KC News 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------------------
NETCAPE AND MOZILLA SHORTCUTS
WEB SERVER
VULNERABLE?
GOT COOKIE?
BEST DEAL MAGAZINES
POOL & SPA NEWS INTERVIEW
KEEP IT CLEAN
WYSIWYG?
AMAZING!
DOMAIN NAME OWNERS BEWARE

====================
Keyboard Shortcut Du Jour
====================
NETCAPE AND MOZILLA SHORTCUTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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===============
HOUSEHOLD ITEM
===============
WEB SERVER
~~~~~~~~~~~
First it was a fax line, then an email address, then a website address.
Now some businesses think it's imperative to have your very own WEB SERVER.
This is not necessarily a good thing. In the interest of doing what you
do best most small businesses should REFRAIN from purchasing and running
their own server hardware and software. We strongly recommend that
unless you are in the IT industry and you have sufficient in house
know-how you simply outsource your web hosting service.

An ideal solution is offered by Kahl Consultants. Known as a VIRTUAL
PRIVATE SERVER or simply VPS, this has the best of both worlds. You get
the world class secure hosting of a global hosting leader (in our case
we use NTT Verio). Plus you get a price break and the customized service
that makes Kahl Consultants an ideal match for so many small businesses.

VULNERABLE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
To understand why running your own server is a headache that you are
better off outsourcing we bring you this excerpt from Wired Magazine:
Potentially millions of websites -- including the new, reportedly
invincible home page of Russian President Vladimir Putin -- may become
easy prey for hackers if their administrators don't upgrade their software.

The new Kremlin site underwent three months of testing to ensure it is
"almost hacker-proof." Almost 100 hackers attempted to break into
Putin's site in its first 24 hours of operation.

But independent tests revealed Friday it was running an outdated version
of the popular Apache Web server that could be vulnerable to a recently
discovered security bug. Putin's site was using the Red-Hat Linux
operating system with Apache version 1.3.20.

U.S. government-funded Computer Emergency Response Team warned that a
security flaw in Apache versions 1.2.2 through 1.3.24 could allow remote
attackers to execute malicious programs on vulnerable servers. The
Apache Software Foundation has advised administrators to upgrade
immediately to the latest version of the Web server software that is not
prone to the "chunked-encoding" bug.

In use on more than 10 million active websites, Apache is the most
popular Web server used on the Internet, with over 60 percent market
share. The program runs on several Unix-based operating systems as well
as on Windows.

The security of some Apache sites was especially threatened Wednesday
when a research group called Gobbles Security released a tool designed
to allow attackers to take control of unpatched Apache installations
running on the OpenBSD operating system.

A Gobbles representative told Wired News Friday that the group intends
to publish a new version of the program that additionally exploits the
Apache flaw on unpatched FreeBSD and NetBSD machines "with a 100 percent
success rate." Gobbles said it also has developed, but not publicly
released, exploits for the Sun Solaris and Linux operating systems.

Following the release of Gobbles' "Apache-Scalp" program,
SecurityFocus.com raised its "ThreatCon Rating" to Level 3, the first
time the security information firm has issued such a warning since the
Nimda worm hit the Internet last September.

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===================
WORD OF THE MONTH
===================
GOT COOKIE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not sure what those nerds are talking about when they warn you about
cookies from some questionable website?

A cookie is a message given to a Web browser by a Web server. The
browser stores the message in a text file. The message is then sent back
to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. In
other words a cookie is a bit of information that a website can deposit
in your computer.

Cookies usually identify users and prepare customized Web pages for
them. When you use cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form
providing such information as your name and interests. This information
is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser, which stores it
for later use.

The next time you go to the same Web site, your browser will send the
cookie to the Web server. The server can use this information to present
you with custom Web pages. So instead of seeing a generic welcome page
you might see a welcome page with your name on it. Woo woo!

We recommend you set your browser to only accept cookies from the
originating website (in Netscape click Edit-Preferences and look for the
cookies section).

You may also use a utility such as Norton SystemWorks to regularly
remove all the unwanted cookies from your hard drive.

==================
SITES FOR SORE EYES
==================
BEST DEAL MAGAZINES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is by far one of the best deals on the web. Period.

135 popular consumer magazines available for $3.95 a year. Another 500
magazines for 50% of the publisher's price.

Last year I ordered 5 of these and was very happy with the service. So
give it a shot!

The list of magazines includes everything from AMERICAN HERITAGE to
YOUNG & MODERN.

======
KC TIPS
======
POOL & SPA NEWS INTERVIEW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pool & Spa News interviewed Alex Kahl for their May 2002 Internet
Special issue.

Pool & Spa News
http://www.poolspanews.com/

=======
WinTips
=======
KEEP IT CLEAN
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is a handy list of files you can delete from any windows computer
to make some space.

Use the FIND command to locate files with the following extensions, then
select and delete!

Delete any that you don't use - but if you're not sure where the file
comes from it is best to NOT touch it.

START - CONTROL PANEL - ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS
Look for installed programs that you don't need. Uninstall them.

Bookmark our FAQ Tips site!
WinTips, WebTips, ImageTips, Shopping Tips and more:
http://www.kahl.net/tools/tips.html

=======================
AOTM (Acronym of the Month)
=======================
WYSIWYG?
~~~~~~~~~~
WYSIWYG What You See Is What You Get
WYSIAWYG What You See is Almost What You Get
WYSINWNWYG What You See Is No Where Near What You Get
WYSINWYG What You See Is NOT What You Get
WYPIWYG What You Printed Is What You've Got
WYTYSYDG What You Thought You Saw, You Didn't Get

================
!!Hoax & Virus Alert!!
================
AMAZING!
Amazing how many folks will unknowingly delete some files and
self-damage their PCs on the advice of a hysterical non-expert...
Remember: 99% of all warning messages are HOAXES. Even those from your
friends.

Amazing how many folks regularly update software simply because their
software prompts them to do so.
Remember: IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT!

Amazing how many folks have never made a backup of anything on their
hard drive.
Remember: MAKE REGULAR BACKUPS!

Amazing how many folks forward email to every address in their address
book because the message says "PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO THE LARGEST NUMBER
OF PEOPLE!!!!"
Remember: DON'T FORWARD EMAILS WITHOUT VERIFICATION!

Amazing how many folks don't use ANTIVIRUS software or don't regularly
update their antivirus software.
Remember: Keep your computer protected from the latest virii.

Amazing how many folks download and install all kinds of software on
their computer without first researching the pros and cons.
Remember: LOOK before you leap!

Remember kids, play it safe on the net. Don't trust internet fairy
tales. Scan for virii and verify your emails here:
http://www.kahl.net/hoax

=======
NetTips
=======
DOMAIN NAME OWNERS BEWARE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Confusing postal solicitations concerning domain name renewals are being
sent out by competitors of various domain registrars. These mailing
notices look like a renewal form and/or invoice to the Administrative
Contact for domain names that are approaching their renewal date.

Unsuspecting Administrative Contacts may complete these forms and
unintentionally TRANSFER the registrar of their domain name to one of
these companies.
Please do not to take any action with respect to any of these
solicitations. If you are unsure what to do feel free to contact your
web hosting or us service.

And that's about it. Now turn off your computer. Go skip some stones!

Cheers,
Alex
Kahl Consultants
http://www.kahl.net
Technology. Use it appropriately. Put it in our hands.

THE PLUG
========
Is your small business or organization performing? Have enough clients?
Want to enhance your net presence?

If you got this far you obviously enjoyed KC News. Pass it on!
Please forward it to a handful of your friends. Remember, the best
things in life are free.

THE PUNCH LINE
==============
SLEDGEHAMMER SOLUTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAN TRASHES COMPUTER; WINS FAME

Gary Wilke got calls and e-mails from all over the world after he took a
sledgehammer to his daughter's dysfunctional computer in a Gateway
Country store lobby.

His attorney says: "He's kind of an unwilling hero to some of these
people. It's not a position he wanted to be in, but he finds himself in.
He's having a hard time."

Kahl Consultants
P.O.Box 4284
San Rafael, CA 94903-4284
USA
Tel: +1-415-499 0838
Fax: +1-415-499 0833
www.kahl.net
Contact us

The award-winning Kahl Consultants. Helping small business in San Francisco Bay, Marin, Sonoma and globally.
Your comments?

Technology
Use it appropriately
Put it in our hands

KC News

KC News SUMMER SPECIAL Vol.4, No.4-5-6