Security

How to Secure Your Business on the Internet

July 22, 2011 By admin

Sample American Express-type credit card featu...

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When you run a business from your home office on the Internet, security should be one of your major priorities. This not helps to protect your private information, but also those of your customer.

The best place to start is by installing antivirus and online security software made specifically for a business. This is a wise investment, as this software regularly scans your computer and quarantines threats that can harm your system. The software you purchase should automatically update at regular intervals to keep current on the new threats that are on the web. It also should have options to do a full computer and a quick scan,depending on what you need.

When you set up an online store, you need to make sure that your site will protect your customers’ information. Your hosting company can give you an SSL certificate, showing that your site carries a higher level of security. This is imperative if you will be accepting credit cards, which are often a target for identity theft. There are other programs that can raise your level of protection, such as Verisign, which make it hard for others to get to personal information.

You should also check to see that your email provider has a secure connection when you are communicating with your customers. This is another area where spam, viruses and other threats can pop up often. The more secure your provider is, the better service that you can offer your customers. This will give them peace of mind when they shop with you.

Filed Under: Computer, Internet, Office, Security Tagged With: Security, Transport Layer Security, Verisign

Protecting Your Personal Information while Online

June 6, 2011 By admin

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The privacy concept many people fear being infringed with online use is a valid concept, and wise internet practices will keep your information safe.

Be Careful what you Say Online

The internet has a lot of places for someone to speak their mind, and it’s very easy to forget there are real people reading your content in addition to people who may misuse your content. Be careful giving out your location, vacation plans, dates and times of planning… People can piece together bits of information to get the full story of when your house will be left unattended or when your husband is deploying.

Protect Your Data

Use the least popular browser at the given time. Be careful what you click. If you are unsure if a link will take you to a credible website, right click the link and choose properties to see the destination address. If a window pops up sporadically saying click here to scan for viruses, close the window and manually request your software to scan for viruses. Use some sort of protection like McAfee or Norton.

Read the Fine Print

Before downloading any program, clicking I agree to the terms and conditions, or joining social networking sites, read the fine print in the contract and make sure it’s kosher to your needs and expectations. Many legal scams are legal because they spell out every nasty thing they plan to do to you in their fine print.

Just like any other highway, the Internet Highway can be dangerous to those who don’t utilize safe practices. Look both ways before crossing the street, and drive safely.

Filed Under: Internet, Security Tagged With: Fine print, McAfee, Security

The Importance of Securing Your Computer

February 23, 2011 By admin

The Internet is an extremely useful and entertaining tool in which people utilize on a daily basis by the millions. However, while in fact the Internet poses plenty of positive elements, it also poses an equal amount of negative elements. As due to the fact so many people flock to the Internet to perform any number of specific tasks, there are entities who want to tap into this large concentration of people and find some way to benefit via illegal or unethical activities. This general concept is how viruses and scams came to be so prevalent in the online world. As a result of these potential problems, it is vital that everyone utilizing the Internet secure their computers to ensure these threats do not make their way into an unsuspecting machine.

There are various ways in which these malicious entities attempt to penetrate a computers defenses to initiate an attack. Whether through email, pop-ups on a host site, or cloaked products posing as something they are really not; the threats come in many different forms. Securing a computer might sound like an overwhelming concept to those who are not as savvy with the Internet and computers in general, but it can be done in a couple fairly simplistic steps.

First and foremost, ensure you have a decent anti-virus program installed on the machine. These programs typically run in the background and periodically scan your machine for potential threats that are looming. Secondly, set your machine to automatically download and install updates for the operating system as they are released. These updates generally contain important security updates for the operating system that are pivotal in the overall well-being of your system. Protecting yourself via these two fairly simplistic activities can cut 99% of the potential threats down to size.

Filed Under: Computer, Security Tagged With: Computer Security, Security

A Couple Easy Steps to Secure Your Computer

February 16, 2011 By admin

Many people own computers and are connected to the Internet in this fast-paced, modernized world in which we all live. However, due to the overwhelmingly large amount of people whom are entering the Internet for the first time, there is still a great deal of confusion and even ignorance pertaining to how to properly implement computer security and stay safe on the Internet. As a result, while there are plenty of Internet savvy people connected to the online world, there are many occurrences in which people get hacked or attacked by a particular virus because they are not performing the basic security functions required to withstand potential threats.

The first thing that everyone who owns a computer and is connected to the Internet should do is ensure the patches of their operating system remain updated. These patches are released by the developer of the operating system as is necessary to implement fixes to various bugs and problems. However, these updates also patch up prospective security breaches that existed in the software prior to the patch. As a result, going without patching, as many people do, leaves these loopholes open to potential threats that are seeking a way in to your system.

Secondly, always have a viable anti-virus software running in the background. This software does not have to be anything special, just something that can pick up potential issues and receives updates on a regular basis. Anti-virus software generally runs in the background as you work on your computer and is there as a safety net should something try to make its way in as you are surfing, or doing other things on the Internet. Additionally, they have automated system scans that will generally run at off times throughout the night while the computer is not being used to deep check for underlying issues.

Filed Under: Computer, Internet Tagged With: antivirus, Computer Security, Security

The Ongoing Race of Security Advancements and Viruses

February 3, 2011 By admin

The amount of people who own computers and people who are connected to the internet in one way or another is growing at a seemingly exponential rate. As more people become connected to the internet, the number of people who are unfamiliar with the potential problems that can occur will also rise. This poses a problem for the public, but an opportunity for those people who program viruses and run scams via the online world. Whether through email scams, or malicious programs posing as helpful software; there are many roadblocks that can impede the positivity a successful Internet surf can bring. As a result of this epidemic, there are new types of viruses popping up all the time, and developers of anti-virus software and computer security professionals are always having to seek the fastest and most efficient response when something new does pop up.

Many people are unaware of the constant struggle being conducted behind the scenes. The unfortunate fact lies in that there are many bright minds behind the development of computer viruses, and as such, there are always new ways that they discover to find loopholes through the most recent anti-virus measure implemented by the public. This in turn puts pressure on anti-virus software developers to find these loopholes and patch them accordingly before too many people get taken advantage of. When a patch is implemented and the prospective problem is fixed, many more loopholes pop up that in turn need their own patch.

As long as there are people who write viruses and conduct cyber-attacks on private and public entities, there will be a vast demand for security professionals who can implement the latest advancements in security technology to neutralize the constant stream of threats. These professionals will continue to track down the latest methods being employed by the authors of common viruses and take the appropriate measures to send updates to the millions of people who use their software and consult their expert services.

Filed Under: Computer, Security Tagged With: antivirus, Security, Virus