Have you ever had someone complain they can’t open your email? Specifically, the sender tells you they just see a WINMAIL.DAT file attached rather than an actual message. It’s often because your system is more up to date than the recipients. If you’ve been annoyed by WINMAIL.DAT, here’s some advice whether you are on the sending or receiving end…

If you are the sender:

Try sending the message again as plain text. You may have to look in your email client’s documentation or online help to find out exactly what you must do. For example, in MS Outlook 2007, start a new message and click Options. Then select Plain Text for the message format. Sending in plain text will erase any formatting such as bold or underline that you have used in the email message, but it should also cure the recipient’s problem of recieving your message as a WINMAIL.DAT.

If you are the recipient:
Perhaps you’ve received a legitimate message from someone that you couldn’t open. This problem can occur if you are using Outlook from Office XP or earlier or Netscape Navigator (Mozilla/Firefox) and other systems including Linux-based or MAC operating systems. Updating your system is one option. Asking the sender to send the message as plain text (as described above) is another option.

Sometimes of course, it may not be practical or possible to ask the sender to send the message as plain Text. In this case, you can download and install a free program called Winmail.dat. What you need to do is download and install a program called Winmail. Just save the message file (winmail.dat) to your hard drive, then open it with this program after you have installed it. Here’s a link to the program.

Sending and recieving email between different systems and platforms does not have to be such a headache. Contact me for a free consultation on how Centrend can help you better streamline the integration between your information systems and that of your valued customers and vendors.

-Paul
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Paul LaFlamme
President & CEO
Centrend, Inc.
508-347-9550 x115

I am frequently asked about the security of online social networking. At Centrend, we deploy technology solutions for our clients to make their online sessions safer, and the data on their workstations more secure. But, even the most secure computer network is not going to keep you from another type of exposure.

You can tune into Facebook, Plaxo, Twitter, LinkedIn, MerchantCircle, and a many other places online to find out almost anything about your business associates, and your associates are openly sharing more and more personal information about themselves and their relationships.

Traditionally, business networking involved going to noisy bars and local Chamber of Commerce events in hopes of rubbing elbows with the key players. This would involve listening to clever stories and engaging in small talk. Today’s online social networking takes all that, and stuffs it into Hugh Hefner’s lounging pajamas with a cocktail in one hand, and a planning calendar in the other.

I come from the “old school", and I have seen some awesome changes in business networking in just the last few years. Now, thanks to technology, I can network from my office, living room, or bathtub for that matter, and the stories are interesting, personal and come at me with Internet speed.

I learn more about my business friends in five minutes online, than I would in five months of haunting the Chamber of Commerce. Many of my online contacts are sharing personal data, family pictures, conversations with other friends and more. Is there such a thing as too much information? Not so much anymore.

The whole experience is social by design, and personal by nature.

Is this helpful for marketing your business? That’s a question the “old school” will continue to debate while the younger generation knows no other way. As for me, I think it’s like getting to know your co-workers at the company picnic while having a few beers … it usually doesn’t hurt unless you drink too much or stay too long.

-Bill

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Bill Bowman
Senior Technology Advisor
Centrend, Inc.
508-347-9550 x135

Many of the small business owners I have spoken with have grimaced at the thought of how much may be needed to invest to be in compliance with 201 CMR 17.00, the new Commonwealth of Massachusetts data security regulations. But, after meeting with me and answering a few of my questions, each of them feels better about the direction this is going for them.

Under Mass. Gen. Laws - Ch. 93H, the new regulations require most individuals and businesses to make immediate organizational and computer system changes, which includes maintaining a Written Information Security Plan, due on May 1, 2009.

This doesn’t have to be a daunting task, and it doesn’t have to kill your budget for 2009. When evaluating whether or not you are in compliance with the regulations, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is taking into account the following:

a. the size, scope and type of business
b. the amount of resources available
c. the amount of stored data
d. the need for security and confidentiality of both consumer and employee information

To provide assistance to local small businesses, Centrend is currently scheduling Compliance Interviews at no charge. If you need help, contact Centrend for more information.

Online social networking is a growing phenomenon becoming widely used in business. As the popularity of sites like Myspace, Facebook and others grows, so does the threat from Internet criminals. As MSN reported today, even President-elect Barack Obama and his Twitter account was victimized over this past weekend. Even business machines running behind an Internet Security program or network firewall are vulnerable, and this is mostly due to human nature.

People who feel secure while web browsing and enjoy the ease of use and functionality found on the social websites have become a favorite target of Internet criminals. In the Twitter attack, it appears that the criminals used a phishing scam to gain personal login and password information for the site. For the president-elect, this resulted in the loss of control over his account on Twitter.

Your first line of defense is learning to recognize phishing scams.

• Often the criminals will copy a legitimate web site’s logos and design.
• They will also use web addresses designed to fool you into thinking that you are dealing with the real organization.
• Suspect foul play if the look and feel of the browser window appears different than usual
• Because the criminals don’t have your personal information yet, they will address you as “dear customer” when the legitimate organization would call you by your name.
• Phishing messages will often ask you to verify your account.
• Phishing links will often look legitimate, but when you view the actual address where the link points, it will be different than what was shown.

Centrend helps its business clients by maintaining the most up-to-date Internet security, anti-malware and anti-spyware solutions available. We also help develop acceptable use policies, provide monitoring and take extra care to educate our clients’ users about both the benefits and the risks of online social networking.

-Bill

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Bill Bowman
Senior Technology Advisor
Centrend, Inc.
888-558-9550 ext. 135

The new Massachusetts data security regulations, 201 CMR 17.00, are set to become effective May 1, 2009. Are you ready? Here’s the downside: The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations has estimated that it will cost the average small business operating in Massachusetts approximately $3,000 to get into compliance.

After some initial study, we believe that it will cost many small businesses much less.

Let’s also consider the upside to compliance. Protecting the personal information of millions of Massachusetts residents with a consistent set of industry accepted policies and procedures across the board for all persons responsible for handling the data. Now, you know that every business you engage with already does everything possible to protect your personal identity, right?

-Bill

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Bill Bowman
Senior Technology Advisor
Centrend, Inc.
508-347-9550 x135