The latest threat, "Download.Ject," infiltrates computers after users surfing with Microsoft's "Internet Explorer" web browser visit websites infected with virus.

This newest security patch covers Windows XP, 2000, and Windows Server 2003.

Several factors make this latest development more disturbing than past discoveries of security problems with Internet Explorer, currently most dominant web browser on market.

First, it demonstrates very clearly that criminals discovered they can use power of viruses to very profitably steal important bank, personal, and credit data from people on a large scale.

Second, it took Microsoft what many would consider a very long time to come up with a patch for this problem.

Before a fix appeared, Microsoft told everyone who uses Internet Explorer to stick their finger in dyke by putting their web browser security settings on high, rendering it impossible to view or use features on many websites and web-based services.

Third, expect this to happen again as new holes open in future when Microsoft makes Windows more complicated, adds layers of code, and generally makes operating system more complex.

This may sound like business as usual, however, I think this story actually points to a much deeper problem, one for which I'm not sure a simple solution exists.

Having heard term previously but not having paid much attention most are just to afraid to show their ignorance and ask question, what is a blog? Lets face it; term blog does not conjure pleasant images.

Blogs are web logs that are updated regularly, usually on a daily basis. They contain information related to a specific topic. In some cases blogs are used as daily diaries about people's personal lives, political views, or even as social commentaries. The truth of matter is that blogs can be shaped into whatever you, author, want them to be.

Where Did Blogs Come From?

The roots of blogging can be traced back to mid 1990's. Who very first blogger actually was is unclear, as art of blogging did not really take hold until 1999. The original "weblogs" were link-driven sites with personal commentaries. The very first blogs were human guided Internet web tours. While initially thought of as diaries or online journals, blogs have evolved into latest fresh web content.

The Future of Blogs

A buzz word in techie circles, "blogging" is wave of future. Whether its a fad, or proves to be a new way to communicate with existing and potential customers it deserves at very least a cursory look.

Why is Blogging Helpful to Businesses or Individuals?

Just as animated .gifs were once cool, blogging is trendy thing to do. That does not mean that it is not beneficial to businesses. Webmasters struggling to keep fresh, attractive content on their websites to lure visitors back, have found blogs answer. Content is a necessity for online businesses, both for purposes of being found by search engines but also because it gives visitors a reason to come back.

Now that we have established that blogs are not only trendy but also beneficial to businesses, its important to understand how they can be used to your advantage. We currently manage and update three blogs on a daily basis. The first is our new business blog at:

http://www.notepage.net/blog.htm