cart for your customers. You've several choices at your disposal and not bearing a secure one is altogether unforgivable.

 

If You Are Sick Of Spam

Analyses show unsought or “junk” e-mail, called spam, accounts for about half of all e-mail messages gotten. Although once thought of as little more than a pain, the preponderance of spam has expanded to the point where a lot of users have started to express a universal lack of confidence in the effectiveness of e-mail transmissions, and expanded concern over the spread of viruses via unsought messages.

 

So what do you do about spam? 

 

Do what you are able to ward off having your e-mail address out on the internet. 

There are products named “spam spiders” that browse the Internet for e-mail addresses to send e-mail to. If you're interested, do a search on “spam spider” and you'll be amazed at what you return. Interestingly, there's a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open-source project geared to battle net "spambots" and "spam spiders", by presenting them bogus HTML web pages, which hold bogus e-mail addresses.

 

You can utilize form e-mails, which may hide addresses or likewise utilize addresses like sales@company.com instead of your full address to help fight the issue. There are likewise programs that encrypt your e-mail, like jsGuard, which encrypts your e-mail address on web pages so that while junk e-mail spiders find it hard or impossible to read your e-mail address.

Acquire spam blocking software. There are a lot of programs out there for this. There are free versions or you might also buy a pro version. Get some sort of software. It will save you time. The software isn't foolproof, but they truly do help. You commonly have to do some manual set up to block particular sorts of e-mail.

 

Utilize the multiple e-mail address approach. There are a lot of gratis e-mail addresses to be had. If you must subscribe to e-zines, then have a “fill-in” e-mail address. It would be like presenting your cell number to your best friends and the business number to everybody else.

 

Attachments from individuals you don’t recognize are risky. A common issue with spam is that they've attachments and attachments may have viruses. General guideline: if you don't know who's sending you something, don't open up the attachment. Second, seek services that offer filtering. Firewall vendors provide this sort of service likewise.

 

E-mail services now hold “bulk-mail” baskets. If what you utilize currently doesn't support this, consider moving to a new vender. The construct is simple. If you know somebody, they may send you e-mails. If you don’t know them, put them in the bulk e-mail pile then “Pick” to allow them into your circle. 

 

Spam Blocking software has this construct likewise, but having extra layers seems vital these days, so it's worth checking into.

How To Prevent Spyware

There are a few things you are able to do to preclude spyware from infecting your PC. First of all, invest in a dependable commercial anti-spyware platform. There are many currently on the market including stand-alone packages like Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware or Windows Antispyware. Additional choices provide the anti-spyware software system as part of an anti-virus package. This sort of choice is offered up by companies such as Sophos, Symantec, and McAfee. Anti-spyware platforms may fight off spyware by allowing for real-time protection, scanning, and the removal of any discovered spyware software systems. As with a lot of programs, update your antivirus software often. 

 

As you might or might not know, the Internet Explorer (IE) is a great deal of the time a contributor to the adware/malware issue because spyware programs like to bind themselves to its functionality. Spyware loves penetrating the IE’s failings. Because of this, a lot of users have changed over to non-IE browsers. All the same, if you would like to stick with Internet Explorer, make certain to update the protection patches on a regular basis, and only download computer programs from reputable sources. This will help cut down your chances of a spyware infiltration. 

 

And, if all else gives out?

 

In conclusion, if your PC has been contaminated with a great number of spyware programs, the only answer you might have is backing up your information, and executing a complete reinstall of the operating system.

All About Trojans

We have all heard the phrase Trojan, but what precisely is it? A Trojan is a destructive computer program that masks itself as an innocuous application. Unlike computer viruses Trojans don't replicate themselves, but they may be even as destructive. Among the gravest examples of a Trojan horse is a computer program that promises to free your PC from viruses but alternatively introduces computer viruses into your PC.

 

The Trojan horse may be dodgy. Who hasn’t been online and had an ad crop up stating to be able to free your PC of some awful virus? Or, even more terrible, you get an e-mail that claims to be alerting you to a fresh computer virus that may jeopardize your PC. The sender promises to rapidly annihilate, or protect, your PC from viruses if you merely download their “free of charge”, attached software into your PC. You might be skeptical but the software looks licit and the company appears reputable. You continue to take them up on their offer and download the software. In doing so, you've just possibly exposed yourself to a monolithic headache and your PC to a laundry list of ailments. 

 

Once a Trojan horse is touched off, many things may occur. Some Trojans are more bothersome than malicious. A few of the less annoying Trojans might choose to alter your desktop settings or add cockamamie desktop icons. The graver Trojans may wipe out data on your PC, taint files, spread other malware like viruses, spy on the user and secretly report information like browsing habits to others, log keystrokes to steal data like passwords and charge card numbers, phish for bank account details and even establish a backdoor into your PC so that they may come and go as they please.

 

To increase your likelihood of not coming across a Trojan, abide by these rules of thumb.

Trojan horses may infect your PC through rogue sites, instant messaging, and e-mails with attachments. Don't download anything into your computer unless you're 100 % sure of its sender or beginning.

Guarantee that your OS is always cutting-edge. If you're running a Microsoft Windows OS, this is crucial.

Set up reliable anti-virus software. It's also crucial that you download any updates often to catch all new Trojans, viruses, and worms. Make certain that the anti-virus program that you select can likewise scan e-mails and files downloaded through the net.

Think about installing a firewall. A firewall is a system of rules that prevents unauthorized utilization and access to your computer. A firewall isn't going to wipe out your virus problems, but when utilized in co-occurrence with regular OS updates and reliable anti-virus software, it may provide additional security and shelter for your computer.

Nothing may guarantee the protection of your computer 100 %. But you can go forward to better your computer's security and lessen the possibility of infection by consistently following these rules of thumb.

About Phishing

Who hasn’t gotten an e-mail leading them to visit a familiar site where they're being required to update their personal info? The site needs you to affirm or update your passwords, charge card numbers, social security number, or even your bank account. You realize the business name as one that you’ve done business with previously. So, you click on the handy “take me there” link and go on to provide all the info they've called for. Regrettably, you discover much later that the site is bogus. It was produced with the sole aim of stealing your personal data. You've just been “phished”.

 

Phishing (sounded out as “fishing”) is specified as the act of sending out an e-mail to a recipient falsely claiming to have a founded, legitimate business. The aim of the phisher is to con the recipient into delivering their private data, and finally steal your identity.

It isn’t' at simple as you think to spot an e-mail phishing for data. At first sight, the e-mail might look like it's from a licit company. The "From" field of the e-mail might have the .com address of the company noted in the e-mail. The clickable link even appears to take you to the company's site, when as a matter of fact, it's a fake site assembled to replicate the licit site.

 

A lot of these individuals are pro criminals. They've spent much time in producing e-mails that look bona fide. Users need to go over all e-mails requesting personal info cautiously. When reviewing your e-mail remember that the "From Field" may be easily altered by the sender. While it might look like it's coming from a .com you do business with, looks may be deluding. Likewise hold in mind that the phisher will go all out in attempting to make their e-mail look as legitimate as conceivable. They'll even re-create logos or pictures from the official web site to utilize in their e-mails. Lastly, they like to include a clickable link that the receiver may follow to handily update their data. 

 

A good way to check the authenticity of the link is to point at the link with your mouse. Then, have a look in the bottom left screen of your computer. The actual site address to which you're being directed will display for you to view. It's a very quick and simple way to check if you're being led to a legitimate site.

 

Lastly, abide by the golden rule. Never, ever, click the links inside the text of the e-mail, and always erase the e-mail at once. Once you've deleted the e-mail, empty the trash box in your e-mail accounts likewise. If you're truly concerned that you're missing a crucial notice regarding one of your accounts, then type the full web address of the site into your browser. At least then you are able to be confident that you're, really, being directed to the true and legitimate site.

Internet Dating Safety

Net dating may be amusing. But do not disregard safety and good sense when you attempt to hook up with a partner. At the very minimum, take care in the accompanying areas.

 

Protect Your PC 

 

Take precautions for your equipment and systems prior to you heading out into the Net kingdom. You need to possess a firewall and anti-virus security for your e-mail and for when you explore websites and interact in cyberspace. At the bare minimum, you might need these 2 resolutions that are provided at no charge to home computer users (i.e. not for commercial utilization):

 

Free Anti-Virus Download: AVG Anti-Virus www.grisoft.com 

Free Firewall Download: Zone Alarm www.zonelabs.com 

 

Protect Yourself

 

Look after yourself, as well, by picking out suitable dating web sites. Look for and pick out a reputable net dating service. How? Set out by asking around with acquaintances, neighbors, colleagues and other people you might know who have attempted net dating, and determine which web sites they advocate. In addition, explore “online dating services” and maintain a notebook of their web addresses or site links, the fees, rules and ordinances, complete contact info of each and any additional valuable info that spikes your interest. Then equate each place. Try out only those places on the net where you feel secure. Make sure to keep off the others ones.

 

So, take precautions. Build up your PC – and yourself – with the right tools and knowledge so that you are able to use online dating services for your fun and enjoyment!