PC Security Tutorials

Ten Easy Ways to Boost Your Computer Security

2012-08-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

These days it is very easy to take our computers for granted. It is almost as if they are part of our office or household furniture. However, we all have increasing amounts of sensitive data stored on our computers and it's worth being aware of the ongoing risks so here we take a look at the best ways to maintain and improve your computer security.

Of course adding some computer security features to a pc costs a little extra money, but it is essential to do to ward off attacks from the rogues out there determined to upset home pc users as well as large scale organizations. Viruses can vary in seriousness such as harmless but annoying e-mails or spam to programs delivered to PCs that can wipe out all the data stored on the computer.

Let's take a look at ten ways all of us can improve our computer security:

1. Password Protection - A good start to computer security is to put in a barrier to unauthorised users of your computer. Protect your login id with a password. That way you can ensure that only you can access confidential information on your computer. Never disclose your passwords to other people, don't write them down and try and make them unique with a combination of letters, numbers and other characters.

2. Operating System - Keep your operating system updated frequently. Turning on the auto-update in Windows Update will boost your computer security. Microsoft releases frequent fixes to vulnerable areas of computer security so this is critically important.

3. Anti Virus Software - Ensure your pc has up to date anti-virus software installed. This is a key element of computer security and will help detect and remove viruses as well as block spam e-mails.

4. Firewall - At the same time your computer security should be enhanced by adding a firewall especially if you are part of a network either at work or home. The firewall setting on your router should be switched on as these could leave you exposed to hackers or indeed your neighbours might be able to view what you are doing on the internet.

5. Regular Scans - Your anti-virus software may do regular background checks, but it is a good idea to run a scan at least once a week. This will help clean up your system by deleting unwanted cookies and temporary internet files.

6. E-Mail Attachments - Be very wary of attachments to e-mails sent to you, especially if they are from an unknown source. These could potentially carry a virus that will prove damaging to your computer. A good computer security tip is to ignore attachments from unknown sources and delete the e-mail. You can save any attachments or downloads to your desktop and scan them with the anti-virus software.

7. E-Mail Links - It is best not to visit websites by clicking links attached to an e-mail. Most links taking you to a home page asking for log-in or account details are scams. Any details entered here can be used by the hacker who set up the link.

8. Suspicious E-Mails - Ignore e-mails that look suspicious and delete them as these could breach your computer security. Ignore any e-mails purporting to be from your bank or someone else you hold an account with asks for personal details or passwords. This breach of computer security is sometimes known as phishing.

9. Websites - Be wary of websites you wish to enter. Some anti-virus programs offer warnings next to websites to indicate whether they can be trusted. Avoid clicking on a website if it is not rated as trustworthy.

10. Online Payments - If you need to make a payment online ensure that the payment screen is protected. The page will usually indicate that it is secure and may have a padlock image at the top of the page.
Anyone still not convinced may want to bear in mind some of the facts about viruses. In January 2007 a worm called Storm appeared on the scene. Nine months later it was believed that some 50 million computers had been infected by the worm. Computer security is so important to protect you and your personal data.

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Cloud Computing Security

2012-08-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest game-changing innovations of this decade is cloud computing. The shift away from pure on-premises applications and data storage is already well underway, with consumers, small and midsize businesses, and even large enterprises putting applications and data into the cloud. The ever-present question however, is whether it is safe to do so. Cloud computing security is by far the biggest concern among those considering the technology. And if you're an IT manager, it's good to be paranoid. Losses from cybercrime and attack can be enormous, and the 2008 CSI Computer Crime and Security Survey show an overall average annual loss of just under $300,000.

It may seem like a leap of faith to put your valuable data and applications in the cloud, and to trust cloud computing security to a third party. Yet faith is not a part of the equation, nor should it be. Every enterprise needs to know that its data and applications are secure, and the question of cloud computing security must be addressed.

In fact, the cloud does have several security advantages. According to NIST, these cloud computing security advantages include:

Shifting public data to a external cloud reduces the exposure of the internal sensitive data
Cloud homogeneity makes security auditing/testing simpler
Clouds enable automated security management
Redundancy / Disaster Recovery

All four points are well taken. Cloud providers naturally tend to include rigorous cloud computing security as part of their business models, often more than an individual user would do. In this respect, it's not just a matter of cloud computing providers deploying better security, the point is, rather, that they deploy the precautions that individual companies should, but often don't.

A common security model
Most application providers impose some level of security with their applications, although when cloud application providers implement their own proprietary approaches to cloud computing security, concerns arise over international privacy laws, exposure of data to foreign entities, stovepipe approaches to authentication and role-based access, and leaks in multi-tenant architectures. These security concerns have slowed the adoption of cloud computing technology, although it need not pose a problem.

The very nature of a cloud platform is that it imposes an instance of common software elements that can be used by developers to "bolt on" to their applications without having to write them from scratch. This advantage is especially useful in the area of security. The cloud "platform as a service" brings an elegant solution to the security problem by implementing a standard security model to manage user authentication and authorization, role-based access, secure storage, multi-tenancy, and privacy policies. Consequently, any SaaS application that runs on the common platform would immediately benefit from the platform's standardized and robust security model.

Superior physical security through cloud computing provider
Lack of physical security is the cause of an enormous amount of loss, and insider attacks account for a surprisingly large percentage of loss. And while the specter of black hats hacking into your network from a third world country is very much real, very often, the "black hat" is in reality a trusted employee. It's the guy from the Accounting department who you have lunch with. It's the lady who brings you coffee in the morning and always remembers that you like two sugars. It's the recent college grad with so much potential, who did such a great job on that last report.

Of course, insiders can attack your network and data regardless of where it is located, given enough incentive and information, but physical proximity of the actual hardware and data makes it much easier to gain access, and cloud data centers tend to have better internal physical security protocols, including locked rooms, regulated access, and other protections against physical theft and tampering.

Conclusion: Superior security through the cloud
Besides physical security, technical security is of the utmost importance. Hosting your own servers and applications requires extra measures. A larger organization may need to deploy dedicated IT staff to security only. Cloud computing, on the other hand, builds cloud computing security directly into the cloud platform. While the company still must maintain in-house security in any case, the provider ensures that the applications and data are safe from attack.

We tend to think that retaining control over everything is inherently more secure, when this is not the case. Smaller companies especially may lack the skilled security staff in-house, and even larger firms often just don't have the resources to dedicate to implementing rigorous security on an ongoing basis. A cloud computing provider on the other hand, which offers a detailed service level agreement and retains skilled security staff in-house, will often provide superior security when compared with the in-house alternative.

For more information about cloud computing, please visit http://www.cloudipedia.com for a free copy of "Cloud Computing Made Easy." Cloudipedia is a property of Virtual Global, a provider of cloud-enabled enterprise IT solutions and the TeamHost cloud computing platform for building SaaS applications without programming.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Blacharski

Computer Security Cables

2012-08-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Computer security cables are used to ensure the physical security of a computer. Several types of computer security cables are available. There are black, putty and heavy duty computer high strength security cables. Computer security cables are a very effective method of preventing computer losses. A desktop or notebook secured with a lock and cable prevents a thief from walking off with your property and data.

Computer security cables are available in the market at varying prices. A unique black shell design with overlapping seams, coupled with a crimp ferrule strain relief results in both protection against leakage and enhanced mechanical strength. These features ensure a highly reliable cable that will pass the most severe emissions testing, while providing years of trouble free service. It also saves cost and adds an alternative cable entry direction.

A unique stamped steel internal enclosure offers hundred percent shielding and a strong strain relief. Cable assemblies with inline or reverse entry connector orientation can be produced with modest minimum requirements. Computer security cables give the equipment protection from theft.

Steel cables are not the most attractive cables. There are adhesive mount cables. Specially designed plates are affixed to your computer case, your monitor is safe with a strong adhesive compound and the cables are then threaded through loops in the plates and secured with a padlock. Fiber optic cables are also widely used.

Security cables can be chosen from PC security cables, laptop security cables and unique solid mounts using steel security plates with super adhesives. A variety of locking devices include case locks to protect the CPU. It is advisable to choose from computer security cables that let you add security plates to secure all your peripherals on one cable. These systems use straight end cable assembly.

Security cables are available in a variety of lengths. Most security cables are coated with clear vinyl. Laptop security cables are an inexpensive way to protect a laptop from being stolen. Standard, medium sized and thick security cables are available.

Computer Security provides detailed information on Computer Security, Computer Security Systems, Computer Network Securities, Computer Security Software and more. Computer Security is affiliated with Information Security Systems [http://www.e-InformationSecurity.com].

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How to Choose the Best Computer Security Suite for Your Needs

2012-08-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Before you begin reading this article, there is something that it is critical to understand. Simply put, there is no such thing as a completely secure web browser or operating system. While any of the major security suites and associated products will greatly reduce your exposure to security risks, they are not silver bullets that will stop everything that may come your way. Any product that claims to eliminate 100 percent of your security risks should be looked at very carefully.

Now that we have the ground rule out of the way, let's consider security suites and computer security. There are a variety of means by which the security of a computer can be breached. Among the most common threats are crackers, phishing, Trojans, viruses, and worms. Potential security risks can also be introduced through spyware, malware, or email attachments, and something called port scanning.
Dshield.org, a Florida-based non-profit company, provides "platform for users of firewalls to share intrusion information". What they do is work with software vendors to allow for a common reporting platform of port scanning activity detected by software. Port scanning is when software scans another computer system looking for open ports to connect to. Port scanning is often a prelude to other types of attacks, and is used by many viruses and worms to propagate themselves.

Among the more interesting items reported by DShield is the "survival time". What this means is how long an unpatched computer will be able to "survive" online before being attacked. Over the course of the past year, the survival time for an unpatched Windows system is approximately 100 minutes. If you have an unpatched Windows system, you can expect it to be attacked in about an hour an a half. Clearly, you need to take matters into your own hands to protect the security of your computer systems.
There are some simple steps you can take to quickly and easily protect your computer.

1. Never run unfamiliar programs on your computer. While it may seem to be common sense, many of the most widely-spread attacks have involved spyware and email attachment worms. The rule is simple: Don't open the attachment if you don't recognize the sender.

2. Never allow others to have unmoderated physical access to your computer. If you have sensitive or confidential information on your computer, if you allow others physical access to the system, they may either inadvertently or intentionally breach the security of the computer.

3. Always use strong passwords. Be sure none of your passwords are easy to guess. Many people use the names of pets or children, or anniversaries or birthdays. Given how many passwords seem to be needed, another common mistake is for someone to use the same password for everything from their picture-sharing website to their online brokerage. By using only one password, if one system is compromised, all systems you have access to can be compromised. Also, if you absolutely must write your password down, never leave it attached to the computer. I recently saw the proprietor of a small business peering under her keyboard to login to her computer.

4. Be sure to keep your operating system and all installed applications up to current patch levels. Most security experts share the opinion that almost all network-based security attacks would stop if users kept their computers up to date with patches and current security fixes. Almost all of us forget to do this regularly. New Trojans, worms, and viruses are being distributed and created every day. Almost all of them are trying to exploit newly-discovered weaknesses in operating systems and applications.

5. Backup backup backup! It can't be said enough that it is vitally important to keep regular backups of any and all important data. Even if your system is kept secure from worms, viruses, and Trojans, it is still vulnerable to fire, theft, flooding, hardware failure, and any number of other things that can destroy your most valuable data. Given the ease and availability of CD and DVD burners, there are no excuses for not keeping your data backed up.

For most people, enabling auto-updates, using safe email practices, and using a password-protected screensaver provides adequate security. If you would rather take some additional measures to improve the security of your computer, you should consider purchasing a comprehensive security suite.
While there are many packages out there, you should start with asking yourself some basic questions: Are you the only user, or are there multiple users? If there are multiple users, are any of them children? Do you need to password-protect individual files, your desktop, or someone's internet access? How much are you willing to spend? What kind of system are you running?

Once you are able to answer those questions, you can begin to research which of the available security suites is best able to meet your needs. Consumer Reports, ZDNet.com, and PC Magazine are just a few of the very informative websites available that offer information and insight into security suites.
There are many different security suites available today. Be sure to conduct your research carefully to find the one that best meets your needs. Listed below are some of the more popular choices, along with what PC World had to say about them.

1. Symantec Norton Internet Security 2006. Symantec's suite produced top-tier malware detection and cleanup scores, but it would benefit from a more streamlined interface and fewer pop-up alerts.

2. McAfee Internet Security Suite 2006. The excellent malware detection and cleanup scores of McAfee's full-featured suite make up for its terrible installation routine.

3. Panda Platinum 2006 Internet Security. Panda has superior heuristics, a top-notch firewall, and speedy on-demand scanning, but its interface needs better organization.

4. F-Secure Internet Security 2006. This suite's five scanning engines--including one for rootkits--produced excellent malware detection scores but the slowest scan speed.

5. Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2006. Trend Micro's interface, speed, and features (including an antiphishing toolbar) were better than its malware detection scores.

Mike Tetreault is an accomplished developer and systems architect. He is also the managing principal of Macrocosmic Technologies [http://www.macrocosmictech.com] and its PrivacyOnTheGo [http://www.privacyonthego.com/] product line which offers a solution to the security and privacy issues faced by people who use multiple or public computers.

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Smartphone Development Threat

2012-05-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Open Source Security Threat
Fast moving mobile phone development has made Open Source software development a popular approach. One particular reason for the popularity of open-source in organizations is that it has been proven to cut costs. The value of this development methodology is not just the design of the software but the marketing opportunity it provides to organizations and individuals. Open source platforms are provided by Google (Android), Palm (GNU/Linux), Nokia (Maemo) and Apple (iPhone).
The open source model allows much greater creativity as it differs from the more corporate centralized development models that have been used to date (BlackBerry is an example). The essence of open source is public collaboration which results with a peer production development of open source software in particular in the mobile phone software industry.

Fast Development
The open source community is developing very fast these days, galvanized by mobile phone developers. Open source software development however, does have potential security risks both for corporations and individuals. Too often the open source communities that offer their software for free don't appear to be as mindful of security practices as their commercial counterparts, which charge for software and support.
New prospects for social engineering, such as figuring out when you are away from your home for crime purposes (sites like PleaseRobMe.com) do just this. Of the same ilk, facial recognition technology and the tagging of users in photos on social media sites blur the work-home boundaries even more. For example, police officers have already come under attack, after their identities were breached by social media and facial recognition technology.

Near Field Contact
NFC (Near Field Contact) technology is an interesting example of innovative technology that aims to deliver convenience for consumers. However, it will introduce a new dimension of challenges for security professionals making mobile devices much more interesting as a target to steal money. There is a push to build NFC technology into mobile devices, enabling users to make payments or pass on personal information with a simple swipe of a mobile device over a reader. This will further transform the smartphone into the single device from which most aspects of your life are driven making it even more attractive to cybercriminals.

Third Party Applications
Mobile devices are also starting to define their architectures based on modern working practices - BlackBerry (for example), has introduced a feature which provides two isolated working environments on the same device (sandboxing), allowing you to separate work and play data. Even those with a strong security reputation like BlackBerry have been victims (of exploitation and breaches) too. While malware attacks for mobile devices are undoubtedly different, they are still entirely possible.
There are those that believe that the open source nature of Linux (for example) provides a primary vehicle for making security vulnerabilities easier to identify and fix. The main advantage here is that the community can review the source code and make the code more secure, which in turn facilitates potential security best practices. Users and time will decide whether this is actually the case. The advent of social websites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter have led to a surge in third party application development for desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Facebook & Third Party
Facebook, the fastest growing of these social websites allows publishers to develop third party applications to improve the Facebook experience. Closer inspection of most third party applications reveal to the users that they all require your 'login and password' details. It appears that most Facebook users don't believe this is a risk to their identity. Maybe it isn't, but how do you manage the risk of your 'login and password' details falling into the hands of a cybercriminal? The major risk is if you are paying for third party software, the software might steal your financial login data as well as installing malicious software on your smartphone. The final infiltration will occur (as the last security flaw) when the mobile user connects to their PC via either Bluetooth or USB, and you receive a cross platform infection from the third party software to your PC. There are no instances I know of where this has happened yet, but in time this attack vector will surely appear.

In Conclusion
It is the development of open source software that may well lead to these security issues and many others to be discovered. New functionality breeds fresh opportunities for the bad guys. New features like augmented reality, facial recognition and integrated social media could leave users open to new kinds of abuse. Augmented reality, for example, connects location information with a user's social media "friends", enabling them to identify digital contacts nearby. We will find out in the coming years whether open source software development has opened up a security hornets nest. Users meanwhile, need to embrace the Security Suites offered by companies like Bullguard, Kaspersky Mobile 9, ESET, Panda, AVG, Trend Micro, Webroot, F-Secure, Norton, etc. to lock down their systems.

Using the Keystrokes Dynamic for Systems of Personal Security

2012-05-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Access to computer systems is usually controlled by user accounts with usernames and passwords. Such scheme has little security (Hu. J et al. (2008), Pavaday. N and Soyjaudah. K.M.S (2007)) if the information falls to wrong hands. Key cards or biometric systems (Adrian Kapczynski et al. ( 2006), Gláucya C. Boechat et al. (2007), Anil Jain et al. (2003), Duane Blackburn et al. (2007)), for example fingerprints (Lin Hong and Anil Jain, (1998)) is being used nowadays to improve the security. Biometric methods measure biological and physiological characteristics to uniquely identify individuals. The main drawback of most biometric methods is that they are expensive to implement, because most of them require specialized hardware to strengthen security. On the other hand keystroke dynamics (Fabian Monrose and Aviel D. Rubin (2000), Jarmo Ilonen, (2003)) consist of many advantages like (i) It can be used without any additional hardware (ii) Hardening the existing security.

Keystroke analysis (Christopher S. Leberknight et al. (2008)) is of two kinds Static and Dynamic. Static keystroke analysis essentially means that the analysis is performed on typing samples produced using the same predetermined text for all the individuals under observation. Dynamic keystroke analysis implies a continuous or periodic monitoring of issued keystrokes and is intended to be performed during a log-in session, after the authentication phase has passed.

One area where the use of a static approach to keystroke dynamics may be particularly interesting is in restricting source level access to the master server hosting a Kerberos (Gabriel. L. F. B. G. Azevedo et al. (2007)) key database. Any user accessing the server is prompted to type a few words or a pass phrase in conjunction with his/her username and password. Access is granted if his/her typing pattern matches within a reasonable threshold of the claimed identity. This safeguard is effective as there is usually no remote access allowed to the server, and the only entry point is via console login. Alternatively, dynamic or continuous monitoring of the interaction of users while accessing highly restricted documents or executing tasks in environments where the user must be alert at all times (for example air traffic control), is a ideal scenario for the application of a keystroke authentication system. Keystroke dynamics may be used to detect uncharacteristic typing rhythm (brought on by drowsiness, fatigue etc.) in the user and notify third parties.

Mastering the Nmap Scripting Engine

2011-05-09T08:57:00.001-07:00

Most security practitioners can use Nmap for simple port scanning and OS detection, but the Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) takes scanning to a whole new level. Nmap's high-speed networking engine can now spider web sites for SQL injection vulnerabilities, brute-force crack and query MSRPC services, find open proxies, and more. Nmap includes more than 125 NSE scripts for network discovery, vulnerability detection, exploitation, and authentication cracking.

Rather than give a dry overview of NSE, Fyodor and Nmap co-maintainer David Fifield demonstrate practical solutions to common problems. They have scanned millions of hosts with NSE and will discuss vulnerabilities found on enterprise networks and how Nmap can be used to quickly detect those problems on your own systems. Then they demonstrate how easy it is to write custom NSE scripts to meet the needs of your network. Finally they take a quick look at recent Nmap developments and provide a preview of what is soon to come.

http://nmap.org/presentations/BHDC10/

Resolve Xul Dll Errors in Windows - Don't Put Up With A Broken Computer!

2011-04-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

Xul.dll is really a document that is used by the "Firefox" internet browser to help it obtain and process a number of webpages. Sadly, it is also vulnerable to a lot of issues that result in a number of different mistakes that are shown whenever you try to use Firefox.

This problem is really super easy to repair and although a lot of individuals do go through it every single day on their computers, you are able to solve it fairly quickly.

The very first thing you need to do to solve this particular mistake would be to re-install Firefox. You can do this by first installing the most updated version of the free internet browser from Firefox.com after which saving it to your hard disk. Then you ought to click Start > Control Panel > Add Or Remove Applications and then take away the Firefox program from your system.

This can take away the system from your computer and will also remove xul.dll with it. After you have un-installed Firefox, next reactivate your system (to ensure the alterations took effect) after which open the installer you downloaded prior to. Next load up this installer and set up the brand new edition of Firefox in your system, which ought to revise xul.dll

If this doesn't work, next try to revise xul.dll manually beginning with installing a fresh copy of the document and then putting it on your computer. You will find xul.dll in the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox file of the program and the very first thing you need to do would be to relabel your current xul.dll to xul2.dll.

Next, download a brand new copy of the document from the web and then place it into the file you had the other xul.dll document in. This can change that old document with a brand new version that ought to repair the mistake you are seeing.

After performing these actions, you might also want to consider utilizing a good anti-virus program to get rid of the computer virus infections that could possibly be muffling the xul.dll document. This can be a fast procedure that is super easy to complete -- you need to simply first download a good anti-virus program and then allow it to scan your computer, getting rid of the infections that may be damaging your system.

It's also wise to use a 'registry cleaner' to repair this problem too. One of many explanations why Windows continuously has DLL document mistakes is due to how the 'registry' becomes broken or damaged. The computer registry essentially retains the main storage list of all of the DLL documents on your computer (it's known as the "DLL Route References" list) and it is exactly what each and every software program uses on your system to load all of the DLL documents in your program.

This list frequently will get broken, stopping applications such as Firefox from having the ability to browse the DLL documents it needs. You need to use a 'registry cleaner' to repair this issue for good.

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Points to Consider in Securing Websites and Creating Virtual Keywords Against Hacking Passwords

2011-04-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

As technology advances overtime, it has been positively used to help promote businesses, products or services as well as enhancing websites. But at some point, it has been negatively also used by culprits to "crash" websites and businesses even hacking passwords to the software. As the increasing number of cases of hackers used to hack websites or malware attack reported in news, bad impact brought about by technology is also constantly rise. System hacking is one of the most common issues nowadays. That is why to settle this problem, security concerns and issues have been tackled because Internet is now widely use by people from all walks of life. Whether a business is large or small, proper attention should be given like protecting and safeguarding all their network software against corrupt hackers. That is why it is vitally important that every system operators or administrators must use a distinctive password that can't be hacked either by an ordinary destroyer or professional hackers. As early as possible, one should be vigilant from unexpected hackers.

Basically, a person who does hacking commonly destroys software and other computer networks in order to gain more money or only encourage doing the challenge. To avoid unnecessary accidents like hacking passwords, you should take some precautionary measures not only for your systems protection but also for your own safety as well. That is why the need of powerful password is a must for privacy and security of your website. It ensures you the confidentiality and safety of your save data. It is a great responsibility of the user to make a password as unique as possible in a way that complicated to guess or to be discovered by anyone.

To avoid hacking on your password, the following are the points to consider when creating a virtual keyword.

1. When creating a password, you should enter mix information like in your credit card, bank account or any assume a name that is extraordinary.

2. A second good advice is to use alphanumeric, a combination of numbers and letters even mix with symbols. For a higher security, at least two letters that you enter should be in uppercase.

3. Creating a password should be hard or rare to be guess wherein other programs and even other people can't quickly discover.

4. A word should not an existing name regardless of any language used.

5. Don't use your initial names, date of your birth and other common words because it can be easily guessed.

6. Don't use other older accounts.

7. The password to enter should be 5-digit or more for additional security.

8. Do not try to use usual passwords.

9. Having two or more accounts for your email, you must use another password. Be sure that you will memorize your entire password to avoid failures.

10. The last but not the least tip is that try to have a list base on your common used programs like notes, excel or word to all your websites, mail boxes or either through your subscriptions and mail back to its right place or location. Your password and username use should be neat and properly organize so that you can immediately use it.

After making a virtual password into your account, should also take consider on how to secure your valuable website against from accidental attacks and cruel hackers. The following are the pointers to consider:

1. Install a virus protection on your software to have a complete safeguarding on your website.

2. Modify and transform your password always by selecting alphanumeric words. To avoid committing of failures, be sure that you have a list for every password and username that you made.

3. Keep updating on your use safety measure patches to avid harmful viruses that might enter in your systems like Trojans.

4. Connect to Google webmaster wherein it will help or assist you to learn on different hacking endeavors.

5. Lastly, you should always have back-ups to restore the date you save.

After reading the entire article, make sure that you follow those helpful tips so that you can be ready and alert always for any hacking attempts. It's up to you if you follow it or not, but it assures you to have a maximum protection for your software, network and even your invested website. If you're top priority is to stay away from hackers who do hacking passwords, then you should bear in mind and take into action those easy and simple tips above.

Gordon Yu is a guru when it comes to computers and protecting them against hackers. He has helped many stop hackers from hacking passwords in his career.

Data Security Breach - Security Breach Notification Laws That Online Business Owners Need to Know

2011-04-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

We live in a society today where the words hacker and data security breach are of common occurrence. Only in the last 9 years, have governments begun to enacted and propose security breach notification laws. These laws were in response to breaches to databases containing personal identity information.

California paved the way with the first enacted legislation in 2002. In summary, this legislation requires any one that conducts business in California and owns or licenses computerized data that includes personal information to disclose to any resident of California of a potential personal information breach.

This groundbreaking legislation was taken up by New York in 2003. This type of legislation continued to spread across the United Status. In 2010, 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have enacted legislation on the notification of security breaches involving personal information. As of March 2011, 12 states have introduced new or revised security breach notification related legislation.

If a business entity operates on any level (local, national or international level) and if that business maintains customer's personal information, the owners need to be aware of the various state laws requiring disclosure of data security breaches. This includes lost, stolen or misplaced tape backups that potentially contain personal identity information. For more information on cost versus risk of using an offsite media storage facility, refer toOffsite Tape Storage - How to protect the business through disaster preparedness using offsite tape backup storage.

The National Conference of State Legislation consolidates this information. To read more on the various legislative laws for each state refer to NCSL- Breach of Information site.

The European Union is a little slower to act on security breach notification laws. As of 2009, the EU was still trying to hash out the details of what makes up a data breach and how should companies handle it. They have reviewed and considered the various U.S. state legislation. Many of the EU states have some level of security breach notification laws but lack in other areas already covered under U.S. law. There are too many documents to list here. Keyword search for "European Union Security Breach Notification Laws".

One final note about data security, many states have data disposal laws on the books as well. These laws provide requirements for business entities to follow during the destruction and disposal of digital and traditional forms of media that contain personal identity information. Refer to NCSL - Data Disposal Laws site.

Scotty Sanders, a Software Development Professional, is familiar with not having good data backups or a disaster recovery plan. Scotty invites you to his growing online resource at http://www.backupmypcdata.com where he shares his knowledge, research and lessons learned from past mistakes when it comes to hard drive crash recovery, disaster recovery planning and much more.

Firesheep Increases the Risk Level at WiFi Hotspots: How You Can Protect Yourself

2011-04-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock without WiFi, you in all likelihood know that sending sensitive information while using a WiFi connection is risky. It not only threatens your online privacy, it can result in online identity theft and credit fraud. If that's not enough to faze some intrepid WiFi warriors, there's a new easy -to-use attack tool to fret about. It's an extension of Firefox named Firesheep. The new plug-in may appear harmless. But Firesheep is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Firesheep Makes Hacking WiFi Connections Easy
The Firesheep attack is called HTTP session hijacking or sidejacking. Sidejacking is nothing new. But Firesheep put it on the map by providing sidejacking to the masses.
Firesheep now comes with built-in sidejacking attacks against 26 popular websites like Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Windows Live, Yahoo and Paypal that only encrypt their home pages, not the entirety of their sites. As your browser exchanges login information with a partially secured or unprotected website, Firesheep listens in on that traffic traveling over open WiFi connections. Then it saves your session cookie details, letting a hacker repurpose it to obtain access to the sites you've logged into. For example, once a internet pirate has logged into your unprotected email or social network accounts, he can send emails or posts in your name and access your contacts' email addresses or profiles.

Who Invented Firesheep and Why?
So who are the hackers responsible for Firesheep? This summer, a Seattle software creator named Eric Butler resolved to add fuel to the sidejacking security issue. (You may remember that he's the white hat hacker who exposed the vulnerability of social networks to hacking.) Butler says that expert hackers were already exploiting websites vulnerable to sidejacking. Frustrated by the negligence of popular websites to stop the problem, he and his colleague Ian Gallagher decided to do something. By making Firesheep free and simple to utilize, they aspire to draw attention to the issue and pressure websites into bettering their security.
That's the good news. The bad news is that Firesheep's range isn't limited to the two dozen or so websites currently being targeted. It's an adaptable plug-in predator that can be modified to strike against other websites with login dialogs that are not protected. Since it initially appeared on the scene, Firesheep has been downloaded 500,000 times. Here's what you can do to secure yourself.
How to Fight Off Firesheep

To reduce your risk of being sidejacked, avoid using unencrypted WiFi at public connections. You might still get sidejacked somewhere else. But Firesheep thrives on unencrypted hotspot traffic.
Watch out for sites that log you in over unencrypted HTTP or revert to HTTP after SSL login. They are popular marks according to Lisa Phifer, network security consultant and author of eSecurityPlanet's "Top Ten Ways to stop Firesheep."

This is what Phifer advises:

Use HTTP-Everywhere. This Firefox extension forces Firefox to only use HTTPS connections for a certain list of websites. But it won't secure you on other sites. If you don't utilize Firefox, look elsewhere.
Use Force TLS. This is another Firefox extension that allows you to create your own list of domain names to force encryption on.
Avoid leaking cookies over HTTP. "Some sites try to do the right thing, but they fall short," states Phifer. "Unfortunately, users don't know which ones they are." She recommends testing whether a site is vulnerable by importing a script from that domain into Firesheep and testing it on your own.
Log off websites when you are done. "This could invalidate a session cookie after it's been grabbed by Firesheep," states Phifer. "But it's no guarantee." It's just a good practice for your Internet privacy.
Don't think that staying on a secure LANs means you're safe. Firesheep is not limited to WiFi. "Sidejacking may occur on Ethernet LANs and inside networks - anywhere a hacker can intercept unencrypted traffic,"says Phifer. That means hotel rooms and business centers.
Use a VPN (virtual private network) like Private WiFi to secure your online traffic. That makes your log-ins and your Internet communication hidden to sidejackers and hackers, even when it's on unprotected websites.

We'd like to know what you think of Firesheep's creators. Are they heroes for pointing out a serious online security issue? Or are they villains for bringing a major sidejacking tool to the masses?

Best Known Computer Cleaner/OptimizerBest Windows Registry FixBest Known Computer Cleaners/Optimizers

2011-04-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

PC Health Advisor Are computer problems getting you down? Then it's time for a change. Struggling with computer errors can be very frustrating. If you are sick and tired of dealing with a slow and sluggish computer, then the right registry utility will help. This is where PC Health Advisor comes in to play.
PC Health Advisor will bring your PC to a very high standard for more speed and a better performance. While this utility software is considered one of the most powerful tools on the market to date, you need no technical skills or computer savvy to get the job done.
With just a few clicks you will be on your way to a smooth and speedy performance. Listed below are some of the things this software will do.

First PC Health Advisor will need to run a computer scan that will thoroughly check your PC for errors to fix.

1. Find driver updates to be installed.
2. Premium registry cleaner.
3. Remove spyware/malware processes running in memory.
4. Erase history and protect identity.
5. Corrects windows settings and errors.
6. Cleanup start up errors.
7. File extension software database.
8. Boost PC performance.
9. Easy to use.

It offers a whole range of tools to keep your system healthy in one single program.
Spyware/adware also contributes to a slow computer you must have good antivirus software installed on your PC. It is recommended to scan your computer at least once a week, PC Health Advisor (PARETOLOGIC) is also offering their top rated antivirus software XoftSpySE for $10 (normally $32) when purchasing PC Health Advisor and with an extra $8 automatic discount coupon, with top performance and protection you cannot go wrong. I use this software myself and can highly recommend it.

You can download PC Health Advisor for free and then scan your computer for errors that can easily be sorted out. This software will tell you each error that needs to be fixed. There is a fix all button that you can use if you're not very technical. But if you are there are a number of Top class tools to be used in this all in one utility software. For more information click here http://www.pchealthadvisor.com

Introduction To computer Security

2011-04-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

With the growing use of Internet, more and more companies are opening their information systems to their partners or suppliers, it is essential to know the corporate resources to protect and control the control access and rights of users of the information system. It's the same at the opening of the company access the internet.

Furthermore, with the nomadism of allowing personnel to connect to the system information from any location, staff are required to "transport" part of the information system outside the secure infrastructure Company. Introduction to security The threat (in English 'Threat') represents the type of action that may affect the absolute, while the vulnerability (in English " vulnerability ", sometimes called fault or breccia) represents the level of exposure against the threat in a particular context. Finally, the measure-cons is the set of actions implemented in prevention of the threat. The cons-measures to be implemented are not only technical solutions but also measures of training and awareness for users and a set of clearly defined rules. To secure a system, it is necessary to identify potential threats and thus to know and predict the approach of the enemy. The purpose of this file and give an overview of the possible motivations of hackers, categorize them, and finally give an idea of their approach to better understand how it is possible to reduce the risk of intrusion. Click Here to Learn how to Increase Wifi security

Objectives of computer security The information system is generally defined by the set of data and hardware and software resources of the company to store them or pass them around. The information system represents a key asset of the company, which should be protected. Computer security, in general, is to ensure that hardware or software resources of an organization are only used in the space provided. Computer security is generally five main objectives: Theintegrity, that is to say, ensuring that data are those believed to be; The confidentiality, namely to ensure that only authorized persons have access to resources exchanged; The availability, to maintain the smooth functioning of information system; The non-repudiation, to guarantee that a transaction can not be denied; Theauthentication, namely to ensure that only authorized persons have access to resources.

Basic Parts of Computer Hardware

2011-04-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

If you are using a desktop computer, you may already know that there isn't any single part known as a "computer". A computer is a system of several parts working together. The physical parts which you could see and touch are jointly known as hardware. There are some computer hardware parts which collectively form a computer.

System Unit
The system unit is the heart of a computer system. Generally, it's a rectangular box placed on or beneath your desk. There are several electronic components which process information inside this box. The most vital of these components is the central processing unit (CPU), or microprocessor, which acts as the brain of your computer. Another component is the RAM or the random access memory which temporarily stores data that the CPU uses while the computer is on. When the computer is turned off, the information stored in RAM gets erased.

Hard Disk Drive
Your computer's hard disk drive stores data on a hard disk, a firm plate or stack of plates with a magnetic surface. The hard disks normally serve as your computer's primary means of storage, holding almost all of your programs and files as it can hold enormous amounts of information. The hard disk is usually located inside the system unit.

DVD and CD Drives
Almost all computers today come equipped with a DVD or CD drive, generally located on the front of the system unit. CD drives use lasers to read or retrieve data from a CD and several CD drives could also write or record data onto CDs. DVD drives could do everything that CD drives can plus they can also read DVDs. If you have a DVD drive, you could watch movies on your computer. Several DVD drives could record data onto blank DVDs.

Floppy Disk Drive
Floppy disk drives store information on floppy disks, also known as floppies or diskettes. Floppy disks compared to CDs and DVDs can store only a small amount of data. They also recover information more slowly and are more prone to damage. For these reasons, floppy disk drives are less admired than they used to be, though some computers still include them.

Elite Proxy Checker - How to Check Proxy Servers Quickly and Easily

2011-04-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

A .NET proxy checker

Finding proxy servers is really very simple, but finding proxies that actually work is a different story. The best thing that you can do if you want to use free proxy servers online is to use an elite proxy checker. Proxy checkers are a simple and easy solution to saving time and making sure that you weed out the bad proxies in your proxy lists and keep only the good ones. This, however, raises another question. What's the best software to use to check proxies with? Should you go with paid or free proxy checking software? These are difficult questions to answer for anyone who is new to using proxies and knowing the answers to these questions stands to save you a substantial amount of time the next time you go proxy hunting.

Proxy checkers are an essential tool for anyone who uses proxy server lists on a regular basis. What makes this so? You should be checking proxy servers because many free proxies you find are slow and sometimes not anonymous. You could check the proxies by hand, but it would end up taking many hours. The level of anonymity, the speed of the proxy and the country the proxy is located in are three main things you should be concerned about when using proxy servers. Using slow proxy servers can make surfing the internet near impossible. Proxies like this make doing anything online almost impossible. You should also be checking anonymity levels of proxies. Checking your proxy list makes it easy to see at a glance which servers are anonymous and which ones aren't. Most people use proxies to be anonymous and it is obviously important to know which of your proxies are anonymous so as to best protect yourself. The country a proxy server is located in is also of importance. Many people are after proxies from specific countries, and using software to scan and check the location of each proxy in a list is the fastest way to make sure you find out which proxies are from the country you need.

Even though there are paid elite proxy checker programs available online, you may be surprised to know that the best proxy checking software is actually free. You can also actually check proxy lists online at many websites that provide online tools that will scan and check an entire proxy list online for free. However, if you want to know which is the best software to download and use, then the absolute best to use is Charon. This program provides a large number of features that will allow you to test almost any aspect of a proxy. Check around online and you will discover that there are a large number of free programs to check proxies with. With the large number of programs and websites offering you the ability to scan proxy lists, there is no reason to pay for scanning and checking your proxy lists.

Never pay for elite proxy check software. There are hundreds of websites that provide you with all the tools you'll ever need to check proxies with absolutely free of charge. There are also a large number of software vendors providing free downloads of software that allows you to scan proxy lists. Even though Charon is the number one program, don't stop there. Just spend sometime searching around online and you'll soon discover that you have a large number of solutions to check your proxies with all for free.