Ask Leo! #393 - Outlook, Outlook and Outlook, keyloggers, bypassing VPN blocks and more... - Confident Computing

The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

How do Outlook, Outlook Express and Outlook.com relate?

I see I have Outlook Express on my machine for email. But I also see references here and elsewhere to just "Outlook", and now Outlook.com. Are those just other names for the same thing? If not, how do all these Outlooks relate to each other?

The short answer is they don't. Not at all. They essentially have only two things in common: they're all related to email and they all have the word "Outlook" in their names.

And that's pretty much where the similarity ends.

It's unfortunate too, because lots of people infer from the names that Outlook Express is some kind of "Outlook Lite," and that Outlook.com has something to do with one or the other or both. That's simply not the case at all. They're completely separate from each other.

Continue reading: How do Outlook, Outlook Express, and Outlook.com relate?
http://ask-leo.com/C1832

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*** Answercast

Answercast #56 - More email spoofing, email attachments, keyboard problems, keyloggers and more...

This Answercast from Ask Leo! looks at Thunderbird and Outlook security; using Linux to troubleshoot keyboard problems; opening attachments in email; how VPNs can give open internet access in restrictive countries and much more.

Continue reading: Answercast #56 - More email spoofing, email attachments, keyboard problems, keyloggers and more...
http://ask-leo.com/C5850

Can I delete the preloaded backup software from a new external drive?
There's nothing that says you have to use what's on that hard disk. Either ignore it, or delete it and use Macrium.
Continue reading: Can I delete the preloaded backup software from a new external drive?
http://ask-leo.com/C5851

After resuming from Sleep, keyboard works in Linux but no longer in Windows. What should I do?
Booting into Linux to test the keyboard gives us the information that we need to know: this is a software issue in Windows.
Continue reading: After resuming from Sleep, keyboard works in Linux but no longer in Windows. What should I do?
http://ask-leo.com/C5852

How do I open .doc or .docx files in Windows Mail?
In order to open these attachments, you need to have an application installed on your computer that understands those types of files.
Continue reading: How do I open .doc or .docx files in Windows Mail?
http://ask-leo.com/C5853

Can a keylogger record keystrokes pasted in by my password utility?
Regardless of what techniques a password utility might use, it is possible that it could still be logged, even if it bypasses the keyboard.
Continue reading: Can a keylogger record keystrokes pasted in by my password utility?
http://ask-leo.com/C5854

Is it OK to install this software that an online streaming service says I need?
These software codecs are probably OK, although you should always be cautious when an application is asking you to install something.
Continue reading: Is it OK to install this software that an online streaming service says I need?
http://ask-leo.com/C5855

Dban didn't erase my hard disk and neither did Windows 7 setup. How do I wipe the drive?
There are choices that you can make when booting from CD that will tell Windows to not just install Windows, but actually format the entire hard disk first.
Continue reading: Dban didn't erase my hard disk and neither did Windows 7 setup. How do I wipe the drive?
http://ask-leo.com/C5856

Is Thunderbird more secure than Outlook 2010?
I'm not sure what additional security you're looking for in Thunderbird. A secure connection is something that can be done in either program.
Continue reading: Is Thunderbird more secure than Outlook 2010?
http://ask-leo.com/C5857

How do I get .zip attachments out of the .eml files that I get mailed to me?
Whoever is sending this email message to you seems to be doing it in a way that is making this unnecessarily difficult.
Continue reading: How do I get .zip attachments out of the .eml files that I get mailed to me?
http://ask-leo.com/C5858

A friend got email that looked like it was from me, but with the wrong email address. What do I do?
This is clearly something you were able to track down to a Facebook-specific relationship. But all it really is... is spam.
Continue reading: A friend got email that looked like it was from me, but with the wrong email address. What do I do?
http://ask-leo.com/C5859

If VPNs can be blocked by ISPs, how do people in firewalled countries get out?
Standard VPNs certainly will be blocked, but there are some that are designed specifically to circumvent this kind of blocking, although they can only circumvent it for a short period of time.
Continue reading: If VPNs can be blocked by ISPs how do people in firewalled countries get out?
http://ask-leo.com/C5860

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*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Comments

My machine is slower than a snail. What can I do?

Bob writes:

"I can't afford" points up a dirty secret of computer ownership. Similar to a car, a PC is complex and highly engineered, so problems often require expertise to fix. Paying an expert often costs a large percentage of the purchase cost, so it's a tough pill to swallow. If you own a car, you budget for maintenance and repair. You really need to do the same for a computer. Most businesses understand this, but home users, as a rule, do not.

If there's only one copy, it's not backed up. Why is that so hard?

Dave Markley writes:

As a PC Repair Tech, I see customers loose data almost every week. And many don't appreciate hearing "your hard drive needs replaced. I can probably save your data, but that is an additional charge". That 10 minutes a week of time they couldn't spare to backup will now cost them a lot more as I now have to spend a half a day retrieving their data and burning it to DVD. I preach backing -up like Leo does, but people generally don't listen until it's too late! Not long ago I got a call from a regular small business customer stating his new (6 months old) $1000 HP laptop wouldn't turn on. The motherboard burnt up taking the hard drive and other devices with it. On this laptop was all the files and records for the attorney's office he owned. He lost ALL data from the time the firm first opened. I'd repeatedly preached security and backup to his firm, which had approximately 40 computers I took care of. Now it's way too late.

If there's only one copy, it's not backed up. Why is that so hard?

Roy Nasstrom writes:

One way to get people to back up would be to give precise examples of how backing up works, describing the step by step procedure involved from beginning to end. Such an approach would not end the intimidation for some (i.e., those who are fearful even of putting material on CD or DVD now), but it might work for many who feel difficulties are too great..

There are many, many step by step tutorials out there. Not only in my Maintaining Windows 7 - Backing Up book, but also online with video series Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect 5.0, not to mention a BUNCH of additional videos and tutorials by others out on YouTube. While I agree step by step instruction is important - that's one reason I provide it - I honestly don't think it's enough. Something it still stopping people and as a result they're putting their data at risk.

-Leo

Why am I getting email from someone with the wrong email address?

Gabe writes:

I figure that these spammers have huge databases of addresses and they just don't keep the addresses, they keep where they received the addresses and what known connection each one has with the others. Some sophisticated algorithms can be applied and I?d guess they can start making more connections, no differently than Facebook can say ?This might be someone you know??and they're right! Over a 3 day period here in our 12-person office we seen 3 waves of these. It started with an email "From" a vendor we all know. It then was en email "From" each other in the office (we all got 6 or 7 that day) and the 3rd day it was "From" one of our employee's outside Yahoo account. It's quite amazing how they know these accounts are all linked in one way or another.

*** Leo Recommends

Thunderbird - A Free, Open Source, and Powerful Email Client

Mozilla's Thunderbird is my choice for email. I use it all day every day, and I can heartily recommend it as an often more powerful and capable replacement for mail programs like Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail and many other desktop email applications.

The feature list is long, but I want to call out some of my favorite features and some of the things that personally draw me to Thunderbird and cause me to make it my recommendation for almost anyone using a desktop email program.

Continue reading: Thunderbird - A Free, Open Source, and Powerful Email Client
http://ask-leo.com/C3451

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

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