Network firewalls are an important resource for any computer. They work to control and monitor data access from both sides, the Internet and the computer. Computer firewalls take their name from real life firewalls which prevent fires from spreading.

While there are two types of firewall, hardware and software, however some type of software needs to go with the hardware version and of course software needs some type of hardware to reside on.

Hardware firewalls are most typically used between networks. One example of this may be between a corporate network and the Internet. Most administrators set up firewalls so that incoming Internet traffic may be sent to a specific computer or public access area whereas computers within the networks can access the Internet directly. Internal firewalls are also often used which can restrict access for certain user or groups as well as prevent the spread of computer viruses.

Software firewalls are typically used at home on personal computers for secured Internet access. Software firewalls do use computer resources and are typically slower than hardware firewalls. However, for personal Internet use a hardware firewall is quite unnecessary.

Firewalls work by forcing all outgoing and incoming network and Internet traffic to follow a policy. A policy is simply a set of rules which programs and data packets must follow.

Many types of programs require access to the Internet and therefore must be allowed in the firewall’s policy. Internet browsers, email programs, and auto-updating programs such as anti-virus software are just some examples of these types of applications.

More firewalls work by altering you the first time a program tries to access the Internet. If you want to allow access you can configure your firewall as such. Typically if you don’t recognize the program trying to access the Internet disallows it in the policy.

Another important function of the firewall is to close unnecessary ports which are access points from your computer to the Internet. Hackers can find these ports and use them to transfer worms and gain access to your computer. Firewalls can help prevent this from happening. Many firewalls not only close these ports but also render them invisible, making an attack virtually impossible.

The downside to software firewalls is that they are just that, another piece of software which makes them vulnerable to viruses just as any other program installed on your computer. Because of this you should always use common sense when accessing the Internet, never rely solely on your firewall.

[tags]firewall,internet security,privacy,hackers[/tags]

Most computer users know that they need to use antivirus software on their home PC. However, many times the software and hardware that they use has other issues. Exactly what are these issues and what can you do to protect yourself from unwanted viruses?

Different types of servers are attacked by computer viruses including e-mail, ftp, file, and web servers. Other computer devices that are attacked are home PCs, network files and hardware, and routers.

A server is much the same as a home PC except that it has more disk room, more memory, and more processors. A web server will contain programs and web pages that are used by Internet users while an e-mail server will send, receive, and store e-mail. Ftp and file servers allow the distribution and storage of all types of files for other computer systems. A router is a computer that is specifically used with operating systems that are proprietary and for moving the traffic on a network.

Most servers will operate in a way similar to a PC system and are also prone to the same types of virus attacks. This means that most servers can be protected in the same way through the use of reliable and regular antivirus software. They can also be guarded with a firewall to limit entry from some sites on the Internet.

So what else can you do for virus protection?

Routers and servers are attacked often simply because they bring service to many user systems. Administrators can get help from users who keep their own computer system as clean as possible and who avoid passing viruses on to other users. Administrators should avoid using servers for personal uses such as word processing programs, e-mail clients, and as browsers for the Internet.

Users can be helpful in combating virus attacks by being more cautious when it comes to which browser they use and how they configure it. Some users could benefit from education about how they can lessen the target area for computer hackers through the simple task of changing the setting of their browser. Computer experts and PC users have made big strides when it comes to expressing concern over Internet Explorer security. When users start to use other browsers the message will be heard much louder.

Both administrators and users should stop using DVDs and CDs that are bootable and that haven’t been scanned for viruses after they have been burned with certain files and software. Just as floppy disks disk did a few years ago, DVDs and CDs can be propagated with viruses during the burning process.

FTP servers, which are used to receive, send, and store files across networks, need to become extinct. Passwords for ftp aren’t secure since they are sent unencrypted over networks where they can be detected by sniffers. A sniffer is a software or hardware program that can be used to spy on networks. Users should use ftp versions that are secure.

Users need to be proactive in asking administrators to keep their computer system locked down. Security is often way down on the priority list for administrators who usually do a good job when it comes to the resources and time they have. Users who show that they are interested in security can change their security measures. Not many servers have a complete check by a security expert in their lifetime. This would be different if users weren’t passive and assume that default settings will keep them secure.

In the Future

Microsoft and other distributors are making leaps and bounds when it comes to software and hardware development that offers better security protection. For example, a virus exploit that is common is known as a “buffer overrun”. Programs use memory that is divided into smaller portions that are called “buffers”.

Some hackers use a technique that creates harmful programming instructions for what is called the “overflow” for the buffers. The technique provides the buffers with more accessibility than the program originally intended. Many fixes for security involving the securing of the buffers. Some developers of operating systems and hardware are managing this problem by creating the buffer overrun and redesigning it.

There are other security ideas in the development stage which will soon benefit all computer users.

[tags]Antivirus,Internet Security,PC Security[/tags]

There are many email scams which are out to get your money from you. This includes online gambling, the selling of prescription medicines, the cheapest mortgage rates, and other advertisements.

For example, one well known scam is known as the “Nigerian bank” scam. The person sending you this email claims that they are the wife or another relative of an official of the Nigerian government or a former dictator. They will tell a woeful story of how millions of dollars were put into a bank account that they can no longer access. If you help them they will share some of this money with you. All you need to do is give them a few thousand dollars from your own bank account to help with expenses. As crazy as this may be many people will fall victim to this scam. A Czech man lost his entire life savings to the scam and ended up shooting the Nigerian consul in the city of Prague.

There are some scams on the Internet that will promise you big paybacks in investment opportunities. These scams say that they are free of risk but when you give them your money you most likely won’t see any of it again. Yet another scam will offer you a credit card if you have a credit rating that is bad. All you need to do is send them the fees for processing and a security deposit. You end up getting nothing in return and by the time you look into the scam they will have disappeared.

MLMs (multilevel marketing schemes) are another scam on the Internet. You will be encouraged to buy big quantities of what is considered to be the “latest new product”. You can then resell this product for easy and fast profits while at the same time getting a commission for each sale. However, once you have the product in hand, the distributor who sold it to you will be long gone, many times without sending you the product.

These types of Internet offers are much worse than common spams. Keep in mind that businesses that are legitimate won’t try to promote what they sell through the use of spam. They will usually email targeted groups of people, most often those people who have volunteered their interest. You should ignore any other offers that you get by using your delete button. Many times the simple process of highlighting a spam email to delete it can send out a message to the sender that you’ve received it. “Fighting Spam” in this series can help you battle this problem.

You should never reply to any spam that you receive. If you do this it will let the spammer know that the email address they have for you is a valid one and you’ll end up getting more spam than ever. There is some spam that will have a message that lets you remove your address from the spammers mailing list. Don’t bother using this service since it is just another way that the spammer will verify your email address.

Never, under any circumstances, give out your banking details, number for your credit card, or other personal information to anyone on the Internet who you don’t know. Legitimate businesses, such as PayPay, won’t ask you in an email what your password is. A popular scam is to use a return address that is fake and then create content and subject lines to make the email message seem as though it is coming from a banking institution that is confirming your personal information. Make sure that you don’t fall for these tricks.

But how do you know what is spam and what isn’t? What some people consider to be spam another person will think is just advertisement, therefore the answer isn’t simple. One good way to determine if something is spam is if you don’t recognize who is sending you the email. If you don’t know the sender then you likely won’t want to hear from them. For example, just how many Nigerian dictators do you know?

[tags]spam,phishing,scams,privacy,internet security[/tags]

With the age of the Internet comes many advantages and many disadvantages. While there is a world of information just a few clicks away, there are also many dangers that lay in wait for our children. Without proper parental supervision what is to stop a child from stumbling on age inappropriate website that arenít meant for their young eyes.

Teaching children from a very young age how to properly use the Internet is key. They need to understand that just as they must protect themselves and their personal information from strangers in the real world, so too must they on the Internet. Understanding that the Internet is anything but anonymous is vital, and keeping information such as age, gender, and where they live secret is of utmost importance.

However, as children get older we canít monitor their every move, and parents feel less and less in control of where their children are surfing to on the web. Luckily, there is some excellent parental control software available that can help keep your children safe when online.

Filters

Many companies use filter software, and now it is available to the at-home customer. Filtering software works by blocking website that contains certain keywords. You can choose which categories, such as pornographic, are off limits and the software will do the rest.

Furthermore, filter software can be used for much more than just website blocking. If you want to prevent your child from file sharing via peer-to-peer hosting, messaging, email, or newsgroups, you can do it all with some initial software setup.

Filters must constantly be updating their databases with current information, and with all the new websites constantly going up it is impossible to block every single one. But anyone who has used filter software can attest for the most part is does its job.

If you want to take it one step further you can purchase software which will document your childís computer and Internet usage. Not only can you see what websites have been viewed, but in some cases you can even see what has been typed.

Many parents are resorting to computer software which will automatically shut the computer off during certain times of the day. This prevents children from using the Internet unsupervised.

Another option is software which will automatically hide personal information such as name and address.

There are also some browsers which claim to be child safe, but most children will find it easy to locate and use an alternate browser.

[tags]parental control software,internet security,internet filtering software,internet filter[/tags]

Computer viruses have caused countless problems for people all over the world. Some steal personal information from your computer; others can destroy your files. Not only can computer viruses be a small annoyance, but they can cost millions in lost time and even actual money. While most people think virus hoaxes are a nuisance byproduct of this technological age, they can actually cause real damage as well.

Most virus hoaxes are perpetuated via emails. Most people donít bother to check the validity of a virus warning and so they forward to friends and colleagues with abandon. This can quickly lead to millions of virus hoax emails circulating the world wide web in no time, filling inboxes and overloading servers and routers, sometimes even to the point of crashing.

Many PC virus hoaxes can cause real damage to your computer. How is this possible? Virus hoaxes often tell you to go into your computer and find a certain file, and then delete it, implying the said file is actually the virus. Unfortunately, if this is a virus hoax this could actually be an important file that your computer’s operating system requires. You may find that after deleting the file your computer has serious issues once rebooted.

How to Combat Virus Hoaxes

Recognizing virus hoaxes can be difficult, especially if you don’t know much technical information about your PC. Excessive technical jargon is one tip off that an email may be a virus hoax. You should also be wary of emails that refer to an actual organization such as the FCC.

The best thing to do is to look up reputable anti-virus software online and check out their website. They have listings of all current virus hoaxes and whether or not you need to do anything. If you have received a virus hoax that you have verified reply to whoever sent it before they delete vital files on their own PC.
[tag]antivirus,internet security,malware[/tag]