Showing posts with label internet security. Show all posts

The Treat of Internet Security: How Safe is our data?  

Posted by Bob

The Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked web pages and other resources of the World Wide Web(WWW).


Internet Security is something that has grown to be a main concern among society. Companies have come out with Identity Theft prevention services, but often, by the time you get those, it is already too late or doesn’t help.

Many of you probably hear on the news, every so often, “A popular website has been compromised and many people have had their personal data stolen!” When a website is compromised, it puts thousands at risk for one of many possible types of identity theft. It is rare that a site is hacked to this extent: usually, the data is collected through look alike sites, through spyware, or through other means of collection; most of which happen on a single-user basis. It makes many people nervous when giving out personal information to anyone online because they are not sure what can really happen, and they do not have all the facts.

Internet Threats
There are few type of internet threat that appear in the internet, let us go through three of the most popular threat:

(i)Virus
Virus is a Malicious software that attaches itself to other software. For example, a patched software application in which the patch's algorithm is designed to implement the same patch on other applications, thereby replicating. It replicates within computer system, potentially attaching itself to every software application.
Below is the behaviour that virus has:
Behavior categories:
-Innocuous
-Humorous
-Data altering
-Catastrophir







(ii)Worm
It's a malicious software which is a stand alone application. It's often designed to propagate through a network, rather than just a single computer. When your computer is infect of worm, computer will slow starting or slow running. It'll also face unexpected or frequent system failures.









(iii)Trojan Horse

It is a Worm which pretends to be a useful program or a Virus which is purposely attached to a useful program prior to distribution. It's same as Virus or Worm, but also sometimes used to send information back to or make information available to perpetrator. Trojan unlike Worms, which self propagate, it's require user cooperation.



Those internet security threat will try to steal your information from your computer through the internet. It's very danger if our computer online without any internet security system such as anti-virus. For example, Trojans will track into your computer and steal your personel information such as password of your e-banking account, email account and etc. For business companies, it's really a treat to them because they save their business infromation in the computer such as daily profits, project or new planning for their business venture. But there are still some prevention that we can do to prevent internet threat.





Below are the ways to prevent internet threat:


  1. Limit connectivity. Limit downloads

  2. Use only authorized media for loading data and software

  3. Enforce mandatory access controls.

  4. Viruses generally cannot run unless host application is running

  5. Always remember to scan your computor with Anti-virus
  6. Delete all the cookies in the computor to prevent track on the history/password.

  7. On your firewall to prevent hackers.

As conclusion, internet has the advantages and disvantages. If we prepare well before we online, surely we'll be secure and safe from internet threat.


Youtube Video Clip
IBM TV Focus: Online Security Threats

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Review post: Internet Security  

Posted by JenNy

Nowadays, it can be said there are more and more threats over the Internet. Malware is a general name for all programs that are harmful; viruses, trojan, worms and all other similar programs.

A computer virus is a program, a block of executable code, which attach itself to, overwrite or otherwise replace another program in order to reproduce itself without a knowledge of a PC user. There are a couple of different types of computer viruses for example boot sector viruses, parasitic viruses, multi-partite viruses, companion viruses, link viruses and macro viruses. These classifications take into account the different ways in which the virus can infect different parts of a system. The manner in which each of these types operates has one thing in common: any virus has to be executed in order to operate. Most viruses are pretty harmless. The user might not even notice the virus for years. Sometimes viruses might cause random damage to data files and over a long period they might destroy files and disks. Even benign viruses cause damage by occupying disk space and main memory, by using up CPU processing time. There is also the time and expense wasted in detecting and removing viruses.

Viruses don not just appear, there is always somebody that has made it and they have own reason to so. Viruses are written everywhere in the world. Now when the information flow in the net and Internet grows, it does not matter where the virus is made. Most of the writers are young men. There are also few university students, professors, computer store managers, writers and even a doctor has written a virus. One thing is common to these writers, all of them are men, women do not waste their time writing viruses. Women are either smarter or they are just so good that never get caught.



Why do people write and spread viruses?

It is difficult to know why people write them. Everyone has their own reasons. Some general reasons are to experiment how to write viruses or to test their programming talent. Some people just like to see how the virus spreads and gets famous around the World. The following is a list from news group postings alt.comp.virus and tries to explain why people write and spread viruses...



  • they don't understand or prefer not to think about the consequences for other people

  • they simply don't care

  • they don't consider it to be their problem if someone else is inconvenienced

  • they draw a false distinction between creating/publishing viruses and distributing them

  • they consider it to be the responsibility of someone else to protect systems from their creations

  • they get a buzz, acknowledged or otherwise, from vandalism

  • they consider they're fighting authority

  • they like 'matching wits' with anti virus vendors


How viruses spread out

Viruses mission is to hop from program to other and this should happen as quickly as possible. Usually viruses join to the host program in some way. They even write over part of the host program. A computer is infected with a boot sector virus if it is booted from an infected floppy disk. Boot sector infections cannot normally spread across a network. These viruses spread normally via floppy disks which may come from virtually any source:




  • unsolicited demonstration disks

  • brand-new software

  • disks used on your PC by salesmen or engineers

  • repaired hardware


A file virus infects other files, when the program to which it is attached is run, and so a file virus can spread across a network and often very quickly. They may be spread from the same sources as boot sector viruses, but also from sources such as Internet FTP sites and newsgroups. Trojan horses spread just like file viruses. A multipartite virus infects boot sectors and files. Often, an infected file is used to infect the boot sector: thus, this is one case where a boot sector infection could spread across a network.



What to do when you find viruses

First thing what you should do when you find virus is count to ten and stay cool. You should keep notes on what you do and write down what your virus programs and you computer tells you. If you are not sure what to do, you should call the administrator for future action. In some cases it is not good to start you computer from hard disk, because the virus may active and then do some harm.
Second,make sure that you should get sure that it is virus and what virus it is. It is important to know what kind of virus we are dealing with. Companies that make anti-virus programs knows what different viruses does and you can ether call them and ask about that viruses or you can go to their web pages and read about the virus you have.
When you start you computer you should do it from a clean (non-infected) floppy diskette and after that run the virus program. The boot diskette should be write protected so that virus can not infect the boot diskette too. It is good to take a backup of the file that was infected. Virus program could do some damage to the file and that is why it is good to have a backup. It is good to let you administrator to know about the virus, so viruses would not spread around so much. In TKK PC classes are protected by anti-virus program and that virus program reports to a person, responsible for virus protection.

There are three different kind of anti-viral packages: activity monitors, authentication or change-detection software, and scanners. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses. Commercial anti-viral programs have a combination of the above mentioned functions. There are over ten good anti-viral programs. Most knows programs are Data Fellows F-Prot, EliaShim ViruSafe, ESaSS ThunderBYTE, IBM AntiVirus, McAfee Scan, Microsoft Anti-Virus, Symantec Norton AntiVirus and S&S Dr Solomon's AVTK.

In conclusion, There are lots of viruses in the world and new viruses are coming up every day. There are new anti-virus programs and techniques developed too. It is good to be aware of viruses and other malware and it is cheaper to protect you environment from them rather then being sorry.There might be a virus in your computer if it starts acting differently. There is no reason to panic if the computer virus is found.It is good to be a little suspicious of malware when you surf in the Internet and download files. Some files that look interesting might hide a malware. A computer virus is a program that reproduces itself and its mission is to spread out. Most viruses are harmless and some viruses might cause random damage to data files.

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Phishing: Examples and its prevention methods.  

Posted by Steven

Phishing
In computing , phishing is an attempt to criminally and fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Phishing is a scam in which the attacker sends an email purporting to be from a valid financial or eCommerce provider.
The email often uses fear tactics in an effort to entice the intended victim into visiting a fraudulent website. Once on the website, which generally looks and feels much like the valid eCommerce/banking site, the victim is instructed to login to their account and enter sensitive financial information such as their bank PIN number, their Social Security number, mother's maiden name, etc. This information is then surreptitiously sent to the attacker who then uses it to engage in credit card and bank fraud - or outright identity theft. Many of these phishing email appear to be quite legitimate.

Examples

Washington Mutual Bank phishing email

This is an example of a phishing scam targeting Washington Mutual Bank customers. This phish claims that Washington Mutual Bank is adopting new security measures which require confirming ATM card details. As with other phishing scams, the victim is directed to visit a fraudulent site and any information entered on that site is sent to the attacker.


eBay phishing scam

This eBay phishing email includes the eBay logo in an attempt to gain credibility. The email warns that a billing error may have been made on the account and urges the eBay member to login and verify the charges.

Prevention methods

Do not respond to any emails that request personal or financial information, especially ones that use pressure tactics or prey on fear. If you have reason to believe that a financial institution actually does need personal information from you, pick up the phone and call the company yourself by using the number in your rolodex, not the one the email provides.

Install up-to-date antivirus and antispyware software. Some phishing e-mail contains malicious or unwanted software that can track your activities or simply slow your computer. Try new antivirus and comprehensive computer health services like Windows Live One Care To help prevent spyware or other unwanted software, use Windows Defender. Windows Defender comes with Windows Vista and is available at no charge for Windows XP SP2

Rather than merely clicking on the link provided in the email, type the URL into your web browser yourself (or use a bookmark you previously created). Even though a URL in an email may look like the real deal, fraudsters can mask the true destination.

Don't enter sensitive or financial information into pop-up windows - A common phishing technique is to launch a bogus pop-up window when someone clicks on a link in a phishing e-mail message. This window may even be positioned directly over a window you trust. Even if the pop-up window looks official or claims to be secure, you should avoid entering sensitive information because there is no way to check the security certificate. Close pop-up windows by clicking on the X in the top-right corner. Clicking cancel may send you to another link or download malicious code.

Secure the hosts file – A hacker can compromise the hosts file on desktop system and send a user to a fraudulent site. Configuring the host file to read-only may alleviate the problem, but complete protection will depend on having a good desktop firewall such as Zone Alarm that protect against tampering by outside attackers and keep browsing safe.

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