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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b
style="">OPLIN 4Cast #146:<br>
Your security is our security.<br>
</b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">September 30, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1 style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span class="grame"><i><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">4casting technologies that could have an
impact on
public libraries.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></h1>
<p>You have heard it before, you will hear it again...security,
security,
security.</p>
<p>Day after day we warn users that without good security, 1.) their
e-mail
accounts are dangerously exposed to hackers, 2.) their networks are
vulnerable
to outside attacks and 3.) the OPLIN network can be compromised.</p>
<p>All three of these instances happened this week, causing OPLIN staff
to
scramble to reduce the amount of damage. <b>This is a big deal. </b></p>
<p>Historically, when someone gets hacked on the OPLIN network, the
reason for
the compromise isn't to steal your identity or use your computer to tap
into
some top-secret government agency. We get hacked because someone
wants
to steal an e-mail account for sending out spam.</p>
<p>Thousands of people are impacted when one user e-mail ID is
compromised or
one library server isn't protected. OPLIN IPs get blocked by folks
like
Google, Yahoo! and Time-Warner, and it takes time to get removed from
their
blocked lists. In the mean time, all OPLIN mail is backlogged and we
block your offending IP as per the <a
href="http://www.oplin.org/content/oplin-community-good-neighbor-policy"
target="_blank">OPLIN Good Neighbor policy</a>.</p>
<p>This week, the security breeches could have been easily averted. Do
not assume that someone else is taking care of your computer and e-mail
security. Ask! Make sure you are receiving at least weekly Microsoft
updates and daily anti-virus updates. Use a strong password on your
e-mail
account. Be proactive and when possible, take personal responsibility
for
your machine.</p>
<p>Here are some articles about the severity of malware and ways to
protect
your account and the OPLIN network.</p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><a
href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10363373-83.html"
target="_blank">Malware worldwide grows 15 percent in September.</a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><a
href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/it-security-breaches-soar-in-2009/article1305011/"
target="_blank">IT security breaches soar in 2009</a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><a
href="http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/" target="_blank">Secure
Password Generator</a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><a href="http://www.passwordmeter.com/"
target="_blank">The Password Meter</a><span class="grame"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
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<p>The <em><b>OPLIN 4cast</b></em> is a weekly compilation of
recent headlines, topics, and trends that could impact public
libraries. You can subscribe to it in a variety of ways, such as:</p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><strong>RSS feed</strong>. You
can receive the <em>OPLIN 4cast</em> via RSS feed by subscribing to
the following URL: <a
href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2" target="_blank">http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2</a>.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><strong>Live Bookmark</strong>.
If you're using the <a href="http://www.mozilla.com/" target="_blank">Firefox</a>
web browser, you can go to the <em>4cast</em> website (<a
href="http://www.oplin.org/4cast/" target="_blank">http://www.oplin.org/4cast/</a>)
and click on the orange "radio wave" icon on the right side of the
address bar. In <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/"
target="_blank">Internet Explorer 7</a>, click on the same icon to
view or subscribe to the <em>4cast</em> RSS feed. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style=""><strong>E-mail</strong>. You can
have the <em>OPLIN 4cast</em> delivered via e-mail (a'la OPLINlist and
OPLINtech) by subscribing to the <em>4cast</em> mailing list at <a
href="http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/OPLIN4cast"
target="_blank">http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/OPLIN4cast</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<pre>--
Bobbi Galvin
OPLIN Customer Relations & Support
P: 1-888-966-7546
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.oplin.org">www.oplin.org</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></pre>
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