Riva Richmond | Technology and Small Business Journalist

Five Ways to Keep Online Criminals at Bay

A guide to safe surfing.

May 20, 2010 | The New York Times

Criminals have found abundant opportunities to undertake stealthy attacks on ordinary Web users. Hackers are lacing Web sites — often legitimate ones — with malware that can silently infiltrate visiting PCs to steal sensitive personal information and turn computers into “zombies” that spew spam and more malware onto the Internet. And there are myriad lures aimed at conning people into installing nefarious programs, buying fake antivirus software or turning over information that can be used in identity fraud.

Microsoft Files "Click Laundering" Suits

Small companies seen at higher of risk of click fraud.

May 19, 2010 | The Wall Street Journal

After an investigation spanning more than a year, Microsoft Corp. has filed two lawsuits involving what it says is a new and alarming type of click fraud used by unscrupulous Web publishers to enrich themselves at the expense of online advertisers, including many small companies.

With Cloud, Microsoft Ups Ante for Small Business

The battle to win the small-business workplace has heated up.

May 12, 2010 | The Wall Street Journal

Microsoft Corp. is set to launch Office Web Apps, the long-awaited "cloud" version of its Office suite of software. The move is a nod to growing interest in Web-based applications among companies— and Google Inc.'s success in wooing an increasing number of people, especially small-business users, with its Docs online suite.