In every office, you have to have some policies when it comes to sharing of files and downloading of files. Why? For one thing, those computers are the company’s resources. And it should be that during work hours, people ought to limit their downloads except for materials that are necessary for their work to get done.
How do you formulate your policies when it comes to these matters?
If you are working in a creative environment, anything could be used as your inspiration. That is why there are companies who allow surfing within office hours and it does not really matter what sites you visit. Although some of them do block some sites that are mainly of the personal nature like Friendster, My Space and other similar sites. There are also some that ban blogging services like Blogger. They would even issue memos regarding the matter.
If you work in a strictly confidential project, it would be difficult to try to make sure that nothing leaks out. If you are connected via the Internet, chances are your works could be intercepted in one way or another by hackers. So you have to be careful that you have firewall activated. As others would say, just block off everything except interoffice email.
Employees must be briefed carefully so that they will not be surprised in case they were surfing the ‘net one time and they find out that there are blocked sites. Also, you have to make sure you observe how the employees work. Those in the financial business would have to guard a lot of information. They would have to ensure that the employees understand the policies and that they would follow them in order to ensure that everything will be secure. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. You would not want to lose your valuable clients.
Tags: internet, office, Real-World Issues, security, Security Policies, work
Categories: Real-World Issues, Security Policies
In general, teaching people is a difficult task. You have to carefully plan on how to address them and be relevant. Each person would have different needs. Whether you plan to teach your staff and employees, or your family and friends, you have to brace yourself.
Some of the factors that would affect how you would teach them about IT security are as follows:
- the person’s experience with computers
Has the person used a computer before? What has the person done so far? Install an operating system? Used some particular applications like word processing software or a web browser like Internet Explorer?
- the person’s experience with going online
Each of us would have had different experiences when it comes to our online presence and habits like downloading, checking email and the like. When it comes to downloading materials be it online textbooks or anything else, it would be good to take a profile of the sites the person uses as resources.
- enthusiasm
Whether you believe it or not, enthusiasm could affect the reception of the person to ideas and all that. Talking about security is not exactly the same as talking about your favorite car or favorite pet. Unless you think you could gush about firewalls and all those details, that is. Then again, it depends on the person’s experience, as said before.
No matter how easy or difficult it could be, no matter what background the person has, this is an important thing to learn. You are the one who can do it. May you teach them well.
Tags: Real-World Issues, Security Policies
Categories: Real-World Issues, Security Policies
If you happen to be a small or medium scale company that cannot afford multiple data stores and infinite numbers of mirrored hard drives, that becomes a problem. An encrypted hard disk in a laptop that gets banged up damaging the hard disk may still have some of the information intact enough for recovery but damage some of the vital keys and software and you are left hanging by a thread or down in the gutters. Data recovery is possible but only through expensive methods with the hard disks being opened up, the platters extracted and installed into another similar hard disk for data extraction. Only the military and federal government would have enough cash to burn in terms of data recovery at that level for the price is computed in the amount of megabytes recovered and on a per hard disk basis, and imagine a 1 terabyte drive at say $50/MB then you’d be scratching your head by now, and that’s just for a single drive.
The risks of identity theft and information leakage is real but the technology is still quite prone to failure even with today’s quad-core which is why we didn’t discuss the performance issue in the discussion. Today’s multi-core processors are capable of handling complex tasks such as real time encryption and decryption as if there was nothing happening on the background. The performance issue has been addressed by more powerful microprocessors but the reliability of the hard disks which stores the information and even the CD’s are still quite weak. Till there is more definite proof that all parts of the computer has reached such a reliable level that failure is a less of a factor more people would still retain their own proprietary security measures (birthday passwords, flash thumb drives that always get lost and physically carrying their discs with them).
Tags: encryption, Security Policies
Categories: Backups, Cryptography, General, IT Security Basics, Malware, Network Security, Operating Systems, Physical Security, Real-World Issues, Storage, Wireless Security
In the news, the British Prime Minister Brown has expressed concern regarding the recent security breach that left about half of the British population’s addresses and banking information out in the open, well somewhere out there. The said information was lost while in-transit through the British Post system contained within two computer data disks. This headline dated November 21’st of this year highlights the need for greater security with regards to the handling and safekeeping of vital personal information.
The event happened when a Junior official of the British Government’s Finance Department downloaded the information off a government website for use on another agency. It was then sent through courier service to that agency which was not named but when the disks didn’t arrive after a few days alarm bells started to ring and the police was brought into the investigation to help with the case. The problem was so great that the British Prime Minister apologized to the British public when speaking in Parliament much to the disgust of the MP’s and the public in general.
This event sparks new urgency in the way we handle and treat information even those categorized as personal. The information that was lost had information that was needed for the processing of millions of child and senior benefits support processing which is expected to result in outrage and disgust among many of the affected individuals.
Government’s from around the world spend millions of dollars in safeguarding information of all sorts and questions do arise from such cases such as why a junior officer had access and was even allowed to copy the said information out of a government server down to computer disks.
Tags: banking-information, information-security, lost-information, personal-data, Security Policies
Categories: General, Network Security, News, Physical Security, Privacy & Anonymity, Real-World Issues
Experiencing connection problems and slow transfer of data may occur at any given time for most networks. While most would immediately identify the network cards, computers, cabling or network configuration at first, the presence of unknown processes of the operating system or possible intrusions such as DOS or Ping attacks can also be considered as possible factors for the deteriorating speed issues for network administrators.
Such instances are only normal, especially for wide area networks, or networks exposed to the Internet. The mischief caused by such people can be expected, especially for people who love to try their talent in hacking and network intrusions. The prize of which is that of creating discomfort and headaches for companies that thrive on networks for business and profit.
While there are network monitors available, it would be best to get the best firewall software there is today. Some do not value the firewalls and their use until such issues arise, but just like the war on terrorism, it would be best to take on security measures before they occur to avoid bigger problems once their mischief succeeds.
Tags: IT Security Basics, Network Security, Operating Systems, Physical Security, Programming, Real-World Issues, Security Policies, Wireless Security
Categories: IT Security Basics, Network Security, Operating Systems, Physical Security, Programming, Real-World Issues, Security Policies, Wireless Security
Most software tools that are used today are not perfect. Weaknesses and loopholes that may encounter system operation conflicts and problems will only be natural, especially for programs that are either not immediately compatible or are prone to breakdowns every now and then. The need for a continuous development as far as applying patches and updates towards such software, such as programming languages and operating systems like Windows and Linux, is a necessity.
This is only normal considering that chinks in the armor of anything will always be revealed at times when people least expect it. This is a continuing and ongoing trend that all software developers and administrators need to attend to, considering that as the height of demand for accurate programs are increasing, the same holds true for the need to provide features and flexibility on the programming aspect of installed systems for smooth flow of automations in most business organizations and entrepreneurial undertakings.
[tags]programmer, patch updates, systems, operating system, windows, linux [/tags]
Tags: IT Security Basics, linux, Operating Systems, operating-system, patch-updates, programmer, Programming, Security Policies, Storage, systems, Tips, windows
Categories: IT Security Basics, Operating Systems, Programming, Security Policies, Storage, Tips
More and more companies have geared towards technology as far as using it to aid their daily operations and storing transactions for records of individual transactions. Most users are given certain privileges and rights for access towards the main server that holds the programs altogether. User policies and access are defined and declared, so that each can have specific access and user restrictions to avoid any discrepancies and problems that may occur. Such would only be natural for technology relying companies, since developed and installed programs would usually be prone to modifications and debugging along the way.
It is the duty of the appointed administrator in close relation with department heads to determine the level of access to provide to the users who will be using the system. Levels are meant to define with regards to finding up to which level access will be granted to most users who will be inputting and referring data into the system. Besides, access levels and security policies are a good way to safeguard information and avoid eventual sabotage for the entire systems in unlikely situations both internally and externally.
Tags: Network Security, Operating Systems, Programming, Security Policies, Tips
Categories: Network Security, Operating Systems, Programming, Security Policies, Tips
Anyone would often be advised to regularly change his password in any access points such as e-mails, log on servers and websites. Reason for this is to increase the need for security as far as gaining access and safeguarding files and pertinent information that is usually stored.
With the large number of hackers that have been cropping up one by one, various means to steal passwords,also known as phishing, or hack accounts have been their main course of action. While some would disregard such acts, the real pain begins once important messages, attachments and relevant information are tampered. True that some would not need to change passwords regularly, but just to be on the safe side, it is best to maintain a regular schedule of updating password security and make it a combination of numbers and letters to establish a more secure and harder way of being cracked or accessed by anyone today.
[tags]password theft, passwords, hacking, cracks, codes, security[/tags]
Tags: codes, cracks, Cryptography, hacking, IT Security Basics, Network Security, password-theft, passwords, Programming, Real-World Issues, security, Security Policies
Categories: Cryptography, IT Security Basics, Network Security, Programming, Real-World Issues, Security Policies
Electronic mail has become the buzz of the town in recent years and while some use e-mail as a means of cheaper and faster ways of sending messages and files over the Internet, it cannot be discounted that some use e-mail as a form of exploit as well, by send unrecognized files to various recipients who in the same way may not know the harmful effects that such files would bring to their personal workstations.
While there are various means of supplying computer protection such as firewalls and anti-virus protection for single and networked computers, some harmful file just tends to get past them. That is why there are specific softwares used for specific infections, particularly the Trojan developed files that do their work unnoticed.
So the next time you get mail from someone who has an attachment with questionable file name extensions, better think twice before clicking or opening it. It may cause more pain than enjoyment in most cases.
[tags]spyware,malware,trojans,security[/tags]
Tags: IT Security Basics, Malware, security, Security Policies, Spyware, Tips, trojans
Categories: IT Security Basics, Malware, Security Policies, Spyware, Tips
With the vast number of viruses and spyware that most people contract in their everyday
exposure to the web, the need for consistent and reliable anti-virus protection software is the foremost concern of most people. To date, the awareness for such deceiving acts done over the
Internet without the user even noticing it is rampant. Such viruses have caused discomfort and havoc in more cases than one and it has been the battle cry of most security software developers to adhere and answer such miscues that usually occur everyday.
[tags]malware, spyware, virus, security, anti-virus[/tags]
Network and workstation security has always been the subject of most people, especially the vulnerability that most computer stations are prone to. Updates and patches are usually the way to update reliable anti-virus software partners, but in most cases, there will always be a loophole to which hackers and advanced technology harassers would be able to come up with. Hence the needs to find a reliable software partner that can truly protect a workstation from such harmful intrusions evolve and change in time. It is just a matter of being up to date with regards to their reliability and efficiency in providing a safe surfing and exposure level once they are logged on to the World Wide Web.
Tags: anti-virus, IT Security Basics, Malware, Network Security, Programming, Real-World Issues, security, Security Policies, Spyware, virus
Categories: IT Security Basics, Malware, Network Security, Programming, Real-World Issues, Security Policies, Spyware
