Posts Tagged ‘Internet Security’
How to Reduce the Threat of Computer Viruses
Almost all personal computers and business hardware has anti-virus software as a way to keep viruses and other malware sources at bay. The reason is simple: it’s easy to install, easy to update, and easy to use.
However, in the business world, just installing the anti-virus software isn’t enough. In order to keep your data secure and your client information confidential, you must follow up to ensure that the software is being used to its maximum potential.
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Regularly update all of your software – even ones that aren’t related to information security in any way. Viruses are usually developed to get into operating systems and programs that are outdated or otherwise weak. When a software update is offered, it’s usually because the programmers have found a way to make it more secure (and usually easier to run, too).
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Keep an eye on your employees. Although it isn’t always deliberate, the number one cause of viruses on work computers is employees who accessed unsafe sites or opened an email they shouldn’t have. Whether you need to restrict Internet access, train employees on Internet safety, or instill a new policy into your company manual regarding computer use and viruses, you should always make sure your staff knows the rules regarding viruses and information security.
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Put up protection behind the protection. No matter what business you’re in, anti-virus software simply isn’t enough. Your company’s reputation and your customers’ safety is dependent on your network being a safe, secure place that keeps viruses and other sources away from sensitive information. Sometimes, this means hiring an IT vulnerability manager to help you overhaul your entire network, and other times it means taking steps to improve policy management.
When it comes to viruses and other types of malware, IT solutions don’t always have to be complicated. Sometimes, it’s the small steps (anti-virus software, employee training, limited Internet use) that can have the biggest impact on your information safety measures.
Does Your Mac Have Vulnerabilities You Aren’t Aware Of?
Sure, we’ve all heard about how safe Mac systems are. Most people think that viruses can’t get to them, that they’re hard to hack and spyware doesn’t have a chance. There’s a bit of truth to all of this, but not for the reasons you think. Macs aren’t inherently safer. They’re just less common.
Think about this from an attacker’s perspective. If you want to get into a system to score some private data, which would you choose? Would you go after the company with a system you know how to hack, or the one that will take more time to get into? What if you want to build a virus? You could be building the virus to destroy data or also to steal it. If you are going to spend hours, days, or weeks of your life working on this attack, wouldn’t you want it to be as infectious as possible?
That, in a nutshell, is why Macs are often safer. Most attackers and viruses target Windows-based systems because of the sheer number of them in the world. Macs are growing more popular, however, and the number of vulnerabilities being exploited on them is increasing. Not only that, but some Macs run Windows applications. The apple on the logo doesn’t protect your system from viruses targeting Windows, if that’s what you’re running.
Do yourself a favor, and invest in some comprehensive security programs and training. You may be safer with a Mac, but you’re not immune. Don’t find out the hard way that you can still be hacked. Just take a few precautions and secure your system, and you can keep your safety record going strong.
Can Hacking Tools Improve Your Security?
Right now, someone is scanning your network, looking for gaps in your security. They are reviewing your system for any weaknesses to exploit, hoping to find a few ways into the system that they can use to get inside. The software to do this is easily available if you know where to look, and it’s almost as easy to use. A download, a few keystrokes, and they have a chance of worming their way in and accessing your data and resources. If it’s this easy, why not just do it yourself?
You can get the software, run it, and get intricate details of your capabilities and vulnerabilities. Better yet, since it’s your system, it’s perfectly legal to run the scan. You can discover holes in your security, uninstalled patches, you name it—and fix them before an attacker finds the same loopholes. Think of it as a game, and discover how many ways into your network you can plug. If you find these gaps before they are exploited you can firm up your security with a minimum of effort. It’s amusing as well as useful, so why let the hackers have all the fun?
If you’re worried about how to find these vulnerability exploitation programs, contact an IT security consultant. They can help you find the best programs to safeguard your information network and provide routine checks to make sure everything remains in good working order.
Viruses and Spyware—Two Sides of the Same Coin
The Internet has given us so much. We have entertainment at our fingertips, we can communicate with virtually anyone around the world in real time, and we can send enormous amounts of data across the country in seconds. It’s a tremendous freedom, but sadly, there’s a dark side as well. Viruses and spyware lurk in the alleys of the web, attaching to files and computers. They operate differently, however, and it’s useful to know the difference.
You can hardly read the news anymore without seeing reports of viruses. They attack businesses, schools, and governments and wreak tremendous havoc. They can steal data, but often they destroy files, crash networks, and allow malicious people the ability to get inside your network. All in all, they are nasty little bullies.
Spyware is the kid sister of viruses. It’s slightly less dangerous, but equally as annoying. While it can attach toolbars to your applications or install tracking software in exchange for emoticons and colorful cursors, sometimes it just works quietly in the darkness. Spyware is exactly what the name suggests—it spies on you, tracking data and keystrokes and sends it back to whomever or whatever the source of the spyware is. It won’t crash your system, but it can cause some hefty data loss.
The vast majority of the Internet is a creative, entertaining, and occasionally educational tool, but there are dangers. While there is a difference between viruses and spyware, the best plan is to stay safe and avoid either creature. Make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is in good working order and play it safe online.
Rethinking the Etiquette of File Sharing by Email
Email etiquette—how 1994! Although it might seem like email etiquette is a thing of the past, most of the same rules still apply. Don’t type in all caps, don’t open attachments from strangers, and, of course, don’t bog down someone’s network with huge files you wouldn’t be happy to receive yourself. In today’s world, however, sending those files can be a business necessity. What’s a company to do?
The easiest plan is to compress the file. Think of compressing like putting the file in one of those storage bags you vacuum the air out of. It’s smaller, easier to pack and send, and requires an extra bit of effort to open it back up. By virtue of being smaller, it’s less likely to clog the recipient’s system or be blocked by their firewall for being too large.
If compressing isn’t the answer, check to see if you have a shared network resource you can place the file on. The recipient can then easily pick the file up without any compressing, unzipping, or hassle. If the recipient is a client or customer you are comfortable with, ask them if there is a shared location you can send the file to. Again, with a minimum of effort they can retrieve the file without any email program getting cranky about it. This is especially important with executable files. Firewalls and anti-virus programs tend to flag these files and may quarantine them if you are sending them by email, whereas with a shared location you can avoid all of the interference.
Last but not least, always explain any attachment you send either by email or to a shared resource. Viruses love to tag along on as attachments, but it’s far less likely one is hooked to a known attachment. That’s old news, but you’d be surprised how often it’s forgotten. Do yourself a favor, and be kind to the people you send files to. It makes good business sense, and that never goes out of style.
Are You Letting Viruses Walk Through Your Door?
Computer viruses are all over the media these days. Just reading the news, you get a glimpse of how often it happens, and the companies dealing with the repercussions are big names. There are viruses that destroy, viruses that steal, and viruses that just wreak havoc. Sure, you have anti-virus software and you update it regularly, but if you think that is keeping you safe, you’re wrong. Anti-virus software is like closing your front door but not locking it. Most people will knock and leave, but a few will try the knob and get inside.
Your employees probably get a lot of email. To keep your business running, they may open hundreds of messages. Your firewall catches most of them, your virus scanner even more, but what about the ones too new for your anti-virus to recognize? One way your company can lock the doors to viruses is to never open attachments if you or your employees aren’t expecting the attachment to come through. Even if the sender is trusted, you should ask. Mistakes happen, and that mistake could shut you down. If the attachment is legitimate, you should still scan it before opening just in case there’s an unintentional virus stuck to it. After all, it never hurts to use some extra caution.
You don’t have to leave the door open or the locks off when dealing with viruses. Just implement a few basic security practices, and you’ve made your network infinitely safer. It doesn’t take much time or thought, but it could make a huge difference. After all, you never know who will come knocking at your door.
Just How Ready Are You for an IT Disaster?
You can’t predict the future. Sure, you can be pretty confident you’ll get up tomorrow, go about your daily business, and that the sun will set at the end of the day. The rest of life isn’t so predictable, though, and neither are the repercussions of not having a disaster plan ready and waiting.
No one wants to think about a disaster happening. It’s downright creepy to imagine a hacker getting into your system, or your business coming to a halt. You could lose data, resources, time, and money. But keeping your business safe isn’t just about avoiding disasters. Minimizing the risk is smart practice, but chances are that something will happen to your system eventually, and it’s best to be ready for it.
Imagine that a hacker gets in. How long does it take you to notice? How long before your IT staff responds? Every second between when the criminal has access to when you are able to stop them is another second where your business is on the line. You have locks and security systems for your home, but you also have insurance, right? A disaster recovery plan is a form of insurance — it helps you to minimize damage and get back on your feet as soon as possible.
You can sit back and rely on your security to protect your network, and hopefully it will. All the same, businesses who thought they were safe are hacked daily, and you can’t predict if it will happen to you. Take the time to build and test a disaster recovery plan. You don’t need a crystal ball to see it could save you in the end.
Are You At Risk for a Denial of Service Attack?
These days, just about every company poses an Internet security risk. Do your employees use email? Do you have a website? What would happen if either of those were inaccessible or if your entire system crashed? If this idea is making you nervous, you’re probably at risk for a denial of service attack.
Think of your security as the umpire at a baseball game. Balls are being thrown, players are running, and the game is going strong. What would happen if the umpire were taken out? In a denial of service attack, your systems are intentionally asked to handle more input than they possibly can with the goal of shutting you down. It’s like a team of pitchers showing up and throwing balls at the umpire until they knock him out, leaving the game in tatters and the rules by the wayside. The game stops, but the cheaters have access to the field and equipment — your resources. What they plan to do with them is anyone’s guess, but it can’t be good. It’s not a comforting thought, is it?
What if you could enforce the rules and keep the other team from cheating? The good news is, you can.
By knowing you are at risk for a denial of service attack and taking the steps necessary to prevent it, you can keep your game running smoothly. Reviewing your procedures and getting some reliable, specialized help can keep you playing ball. Keeping your security in check and your umpire in action can help you win the game with ease and style. Now that you know there’s a risk out there, how will you step up to the plate?
Why You Need to Beef Up Your Internet Security
Your company’s Internet security needs should be at the top of your to-do list – especially if you work in an industry that deals with personal information, stores sensitive materials, or does any business on the web. While most companies that work with these first two issues already have some security measures in place, the latter factor (doing business on the web) is often overlooked as a way for attackers and viruses to get in.
In fact, simply having an online storefront makes your IT vulnerability increase. It’s much like having a real storefront – once you’ve got a physical presence somewhere, there’s a bigger possibility that someone will see something to steal or even break in as a way to make mischief. And the more doors and windows you have, the more points of entry you have to secure.
Your online storefront (or even just your website) operates in much the same way. Hackers, malware, and Trojan programs can use this as a door to either get into your information online or even to access your in-office network. And like a physical storefront, you need to put in security systems to keep you – and your customers – protected.
Fortunately, there are ways to test your current vulnerability rating to determine how good your current Internet security is working. Like a fake heist to test whether or not your bouncer is doing his job at the door, IT security consultants can look at your existing system to determine where you can “beef up” your security as your company grows and changes.