The Zombies Want Your Computer: How Botnets Generate Spam and Steal Your Identity

WASHINGTON, April 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Association for Computing Machinery today released the following media advisory.

WHAT: Brown Bag Lunch Briefing

- Presented by ACM and Microsoft

- Hosted by the Senate Science and Technology Caucus

- Hear academic, industry and law enforcement experts explore the growing threat of botnets and how they fuel criminal activities

WHEN: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 12:00 noon - 1:15 p.m.

WHERE: U.S. Capitol Senate Chambers
Room SC-4
Constitution Avenue and New Jersey Avenue

WHO: Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT)
Edward Felten, Princeton University, on How Botnets Form and the Scope of the Threat
Phil Reitinger, Microsoft, on How Industry is Dealing with Botnets
Scott O'Neal, FBI, on How Law Enforcement is Fighting Botnets

WHY: Robots are alive and well today, but they resemble nothing you've seen from science fiction or in a lab. They are hiding on millions of computers around the world.

Known as "bots," they are programs installed on computers without the knowledge of their owners. They can turn computers into "zombies" under the control of a hacker or "bot herder" and are used for malicious activities. When linked, they form a botnet - a network of compromised computers.

These networks are a serious and growing risk to consumers' privacy, business operations, e-commerce and the Internet itself. They can be used to spam, cripple websites, steal personal information, and attack other computers.

HOW: This is a public event but space is limited.
RSVP to David Bruggeman by April 24
Tel. 202-659-9711
Fax 202-667-1066
Email david.bruggeman@acm.org

ABOUT ACM
ACM (http://www.acm.org ) is an educational and scientific society uniting the world's computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

 

Best Legal Web Site Trends Detailed in New Report from the Web Marketing Association

New Web Marketing Association' Internet Standards Assessment Report includes historical data derived from a decade of hosting Internet Award Competition, WebAwards, and provides Best Practices for 'Legal Web Design'.

West Simsbury, CT (PRWeb) April 16, 2007 -- www.07webaward.org - The Web Marketing Association, host of leading web site awards competition WebAwards, released the Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR) to help the legal industry learn to create more effective and engaging web sites.

"As the standard of excellence for web sites continues to increase, consumers (and WebAward judges) are increasingly picky about what they consider to be an effective web site," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association, Inc. "Lawyers are not known to be risk takers and many of their web sites reflect that philosophy. The best legal Web sites are thought leaders for their areas of expertise, using corporate logs to write about important topics."

The WebAwards competition judges legal web sites on seven criteria that combined create award-winning web sites:
•    Design
•    Innovation
•    Content
•    Technology
•    Interactivity
•    Copywriting
•    Ease of use

Legal web sites are generally in line with overall Web Development, although there is a tendency to be slightly below the ISAR Index.

According to the ISAR study, content, design, copywriting and ease of use are legal web site's strong points, and they meet or exceed the 3-year criteria benchmark in ease of use. They tend to have the lowest scores for innovation and technology.

The 2006 WebAward for Best Legal Web site went to Thomson-FindLaw for Yanowitch Law, P.A.

Other past winners include:
•    2005 Frost Brown Todd LLC for Frost Brown Todd LLC
•    2004 Pierce Atwood for Pierce Atwood - Attorneys at Law
•    2003 Pepper Hamilton LLP for www.pepperlaw.com
•    2002 Lane Powell Spears Lubersky LLP for Lanepowell.com

A complete list of past winners can be found at http://legal.webaward.org

Companies and organizations wishing to have their legal web site evaluated against the ISAR Index and be considered for a WebAward, which can help boost a Web site's credibility and marketing efforts, can learn more at www.07webaward.org.

To request your copy of the 2007 WebAward ISAR report, please visit: http://www.webaward.org/isar_report.asp

The Internet Standards Assessment report and the 2007 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: Burst Media, PRWeb, Misukanis & Odden, Small Army, SimpleFeed, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, NewsUSA, eComXpo, MediaPost's OMMA conference, TopRank Online Marketing, Creative Chocolate Printing Company, OTOlabs, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Legal, Rovion's InPerson and eMarketer.

2007 WebAward Call for Entries
The Web Marketing Association is now accepting entries into its 11th annual international WebAward Competition. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks that the Internet Standards Assessment report is based upon. The legal industry represents an important category in the WebAward competition, and the Web Marketing Association will again be honoring the Best Legal Web site of 2007. The deadline for entry is May 31, 2007 and the WebAward Web site is located at www.07webaward.org.

About the WebAwards
Now in its 11th year, the annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site. For more information, visit www.07webaward.org.

###

Press Contact: WILLIAM RICE
Company Name: WebAward
Email: Email Us Here: http://www.prweb.com/emailmember.php?prid=519024
Phone: 860-558-5423
Website: www.07webaward.org

Voicecasting®  - Voicemail spam, answering machine spam, voice message spam, recorded spam message
http://voicelogic.com/voicecasting.html

They put marketing sales messages into residential telephone voice mail boxes or answering machines. And they say they do this without ringing the phone...! Like getting email spam, but not hearing the message "You've got mail". WTF, where did THIS come from? Honey, I thought you checked the machine, it says there's a message...!

Talk about your stillborn ideas....!

Don't tell me that we are going to need a CAPCHA for our answering machines and voice mail? "If you're human, press F-O-U-R. If you want to leave a message, press the number that completes this famous line: '... god, indivisable, with liberty and justice for all'. If you want to leave a message in our blackhole spam bucket, press 2. To be connected to the FTC, press 3."

I just got a junk fax from these guys and went to their site before I reported the fax to www.efax.com.

As usual I am late to the rantfest:

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1679258
http://www.spamblogging.com/archives/000690.html
http://www.dmn.ca/Articles/Articles/2004/Nov/crtc1104.htm
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2004/dt2004-65.htm
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8622/r11_200514936.htm

Attempt to ban voicemail spamming

Rogers Wireless Inc. appeals to Canadian Radio-television and Telemarketing Commission for a ban on voicemail spamming.

Canadian wireless operator Rogers Wireless Inc. is appealing to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to ban the marketing practice of voicemail spamming.

The process the company objects to is known as 'voicecasting' and involves the use of an automated dialling device to transmit marketing messages directly into the voicemail accounts of mobile telephones. Because the messages are transmitted directly to the voicemail accounts, the telephone does not ring, so consumers don't realise they've received the advertising messages until they retrieve their voicemail.

In a complaint filed with the CRTC, Rogers Wireless argued that mobile phone customers should not have to pay airtime charges to access marketing messages that have been disguised as legitimate voicemail. The company also pointed out that the costs are even higher for customers who retrieve messages while abroad, when roaming or long-distance charges also come into play.

Somewhat surprisingly, the man credited with inventing voicemail spamming says he agrees with Rogers Wireless. Cesar Correia, founder of Infolink Technologies Inc., the largest provider of voicecasting services in Canada, said: 'Customers should not be incurring charges when somebody is sending a voicecast to a cellphone. It's unfair to the public'.

Telephone companies and consumer groups will be hoping that Rogers Wireless has put together a strong case - in 2001 Bell made a similar complaint to the CRTC about voicecasting, but the regulator ruled that there was insufficient evidence to suggest that the practice was a nuisance to consumers. This time the CRTC is expected to issue a public notice and seek comment on the issue.

03 January 2006
http://www.virusbtn.com/news/spam_news/2006/01_03a.xml

Yoda to Use Force to Optimize Web Sites

Minneapolis, MN -- April 4th, 2007 - In a communication today, ex-Jedi instructor Yoda announced his intention to provide search engine optimization services (SEO) to all races and on all planets that require SEO services. At press time we could not confirm the rumor that the company motto would be "Links, the Force. Use the Force!".

This is the communication we received today:

How your web, pages are displayed we checking.

To, help optimize how your web pages are. One moment please to help.

Page does not redirect you have scripts?

Web pages are, displayed. One moment please to help optimize how! Microsoft office program is installed.

Scripts disabled more on follow link, the?

See if, microsoft office program is installed, this page. See, if microsoft office, program is installed this page. Moment please to help optimize. Scripts disabled more, on follow link, the.

Does not redirect you have scripts disabled more on.

Moment, please, to, help.

If, microsoft office program is installed!

Web pages are displayed we checking.

Web pages are displayed we checking. Have scripts disabled more on follow.

Installed this page does not redirect, you have.

Office program is installed this page does. To help optimize how your? Installed this page does not redirect, you have scripts. Are displayed we checking, see if microsoft.

 

[Note: I found this SPAM more amusing than most and thought I would share it... (hris ]

Damn the PR, Full Submit Ahead!

I just read an article here that says what I have been saying for quite a while. The author talks about submitting to smaller directories even if their PR is zero or very low. The reason is that even if they are small now, there is a good chance that they will grow and get bigger in the future. This is less likely if everyone just ignores them.

If people were not always so short-sighted, they might realize that directory submissions is a two way street, and this goes for the directory owner as well as the person submitting a site.

A good, well-written submission may be small, but it can still be good content and have value. An average directory listing provides value as a way for visitors to that site to find it, AND also provides a link back to the site which may have some value.

Good Listing =  Good Content = Good Link

Those that are submitting sites and those that own directories and search engines should have the attitude that they both need each other and show proper respect. Just as poor quality submissions and ignoring posted submission rules show no respect, so to does excessively fussy rules, return link requirements, and most listing fees. It is not realistic to expect someone that is submitting their site to pay even $1 to do so at all the sites that they have to choose from. By not charging a fee, directory owners allow themselves to get much more good content for their site and attract those that click, which continues long after a site has been submitted.  (hris
______________________________________________
FREE 1 Year Tech and Business Magazine Subscriptions!
http://consultant-directory.tradepub.com/
______________________________________________
Free lists of millions expired domain names
http://www.bizprolink-internet.com
____________________________________________
Promote your consulting business with a free listing
in our http://www.Consultant-Directory.com
______________________________________________
Professional SEO firm submits to over 500 systems
by hand and shares the list so you can do it yourself!
http://www.Best-Free-Search-Engine-List.com
____________________________________________
Search Engine Industry Professional Organization
http://www.seoby.org
____________________________________________
DirBy.org - Directory Owners Organization
HSBy.org - Hand Submitters Organization
SearchBy.org - SE Owners Organization
SemBy.org - Search Engine Marketers Org
__________________________________
Grow the value of your domain name investment at
http://www.DomainIncubation.com
____________________________________________
Choose from a number of low-cost phone cards.
http://www.big-zoo.us/?af=07532
________________________________________________