msgbartop
Current IT field related information
msgbarbottom

15 Feb 09 Security Precautions For Wireless Internet Users

Using a wireless internet network ( Wi-Fi) has many advantages for internet users. It allows you to be able to work in any room of your home and even outside your house and still be able to connect to the internet. Along with the advantages, Wi-Fi also comes with some security issues. If you can pick your Wi-Fi signal from outside your house, that means that others will be able to do the same. Wireless internet users need to take some extra precautions to protect their information from being taken or hacked into by others.

Protecting Yourself At Home

The best way to protect our computer when you have Wi-Fi is to make sure that you have an up-to-date antivirus program installed on your computer. Most anti-virus software will automatically scan your computer to check for any possible threats or viruses. By enabling a WEP or WPA (encryptions on your computer) you can help prevent any intruders from accessing your computer and installing a virus or worm on it. This is very important for wireless internet users as any half-way decent hacker can use your Wi-Fi connection to get into your computer.

When you look for a router for your wireless internet, make sure to get one that has a firewall installed on it. This will greatly reduce the chances that someone will be able to hack into your computer. If you find that your router does not have a firewall installed on it, there are firewall software programs that you can add to your existing router.

Disable the SSID link on your wireless internet. The SSID link is a network that the Wi-Fi uses that regularly broadcast over the air. If you disable the SSID, that means that others can not access your network. This means they won’t have access to your computer either.

Protecting Yourself At Public Wi-Fi Spots

If you have the proper software on your computer, you will be able to go places like local coffee shops, hotels, and airports which are hot spots for wireless internet. This means that you can log onto the computer from these places and share the network. Sharing the network means that you may have a greater chance of someone accessing your computer information or sending a virus into your computer. A good idea when using wireless internet at a public place is to never put any personal identification on your computer at that time. Don’t give your social security number at that time to anybody or order anything online with a credit card while using the public internet.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

05 Feb 09 Threats to Security in the Internet

The internet is a vast network that connects millions of computers together. It has revolutionized how we share information together. It has taken great strides from its humble beginnings in the library to the information super highway it is today.

Its amazing growth does come at a small price. As we incorporate the World Wide Web more into our lives we become more dependent to it. We use the internet more in the work we play. We rely on the internet for instant information we need. We even use it to convey our thoughts in popular blogs and forums.

This dependence leaves you susceptible to attacks from people without the purest of intentions. These internet threats can come in different forms. One of the most popular forms of internet threat can be seen in malicious software or otherwise called “Malware”. Malware can come in many forms including Trojans, worms and viruses.

Trojans are programs that act as a useful program but allow other people to access information in your computer or deliver a damaging payload to your computer. Worms are programs that copy itself over and over without the need of a host program. This is in contrast to a virus which does the same thing but needs to attach itself to a host program to achieve this.

Another threat to your internet security is Phishing and Phishing sites. Phishing is the unauthorized gathering of information by a fraudster. This can be done through the use of Phishing sites that use automated means to pull sensitive information from your computer.

Another growing threat in the internet comes from scammers and hackers. Scammers are nothing more than fraudsters trying to separate you from your money. They can pose as charity groups or organizations in need of aid asking for a donation from your credit card. They then use the information you supplied through your credit card to steal your identity and cost you thousands of dollars.

Hackers are different from the normal scammer because they not only deal with the personal side of fooling someone but they can also go the technological route. Hackers are usually computer programmers that break through your security measures through the use of their skill in computers.

These are just some the threat you need to worry about when you are looking to the internet to expand your business. The people at Gossimer understand these risks and approach them holistically to provide the best security for your business website, business email and your domain name.

The key initiatives of their security strategy revolve around five key objectives: The privacy of your vital information; the integrity of your data; the protection of your data from being deleted or destroyed; the proper of identification and authentication of users; and the protection of your network service from hacking and internet attacks.

Internet security is a serious issue that needs to be addressed for the proper implementation of the web in your business. Contact Gossimer today and they will discuss how their solutions can specifically address your concerns about the internet and its security.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,