Computer Security Software - Protecting Your Computer

To secure and protect your PC is a personal responsibility that should not be taken lightly, since it is the soul of all - the information! Whether at home, school, office, or any company or organization they are, this responsibility must be put into action. Otherwise, money, investment, identity and personal data may be in danger!

Ways to protect your computer

Firewall. A component of a network or a computer that is intended to block access to the system that are not allowed, while allowing interaction and communication authorized. Firewalls are implemented either in hardware or software, or integration of the two.

* For those who are already connected to the Internet via a router, it is not necessary to install security software "all-in-one" as your router now acts as a firewall based on the equipment to limit the wicked, Internet worms, Trojan horses and viruses to gain access to your system.

* As a measure of security of MS Windows, including XP and Vista, the built-in firewall software are already integrated in the package to protect against bad elements that cause the destruction of the system.

* Enable the Windows XP firewall, click on: Start button and then click Control Panel, Security Center icon and click the Windows Firewall at the bottom of the window.

* Read the information about firewalls and firewall, you can download free software that will do anything to protect it.

Anti-virus. Essential software used to detect, remove and prevent malware, computer viruses, worms and Trojans. These programs also remove and prevent spyware, adware and other malware.

* Unlike firewalls, anti-virus is not integrated with a version of Windows. But no need to spend a lot to pay for virus protection.

* Search the Internet for information on anti-virus and download the free version that has been proven to work effectively, or even better than those paid - A'vast AVG, Avira AntiVir, PC Tools Antivirus, and more.

* Anti-phishing. As defined in the field of computer security, phishing refers to the criminal process of trying to fraudulently obtain sensitive information - user names, passwords and account information such as credit cards, pretending to be a reliable agent for electronic transactions or communications.

Phishing is typically carried out by IM, email and other communications, disguised to come from popular auction sites, social networking sites, payment processors online or administrators to attract public unsuspicious.

* Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft Windows XP (update free download) and MS Windows Vista (pre-installed) comes with integrated anti-phishing software. To enable this feature, or to check if it is already enabled: Start Internet Explorer and go to Tools, then Phishing Filter, then turn on the phishing filter automatically (recommended).

* Download and install to enjoy the protection offered by the free antivirus - TrendMicro ProtectTools trend and OpenDNS.

Anti-Spyware. Types of malicious software that can be installed on PCs to gather user data bits at a time, without the knowledge of the user. Spyware is typically hidden from the user is difficult to detect and eliminate the infection, because secretly installed.

Spyware has become very common and difficult to detect that it has almost replaced the virus. But this problem was solved with some anti-spyware programs that offer protection without the cost - Windows Defender (MS Windows XP and Vista), SpywareBlaster (Built-in with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox).

All-In-One security software. If you prefer a piece of software that does it all, there are plenty of free versions to choose from - CyberDefender and Blink Personal Edition (free for one year).

Although this is the All-In-One security software works well, many engineers do not really recommend this, but the decision is yours.

Note that the protection of your computer means protection of all - their assets, investments, life and identity. And there are a variety of ways and means to do this. Search the Internet and read articles to help you make a wise decision, just make sure you do not spend much when there are options available for effective and efficient protection at minimal cost or no!

Importance Of Network Security In 2011

Planning Network Security

Need for Computer / Network Security:

Computer / Network Security includes:

The control of the physical accessibility of computer / network

Preventing accidental data

Deletion, modification, compromise

Detection and prevention

Intentional violations of internal security

Unauthorized outside intrusions (hacking)

All three sides of the triangle must exist for a network intrusion to occur:

Pattern

One reason for wanting to break your security

Say

Capacity

Opportunity

Network access

The latter is only director the chance to control events.

Principles of Network Security:

Network security objectives are sometimes identified as confidential.

Only the sender and the receiver must "see" the message integrity.

Transmitter and receiver want to ensure that the message has not been altered in transit, or afterwords. Authentication

The transmitter and receiver want to confirm the identity of accessibility on the other.

Services and resources must be available and accessible.

Understanding risk:

A key principle of security is that no system is completely secure.

Information security is the management of risk in the first place.

Important element, the more it is exposed to security threats, more resources need to be taken to safeguard it.

Understanding risk management - 2:

In general, directors of education, without reacting to a threat to security in one of three ways:

Ignoring the threat or recognize, but do nothing to prevent it from happening.

Address the threat once.

Trying to complete all the security assets to the highest level, regardless of the user or management

None of these strategies taking into account the real risks are, and each of them usually leads to failure in the long term.

What are the risks?

Eavesdropping

Capture messages

Misappropriation

A similar role of the sender or recipient.

Insertion

Messages in an active connection

Imitation

Spoofing a source address in a packet or any other field in a packet

Denial of Service (DoS).

Prevent others from accessing resources, usually by a system overload.

Risk management:

When the funds and threats have been identified in risk management can be:

Approval

Mitigation

Transfer

Avoidance

Accept a risk:

If we do nothing proactive measures, you accept full exposure to security risks and consequences of the resource.

Must accept the risk only as a last resort when no other reasonable alternatives, or when the costs are very high.

With the adoption of a risk, it is always a good idea to create an emergency plan.

A contingency plan details a series of measures will be taken after the risk occurs and decrease the effect of the compromise for the loss of the asset.


Risk mitigation:

The most common way to protect computers and networks is to mitigate security risks.

By taking proactive steps to reduce it is an active subject to threats or to reduce dependence bodies of assets, you reduce the security risk.

A simple example: installing antivirus software.

Risk transfer:

Move the safety to the other party has many advantages such as:

Economies of scale, such as insurance.

Between competence and service organization.

Example: A web hosting service.

In carrying out this type of risk transfer, the details of the agreement must be clearly stated in a contract known as a service level agreement (SLA).

Avoid the risk:

The opposite of acceptance of risk is to avoid the risk altogether.

To avoid this, you must remove the source of the threat, the threat of exposure, or dependence on a resource organization.

Generally, you should avoid the risk when there is little or no options to mitigate or transfer risk, or where the consequences of achieving the risks outweigh the benefits of business risk.

An example might be military or police dBase, which, if compromised, could put lives at risk.

Implementation of security:

Thinking about security in terms of granting the least amount of privileges necessary to complete the task.

Example: Consider the case of a network administrator inadvertently open an attachment that launches a virus.

If the administrator is connected to a domain administrator, the virus will not have administrator privileges on all computers in the domain and unlimited access to almost all the information online.

Depth to:

Imagine the security of the network a number of layers.

Each layer as you pull away to get closer to town, where the critical assets exist.

In the network, each layer of defense, as if the previous coat is out ineffective or nonexistent.

The total network security will increase greatly if you stand at all levels and increase the fault tolerance of security.

Example: to protect users launch an e-mail virus transmission, in addition to antivirus software on users' computers, you can use email client software that blocks potentially dangerous file types to be executed, block potentially dangerous attachments based on their file type, and ensures that the user is running under a limited user account.

Reduce the attack surface:

An attacker needs to know of a single vulnerability to attack your network successfully, but you have to translate everything you defend your network for vulnerabilities.

The smaller your attack surface, the better chance you have to account for all assets and their protection.

Attackers will have fewer targets, and you will have less to monitor and maintain.

Example: To reduce the attack surface of individual computers on the network, you can disable services that are not used and delete the software that are not necessary.

Addressing security objectives:

Control physical access to

Servers

Workstations networked

Networking

Cable plant

Be aware of safety considerations with the media related to wireless laptops.

In recognition of security risks.

To allow data to be printed.

Involvement of floppy disks, CDs, tapes or other removable media.

Identify network security threats:

To protect your network, consider the following:

Question: Who or what, if you're protecting?

Who: The networks from intruders and their motivations.

What: types of network attacks, and how they work.

These questions form the basis for an analysis of threats.

A comprehensive analysis of threats must be the product of the exchange of ideas between people who know business processes, industry, security, etc..

Classification of specific types of attacks:

Social engineering attacks

DoS attacks

Scanning and scam

Source routing and other protocol used

Software and operating system

Trojans, viruses and worms

It 'important to understand the threats, in order to address properly.

Design plan, comprehensive protection:

RFC2196, the Site Security Handbook.

Identify what your trying to protect.

Determine what you are trying to protect.

Determine the probability of the threats that are planned.

Implement measures to protect their assets profitably.

Review the process and continue to make improvements each time a weakness is discovered.

Steps to create a safety plan:

Its overall security plan, consists of three different aspects of the protection of your network.

Prevention: measures to keep your information from being modified, destroyed or compromised.

Detection measures are implemented to recognize when a security breach has occurred or been attempted, and possibly the cause of the violation.

Response measures are implemented to recover from a security breach to recover lost or corrupted data, or restore operations of network system, and avoid in the future.

Safety Rating:

The U.S. government provides specifications for the assessment of network security implementations in a publication often called Orange Book, formerly known as the DOD Trusted Computer System.

The evaluation criteria, or TCSEC.

The Red Book, or interpretation of the Trusted Network TCSEC (TNI) explains how the TCSEC evaluation.

criteria apply to computer networks.

Canada has rating systems security, working in a similar way.

CTPEC

Safety assessments -2:

For a contract with the government, companies often required to obtain a rating of C2.

A rating of C2 has several requirements.

That operating system is able to access the monitoring data, including the two who have agreed and when asked.

Users' access to objects to be inspected (permits).

That users are identified in the system (user name and password).

That security-related events can be monitored and permanently recorded on control (audit log).