Greetings

This July issue provides ideas for summer fun as well as warnings about some potential threats. If you're planning to buy any new electronic gadgets, don't miss the alert about products contaminated with viruses when they leave the manufacturer. You'll also learn about pop-ups and the dangers they can pose, as well as how to adjust the pop-up blocker settings in your browser. Now for the fun part — check out the Great Sites section for summertime travel inspiration, a delicious look at watermelons, and a spectacular view of mysterious Mars.

E-Mail Virus - New Electronic Gadgets Can Contain Viruses

You've heard about computer viruses that invade your computer via e-mails or pop-up ads. But now damaging viruses are showing up inside electronic gadgets shipped straight from manufacturers. Consumers are reporting that new products they've purchased, such as digital picture frames and GPS navigation systems, contained viruses that spread to their computers via USB cable. These viruses can steal passwords, open doors for hackers, and make computers spew spam.

How does it happen? Industry experts aren't sure yet, since manufacturers are keeping detailed information confidential. However, it appears that the occurrences may be accidental, taking place in the final stages of production after the electronics come off Chinese assembly lines. For instance, if employees unwittingly use their own infected devices with a computer at the plant and the same computer is used later to test electronics, those newly made products could become contaminated.

You can protect against most factory-loaded viruses on electronics by running an antivirus program on your computer and keeping it up to date. This software checks for known viruses and suspicious behaviors that indicate an attack by malicious code, whether from a download or a gadget attached to your computer. For additional information on how to protect your computer, visit www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/default.mspx.

Is Your Password Secure Enough?

Your passwords are the keys you use to access personal information that you've stored on your computer and in your online accounts. If criminals or other malicious users steal this information, they can use your name to open new credit card accounts, apply for a mortgage, or pose as you in online transactions. In many cases you would not notice these attacks until it was too late.

The password for your Golden West internet account is just as important. Is your password strong or secure enough? Is your password a minimum of 8 characters and alpha-numeric? If not, you should consider changing your password so that it is more secure. You can do this via the Account Management Center through our website at http://www.goldenwest.net/youraccount/.

IMPORTANT: Changing your password affects all of your internet services, including:

• DSL
• E-Mail
• Dial-up
• Wireless
• Building Blocks

Be sure to update all software and/or hardware when you change your password. If you are unsure how to change your settings for equipment and/or software, call the Internet Help Desk before changing your password. We can be contacted by dialing 611 from a Golden West phone line or at 1-866-833-6683.

Ask The Help Desk - Are Pop-ups Dangerous?

Question: The pop-ups that appear when I visit websites can definitely be annoying since they clutter up the screen. But can they pose a serious threat to my computer?

Answer: A pop-up is a small Web browser window that automatically appears on top of the website you're viewing. Most often, pop-ups display advertising from legitimate businesses. They can, however, be tied to threats such as phishing scams designed to trick you into revealing personal or financial information. If pop-ups open even when you're not surfing the Web, it could be a sign that your computer is infected with intrusive spyware or malware.

Not all pop-ups are annoying or potentially harmful. Some trusted websites use pop-ups for specific tasks and you may need to view them in order to complete the task. For example, a bill pay site or hotel reservation site may generate a pop-up with a calendar inside to assist with scheduling.

Most leading browsers have pop-up blockers turned on by default, and search engines such as Google and Yahoo include an additional pop-up blocker in their toolbars. As a user, you have the ability to enable, disable, or adjust pop-up blockers to fit your needs. Simply follow the steps in the "Short Tutorial" section below.

Sites Of The Month - Great Sites To Check Out In July

The Road Best Traveled
http://byways.org - This summer consider making a car trip that's more about the road itself rather than the final destination. Selected roads throughout the U.S. have been designated America's Byways based on natural, historic, or cultural qualities. No two are the same, yet all reflect something uniquely American. The National Scenic Byways Program website provides maps and directions, ideas on stops to make, photos, visitor information, and links to related travel sites.

Wonderful World of Watermelon

http://www.watermelon.org - Nothing goes over better at a picnic than a big, juicy slice of watermelon. Not only is watermelon delicious, it's also versatile, nutritious, and relatively inexpensive. The National Watermelon Promotion Board website offers great recipes, tips on decorations, games and activities for kids, and suggestions on how to make watermelon part of a healthy diet.

Fight Bac!
http://fightbac.org - Keeping bacteria from spoiling your next picnic or cookout is easier than you might think. The mission of the Partnership for Food Safety Education is to educate the public about safe food handling, and they recommend following four simple steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Their website offers details on these bacteria prevention methods, as well as facts on the causes, symptoms, and challenges of foodborne illness.

Phoenix Mars Mission
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu - NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed on Mars in late May and is busy collecting data to help determine if Mars could support life, what the history of water is at the landing site, and how the Martian climate is affected by polar dynamics. Follow the progress of the fascinating Phoenix Mars Mission at this site. Read the latest news, view photos and videos of the spacecraft and its surroundings on Mars, and download materials to learn more about the science, technology, and engineering involved in space exploration.

Convenient Conversion
http://zamzar.com - Sometimes communication in the digital world requires speaking a different language. In computing terms, this often means converting files to new formats. Zamzar is a free, online file conversion service that allows you to change image, document, music, video, and other types of files into various formats. The service involves four simple steps, and converted files are sent directly to your e-mail account. This site comes in handy, for example, when you receive an e-mail attachment that you can't open with your computer's software.

Short Tutorial - Adjusting Your Pop-up Blocker Settings

As we mentioned in the "Ask The Help Desk" section, pop-ups can sometimes be annoying or potentially dangerous and other times they can be quite useful. So how do you block unwanted pop-ups and still allow pop-ups on selected websites? Follow the steps below for your browser to adjust your pop-up blocker settings and enter your preferences.

Adjusting Pop-up Blocker Settings When Using ...
- Web Browser: Internet Explorer 7
- Computer Operating System: Windows XP SP2 Home Edition or Vista Home Premium

1.      With Internet Explorer 7 open, click your cursor arrow on "Tools" on the menu bar.

2.      Select "Internet Options" from the drop-down menu. The Internet Options window will appear.

3.      Select the "Privacy" tab.

4.      In the "Pop-up Blocker" section, select the "Settings" button. The Pop-up Blocker Settings window will appear.

5.      Here you can enter websites that you want to allow to display pop-ups by entering the website address and clicking on "Add." You can also remove previously entered websites if you no longer want to allow them to display pop-ups.

6.      Also in the Pop-up Blocker Settings window, you can select which filter level you are most comfortable with by choosing from the drop-downs in the "Filter level" section.

7.      Click "Close" to exit.