This is certainly not about temari but unfortunately like any good thing, there are people out there taking advantage of things, or trying to. The internet and WWW has become a most wonderful tool as well as form of entertainment, but with that has also come some safety practices that you need to be aware of and adhere to. Hopefully the content of this page is not new news to you  - but we all still need to be aware of it. If it is new news, then please read it carefully.

       You know that the internet is composed of several sections - the two most common that we use here and now are email and the World Wide Web. There is also another small process called File Transfer Protocol. The latter - usually abbreviated FTP, is how computer files move around the web. Unless you are a web master you probably don't have a lot to do with this. The one exception is when you download computer programs (ONLY from validated websites), for example when you download Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, or updates. When you do this you are using FTP through your web browser. You can also FTP with other little special programs. IF you use FTP, or accept any download  of software through your web browser you need to be sure that the site you are downloading from provides a security certificate. It also helps if it comes from a secure server. You can determine if you are using a secure server or not by looking at the http://www address. A secure server will have an "s" included as in https://www.

        The major rule to remember with using email is to NEVER open an attachment that is hooked onto an email that you have received unless you know FOR SURE what the file is and what it is supposed to do, as well as who sent it to you. This was the big weakness that caught people in the last Mydoom worm - the emails with the worm were set up to look like they came from people you knew. Basic rules to follow are to 1) use the "preview" option of viewing email content within your email program (this option is available in most all email client programs) since by not fully opening the email itself you set up an additional layer or protection; 2) do not open files that come attached to an email unless you have determined with certainty what it is and who sent it to you. Most often a virus or worm will be in a file that has a format of something like exe or dll (the file extension, the last three letters after the dot in the file name) - but again the last worm pulled off looking like a doc file. Even if you get an email from someone you know, if you were not expecting an attached file with it or the person sending the note to you does not say what the file is (like, "Hi Ginny, here is the latest photo of my temari" - where I would know that there should be a jpg or gif file hooked on there) - then check with them BEFORE you open or do anything with the file. If they cannot confirm what they sent you then delete the email without opening it or the attachment.  Worms are somewhat less dangerous than a virus, in that a worm is sort of mischievous, getting in and cruising your email address book and then sending out many emails using that information. They are usually targeted at some major company with the goal of "crashing their server" as in deluging so many emails to them that they can't handle it. In general however a worm does not damage your own computer. Viruses are something different though - big different. Viruses can and will damage the operating system software of your computer to the point of rendering it useless, so it is imperative to protect yourself.  You cannot get a virus or worm from an email itself but rather a malicious attachment in one.

       The other major problem the web community is encountering now is something called "phishing". Phishing is when you get an email from a business or place you have dealings with, certainly very official looking with all the proper logos and right sounding language, telling you that for some reason your account with them is in question and about to be closed unless you click on the links in the email and "verify" your information - such as demographics and credit card or bank info. In fact, these are bogus emails very artfully created in order to sucker you into identity theft. They go to bogus websites even though it may look official - eBay has been a major target of this - when in reality they are disguised sites designed only to "phish" out information and catch a sucker on the hook. First of all, no respectable business online does this. NONE.  IF you for some reason still feel compelled to confirm your account information, DO NOT do it online. Call the company in question and I'll guarantee you that you will be told you are being phished; any time you need to manage your account information you do it ONLY at your initiative by logging on to the site's secure server (never through a secondary link) OR via phone or in person. This has become such a common practice that most major web businesses have a special email address set up for you to report phishing to them - for example, if you get one of these bogus emails made to look like it's from eBay, eBay asks that you forward the whole note intact with no changes to it to them at spoof@ebay.com.

       Something similar to phishing  - but not going after your personal information directly - is when bogus emails are sent out by notnice guys, set up to look like "official" emails from places like Microsoft or other major software companies, telling you to "download this patch immediately" - and there will be an attached "patch" file. Needless to say - NO!. Again these are bogus emails that are trying to bait you, and it's not a patch. It is rather a devil program that at best will infiltrate your personal files and steal your personal info, at worst it will enable the host computer to seize control of your computer. Be sure that you are keeping up with software updates and patches for your operating system (Windows) and other programs by going to the official company sites and downloading any software patches or updates from their secure server.  Software manufactureres may indeed send you email notices about updating your files, but they will refer you to the secure corporate server and usually require you to log in as a registered user to obtain official updates. If in doubt - don't.

       Needless to say, your computer is vulnerable to possible problems only when you are actively connected to the internet, but with the advent now of faster, more affordable and constant/always on internet connections it has widened the opportunities for the problem makers.  Faster internet connections not only make it easier for you to send and receive things faster but also make it easier for a bad-doer to find its way in. A personal firewall is something that can be useful - basically it is a filter that looks at all the stuff coming into your computer from the internet. It will only accept incoming information from places that you tell it are ok. When you install a firewall there is a short learning period for it, so that you tell it that it's ok to accept information from the places you usually go to on the web. When a new one pops up, the firewall will ask you if it's ok to accept stuff from there. For those using Windows XP, there is a reasonable firewall included now and by all means turn it on (check out the user instructions). If you have a wireless home network set up, there usually is a firewall included with the network hub or router which you should also have turned on. Again, check your user manual for details on this. You can also purchase personal firewall programs as part of internet security packages or on their own; they are rather inexpensive and certainly worth the investment. Bear in mind that firewalls are not like virus scanners; Virus programs look for very specific files that they have been told to look for. Firewalls prevent your computer from download all information from a website unless you have told the firewall it's ok to do so.

       Another very simple step you can take if you are on a highspeed cable modem for access (which essentially is "always on - always connected")  is to switch your modem to "standby" when you are not using your computer. This stops the internet signal from going into your computer when you are not using it.

       Now for more on virus scanner programs. These are programs that you buy initially buy then must also maintain, since the program developer will constantly be issuing updates to it that will look at every file on your computer on a regular basis, searching for specific viruses or worms. The updates are called virus signature files; you get these updates by subscribing to the company as well as buying the initial program. One does not work without the other; you must also be sure that you are downloading the current signatures on a regular basis and installing them to the virus scanner program. Usually the program will let you set it up to do this automatically - but it is still your responsibility to be sure that you have set it up to do that. It doesn't hurt to check that it is happening as you think it is, either. When a warning is issued for a new virus or worm, usually the company has already written the updated signatures to combat it and the best thing to do is check that, manually download the update and install it - and then tell the program to scan your computer as well. Used properly anitvirus programs are extremely effective but it is not just a "put it in and forget about it" thing.

       Microsoft taking over the computer world may have its advantanges but it also has the downside. Because so many computers use Microsoft programs in addition to Windows as the operating system, it is these programs such as Outlook, Outlook Express and Internet Explorer that are prime targets for worms and viruses - many times these nasties will be written specifically to target a weak spot in a Microsoft program since it will affect so so many computers. You can further protect yourself by opting to use alternate programs such as Netscape, or any of the other email client programs or internet browsers that are available (and yes, believe it or not, there still are some). This is not foolproof but it can help. Someone is not going to waste time writing a worm or virus program that can only get into a very small percentage of computers out there if they can score a big hit elsewhere.  Microsoft is also somewhat known for hurrying new programs out the door perhaps a little too quickly -and this has led to security holes in their operating systems as well as some other booboos. When these problems are found, Microsoft issues a software patch - a file of code that you download from the Microsoft site and it installs itself in the programs to plug the leaks. It is important that you either allow Windows to check the Microsoft site regularly for updates or you do it manually and download and install security patches.

       Personally, I use Netscape Communicator (available for free download at www.netscape.com) as my email and web browser programs. Yes, I have Microsoft Outlook/Outlook Express on my computer and know how to use it as well as Internet Explorer; as someone that writes web pages I need to be able to test my work in these programs to be sure all is well and occasionally to help folks along, but I do not maintain my address books and such in the MS programs. I also use eTrust for my online security system.  ETrust is a spinoff from Computer Associates, a major large mainframe software company used in many larger corporations, and I was familiar with them from my work in major hospitals. Several years ago CA took the position that offering personal computer virus protection was not something that anyone should be making a profit on. They packaged their mainframe security for the personal computer owner and for a while offered it free of charge; now they charge a nominal fee for the subscription (less that the main names) but are still among the best ranked in the industry. They offer both a personal firewall as well as antivirus programs or a combination of both called the Armor Suite which is what I use. The EZTrust site also maintains up to date virus, worm and hoax information.