New and more secure Hotmail to be released this summer.

Despite being the number one web mail in use in the world, Microsoft's Hotmail has always suffered a perception problem in the U.S. where it comes in distant second behind Yahoo mail.
Microsoft has set out to change that with the upcoming release of a new and revamped Hotmail with users' security as the main priority. To prove that point, the new Hotmail will use HTTPS to encrypt all data sent within the system.
To help users against phishing schemes and others impersonators of financial institutions and governments agencies like the IRS, Hotmail will begin showing a safety symbol next to those entities after they have been identified. To protect against password thefts when using a public Wi-Fi, the new Hotmail will offer its users the option to request a temporary one good only for one single use and that will be sent to users in the form of a text message to their cell phones.
Users will also notice a new tool called "personalized spam filtering" that will help reduce the number of e-mail messages marked as spams that in fact aren't. The personalized filter should be able to automatically recognize people people with whom someone communicate with often and keep their messages from being sent to the trash bin. The filter is also designed to let users personalize which sender's messages they want to block or allow.

For more, see NewYorkTimes.com

Ways to stay safe while using a public Wi-Fi.

For most people who do not have a paid Wireless Internet access through an ISP, any chance that they get to access the Internet on the go for free is welcomed news, be it at the local coffee shop or at the airport during a long delay or at the local library branch.
But as tempting as that may sounds, some words of caution will go a long way. The rule of thumb is to use a public Wi-Fi only for mundane Web browsing, nothing that requires to log in via a password like checking emails or accessing bank accounts etc.
The reasons for that is because even if you are using an encrypted public Wi-Fi, your information is only hidden from people outside the network; all others that are able to log in in the same network, can see them.
Even people using a prepaid Wireless access card are not absolutely immune from snoopers, surprisingly. Here is why: the paid Wi-Fi service provider may use encryption at the very moment when you log in if it is prepaid, or when you enter your credit card number if is pay as you go, as to protect your data. But usually, once you are in, any data you send or view, is not encrypted therefore can be seen by other people in the network unless you only visit sites that use the secure HTTPS delivery system.

If you do a lot of work outside the physical bondaries of the company you work for, it may be a good idea for the company to offer what is called a VPN or virtual private network in which all Intenet traffic are highly encrypted regardless of what type of connection you are using: public or private. If not, you still still almost as much safe using one of the VPN products offered by various providers, some free, like the HotSpot Shield from AnchorFree.


For more, see pcworld.com