How Application Security Works-You Need It

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You might have come across a lot of app securities out there but you might not have known what they are all about. To make sense of an application type of security, understand that it makes the most of procedural methods, hardware and software to ensure applications have been protected from all kinds of external threats.

Top Tips for Selecting Antivirus for PC Security

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The importance of your Internet Security: 

The internet has re-invented the whole way in which we interact with each other; the world has shrunk into a global village thanks to the internet and now people sitting in distant countries can share stuff with each other simultaneously. But with all this access, there also comes the potential for abuse.

The internet makes you incredibly vulnerable to external threats and exposes you to the risk of losing your personal information like credit card and banking data. Hackers can gain excess to your most intimate personal information by tricking you to click on certain links that take you to fake websites or initiate the download of dangerous viruses, thus the purpose of antivirus software at its most basic; implies the following three steps:

Mobile Security Challenges For Enterprise Companies

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The latest wave in the tide of internet revolution has been the amazing spread of mobile devices and the gradual closing of the gap between the personal computer and mobile telecommunications. Thanks to the global proliferation of smartphones and their associated networks, mobile devices are now ubiquitous in developed countries and elsewhere as personal information resources. We are now witnessing the inevitable movement of mobile devices from personal uses to work and business applications as mobile information technology gradually supplants the old wired model and the division between voice communication and the internet. With this change comes an inevitable rise in the security risks that businesses must face.

What Are The Top 5 DDoS Protection Techniques?

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Experts in the cyber world agree on one thing and that is the alarming simplicity and massive dangers of distributed denial of service attacks. These attacks, also known as DDoS attacks, come in many forms and have taken down websites of large organizations including banks. This is extremely dangerous not just for the organization that is under attack but also the different users and clients that access the websites or online services of such an organization. Therefore it is imperative to take adequate steps to protect a websiteto withstand and deflect such DDoS attacks. There is a vast range as far as techniques of DDoS protection go but here is a list of the best of these techniques. 

1. Going with geographical blocking. This may seem like a rather big and extreme step to take but has had its benefits for quite a few websites. Essentially, geo-blocking works when a network identifies a particular region or country that is sending most of the “bad” or dangerous traffic to their site. This network or website will then take steps to block off the entire region or country. This eliminates all traffic that originates from these countries and therefore needs a lot of thought before being implemented.


2. Using SYN Proxy - whenusing a SYN attack mode, DDoS attacks use multiple computers to transmit SYN packets by replicating otherwise genuine IP addresses. The receiving server adds these packets to a central data structure of its own but since these are false packets or false commands, the network is unable to respond to these data packets and therefore cascades into failure. By making use of SYN proxy protection, a network can deploy a kind of gateway appliance that resides in front of the actual server. This mechanism waits until the false IP address responds with the right kind of acknowledgement and only then forwards connection requests to the actual server.


3. Investing in robust IT infrastructure - one of the ways in which DDoS can be mitigated is to invest in extremely superior IT infrastructure. If an organization has enough bandwidth that can help it sustain and deflect DDoS attacks then it can survive rather easily. Basically this means that an organization has more muscle power by way of processing power and network bandwidth that will prove mightier than any level of DDoS attacks.


4. Limiting connections - one of the ways in which DDoS attacks work is by causing a server to crash because they can overloaded it with requests for connections. One of the ways in which such an attack can be countered is by limiting the requests for new connections and giving the server time to digest and process pending requests before moving on to new ones.


5. Dynamic filtering - considering the fact that the landscape of DDoS attacks is constantly changing and attackers are evolving to newer and more lethal methods, DDOS prevention services should also go through this kind of dynamic growth. Dynamic filter helps in deflecting such bad traffic by creating a short span filtering rule. This rule can be eliminated once a specific time duration has lapsed.

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James is a writer and blogger with 5 years experience.

Online Security - Who Do You Trust?

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Internet security is a branch of computer security specifically related to the Internet, often involving browser security but also network security on a more general level as it applies to other applications or operating systems on a whole. Its objective is to establish rules and measures to use against attacks over the Internet. The Internet represents an insecure channel for exchanging information leading to a high risk of intrusion or fraud, such as phishing. Different methods have been used to protect the transfer of data, including encryption.

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Why You Need Virtualization

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An organization’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing path of technology is one thing that helps it become successful. This is true because most companies operate under the wing if technology, and many organization’s objectives are to provide some kind of technological service or product.

Because of this basic need across the world, virtualization has grown to a point where it is being adapted, in some form or another, by many if not most digital organizations. The main benefits of virtualization can be summed up into two main areas:

• Efficiency
• IT flexibility

The reason virtualization allows for greater flexibility is because of what it is, a tool that reduces the number of servers needed to fulfill computing tasks. This, as you can imagine, can save a company a lot of direct and indirect financial resources. Some companies operate under hundreds of servers and virtualization technology has allowed them to reduce that number significantly.

The reason virtualization allows for greater IT flexibility is because of its ability to free up resources that would otherwise be spent managing such operations. It also allows an organization to take the first step towards to relying on another form of virtualization, i.e. cloud computing.

There are many virtualization partners that have emerged in recent years and there are plenty of resources online to aid in a company’s adaptation into such technologies. Really, if your company is not virtualized in some way at this point, you’re behind the times.

There are many who would contend the security of virtualized tools, but for the most part it is as normal as any other software security issue. Cloud computing, on the other hand, is heavily debatable on whether or not it is a secure solution. Overall, virtualization security has developed enough to the point where most people can trust it. There are some really big players in the virtual security field, which accounts for much of the trust people have in such programs.

There really are many benefits to using virtualization technology today. It’s like when you had to convince your grandma that using a cell phone is so much more convenient than a land-line, once she learned how to use it. There are countless examples like that where adapting to the growth and changes in technology can really help a company out, if they will just give it a try. There’s always going to be that learning curve, but that’s never too difficult to get through.

To learn more about virtualization, including topics like virtualization security, please visit www.virtualizationpractice.com.

Ways on How to Make your Computer Secure while Online.

Securing your computer while online seriously isn’t as difficult as it looks provided that you educate yourself to the dangers that is in existence or ever presence on the internet. Also make use of your good common sense like do not go to site that is known to have been a source of malware and the likes. In this post I shall be focusing on eight ways that you can do to make your computer secure while online can be compromised and some common sense approaches you can use to avoid this from taking place.

Many individuals get freaked out when you mention the expression “computer internet security”. They immediately leap to the assumption that it can only be done by somebody well-versed in computer expertise or you need to pay out big money on computer Internet security software. This is not true because even ordinary people can make their computer secure while online. This fear is completely unfounded and in fact there are numerous simple, common sense things that anyone, with even a tiny grasp of computers, can do to help preserve their computer security from dangers pose by using the internet.

1. Make use of well designed passwords. I have a post about this; never use your own name, birthday, street address or other personal information as a password. Anyone who knows you or has access even to general details about you can easily figure these out. There are even tools used by expert computer hackers that will crack dictionary-generated passwords. The best password frequently consists of no less than eight characters, a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols all randomly selected. Although these kinds of passwords are difficult for you to remember, they’re offer much tougher lock for the hacker to crack as well. A way for you to remember these special passwords is to create an acronym utilizing each of the numbers, letters and symbols used. In addition there are software programs available that will randomly create passwords for you. The key thing is you have to discover one way to remember them whether doing it manually yourself or having a program do it automatically.

Image via Wikipedia

2. Change your password regularly or at least maintain a routine of keeping your password new. It all depends on you for how long, it makes be one month or longer before you change or alter your password. Regrettably this straightforward step is what gets many computer users into trouble. They utilize the same password year after year and sooner or later someone is going to gain access to it, either unintentionally or on purpose. Especially if an individual has needed to provide the password to other people to allow access to their computer for a specific program or account.

3. Be a Wise E-mail User. E-mailing continues to become one of the most utilized strategies by people implicated in Internet crimes to gain accessibility to a computer through spyware and other types of malware, or just for spreading computer viruses through the internet community. On no occasion for you to open e-mail attachments or click on links within e-mails from mysterious senders as they could either install unsafe programs onto your computer or send you to inappropriate internet sites. Never deliberately provide information to e-mails from somebody you don’t recognize, actually it is safer not to even to respond or forward them. Just tap the delete button. Be very wise and careful about these things from an email where the sender in not known to you.

4. Install an effective, trustworthy computer security software program on your computer and make sure that you keep it current by downloading any updates for the data security files. Always look to find out that the software application has this updating feature. Besides the security software, also make sure that your computer firewall, that is part of the operating system on your computer, is turned on. I also have a post in about firewall for ad deeper understanding. This stops unauthorized access to your computer from outsiders.

Image via Wikipedia

5. Another programs that can be used to deliver harmful package is the Instant Messenger. It is a cool way of getting instant chat, but files received via Instant Messenger may by-pass your computer security scanning feature, so it’s best never to open any files received this way. Some of my friends who use IM for chatting has been a victim of virus attack delivered thru the instant messenger system. By clicking on a file to open it, activates the virus that can infect you computer.

6. Watch out for pop-ups. Many online companies use what are called “pop-ups” which are small windows containing advertisements that come into view when you are visiting a webpage. Frequently hackers will position links on these pop-ups that if clicked will begin the process of infecting your computer with a malicious program of some sort, be it spyware, adware, or some type of virus. To be safe, never click on any links that occur in these advertising windows. Nearly all computer operating systems now contain settings to block these types of annoying advertisements.

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7. Downloading “Free” Stuff. The FREE STUFF is one of the most enticing things on the internet. This should be a “no brainer” however lots of people still do this- downloading files, programs, applications and online tools from unknown web sites. There’s an incredible collection of great FREE products available online as shareware and test offers, nevertheless it is up to you to ensure the place you are getting the products from is a reputable source. When in doubt, often a quick search making use of a search engine such as Google, it can reveal if the website is being reported as being a rip-off site or not based on the experiences of others. If you are still apprehensive, then it’s best not to download from the internet site in question and search for another source.

8. Carry out a regular house-cleaning of your computer. Remove any programs, tools or applications that you simply no longer make use of as these not only will decelerate your computer, but in some cases may provide a gateway for malware to enter your computer system from an outside source. Also perform a regular virus scan to make sure that nothing is left out.

Having a poorly protected computer is just a catastrophe waiting to happen. Not only do you run the risk of having private and confidential information stolen and used to steal your money or even your identity, but it as well supplies a weapon for the hacker to make use of to gain access to other people’s computers also if they gain control of your e-mail address book.

By following the common sense tips above will definitely enhance your ability to protect your computer, yourself, and your loved ones from being victims of cyber-crimes. Still at the end of the day, you’ll need to think about the acquisition of an effective computer security software program as mentioned, if you do not have this already, to get the amount of protection necessary to prevent the more serious internet risks.

How to Have the Best Computer Passwords

In today age of inter connectivity where almost everything can be stored and access via the internet, one important aspect of storing our things behind lock and keys is the PASSWORD. Yup the old fashion lock and key has a digital equivalent called the PASSWORD. The PASSWORD is one of the most important aspect of security for keeping safe our files. We often used them in our computer so we lock the computer itself or put a password on the account that we used to log-in into our computer.

No sane person would ever like somebody else reading her email, or logging into their computer and swiping their allegedly secure search engine optimization information. Or for what it's worth some other person using her password and breaking into a monetary institution. You should, choose a powerful, secure password in such a manner that will be a hard nut to crack for others and easy for you to recollect. The more random and mixed-up you make it, the harder it is for others to break. Mind you, if your password is compromised, the password crackers will even take over your identity.

The password that we use to access all our account can be the same or every bit different from each account. If we use different password in all of our account then we need to write down or use a password manager. A password, if too short, is vulnerable to attack if an attacker gets hold of the cryptographic hash of the password. Present-day PCs are fast enough to try all alphabetic passwords shorter than 7 characters. We will be able to call a password puny if it is short or is a default, or which can sometimes be rapidly guessed by searching a subset of all possible passwords such as words in the compendium, correct names, words based totally on the user name or common variations on these themes.

On the other hand, a robust password would be sufficiently long, random, or which can be produced only by the user who chose it, so that ‘guessing ‘ for it will require too long a time.

For maximum security, the user should follow some simple guidelines:

1) Passwords should preferably be at least 8 characters long and not more than 14.

2) Passwords should contain a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters (%&3ac_ht4m7).

3) Passwords shouldn't contain a compendium word from any compendium, be it French, Spanish, medical, etc.

4) Each password should be different from the user’s User-ID and any permutation of that User-ID.

5) New passwords and old passwords should differ by at least 3 characters.

6) Avoid picking names or nicknames of folk, pets, or places, or personal info that may be simply found out,eg your birthday, address etc.

7) It’s sensible to stay away from common keyboard sequences,eg dfgh678 or abc345.

8) Never form a password by appending a digit to a word. That can be simply guessed.

9) Avoid writing your password down or storing it on your PC.

10) Never share your password with any other person.

Making sure that our password is safe and is hard to guess is just one of the many ways of keeping our digital information safe. We must also be very careful in using our computer in public places  or using public computers, because we never know what who or what kind of application is watching us input those very sacred alpha numeric combination. We must always be vigilant in everything that we do whenever we are logging in into our account wherever we may be.

ANTIVIRUS SYSTEM PRO “SPYWARE ALERT”?

The following popup:

“Spyware Alert! Vulnerabilities found. Your computer is infected by spyware – 34 serious threats have been found while scanning your files and registry. It is strongly recommended that you disinfect your computer and activate Real time secure protection against future instructions.”

The above may seem like a genuine spyware alert by a legitimate antivirus program, but it is actually a misleading advertisement displayed by the rogue anti-spyware Antivirus System Pro. This is done in order to trick users into thinking that their computer is infected, so that hopefully they would purchase the “full version” of this scare ware program. 

Can an antivirus be a virus? 

Yes and it is actually virus disguised as an antivirus software that opens a backdoor and downloads other virus into user’s computer system. The best thing to be made is download a legitimate antivirus that will fully take all viruses out of the computer. A legitimate antivirus never ruins the user’s computer. In no way will this legitimate antivirus ruin the user’s computer browser and no pop-ups usage. 

Symptoms of PC that has been infected by Antivirus System Pro

Slow PC Performance. Most Adware is not optimized and coded very poorly which causes the computer system to become unstable, slow and unreliable. This kind of adware is constantly running in the computer background.

Numerous undesirable and annoying pop-ups. A typical adware parasite keeps track of your internet browsing habits, sending your browsing history data to remote servers. This adware is owned by third party companies that use this information to advertise their products via numerous pop-ups, toolbars, hijacked homepages and spam letters. All these undesirable advertising methods are used for the victims of this Antivirus System Pro.

Slow internet connection. Antivirus System Pro is constantly using the user’s internet to send the user’s private information to remote server as well as receive ads ad pop-ups from the third party servers. This adware causes much slower internet connection speed and stability. 

Is Antivirus System Pro a SCAM?

Definitely it is a scam. Antivirus System Pro is a successor of some famous malware like System Guard 2009 and Spyware Protect 2009. It is installed through backdoor Trojans and rogue websites. Therefore users must not trust this application that might suggest the users to acquire this program. If Antivirus System Pro sneaks into the computer automatically it slows down the computer system, performs loads of systems scans and tries to scare the user with numerous false security warnings.  It is highly suggested that users must buy a licensed version of antivirus that will eliminate these “threats” and to avoid this scheme. 

Image by chrisdigo via Flickr

Beware that this Antivirus System Pro does not work as a security program. But instead, it’s a malicious software which is not able to provide any kind of fog system protection of the computer. The best thing to be done is remove the Antivirus System Pro as soon as it is detected. 

Another tip! Antivirus System Pro is an identical twin of recent Antivir System Pro malware.

Written by Frederic Lewmann a freelance writer who covers antivirus topics, pc tools antivirus social medias, android apps, registry cleaner review and other reviews.

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Computer Tech Tips on Basic Zone Alarm Configurations

Firewall protects system from inward virus attacks and unwanted outward information sharing. Windows operating system generally comes with pre-installed windows firewall. But you should have one independent firewall to secure your data, identity and other sensitive information.

Zone alarm is a freeware firewall, which has a fully-loaded a paid version too. Till date over 60 million freeware copies have been downloaded till date. Use it to understand its effectiveness.

After installation, you could see the “Z” icon on the right bottom corner of your PC screen, near by the clock. Click it to open firewall window.

It allows 3 tiers of protection under 3 tabs – computer, internet and identity & data. Select each tab to configure each feature.

1. Computer

Under this tier, you could see 4 different security options – Basic firewall, anti-virus & anti-spyware, application control and PC tune-up. However, free version allows only 2 - Basic firewall and application. Other 2 are available once you opt for the paid version.

Basic firewall – This helps to set security level of the firewall. You can set it off, medium or high along a sliding scale. You need to set security high under public zone, i.e., internet. But you can opt for medium security when connected to private network or close end LAN, i.e., trusted zone.

Application control – Infected application compromises information within your system. You can control such applications with this feature. Set it to automatic. You can screen select applications from working too.

Image via Wikipedia

2. Internet

Zone alarm freeware provides you anti-phishing cover under Internet security. Paid version gives you 3 more crucial covers – Browser virtualization, anti-spam and parental control.

Phishing is a malpractice rampant in worldwide web to steal user identity and passwords. Anti-phishing feature counters this risk. Switch this feature on and opt for automatic update under general settings. There is an advanced setting of course but it won’t be wise to tweak it if you don’t have details on browser and OS. History shows you the record of countered risk.

Image via Wikipedia

3. Identity & data

To secure your identity and data Zone alarm allows you identity protection and online backup. With paid version you also get DataLock hard drive encryption.

To use identity protection feature you have to register yourself - this won’t cost you – on Zone alarm website. Freeware firewall provides you 2 GB of space to backup your data. Once you are register on the official Zone alarm site, you have to sync your system with the server for backup process to start.

 

Things to remember

1. You have to update firewall regularly, at least once a week. Check top right hand of your Zone alarm window for update button. You will get another button – Tools.

2. Tools allow you game mode, preference and scheduled tasks. Firewall restricts data flow required in online gaming. Under game mode you can temporarily lower the security. Don’t forget to turn off the mode once you finished gaming.

3. Scheduled tasks allow you to set intervals for different types of system scans like, anti-virus quick scan, normal scan and deep scan.

4. You can tweak different backup settings and passwords in preferences.

Worldwide web is gold mine and minefield at the same time. You have to step carefully to keep sensitive information away from dirty hands. So better don’t wait till you are knee-deep in trouble. We know – prevention is better than cure.

About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of gadgets. These days she is researching about 3d phone. These days she is busy in witting an article on Bushnell Binoculars.