MAILSNARE.NET NEWSLETTER - January/February 2004

Table of Contents

1. Introduction - Welcome Back!

Welcome to the January/February 2004 edition of the MailSnare newsletter! It's been more than a year since our last newsletter and it seems that the next edition was always just at the edge of being completed. This year, we hope to publish on a bi-monthly basis with regular columns about what's new with MailSnare, helpful e-mail tips, and a peek into what's just around the corner.

It's no coincidence that our 2004 inaugural edition is being published with the launch of our newly branded homepage. We're very excited about the new look, which is just the first phase in a series of changes we will be making. You'll find more information about our new look, tips on keeping spam out of your inbox, and a peek into what's next for MailSnare -- all in this edition.

2. What's new?

Where do we start? In 2003 we completed a number of major undertakings, including the addition of SpamAssassin into our suite of spam fighting tools; a major upgrade to the VisualOffice webmail interface; a successful migration to our new datacenter located in Newport News; dozens of hardware and software upgrades; and the launch of our new affiliate program.

We are starting off 2004 with the launch of our newly branded homepage. The new homepage provides more information about our services, features, system status, and features a number of new customer support tools.

Let's talk about the new customer support tools and some of the self-help resources we have put together for you. By selecting "Support" from the top menu bar or clicking on "Contact Us", you will see a new support section that includes a list of helpful resources and even a way to test your account if you suspect a problem. We have also changed the online forms used to request technical support, pose general questions, or ask pre-sales type questions. Selecting the appropriate category for your question will help ensure we ask you for the correct information and allows us to more effectively resolve your problem or answer your question.

Over the course of 2004, you can expect additional content and changes to our homepage as it evolves to meet the growing needs of our customers.

3. Tips & Tricks

E-mail aliases are something that many customers do not fully understand or are unsure how to use them effectively. That's not surprising since most Internet Service Providers (ISP)s and many e-mail service providers do not provide them as a standard feature. In short, aliases are pseudonyms that allow you to receive or send mail using an entirely different e-mail address than the one you probably normally use. They are not separate accounts as some people commonly assume. For example, mail sent to any of your aliases will always arrive in the same inbox as your primary e-mail address.

So, what good are aliases? Obviously there is some utility and enjoyment in simply being able to send and receive mail using a variety of customizable e-mail addresses. In fact, with MailSnare you can delete, add, or modify aliases anytime you wish. However, the real power of aliases often lies in how they can be used to help control spam.

To understand how aliases can help with spam, it's necessary to briefly describe some of the typical ways spammers obtain your e-mail address. If you are a novice e-mail user, many of the techniques may come as a surprise and this list certainly isn't all-inclusive -- spammers are constantly adapting their tools.

Harvesting -- One of the most common ways spammers collect e-mail addresses is through harvesting. Spammers use sophisticated tools to scan web pages, newsgroups, and other online sources for anything that looks like a valid e-mail addresses. If you use your e-mail address to post a note on a web-based message board, newsgroup, or other public online forum, you can bet your e-mail address will be harvested in very short order.

Dictionary Attack -- Spammers also use lists of common (and some not so common) usernames and simply hope for the best. With large e-mail service providers, the chances are that valid subscribers are already using the majority of the common usernames and a large percentage of the spam eventually reaches an inbox. The shorter your username, the more susceptible you are to being targeted.

The gift that keeps on giving -- It's not difficult to find sites on the Internet that offer a variety of free services or information in exchange for you e-mail address. In most cases these sites are very open about what they are offering and are very clear about what intend to do with your information. However, there are more than a few who will collect and sell your information to third parties or use it themselves to send you volumes of unwanted mail.

Other techniques -- There are many other methods spammers use to obtain your e-mail address, including cleverly hiden opt-in clauses, vague privacy policies, or through inadvertent disclosure by legitimate companies.