Surf Anonymously - The Key to Internet Safety
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brad_M_Smith]Brad M Smith
Threats to internet users' security are ever on the rise, thereby sparking many discussions about the issue. These threats can be anything from hackers, spammers, phishing scams, viruses, and even pedophiles who are hidden in the shadows of the cyber world. However, one thing they have in common is they can't wait to jump at their next victim and advance their malicious intents. This is the reason why Internet safety is important.
To be able to look into the need for guarding your Internet privacy and security, it's important to know what risks you are avoiding. These days, there are four main online agendas you'll always want to steer clear of.
Hacking, which is defined as the unauthorized access of one person to another person's computer, is a fundamental issue in Internet security. This is, in fact, a very serious issue these days, especially for banks and other institutions that keep massive amounts of confidential data in their network databases. To address this threat, a network security system must be implemented to secure sensitive files. Most common scenarios of hacking include banking password thefts or, in worst cases, identity thefts. Once the hacker has the information he needs, he will naturally be able to make transactions as though he were this person. For example, he would be able to withdraw cash from his victim's bank account because now he has stolen all the information he needs.
Another threat to Internet security is phishing which is still a form of data theft, except that emails are used to propagate the malicious cause. For example, a phisher sends his victim an email saying the latter's bank account has been tampered with and needs to be fixed only if he revealed his bank account number, password or any other sensitive information. Spamming, on the other hand, might be harmless but it still becomes a bother as it floods an email with unsolicited, unwanted emails, telemarketing calls and even snail mails.
Pornography is yet another online safety concern. There is simply too much illegal sexual content on the Internet as well as human predators who are always on the look out for their next victims. Many cases have involved pedophiles who usually trap children during chat and bully them into meeting up. And then the abuse starts. Internet pornography is also something to watch out for especially for people who upload sensitive photographs and videos over the Internet as these could easily land in pornographic sites.
On a national scale, cyber terrorism happens. This refers to online attacks against government sites by tracking their IP address. With cyber terrorism, highly sensitive government files are put at risk as hackers try to expose them and put national and international security on the line. Internet extortions are also possible among other criminal activities possible in the world wide web.
These are threats that anyone may encounter at anytime, that's why important to actively work on keeping them at bay. Educating children goes a long way in protecting them from online abuse.
Or simply hide your IP with an [http://www.ipsharkk.com]IP changing software so you can [http://www.squidoo.com/changeipaddressforanonymoussurfing]surf anonymously and escape the eye of hackers who wont' find a link to you because they'll never know your real IP address.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_M_Smith http://EzineArticles.com/?Surf-Anonymously---The-Key-to-Internet-Safety&id=2527790
Thursday, July 2, 2009
What is a Firewall?
What is a Firewall?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel]Sturat Mitchel
A Firewall is a computer system or network designed to block unauthorized access by permitting the authorized communications. Firewall is a device or a system configured to deny, encrypt, decrypt all computer traffic among varying security domains based on a set of rules. Firewalls can be implemented either on the hardware or software or on combination of both. Firewalls usually stop the non-permitted internet users from getting the access to the private networks, mainly intranets. All the traffic passes through the firewall and it examines each message and blocks the one's that do not meet the specified security norms.
Firewalls make use of several techniques to block unauthorized accesses like Packet filters, Application gateways, Circuit level gateways and Proxy servers. Packet filters keep a look at each packet of data entering and leaving the network and thus accepts and rejects as per the user defined rules. It's quite effective and transparent but difficult to configure.
Other technique is the Application gateways. It is quite effective as it applies security norms to the applications like FTP and Telnet but subsequently leads to performance degradations. The Circuit level gateway also applies security norms like application gateways whenever a UDP or TCP link is established. Data packets thus move between the hosts without further inspection. In this way proxy server intercepts the messages entering and leaving the network and thus successfully hides the real network addresses.
A Firewall regulates the flow of traffic between computer networks of varying trust levels, basically among the non trustable zone Internet and the trusted zone, an internal network. But there lies a zone between the trusted and mistrusted zones referred to as the perimeter network or Demilitarized zone.
For effective results and protection, firewall needs to be properly configured. A firewall pretends to work within explicitly allowed rule sets. Thus, effective firewall configuration requires the detailed understanding of the network applications along with the checkpoints essential for the organizations every day operations.
Visit us to get more information on topics like [http://www.technoxx.com/setup-linksys-router.html]How to Setup Linksys Router? and [http://www.technoxx.com/wireless-router.html]What is a Wireless Router?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-a-Firewall?&id=2518371
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel]Sturat Mitchel
A Firewall is a computer system or network designed to block unauthorized access by permitting the authorized communications. Firewall is a device or a system configured to deny, encrypt, decrypt all computer traffic among varying security domains based on a set of rules. Firewalls can be implemented either on the hardware or software or on combination of both. Firewalls usually stop the non-permitted internet users from getting the access to the private networks, mainly intranets. All the traffic passes through the firewall and it examines each message and blocks the one's that do not meet the specified security norms.
Firewalls make use of several techniques to block unauthorized accesses like Packet filters, Application gateways, Circuit level gateways and Proxy servers. Packet filters keep a look at each packet of data entering and leaving the network and thus accepts and rejects as per the user defined rules. It's quite effective and transparent but difficult to configure.
Other technique is the Application gateways. It is quite effective as it applies security norms to the applications like FTP and Telnet but subsequently leads to performance degradations. The Circuit level gateway also applies security norms like application gateways whenever a UDP or TCP link is established. Data packets thus move between the hosts without further inspection. In this way proxy server intercepts the messages entering and leaving the network and thus successfully hides the real network addresses.
A Firewall regulates the flow of traffic between computer networks of varying trust levels, basically among the non trustable zone Internet and the trusted zone, an internal network. But there lies a zone between the trusted and mistrusted zones referred to as the perimeter network or Demilitarized zone.
For effective results and protection, firewall needs to be properly configured. A firewall pretends to work within explicitly allowed rule sets. Thus, effective firewall configuration requires the detailed understanding of the network applications along with the checkpoints essential for the organizations every day operations.
Visit us to get more information on topics like [http://www.technoxx.com/setup-linksys-router.html]How to Setup Linksys Router? and [http://www.technoxx.com/wireless-router.html]What is a Wireless Router?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-a-Firewall?&id=2518371
How to Make a Good Online Password
How to Make a Good Online Password
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Francisco_Perez]Francisco Perez
Making a good online password is today one of the most important aspects that we need to be aware of, specially if we have a strong presence on the Internet, or online if you prefer. Like anyone using the online world today, we have most likely a lot of accounts that need passwords. Bank accounts, social networks, new startups we might consider checking out, email accounts, blogs, forums, access to our company's server, you name it.
Though we should maintain unique passwords for important services (like company servers, bank accounts and some important email accounts), it still is a pain to determine what password we should create and worst of all, having to remember passwords for every service we are using online. In most cases, it is possible that you find yourself reusing the same passwords, over and over again. Needless to say that, such practice is obviously not recommended. Regardless of how strong your password can be, once it is compromised, it is one big invitation for a hacker to gain access on other services you use.
How are passwords created?
Basically there are two ways that passwords are generated. You either create it yourself (e.g. signing up for a Google Account), and the other computer generated (normally temporary passwords). One other important aspect is that in almost all cases, a username is also required to log in a specific service. Such usernames are created just the same way as passwords are. As a side note, don't forget to immediately change any computer generated password you have obtained.
What is a strong password?
A password is considered to be strong when it is very complicated (even for automated calculations) to discover. A set of random characters, that are between 8 - 10 characters long will be a good start. The longer the better. If you can add in some symbols, like @?&%, even better. Last, but not least, strong passwords are those that are stored in our head. We do not have them written down anywhere at all. No PDA, no protected excel sheet, no piece of paper, mobile phone, nowhere.
What is a weak password?
Your own name, a member of a family's name, your pet, birthday, favorite color, your car's brand, your license plate, your telephone number, your social security number, etc. are normally considered to be poor choices when creating your password. You may even combine all this and make it more difficult for a hacker, like writing them backwards, etc., and still be considered weak. These are still options to consider, but quite frankly, they are weak and it still does not solve the matter of having too many passwords to remember.
That said, what if I told you, that I use a strong password that is unique and different at the same time. Sounds impossible? Well, read on.
As I mentioned earlier, complicated enough is to have different passwords with different user names. After a lengthy exercise and an awful lot of research on the subject, I finally came up with a simple yet powerful way to make this password madness a little easier. It's a simple way to only have to remember one password, but at the same time, being different for every service.
How to Make the Password?
First step. Rather than thinking of a word for your password, remember a phrase instead. For example: "Why Do I Need A Password?". Then take the first letter of each word, which is this case will be: WDINAP? (Note that I left the question mark on purpose). This method makes your password look very random, and since it has a symbol at the end, makes it even stronger.
How to make this unique and different? First step is already unique in itself. Now the second part will make it different and yet easy to remember. Say you need a password for your bank (ex. Bank Of America). Just take the first letters of the name - BOA and add it to your phrased password. In our example, it will look like this: BOAWDINAP? Another example. Say you have an account with Facebook. The letters can be FB. Adding this to your phrased password will look like this: FBWDINAP?
Too easy? OK, you are not convinced that it is strong enough. Add a symbol between them. I will use the "+" sign for this purpose. The master phrased password will then be: +WDINAP? and for Facebook, like this: FB+WDINAP?
That's it. It can be done and it is easy to remember. Most important, is that it is unique and a very strong password. No need to write this down anywhere. Want another example? My password is so strong I can not remember it = Mpissicnri.
Time to change those passwords.
Francisco Perez (aka DiTesco) an Internet Business Entrepreneur, provides Information and resources on [http://www.iblogzone.com]Making Money Online, Internet Marketing, Twitter Tips and Tools, Social Media, Internet Technology and more.
Founder of iBlogZone and TwittNotes, we invite you to read or download a free 160 page [http://marketing.iblogzone.com/2009/05/internet-business-promoter-free-sem.html]Search Engine Marketing eBook, which helps you to rank better on the SERPs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francisco_Perez http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-a-Good-Online-Password&id=2524803
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Francisco_Perez]Francisco Perez
Making a good online password is today one of the most important aspects that we need to be aware of, specially if we have a strong presence on the Internet, or online if you prefer. Like anyone using the online world today, we have most likely a lot of accounts that need passwords. Bank accounts, social networks, new startups we might consider checking out, email accounts, blogs, forums, access to our company's server, you name it.
Though we should maintain unique passwords for important services (like company servers, bank accounts and some important email accounts), it still is a pain to determine what password we should create and worst of all, having to remember passwords for every service we are using online. In most cases, it is possible that you find yourself reusing the same passwords, over and over again. Needless to say that, such practice is obviously not recommended. Regardless of how strong your password can be, once it is compromised, it is one big invitation for a hacker to gain access on other services you use.
How are passwords created?
Basically there are two ways that passwords are generated. You either create it yourself (e.g. signing up for a Google Account), and the other computer generated (normally temporary passwords). One other important aspect is that in almost all cases, a username is also required to log in a specific service. Such usernames are created just the same way as passwords are. As a side note, don't forget to immediately change any computer generated password you have obtained.
What is a strong password?
A password is considered to be strong when it is very complicated (even for automated calculations) to discover. A set of random characters, that are between 8 - 10 characters long will be a good start. The longer the better. If you can add in some symbols, like @?&%, even better. Last, but not least, strong passwords are those that are stored in our head. We do not have them written down anywhere at all. No PDA, no protected excel sheet, no piece of paper, mobile phone, nowhere.
What is a weak password?
Your own name, a member of a family's name, your pet, birthday, favorite color, your car's brand, your license plate, your telephone number, your social security number, etc. are normally considered to be poor choices when creating your password. You may even combine all this and make it more difficult for a hacker, like writing them backwards, etc., and still be considered weak. These are still options to consider, but quite frankly, they are weak and it still does not solve the matter of having too many passwords to remember.
That said, what if I told you, that I use a strong password that is unique and different at the same time. Sounds impossible? Well, read on.
As I mentioned earlier, complicated enough is to have different passwords with different user names. After a lengthy exercise and an awful lot of research on the subject, I finally came up with a simple yet powerful way to make this password madness a little easier. It's a simple way to only have to remember one password, but at the same time, being different for every service.
How to Make the Password?
First step. Rather than thinking of a word for your password, remember a phrase instead. For example: "Why Do I Need A Password?". Then take the first letter of each word, which is this case will be: WDINAP? (Note that I left the question mark on purpose). This method makes your password look very random, and since it has a symbol at the end, makes it even stronger.
How to make this unique and different? First step is already unique in itself. Now the second part will make it different and yet easy to remember. Say you need a password for your bank (ex. Bank Of America). Just take the first letters of the name - BOA and add it to your phrased password. In our example, it will look like this: BOAWDINAP? Another example. Say you have an account with Facebook. The letters can be FB. Adding this to your phrased password will look like this: FBWDINAP?
Too easy? OK, you are not convinced that it is strong enough. Add a symbol between them. I will use the "+" sign for this purpose. The master phrased password will then be: +WDINAP? and for Facebook, like this: FB+WDINAP?
That's it. It can be done and it is easy to remember. Most important, is that it is unique and a very strong password. No need to write this down anywhere. Want another example? My password is so strong I can not remember it = Mpissicnri.
Time to change those passwords.
Francisco Perez (aka DiTesco) an Internet Business Entrepreneur, provides Information and resources on [http://www.iblogzone.com]Making Money Online, Internet Marketing, Twitter Tips and Tools, Social Media, Internet Technology and more.
Founder of iBlogZone and TwittNotes, we invite you to read or download a free 160 page [http://marketing.iblogzone.com/2009/05/internet-business-promoter-free-sem.html]Search Engine Marketing eBook, which helps you to rank better on the SERPs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francisco_Perez http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-a-Good-Online-Password&id=2524803
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