Internet Security Information

Firewall Protection - Does Your Firewall Do This?


The first thing people think about when defending their computers and networks is an up-to-date antivirus program. Without this most basic protection, your computer will get a virus, which could just slow it down or potentially bring the pc to a complete standstill! So anti-virus software is the answer? An anti-virus solution on it?s own is not the answer to all of your problems, it can only protect you so much; in fact test have shown that a new pc running Windows XP if left connected to the Internet unprotected will be infected with viruses and remotely controlled via unauthorised persons within 20 minutes! To protect you against hackers and often to prevent spyware and ?scumware? from communicating directly with their servers about information it may have picked up from your pc, a firewall should form the key part of your e-security solution. Previously, the targets of hackers were large institutions, banks and government organisations; now hackers try to steal your personal information, including bank details and passwords directly from your PC on a daily basis. But perhaps you don?t consider that your data is particularly valuable? You will be the one who suffers the consequences when it is destroyed, and these consequences are usually expressed in economic terms. If you lose your data, you will have to pay someone to try and recover it for you, and if your computer is illegally hijacked and used to attack others, then you will also have to handle any legal issues that may result from this. What will a firewall do to limit the danger to your systems? A decent firewall is sometimes referred to as a ?choke-point? or ?bridge?. Every piece of data that comes into your network has to go through the firewall in order that data of undesirable content and unauthorised users cannot gain access to your computer or network. A good firewall will also hide the fact from others, that you are actually connected to the Internet, stopping software that pings, sniffs and queries IP addresses in the hope of finding a system to attack. A firewall will cloak me, but which one do I need? There are two different types of firewall available for you to use; a software firewall that is loaded onto your computer and a hardware firewall. In truth, both types are software, but the hardware one is a dedicated firewall appliance, whose only job is to perform firewall functionality. A clear advantage of a hardware firewall, is that if you happen to install some sort of maleware or virus on your system, it cannot take over your firewall. Unified Threat Management firewall functionality Unified Threat Management products are defined as those that act as firewalls, include intrusion detection and protection, and also deal with viruses. Does your current firewall perform content filtering, spam filtering, intrusion detection and anti-virus duties? All of these functions are usually on a number of different pieces of hardware, taking up valuable space in your server racks. The technology within business grade firewalls has become considerably more robust recently, and paved the way to add these additional, but vital functions to the one appliance. The administration time has been cut significantly, as there is only one appliance; product selection is quicker and easier, as is product integration and ongoing support. With only one appliance, troubleshooting also becomes a lot less of an issue. If the firewall were to fail, then only one piece of hardware needs to be swapped out; which means that your business can be back up and running faster. Winding up In conclusion a good firewall should do the following things: Protect your personal data Protect your computers resources Protect your reputation and that of your business Protect your liability Ideally be capable of Unified Threat Management

Phishing ? Its Signs and Your Options


Phishing is the act of some individual sending an email to a user in an attempt to scam the user to release personal information. Is it easy to determine if it?s a scam? Sometimes ? but not always. I hope to give you enough examples and information to help you to safeguard yourself from these unsavory individuals.

If You Steal It, They May Come!


Business on the internet is getting down right shameless. This week, my email box was literally filled with hype, overly inflated promises, phish mail, scams, ezines I did not order, and about 14 viagra gimmicks. This makes you wonder what your going to get if you click in the wrong place. What?s worse is you may get the same thing several times from different people.

The 5 Critical Steps to Protecting Your Computer on the Internet


Spyware, viruses and worms... oh my!

Why Malicious Programs Spread So Quickly?


It seems that nowadays cybercriminals prefer cash to fun. That is why malicious programs of various kinds (viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc.) are very often aimed at stealing valuable -- in a direct sense of this word -- private and financial information. When written, these programs are spread all over the Web.

Lottery Scam, What It is and how to Avoid It?


Internet scams and frauds are on the rise! The quantity of scam emails with various fraud schemes any email account receives today is simply overwhelming! There is this infamous Nigerian 419 scam, which is by far the most widely circulated one. I wrote about it in one of our ezine articles not long ago. You can read about it here! And there are many other scams like Lottery, Letter of Credit, money transfer, black money conversion, real estate, fraudulent order and the list goes on and on.

How to Get Rid of New Sobig.F Virus?


As you know, this time the virus under the name Sobig.F has wreaked quite havoc! No doubt, many of us have suffered from this recent virus outbreak.

Dont Allow Hackers to Take Out Money from Your Bank Account


If you know what is the 'Fishing' then it's very easy to understand the definition of 'Phishing'. Just replace letter 'F' from the word Fishing with 'Ph'. Yes I am not joking. I mean it! Phishing is higher level of spam. Phishing is nothing but fishing in the sea of Internet. The victimized Net users are the fishes hooked by the hackers.

Adware and Spyware: The Problems and Their Solutions


The Threat

Virus and Adware - Fix them Both!


We all get the odd virus now and then, but sometimes that one virus could cause so many problems. In this article I shall be going though just some of the problems that these virus software programs can do, and how to fix them.

The Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore


The internet is undoubtedly a fantastic resource for families and offers a rich vein of educational content.

Everything You Need To Know About Spyware and Malware


You are at your computer, checking out software on EBay. The computer is really sluggish, and you are not running anything else. You click on a link, and BLAM you are redirected to a search page you?ve never heard of and the ?back? button won?t work.

A New Low


A new variation of the Nigerian Scam theme The scam artists are employing the Nigerian Scam to fleece unwary sellers who advertise pets for sale.

Internet Identity Theft - How You Can Shield Yourself


With the advent of the World Wide Web, a whole new breed of criminals have surfaced, posing threats to more than just our material assets, but also to our very identities. Although there are a number of effective methods for protecting yourself from internet identity theft, not everyone takes the necessary steps to initiate such a plan. By tightening up your own personal security measures, you?ll be far safer when you go online, and much less likely to become just another victim in the world of cyber-theft.

Is Your Music Player Spying On You?


In today's times spyware is a very serious issue and all computer users should be aware of the possible damage it can cause. It is estimated by well known industry insiders that nearly 90% of all computers are infected with some kind of spyware. This no surprise as spyware programs can be highly contagious and spread from computer to computer via emails and network exchanges rapidly.

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