IT Security Blog

Complacency – the IY industry’s Worst Enemy

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complacency.jpgThis has been proven true by incidents broadcast around the world in minutes or hours after they have happened. Many have suffered the consequences of such incidents in the UK, US and mostly each and every place on earth where people have had their information taken and used for no good before there was even a sign that there was a problem.

Big business has been reminded again and again that complacency is it’s worst enemy and they have failed again and again at the area. Why? Well first, total protection is almost always imperfect and somebody out there with enough intent and resources can break-in however expensive the protection methods may be. Next is that the best systems for protection is always the ones that cost too much yet they still remain vulnerable and hackable. Contrary to most ad’s you see in print, the internet or your Television there is no one true solution to protection, for if the hardware and software measures succeed in protecting you, the human behind the computer/s are always the biggest risk. That is why even the most expensive solutions are used in conjunction with other solutions to provide the best of both worlds combining physical and software solutions hoping that combination will be enough protection from the continuous influx of attacks from the web and elsewhere. Encryption is nice but it takes a lot of computing power to implement making it too expensive for implementation on all levels of the company. All of these high-tech solutions and hardware would be nothing if the people using the various computer systems in the said organization fail to use them so the weakest link in every system is still the human. Strict adherence and compliance is the key with systems that process information somewhat autonomously already in use doing the searching and classification of information without the user’s input. This uses the latest in Artificial Intelligence with minimal intervention or input from the users.

Biometrics + Physical security = Next best thing to unbreakable?

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Biometrics is seen as the next step in computer systems security and access control due to the failure of more primitive and fundamental security systems. Fingerprint scanners, passwords, security keys and even smartcards have failed miserably in providing the ultimate and most secure intrusion prevention method for just about anything. From your home, car, computer terminal at work to just about anything else that needs security, it has be come more and more of a must due to the increasing threat of identity theft and other computer related crimes in and out of the workplace.

Biometrics are security systems that are based on the differences the human body manifests in terms of eye structure, facial features and now vein geometry. We’ve all heard of DNA or the so-called blueprint for life and the way it makes each and every human different from everyone else on this earth (well, except for some genetic disorders and diseases that changes the DNA makeup). That is what biometrics takes advantage of as a source of a very unique key or method of identifying one from another person.

Your fingerprint is mapped when it is initially scanned into a computer system which convert’s your analog (actual) print into a digital map that is as unique as you are an individual. Iris scanners take into account the differences the iris has from each and every individual (through the use of a low powered light and scanner to obtain a picture of the eye’s iris which is also unique). Voice recognition takes into account, the differences our voices have from everybody else also converting it into a digital map or password of sorts. Vein geometry, uses a thermal imaging camera to take a picture of your hand or whole body which is sensitive to heat showing all the blood vessels which show as hotspots thus giving you a unique id of sorts as that is also mapped and converted into digital form. All of the above biometrics systems rely on our individual differences which are quite unique to us and add onto it, other more basic security measures such as a physical key (password, key or other devices) to give the ultimate security system preventing intrusion.

How to Handle a Virus

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One of the common problems that PC owners have these days is finding out that they have a virus residing in their PC. Don’t be comforted by the fact that you have an anti-virus software running. Viruses will always find a way. Also, if you do have one, are you sure it is licensed?

Apparently, most people fail to realize the value of a good anti-virus software when it comes enabled with all the features included. Some are fine with the trial version as long as they are protected. At least that is what they think. But the real value of a good anti-virus software comes out when you get the full version that comes with the actual cleaning tool when you get one officially.

For most trial versions, you may be surprised to note that once they are able to detect a certain virus, you can only discover them but not clean them. If you do try to clean them, it will tell you to get the full version at a certain price of course.

There are some software that clean certain viruses but these are mostly low in threat. But the graver ones are the issues you have to content with. If you really want a fully protected PC, chances are you better consider an investment that can really protect you from such virus issues, most of which can really hurt you as far as computer files and documents are concerned.

The Price for Downloading Cracked Software

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Whether you are downloading a trialware or files from Bittorrent, the chances of cracking or using the full version has severely dwindled in the past months. For one, other than possibly downloading infected software with Trojans and malware, unlocking these supposed protection software has taken a bad hit by the advanced efforts of private software companies to crack down on piracy.

Take for example Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 which has cracked the whip on licenses by blocking them once you start updating the software. While you can install and crack them, they are rendered useless in the end since once you hit that update option, your key is automatically blocked. Worst, malware and Trojans start coming in (a scenario which I don’t understand if it was made on purpose by the vendor in sending malware) infecting the systems folder where Windows is installed.

Before you know it, dozens of files in the form of dll’s start showing and mind you, they are dangerous. So if that was the case, it makes you think if you were better off not using an anti-virus software at all.

But such is the price to pay for trying to pull a fast one. Everyone loves free things and free software is surely to be an eye-catcher. But if the return is tons of viruses and malicious programs that can wreck your computer, you better think twice before downloading them again.

Backups: Be Ready for Anything

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Backing up your files is a routine practice that most people fail to appreciate at times. Well for one, it takes an instance where sudden system malfunctions or intrusions to learn the value of having properly backed up files for people to appreciate its routine. Normally, thanks to the strict and professional efforts that assigned information technology personnel, common users rarely have to worry about losing their work and saved files since these people in the front end, already make sure that any untoward intrusions or risks can even enter their computer network and workstations.

Regardless though, all computer users are encouraged to make sure that they maintain separate data backup files for security reasons. Experiencing such issues where your computer suddenly goes on the blink is a serious issue that may even lead you to cram and worry since in most cases, losing important files such as reports and documents can hamper you and your role in the standard operations of carrying out work.

So while it does seem like such an effort points to nonsense. But while that may seem the case for now, it is by no means a reason for anyone to take it easy and take backups for granted. It is a routine task and while many don’t do it regularly, such people should not leave such a task entirely to the responsibility of the IT people.

Besides, knowing how confidential some files are, being assisted once or twice is enough. But over that is already a sign of laziness and for sure is a clear sign that these people have no intentions of adding that task to their list of duties and responsibilities.

Cyber Wars: A Lost Cause

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We know for a fact that the battle towards malicious software and viruses released on the web has caused a lot of pain as far as pinpointing and remedying them but apparently nothing has been done to really resolve them. We buy licensed software but we have to ask ourselves on the extent of their coverage. Are they up to date and can they really save us from all these uncertainties of getting online?

Microsoft has been a prime target, being one of the widely used operating systems we know of today. But while Bill Gates and company are doing their part in being able to address the various intrusions and headaches that they can do with a simple click, you just don’t know who to trust these days. Even the software companies have the ability to manipulate and do some foul work and they are occurring right under our very noses.

Security researchers concede that their efforts are largely an exercise in a game of whack-a-mole because botnets that distribute malware like worms, the programs that can move from computer to computer, are still relatively invisible to commercial antivirus software.

So with all these things set on the table, is the cyber world safe for anyone? We can fend off threats but the question is are we resolving the situation or merely providing a temporary solution to the problem? Sad to say, it is the latter. We are content with detecting them but it is really the cleaning and protection part that needs improvement.