FLTA TALLAHASSEE
Serving Over 4500 Title Professionals Throughout =
Florida
249 East Virginia Street, =
Tallahassee, FL=20
32301
PHONE (850) 681-6422
FAX (850) 681-6271
WATS (800) =
552-1065
Kevin M. Hussey, CLC/CLS, =
President
Lee=20
Huszagh, Executive Secretary/Treasurer; e-mail:
July/August 2000 PRESIDENT'S=20
REPORT
by
Kevin M. Hussey, CLC/CLS
One thing we have all seen for sure is = an ever=20 quickening pace in the changes taking place in the business world. While = the big=20 Dot.Coms and Microsofts maneuver to capitalize on every fact of our = lives, our=20 competitors and our customers are changing the shape of the processes = and ideals=20 of a traditional title company.
It seems, as quickly as we learn about = a new=20 capability, we become aware of a newer, quicker, cheaper way to get it=20 accomplished. Strong relationships around Lenders, Realtors, and = Builders are=20 creating increased service offerings and educated consumers want more = service,=20 information, control and better pricing. As quickly as we develop new = processes=20 and technologies to prevent losses and additional work, it seems the = marketplace=20 creates work demands and figures out a new way to expose us to=20 losses.
Now is the time to look, listen, ask, = and move=20 forward to adjust your company, looking at an honest assessment of where = you=20 think your customers and dollars will be coming from in the future. = Don't be=20 afraid to identify opportunities in your marketplace and implement = procedures to=20 take advantage of them. Every marketplace is different, and that is why = looking=20 around and seeing what's taking place in other areas can give you a = competitive=20 edge in your market.
On the home front, there is still no = work on the=20 Butler case and the Board of Directors will be meeting next month to = develop a=20 strategy to come up with an industry plan on what we would like to see = happen=20 when our current legislative rule expires. Please take a moment to = forward to=20 Lee your thoughts for inclusion in discussions.
Please also remember this is an = election year,=20 and many new faces will appear in Tallahassee. You need to be informed = of your=20 local political environment and know your local politicians. I can = guarantee we=20 will need a strong voice in Tallahassee in the coming years. Let Lee = also know=20 of candidates the FLTA needs to support and do your best to let them = know who=20 you are and what you do!
Protect Your=20
Workstation
by
Alisha McMillen, Landata Systems, Inc., A Stewart =
Title=20
Company
When the "I LOVE YOU" virus attacked = computers=20 around the world in May, the new virus became the top news story due to = its=20 quick spread and extensive effects. "I LOVE YOU" went worldwide even = faster than=20 the infamous "Melissa" virus that shut down businesses in early 1999.=20
"I LOVE YOU" is just one of = approximately 50,000=20 known viruses and new viruses are discovered every day (Source: = McAfee.com). A=20 virus us any file that replicates itself on the machine it infects. This = means=20 that every file opened on the machine can potentially become infected = with that=20 virus.
Because of the widespread damage = viruses can=20 cause to your files, it is important to have an effective virus = detection=20 program in place. Virus scans should be run at the desktop level, as = well as the=20 network level. It is imperative that your local virus scan system's = definition=20 files are kept up to date since so many new viruses are detected every=20 day.
"There are a lot of good virus scan = programs out=20 there," said Gary Morris, Information Systems Manager, Landata Systems, = Inc.=20 "Our recommendation is McAfee VirusScan for the desktop because it has = the=20 ability to perform automatic updates of the definition files and = integrates well=20 with the entire suite of McAfee anti-virus applications."
For the most up-to-date information = about new=20 viruses and fixes, you can join one of several virus alert systems that = provide=20 weekly alerts to their members.
"We actively monitor AVERT (Anti-Virus = Emergency=20 Response Team), a division of NAI Labs." Morris said. "AVERT, which is = available=20 through McAfee.com, provides us with timely information about the newest = viruses. In turn, if we receive a file that we think is a virus, we send = it to=20 them to dissect and they determine if it is truly a virus."
Virus scan programs are able to detect = true=20 viruses, as well as worms, Trojan horses and some known hoaxes. Worms = are not=20 technically viruses because they don't replicate on each system. A worm = will=20 randomly select files and modify them instead of systematically = infecting every=20 file that is opened. Trojan horses are designed to do something other = than what=20 they appear to do, often in the background. For example, you may receive = a file=20 that you think is just a funny video clip, but when you launch it, it = kicks off=20 background action that affects other files on your system.
"When Melissa first hit, we received = close to=20 2,000 infected files within a few hours," Morris said. "We caught it = almost=20 immediately and dissected it ourselves. We created an in-house fix that = was=20 disseminated to the field within 45 minutes of determining it was a=20 virus."
"The 'I LOVE YOU' virus made 'Melissa' = look like=20 a picnic. Because it said 'I LOVE YOU,' people were more likely to open = the=20 message. As a result, we were hit with more than 40,000 e-mails infected = by it,"=20 Morris said. "We were able to update our virus scan programs within a = few hours=20 and quickly found a fix that, once installed on the infected computer, = would=20 stop the spread of the virus," Morris said.
In addition to using virus scans at = the desktop=20 and network level, each user can decrease the likelihood of contracting = viruses=20 by exercising care when opening new files, particularly files sent by = e-mail.=20 Seventy percent of viruses are caught through Internet downloads or = e-mail.=20 Often, a virus will send e-mails from a person without that person even = knowing=20 something has been sent under his signature. Don't assume that the = e-mail is=20 legitimate simply because if comes from someone you know.
"Regardless of who sends it, if you = receive an=20 e-mail with an attachment, don't open it unless you really know what it = is. Save=20 it off to a local drive and run a scan against it prior to opening it." = Morris=20 said. "If you question it, reply to the sender and ask what it is. They = may not=20 even know the message was sent. 'I LOVE YOU' and 'Melissa' are excellent = examples of this type of virus."
Although virus hoaxes don't directly = affect your=20 system operations, they can still cause significant problems. Hoaxes are = designed to spread fear and bombard systems with thousands of e-mails = that could=20 potentially crash entire systems.
"If you receive a virus warning from = someone who=20 is not a reliable source, don't automatically sent it to everyone you = know,"=20 Morris said. "If you forward it to everyone on your address list in one = single=20 e-mail, the message could be broadcast to thousands of users. With = enough=20 volume, you could conceivably crash your system." Prepare your system = with=20 reliable virus scan programs and prepare yourself by exercising caution = when=20 opening unknown files. Also, stay on the lookout for possible virus = hoaxes that=20 can result in great strains on your system.
Mark your calendars now for the annual = convention to be held November 1st - 3rd at the = Hyatt on=20 Sarasota Bay. Registration packets for this convention will be sent out = at a=20 later date.
Sam D. Mansfield Scholarship = Applications=20 included in this months' newsletter. Deadline for having these = applications=20 turned in is August 31st.
This is YOUR newsletter. If you would = like to=20 advertise in the Tallahassee Report simply call the association = office=20 and we will fax you an advertisement reservation form.