June 2002 EduNotes

EduCyber is pleased to present the June Edition of EduNotes. In this issue you can read about Search Engine Positioning, a great way to get those pay sites for free, a new search tool and Internet security issues. Enjoy and as always, send feedback to edunotes@educyber.com.
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Printing Tip
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Search Engine Positioning
We get from five to ten spam messages a day promising wonderful results for outrageous prices to get our web site ranked. The key is not to have your web site listed in the search engines but to have it ranked high for the key words that your potential customers are most likely to search for.
For example, since EduCyber is based in Wheat Ridge, we'd like to appear on the first page of results for a search with the key words "Wheat Ridge computer internet". A search at altavista.com reveals that we appear in the number one position which tells us that our efforts are paying off. Of course it would be even better to appear on the first page of results in a search for "Denver computer internet" as the potential audience is much larger. Returning to altavista, we find that EduCyber drops to fourth but still gets a prominent rank on the very first page of results.
Attaining a high search engine ranking is not for every site. If the purpose of your site is to communicate with existing customers, like if most of your site is hidden behind passwords, then you probably won't benefit much from a high ranking. But if part or most of your purpose in having a web site is to widen your customer base, then you need to work on this.
Need help? Give us a call at (720) 275-4646. For a limited time, we are offering a $100 special on improving your web rankings. Over two months we work with you to look at the content and design of your site, working to raise your ranking.
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Online Services and Searches
Check out your local library. Last week I discovered that my local library is buying online services for me. Is that cool or what? An individual subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online costs $70 a year. By visiting my county library's website, entering the barcode on my library code and clicking on the Encyclopedia Britannica link, I can use this service at no cost - other than the property tax I already pay. The EB service is just one of many that I would have to pay myself if I went directly to that service's site but is free when I go through the county library site. Offerings differ from county to county but all of the following Denver metro area links have some services that you can access as long as you have a card. Don't have a card yet? Most counties let you apply for a card online. If you don't see your county listed below, try doing a search at your favorite search engine for "countyname county library statename" to quickly locate your library.
Jefferson County: http://www.jefferson.lib.co.us/
Denver County: http://www.denver.lib.co.us/index.html
Adams County: http://www.adams.lib.co.us/
Douglas County: http://www.douglas.lib.co.us/
Arapahoe County: http://www.arapahoelibraries.org/
Boulder County: http://www.boulder.lib.co.us/
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Quick Search
OK, I've been telling enough people about this that it's time to just publish it. The absolute best way to search on the Internet is with Google's new search bar. Instead of having to leave the page you're on to visit your favorite search engine, the google bar hangs out at the top of your screen. Just type your search words in the search field and away you go. You can configure it so that searches open in a new window, letting you keep the page you were on open.
One thing I like about Google is that they're very upfront about what they're doing and what you get. With the advanced features toolbar, you are giving Google the right to collect information about what sites you visit. They use this information not to target you with advertising but to improve their search engine. You can also get the google bar without the advanced features and without allowing Google to collect your sites visited information.
Installing the toolbar is a snap. Simply visit www.google.com, and click on the Google Toolbar link. Read the directions and click on the Get the Google Toolbar! button. You need to read a few more instructions and click on I agree and then choose whether you want the advanced tools or not. The file itself isn't large and installs itself so you don't have to know the answers to any complicated questions.
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Security Issues
When was the last time you updated the operating system on your computer? What about the main software applications you use? The SANS (System Administration, Networking and Security) Institute's list of the top 20 most critical Internet Vulnerabilities is topped by "standard" installations - the kind where you let the software make all the choices for you. Many of the choices made for you can leave your computer or network open to attack.
The second biggest vulnerability? Weak passwords. Birthdays, your dog's name, your license plate number. All of these may be easy for you to remember but they're also easy for others to guess or find out. Taping your password to your monitor or leaving it in your top desk drawer are not good security techniques either. If you have employees accessing the network or computer system, it is important to require good passwords (at least 6 or 8 characters and at least 2 numbers or non-letter characters) and to require that passwords be changed on a regular basis (e.g. every three months).
Lack of a good backup procedure is third on the list. While it might not seem like an internet vulnerability at first, see what happens when a hacker manages to break into your system and destroy your data or when a virus erases your company database. If you don't have a procedure for backing up (and for restoring) that data, you could really be in trouble.
To view the whole list visit the SANS Institute web site at http://www.sans.org/top20.htm. If you find your computer or network are at risk, call (303 421-2223) or email (info@educyber.com) us for assistance.
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© 2002 EduCyber, Inc. This newsletter is brought to you by EduCyber, Inc. Permission is hereby granted to redistribute all or part of this newsletter as long as this copyright message is included. http://www.educyber.com
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For questions, or to be removed from this monthly newsletter distribution, email us at edunotes@educyber.com.