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Your computer and iptables

27 August 2010 By Saran

If you are using Linux and you have been wondering what you can use to make your system secure via a firewall, you could try out tools with graphical user interface and all those other stuff. In any case, there’s also another method: using iptables.

What are iptables?

iptables are used by system administrators in creating rules for packet filtering, as well as NAT modules. It might seem a little too weird for those who have not much experience on the command line but this is essential so that people would be able to make sure that they are secure, especially if they are connected. Sometimes you never know what’s going on in the background, right? But with tools like this, you’d manage.

There are different states of connection and the nice thing about iptables is that it monitors the state of the connection. It could do redirects and modify or stop data packets. Because of its ability to detect the state of the connection, it is considered as better compared to ipchains.

Making rules

The system administrator makes the rules for the iptables. These rules determine how to deal with network packets. They are grouped into chains.

a. filter table – For filtering packets, obviously.
b. nat table – This sets up how rewriting ports and packets.
c. mangle table – Does it sound terrible? Mangle? But as the name implies, there is some mangling involved because it adjusts packet options.

The thing about these chains, these rules is that the packets that go through these chains would be evaluated according to the rules.

As one of the people I know have told me, you must make sure that you check out the settings of your computer first. Before you even think about downloading anything, make sure you are not vulnerable to some attacks that could happen. Make sure that the important ports are closed and that you’re in stealth. Stay tuned for more IT security tips and news to help you in your everyday life.

Filed Under: IT Security Basics, Network Security Tagged With: computers, IT Security Basics, Network Security, networking, security

Sharing your computer and keeping your files intact

18 June 2010 By Saran

computer sharing

Living at home means that you have to share your computer with other people. In some companies, people also share workstations in case that they have different work shifts. In any case, it is important for you to make sure that your files are safe. Especially those that you use for work and those that contain confidential information.

Here are some tips for you:

  • Make sure you are using a password that is not easy to guess.
    If people know you well enough, they could probably figure out what password you will use. People tend to use passwords based on words, names and dates that important to them. Examples are pets‘ names and anniversaries. If you do this, chances are those who know you will be able to log in your computer using your account. Try changing your passwords every so often and make sure that they will be easy for you to remember but difficult to guess. Think of some cipher for it.
  • Set permissions on your files and directories.
    You could set that your files and directories will only be accessible to you. Do a chmod on them. Then again, whoever has root access will be able to get through. Maybe it would be easy for you to do this if you are the one with root access.
  • Protect your files with passwords.
    Although not everyone agrees with this, some people do this for their own sake. They feel better to have password protected files. A drawback, of course, is that if it has a difficult password to remember, you might as well have deleted your files.
  • Log out of your account or profile.
    If you have set your file permissions that you are the only one who can view, edit and execute the files, it will be pointless if you don’t log out. When you are the one who is still logged on, you leave your entire session open for intrusion.

Hopefully these tips have helped you deal with some of your dilemmas with regards to sharing your computer with other users.

Filed Under: General, IT Security Basics, Privacy & Anonymity, Real-World Issues, Tips Tagged With: computers, General, IT Security Basics, omputers, people, Privacy-&-Anonymity, Real-World Issues, security, Tips

How To Purchase the Right PC Protection Software

13 February 2007 By Saran

Among the conflicts that a person would encounter today is that of determining which among the vast array of software packages such as Mcafee, Norton and Symantec, to use. Each of this anti-virus software has their own line of specialty with regards to the high-risk infections and intrusions that can be harmful to any workstation of server.

Antivirus Software

With the rampant influx of different kinds of viruses and Trojans that have spread all over the world today, the proper anti-virus to safeguard computers has been an issue. For one, the lack of detection policies that each software has been customized does not readily cater to a general approach. If there is one setback for such is the fact of the lack of coverage with regards to the general protection that each person would be comfortable with today.

If there is something that is lacking today, this is the fact that developers have limited themselves towards simply catering towards specific categories of intrusions rather than overall software that can address such security issues of most companies today.

[tags]anti-virus software, firewall, computers, networks, wan, lan[/tags]

Filed Under: IT Security Basics, Network Security, Operating Systems, Security Policies, Spyware, Wireless Security Tagged With: anti-virus-software, computers, firewall, lan, networks, wan

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