How Safe Are You on the Information Highway - Part Two
| Category: Home Based Business - Finance | Date: 2003-07-16 |
Last week we talked about how to protect your business and assets from potential lawsuits. Well finish with a few additional C.Y.B. (Cover Your But~t) suggestions along with protecting yourself online. http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Articles/a00015.htm
Protecting Your Business (cont.)
Contracts
You need a written business contract anytime you enter into an agreement that which will effect your business. The book Business Contracts for Dummies, located in the legal section http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Basics/legal.htm, explains contract essentials and the different types you may need for your business. It is no substitute for a lawyer but is good resource if you plan on writing them yourself.
Ive watch Judge Milian of People Court rule against a business because their contract wasnt in order. Even if you write your own contract, you might want an attorney to review them and make sure all your "Is" are dotted and the "Ts" are crossed.
Email
Did you know that deleting an email doesnt remove it from your computers hard drive? And that your email can be intercepted and read by the government, hackers, spammers and anybody else who want to snoop into your private affairs?
So if you dont want anybody to know it...dont send it.
One of my pet peeves is the "friend" who loves to send those cute emails to everybody in their address book. They use the to: field revealing yours and everybody elses email address to hacker and spammers.
Use the Blind Carbon Copy (BBC) feature when sending a message to multiple recipients.
Courts do recognize email contract as legal documents and email correspondence can be submitted as evidence.
Save your email correspondence with clients etc. on disc or print them. If you are sued or you are suing somebody, you have documentation to back up your side of the story.
There is software that will encrypt your email message. Giving you an add measure of privacy.
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-1.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-2.htm
=>Protecting Yourself Online
Cruising Along the Info Highway is wrought with potholes.
Computer Hijackers
Cookies
Cookies can be very useful. We use one on our site for the subscriber pop-up. Once you visit the site, it wont pop-up again unless its over 30 days since your last visit. Amazon uses them to personalize your shopping experience.
However,not all cookies play nice. Some will report the sites you visit to an advertising database. That computer may, share that information with sites that acquired your e-mail address in some way. Ever wondered how youre getting all that spam?
You can set your browser to alert you when a cooking is being installed and if you want to accept it.
Scumware & Spyware
There are other ways besides cookies to gain information on your personal habits. Tracking software is installed onto your computer without your knowledge.
Jim Wilson dubbed this as "scum ware" and its not detected by your anti-virus software because technically its not a virus. It is a "pain" trying to remove this stuff from your computer.
Scumware also causes error problems and incompatibility issues with other software on your computer. My editor was having problems with her computer. She called a tech guy to come service it and he found several spyware programs installed on her hard drive. He cleaned her computer and recommended she install a software program to eliminate spy and scumware.
Weve been using Ad Ware Pro for almost 2 years. http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-3.htm. Spybot Search and Destroy is another program that has received excellent reviews. http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-4.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-5.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-6.htm
Identity Theft
This crime is growing at an alarming rate. While you cant prevent identity theft, you can minimalize the risk by wisely managing your personal information.
Beware that there are scams whose sole purpose is to collect your personal information. If it sounds to good to be true...it probably is!
What I find surprising is how many affiliate programs registration forms are on unsecured servers. These forms ask for all kinds of personal information including your tax id or social security number. This is the number an identity thief needs to take over your and wreak havoc in your life.
Guard your personal information and checking your credit report on a regular basis will alert you to potential problems.
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-7.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-8.htm (PDF file)
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-9.htm
Common sense is still your best defense. The Internet can be a rewarding experience and venture when you combine common sense with a little precaution.
Related Online Sections
Going Online
http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Online/fraud.htm
Business Basic
http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Basics/legal.htm
Resources for this article: Federal Trade Commission, MSNBC, USA Today, VarBusiness, Business2.0, Internet Security System, Symantic, Licata & Associates,L.P.A, WhiteHat and Information Week.
About the Author
Ann Rusnak is the 15 Minute Time Coach who helps entrepreneurs use The "15 Minute a Day" Technique that puts them in control of their time to grow their business faster and more profitable in less time with less stress! Subscribe to "Just 15 Minutes" and receive time saving information to grow YOUR business in less time. Send blank email to ebiz@just15minutes.com
support@just15minutes.com
http://www.just15minutes.com
Protecting Your Business (cont.)
Contracts
You need a written business contract anytime you enter into an agreement that which will effect your business. The book Business Contracts for Dummies, located in the legal section http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Basics/legal.htm, explains contract essentials and the different types you may need for your business. It is no substitute for a lawyer but is good resource if you plan on writing them yourself.
Ive watch Judge Milian of People Court rule against a business because their contract wasnt in order. Even if you write your own contract, you might want an attorney to review them and make sure all your "Is" are dotted and the "Ts" are crossed.
Did you know that deleting an email doesnt remove it from your computers hard drive? And that your email can be intercepted and read by the government, hackers, spammers and anybody else who want to snoop into your private affairs?
So if you dont want anybody to know it...dont send it.
One of my pet peeves is the "friend" who loves to send those cute emails to everybody in their address book. They use the to: field revealing yours and everybody elses email address to hacker and spammers.
Use the Blind Carbon Copy (BBC) feature when sending a message to multiple recipients.
Courts do recognize email contract as legal documents and email correspondence can be submitted as evidence.
Save your email correspondence with clients etc. on disc or print them. If you are sued or you are suing somebody, you have documentation to back up your side of the story.
There is software that will encrypt your email message. Giving you an add measure of privacy.
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-1.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-2.htm
=>Protecting Yourself Online
Cruising Along the Info Highway is wrought with potholes.
Computer Hijackers
Cookies
Cookies can be very useful. We use one on our site for the subscriber pop-up. Once you visit the site, it wont pop-up again unless its over 30 days since your last visit. Amazon uses them to personalize your shopping experience.
However,not all cookies play nice. Some will report the sites you visit to an advertising database. That computer may, share that information with sites that acquired your e-mail address in some way. Ever wondered how youre getting all that spam?
You can set your browser to alert you when a cooking is being installed and if you want to accept it.
Scumware & Spyware
There are other ways besides cookies to gain information on your personal habits. Tracking software is installed onto your computer without your knowledge.
Jim Wilson dubbed this as "scum ware" and its not detected by your anti-virus software because technically its not a virus. It is a "pain" trying to remove this stuff from your computer.
Scumware also causes error problems and incompatibility issues with other software on your computer. My editor was having problems with her computer. She called a tech guy to come service it and he found several spyware programs installed on her hard drive. He cleaned her computer and recommended she install a software program to eliminate spy and scumware.
Weve been using Ad Ware Pro for almost 2 years. http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-3.htm. Spybot Search and Destroy is another program that has received excellent reviews. http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-4.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-5.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-6.htm
Identity Theft
This crime is growing at an alarming rate. While you cant prevent identity theft, you can minimalize the risk by wisely managing your personal information.
Beware that there are scams whose sole purpose is to collect your personal information. If it sounds to good to be true...it probably is!
What I find surprising is how many affiliate programs registration forms are on unsecured servers. These forms ask for all kinds of personal information including your tax id or social security number. This is the number an identity thief needs to take over your and wreak havoc in your life.
Guard your personal information and checking your credit report on a regular basis will alert you to potential problems.
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-7.htm
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-8.htm (PDF file)
http://www.just15minutes.com/a/12-9.htm
Common sense is still your best defense. The Internet can be a rewarding experience and venture when you combine common sense with a little precaution.
Related Online Sections
Going Online
http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Online/fraud.htm
Business Basic
http://www.ebusinesshelpsite.com/Basics/legal.htm
Resources for this article: Federal Trade Commission, MSNBC, USA Today, VarBusiness, Business2.0, Internet Security System, Symantic, Licata & Associates,L.P.A, WhiteHat and Information Week.
About the Author
Ann Rusnak is the 15 Minute Time Coach who helps entrepreneurs use The "15 Minute a Day" Technique that puts them in control of their time to grow their business faster and more profitable in less time with less stress! Subscribe to "Just 15 Minutes" and receive time saving information to grow YOUR business in less time. Send blank email to ebiz@just15minutes.com
support@just15minutes.com
http://www.just15minutes.com
Copyright © 2005-2006 Powered by Custom PHP Programming