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Letter From The CEO
Hello, and welcome to the second edition of Connected!
Two of the biggest Internet-related issues for businesses these days are spam and viruses. In this issue, we try to bring you up to date on both of these important topics. On the spam front, Michigan has recently enacted a new law that provides specific guidelines for the transmission of unsolicited email. While this law will hopefully reduce the infrastructure burden and time lost from spam, it also has ramifications for any business that utilizes email as a marketing tool. Plus, as the state moves to manage spam, the federal government is also acting to control unsolicited faxes.
In addition, since the debut of our newsletter a few months back, millions of businesses have been hit by a series of major viruses. This issue offers a list of the top ten recent viruses and hoaxes you should be tracking to protect your company. At EagleNet, we know that reliable, safe Internet access has become an important part of your daily life, so we are working to do our part against viruses as well.
For the MSBlast virus alone, we blocked tens of millions of data "packets" that would have contributed to the infection of customer computers and the spread of the problem. Be assured that as viruses continue to emerge, EagleNet will do everything in our power to protect and inform area businesses.
As always, if you have anything you want to see more of in Connected!, let us know. Drop us a note with your request, suggestions or questions at feedback@egl.net.
Vic Shepherd
EagleNet President & CEO
Unsolicited Messages And The Law
On, July 11, Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm signed into law the Unsolicited Commercial Email Protection Act (Public Act 42 of 2003). The law went into effect on September 1, 2003 and states that senders of unsolicited commercial email must include "ADV:" in subject lines. They must also include the sender's legal name, correct street address, valid Internet domain name and a valid return email address. In addition, the messages must include an opt-out provision for future email.
Critics have noted that most spam is sent from overseas locations and the law will do little to reduce spam. But nonetheless, it is the law in Michigan.
The long arm of the law is also reaching into the world of fax machines. The 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act barred unsolicited fax advertisements. However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said unsolicited faxes were acceptable if sent as part of an existing business relationship.
It looks as though that will change. A new rule by the FCC bans any faxed material "advertising the commercial availability or quality of any property, goods or services." Under the new rule, in order to fax an advertisement a company would require explicit permission with a signature on file. This rule is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1, 2005; it was delayed from being in effect this August, giving business a little time to get their ducks in a row.
Perhaps the greatest damage from sending unsolicited email messages or faxes aren't necessarily legal or regulatory hassles, but damage to your company's reputation or image that exceed the profit of sending out the messages in the first place. The best decision may be to avoid sending out unsolicited messages and instead include some type of opt-in system. Check with your legal counsel for your best options in this new regulatory environment.
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Top 10 Viruses And Hoaxes
September 2003, the chart is as follows, with the most frequently occurring virus at number one:
| 1. | W32/Gibe-F | 23.5% |
| 2. | W32/Dumaru-A | 18.1% |
| 3. | W32/Mimail-A | 15.0% |
| 4. | W32/Sobig-F | 5.6% |
| 5. | W32/Nachi-A | 5.5% |
| 6. | W32/Sobig-A | 4.4% |
| 7. | W32/Bugbear-B | 2.9% |
| 8= | W32/Klez-H | 2.7% |
| 8= | W32/Blaster-A | 2.7% |
| 10. | W32/Parite-B | 1.3% |
| Others | 18.3% |
"Due to recent high profile virus outbreaks, users have become more security conscious. However, Gibe-F, which took top position this month, has shown that computer users' fears can play right into the hands of cunning virus writers," said Chris Belthoff, senior security analyst at Sophos, Inc. "Gibe-F poses as an email from Microsoft support, offering security patches. Computer users should remember that Microsoft does not and would not send out emails of this nature."
"The fact that all four of last month's big hitters - Sobig-F, Blaster, Mimail and Nachi -- are still in the top ten, despite extensive media coverage, is also concerning. It means some people are still either ignoring advisories to patch or are still oblivious to the threat," continued Belthoff.
The top ten hoaxes reported to Sophos during September are as follows:
| 1. | Hotmail Hoax | 21.5% |
| 2. | WTC Survivor | 14.9% |
| 3. | JDBGMGR | 10.4% |
| 4. | Meninas da Playboy | 8.0% |
| 5. | Bonsai kitten | 3.7% |
| 6. | Budweiser frogs screensaver | 3.6% |
| 7. | A virtual card for you | 3.1% |
| 8. | Frog in a blender/Fish in a bowl | 3.0% |
| 9. | Bill Gates Fortune | 3.1% |
| 10. | The missing dollar | 2.2% |
| Others | 26.5% |
"It was of no surprise that the September 11 themed 'WTC Survivor' hoax moved up the chart. While in August it only accounted for 7.9% of hoax inquiries, in September it generated almost 15% of reports," said Belthoff. "Hoaxes, which relate to a specific occasion, often experience a rise in popularity around the time of the event. Since the event happened two years ago, hopefully people will realize it's just a hoax."
(Source: Sophos)
Business Account Management Team (BAM)
EagleNet is pleased to announce the creation of its newly formed Business Account Management Team (BAM). As part of our continued efforts to improve and enhance our services to you, we have created this new team to support your entire Internet and Data business needs.
Their combined technical background and intimate knowledge of EagleNet's internal systems is available to our valued business customers. The BAM team will be your guide for answering product and development questions, upgrading services, and providing timely and valid information about your current services. They will identify services for your organization to help reduce costs and increase productivity.
If you should have any questions in the mean time please feel free to contact the Business Account Management Team directly at EagleNet at 1.888.999.3245 x4102.
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Iserv Acquires Parrett Internet Technologies Of Benton Harbor
Iserv, EagleNet's parent company, recently announced it has acquired Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Parrett Internet Technologies, an ISP serving residential and business customers in and around Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.
Current Parrett customers will continue to use the same dialup access numbers and email addresses and the Parrett office at 2250 Plaza Drive in Benton Harbor will continue to be a customer resource for in-person payments and service questions.
As a result of the transaction, current Parrett customers have become part of the EagleNet and Iserv network, providing new access to a full range of connectivity, Data Center and Web Services, including Accelerated Dialup and statewide Internet access. The move also gives Iserv expanded presence in the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph area.
"Parrett has a long history of delivering exceptional connectivity and hosting services to the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph region," said Victor Shepherd, chief executive officer of EagleNet and Iserv. "Iserv will work hard to continue Parrett's commitment to outstanding service and support while expanding the range of products and resources available to its customers."
Special Business DSL Offering
EagleNet's DSL service is a great way to get your whole office connected to the Internet.
Our iBiz DSL packages include the essential services your business needs - static IP addresses, multiple email address options, and high-speed access.
When you select iBiz DSL, you'll also get world-class support from the EagleNet team. Our technicians will work through the entire process - coordinating line installation, configuring your DSL router, and testing your new DSL connection to ensure quality. We make sure that your transition to DSL service goes smoothly and quickly.
For a limited time we are offering iBiz Basic DSL 384k - 1500k x 128k for only $49.95 a month!* To order your new DSL service or to learn more, contact our Business Account Management Team at 1.888.999.3245 ext. 4102 or visit us on the web at http://www.egl.net/dsl/pricing.shtml.
* Available to new DSL customers only.
iPass Global Roaming, Your Ticket To The Internet - Anywhere!
On the road and want to use your EagleNet Internet connection? EagleNet now offers access through the iPass network, which has connections at 19,500 access points throughout 150 countries.
iPass is simple to use and easy to install on your laptop, letting you use one username and password to access the Internet and best of all using a local access number (no long distance calls). The service is perfect for road trips, vacations and international travel.
Using iPass will let you save on domestic long-distance calls and up to 90% on international calls. The iPass network is redundant and reliable and able to provide high-speed connections. In short, it is like taking your EagleNet service wherever you go. For more information or to sign up, please visit: http://www.egl.net/services/ipass/
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Down To Business With VoEx
When Grand Rapids-based VoEx began looking for a data center, reliability and security were their key requirements. VoEx is a leader in providing Internet telephony services to global telecom carriers. The company recently supplied the infrastructure to three call centers in Baghdad, allowing Iraqis to make affordable, uncensored calls and emails to the rest of the world for the first time.
VoEx relies on Alactel 5020 High-Availability Voice-Over IP Soft Switch platform, which serves as a conduit between local carrier networks and enables VoEx to complete international voice and fax calls over the Internet with quality comparable to that of traditional circuit-switched voice networks.
"Not only do our customers require high quality service, but they also require our network to be functioning 24/7," said Haydar Haba, CEO of VoEx. "Downtime is not an option."
In the process of meeting with the Iserv/EagleNet team and visiting their facility, the high level of technical expertise impressed VoEx.
"We realized that in order to connect people across the globe with high quality, affordable service, the VoEx platform must operate without interruption," said Vic Shepherd, Iserv and EagleNet CEO. "With their platform secure, VoEx can concentrate on opening new markets, such as Iraq, while maintaining high-quality service over the Internet."
The Iserv/EagleNet 24 hour monitored Tier 1 Data Center incorporates the latest fire suppression technologies with three diverse redundant fiber connections to the Internet, allowing Iserv/EagleNet to quickly reroute data in the event one provider - or even two - have problems. In addition, the high-tech data center facility has multiple power backup systems, including a high-capacity mini-turbine generator on-site to provide electricity in the event of extended outages.
Thanks in part to Iserv/EagleNet services, VoEx is now connecting Iraq to the rest of the world.
Is A Vulnerability Assessment Needed For Your Business?
When it comes to hackers, worms and viruses, what you don't know can do more than hurt you - it can cripple your network, and your business. The good news is that organizations can avoid most of these "e-threats", but only by working ahead of time to find and fix the vulnerabilities in their network.
That is why EagleNet provides an important and cost-effective tool for proactive network and data protection - our Vulnerability Assessment Security System (VASS) service offers a complete network security evaluation.
Utilizing EagleNet's online network vulnerability scanning system, EagleNet's Security Specialists will check a customer's network remotely from EagleNet's office and then automatically audit it for security vulnerabilities. The service will allow continuous risk assessment of over 300 applications on 20 different platforms, including operating systems, web servers, firewalls, FTP servers, databases, and SMTP/POP servers.
The service is provided remotely and available on a subscription basis. This proactive solution provides savings by reducing the amount of cost associated with IT time due to network intrusions. Network administrators can be notified of the results of the scan and recommendations on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, via web enabled reports.
For more information call your EagleNet business representative at 1.888.999.3245.
Need A Website? We Can Help You Get Started
Face it, having a website for your business is just as important as having a yellow page listing or a fax machine. EagleNet business services can provide you with both the space and creativity to get your site up and running or improve an existing one.
The big challenge for most business owners is how to build a site. Our EagleNet web development team is here to help walk you through the process. We can work with you to identify exactly what you need and then build a customized site. EagleNet web experience is extensive and includes:
- Managing, maintaining and developing multi-level websites - large corporate to small business sites
- HTML, DHTML, Javascript, Flash
- Perl/CGI, ASP, PHP, Java, Python
- SQL database- Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL
- Linux, Windows NT/XP/2000, Mac OS X
- Graphic Design
- Website Translation Service (English -> Spanish, Spanish -> English)
To find out more, call your BAM representative today at 1.888.999.3245 ext. 4102 or visit http://www.iserv.net/business/web_portfolio.shtml to view examples.
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InvestorWords.com - www.investorwords.com
Know the difference between bankmail and a banknote? Between a tax shelter and a tax shield? InvestorWords.com is a handy online glossary of thousands of obscure and common financial terms. The site is organized like an online dictionary, allowing you to search or browse for a term. When you find a term, related terms or synonyms are also linked in the definition. In addition, the site has a sign-up for a "financial word of the day" via email, which will allow you to build up your monetary vocabulary and better understand the strange world of high finance.
U.S. Business Advisor - www.business.gov
You and your business pay your taxes right? So why not take advantage of information that is provided no-cost from Uncle Sam. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is the creator of the U.S. Business Advisor website. With more than 60 different federal organizations exist to assist or regulate business in the US, finding information about new regulations or getting no-cost data from regulators can be complicated and time-consuming. In keeping with the e-government vision of using information technology to enable better customer service, federal agencies have worked together to build the U.S. Business Advisor - a one-stop electronic link to the information and services government provides for the business community.
FedWorld - www.fedworld.gov
Like many government operations, one single source of information is way too simple. So FedWorld was established by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), an agency of the U S Department of Commerce, to serve as (another) online locator service for a comprehensive inventory of information disseminated by the Federal Government. This service assists agencies and the public in electronically locating Federal Government information, including information housed within the NTIS repository and outside of NTIS. So make sure to also include this site among your bookmarks as another handy source of government provided information for your business.
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Phone:
Toll Free Number: 1.888.999.3245
Business Support Number: 1.866.603.2469
Email: support@egl.net
Fax: 616-493-3730
http://www.egl.net/support/
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