Experts are warning of 'explosive growth' in cyber-fraud, theft, spam and viruses. Hackers and spammers have "raised their onslaught" with two global email-borne virus attacks launched in December and January. The attacks were so large that they drove up the level of viruses up by a factor of 20 compared with usual activity, according to data from security specialists Postini.
The January attack became known as the "Storm worm" because the original email subject line was '230 dead as storm batters Europe'. At the time of the email, there was a heavy storm occurring in Europe, so in some ways it looked perfectly plausible.
The email that contained the virus frequently mutated to show dozens of different sensational but believable headlines designed to tempt the reader into clicking on an attachment and infecting their computer. Other subjects included 'Russian missile shot down USA aircraft' and 'Saddam Hussein alive!'. The infectious email had a file attachment containing a Trojan known as 'Downloader-BAI' or 'AUTH-W32/Downloader'.
If a user clicked on the attachment, their computer was infected with the virus which then attempted to send personal information back to the hackers who created the virus. The virus also provided a back-door for hackers to take control of the computer and add it to a botnet to be used in future spam and virus attacks. The Storm worm followed on the heels of another email-borne virus, the Happy New Year worm, which attacked email users in late December. This worm contained a subject line and an attachment exploiting the expectations of legitimate postcards and greetings from friends and families.
Infected attachments contained numerous strains of malicious code (including Tibs, Nuwar, Banwarum, and Glowa) as well as two root-kits designed to hide the presence of the malicious code from antivirus scans.
These two attacks were by far the largest to occur in the past 12 months, and all users must protect themselves by having up to date antivirus software. Additionally as Valentine's Day approaches, email users should continue to maintain their guard, as there are already new mutations of the Storm worm with love-related subject lines........so don't be fooled.
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Experts claim Vista security not fit for purpose
No doubt there will be (and already are) many views about Vista, and some may be a low key sales ploy others more genuine. The following comments may well be a bit of both but are worth highlighting: obviously if the flaws are as bad as claimed, users are still going to have to use third party solutions to protect their PCs.
Webroot said that it has evidence of potentially ineffective blocking capabilities in Windows Defender, and weak antivirus capabilities in the default anti-spyware and antivirus components of Vista and Windows Live OneCare.
Gerhard Eschelbeck, senior vice president of engineering at Webroot, said " We want to make sure that users understand Vista's limitations, and warn them that Microsoft's default malware blocking application and antivirus programs may not fully protect them."
The company claims that Windows Defender failed to block 84 per cent of a testing sample-set that included 15 of the most common variations of existing spyware and malware. In evaluating its ability to block spyware and malware before it has infected a user's machine, Webroot's Threat Research Team found that Windows Defender's performance was not in keeping with many third-party security applications.
Adware, potentially unwanted programs, system monitors, key-loggers and Trojans were able to reside on the testing environment undetected by Windows Vista. One item of malware was able to install under administrator privileges, and run and capture keystrokes without any adaptation from its Windows XP operating environment. Windows Defender did not detect the installation or the running application, Eschelbeck said.
Microsoft currently issues spyware definition updates for Windows Defender every seven to 10 days. But Webroot said that its Threat Research Team identifies 3,000 new traces of spyware and other unwanted applications in a single month on average, and issues spyware definition updates on an hourly or daily basis as needed.
In addition, Webroot complained that antivirus protection is not free for Windows Vista users. They must purchase the Microsoft Live OneCare suite for antivirus protection. "We understand that Microsoft's main goal is to provide a new operating system that generally improves users' computing environments, and we genuinely feel that Windows Vista accomplishes this," said Eschelbeck.
"However, as a company that serves on the frontline in the battle against spyware and cyber-crime, we feel strongly that, in order to provide the best protection for internet users, security must be their top and only priority. "We hope that, by providing information on possible security weaknesses in Windows Vista, users will be able to make informed decisions about their computing security needs."
Friday, 26 January 2007
Net "backbone" has security patch
Cisco, which makes hardware for much of the backbone of the internet, has released three patches for security holes in its products. It has issued the fixes to internet service providers who are expected to roll out repairs in the next few days.
But there is concern that malicious hackers could exploit the flaws in the routers before the problems are fixed. At least one of the holes could lead to e-mail and internet access issues, according to security experts.
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with F-Secure, said: "There's not much consumers can do themselves; these patches affect only the internet infrastructure itself, the routers which companies are using to pass on net traffic. Some sites and services might be down."
However, Cisco has said it is not aware of "any current exploitation of these vulnerabilities". In a statement the company said: "Cisco is aware of multiple vulnerabilities that may impact Cisco IOS and IOS XR devices and has published three separate security advisories about them. In all cases, Cisco has made free software available to address the vulnerabilities for affected customers."
One of the holes could see a malicious hacker take control of a Cisco router and install software of their choosing. "Any flaws in Cisco routers that are in widespread use is very concerning as these are the basic building blocks of the internet," said Mr Hypponen. But he said the types of attacks would be limited because there was little financial motive. "If you look at the different attack scenarios and who would use those vulnerabilities, it's not that obvious who would exploit these holes - you can attack certain operators or companies and crash their public services such as e-mail and web sites.
"I guess we will be seeing attacks from hobbyist hackers." Mr Hypponen said he did not expect the problem to go on for long. "Critical companies will patch their routers very quickly." Mr Hypponen said that the news of the holes and the resulting patch had actually made the net safer, not more vulnerable. "Although it looks like bad news it is good news too. There will always be new vulnerabilities. The internet will never be 100% safe."
But there is concern that malicious hackers could exploit the flaws in the routers before the problems are fixed. At least one of the holes could lead to e-mail and internet access issues, according to security experts.
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with F-Secure, said: "There's not much consumers can do themselves; these patches affect only the internet infrastructure itself, the routers which companies are using to pass on net traffic. Some sites and services might be down."
However, Cisco has said it is not aware of "any current exploitation of these vulnerabilities". In a statement the company said: "Cisco is aware of multiple vulnerabilities that may impact Cisco IOS and IOS XR devices and has published three separate security advisories about them. In all cases, Cisco has made free software available to address the vulnerabilities for affected customers."
One of the holes could see a malicious hacker take control of a Cisco router and install software of their choosing. "Any flaws in Cisco routers that are in widespread use is very concerning as these are the basic building blocks of the internet," said Mr Hypponen. But he said the types of attacks would be limited because there was little financial motive. "If you look at the different attack scenarios and who would use those vulnerabilities, it's not that obvious who would exploit these holes - you can attack certain operators or companies and crash their public services such as e-mail and web sites.
"I guess we will be seeing attacks from hobbyist hackers." Mr Hypponen said he did not expect the problem to go on for long. "Critical companies will patch their routers very quickly." Mr Hypponen said that the news of the holes and the resulting patch had actually made the net safer, not more vulnerable. "Although it looks like bad news it is good news too. There will always be new vulnerabilities. The internet will never be 100% safe."
Monday, 22 January 2007
Internet Explorer 7
Late last year Microsoft released the next version of its web browser, Internet Explorer 7. The new version promises to make your journey through the online world easier and more secure. But as some of you who have made the upgrade will be aware, it looks a little different and may have you asking a few "how to" questions.
Microsoft offers information and training on their website, Internet Explorer 7 at a glance. One obvious change is the multiple tabs for viewing, this allows you to easily flip between searches all within in the same window.
To find out which version of Internet Explorer you have installed on your computer, simply click "About Internet Explorer" on the "Help" menu when you have a browser window open. The product and version information is displayed in the dialog box that appears. To upgrade your version of Internet Explorer, click here.
There are also some great add-ons for the new version of Internet Explorer, such as parental controls and online protection tools such as RoboForm, which allows you to securely store all of your passwords in 1 location eliminating the need to memorize hundreds of logins and passwords.
Microsoft offers information and training on their website, Internet Explorer 7 at a glance. One obvious change is the multiple tabs for viewing, this allows you to easily flip between searches all within in the same window.
To find out which version of Internet Explorer you have installed on your computer, simply click "About Internet Explorer" on the "Help" menu when you have a browser window open. The product and version information is displayed in the dialog box that appears. To upgrade your version of Internet Explorer, click here.
There are also some great add-ons for the new version of Internet Explorer, such as parental controls and online protection tools such as RoboForm, which allows you to securely store all of your passwords in 1 location eliminating the need to memorize hundreds of logins and passwords.
Friday, 19 January 2007
Schools urged not to install Windows Vista
The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) has recommended that schools hold off upgrading to Windows Vista and Office 2007, citing no important benefits and a lot of extra costs.
Becta's interim report on Vista and Office 2007 said that upgrading to Vista would cost a primary school around £4,000 and a secondary school up to £25,000, but that there is nothing in the two applications that is a "must have".
If the entire school system was to upgrade to Vista it would cost over £160m, excluding the hardware upgrade costs needed to run the operating system's Aero interface.
"The enhancements in Vista add value but do not justify its early deployment in the educational environment," the report stated. "Early deployment is considered high risk and strongly recommended against."
The report suggests that Microsoft should sponsor a few small pilot schemes to try Vista and Office 2007, but that otherwise schools should wait until Becta's final report in 2008.
The agency found that many of Vista's key selling points, such as Media Centre and Bitlocker, are of little value in an educational context. Others, like Internet Explorer 7 and Media Player are already available and free.
Upgrading would also trigger a massive upgrade cycle owing to the demands of the Aero interface. A maximum of six per cent of the computers in schools could run with Aero switched on, according to Becta, and 55 per cent still could not use Vista even with Aero switched off.
Upgrade costs for Office 2007 are the same as for Vista, and the report stated that the 176 new features in the suite are largely aimed at business and that none is a "must have" for an educational establishment.
In addition many students have been trained on older Office software and the 2007 suite's user interface is completely different and has no option to revert to the 'classic' view. This would cause problems if students have to switch between older and newer machines.
Becta's interim report on Vista and Office 2007 said that upgrading to Vista would cost a primary school around £4,000 and a secondary school up to £25,000, but that there is nothing in the two applications that is a "must have".
If the entire school system was to upgrade to Vista it would cost over £160m, excluding the hardware upgrade costs needed to run the operating system's Aero interface.
"The enhancements in Vista add value but do not justify its early deployment in the educational environment," the report stated. "Early deployment is considered high risk and strongly recommended against."
The report suggests that Microsoft should sponsor a few small pilot schemes to try Vista and Office 2007, but that otherwise schools should wait until Becta's final report in 2008.
The agency found that many of Vista's key selling points, such as Media Centre and Bitlocker, are of little value in an educational context. Others, like Internet Explorer 7 and Media Player are already available and free.
Upgrading would also trigger a massive upgrade cycle owing to the demands of the Aero interface. A maximum of six per cent of the computers in schools could run with Aero switched on, according to Becta, and 55 per cent still could not use Vista even with Aero switched off.
Upgrade costs for Office 2007 are the same as for Vista, and the report stated that the 176 new features in the suite are largely aimed at business and that none is a "must have" for an educational establishment.
In addition many students have been trained on older Office software and the 2007 suite's user interface is completely different and has no option to revert to the 'classic' view. This would cause problems if students have to switch between older and newer machines.
Thursday, 18 January 2007
Control your inbox
We all receive many emails each day and sometime if you are away for even a day, the catch up feeling can be overwelming. Apparently the average person receives about 30 legitimate e-mails a day at work, five to 10 e-mails at home and 10 spam messages a day, according to Ferris Research (so I wonder who is getting hardly any to compensate for the volume I get!!)
To make your life easier, take advantage of the various e-mail management features within Outlook 2003. The following tips show you how you can use Outlook to help organise and sort your e-mail. If you don't have Outlook, no worries. Many of these functions can be adapted to any e-mail client:
Get rid of junk
Outlook 2003 includes a junk e-mail filter that identifies and filters spam. You can also add an annoying sender that slips through to the block sender list by clicking on Actions > Junk E-mail > Add Sender to Blocked Senders List. Conversely, if the programme blocks an e-mail that isn't junk, add that sender to the safe list by clicking Actions > Junk E-mail > Add Recipient to the Safe Recipients List. Note though, that the spammers often use unique addresses each time so adding to the blacklist may well not work............
Create personal folders
You'll want to save some (but think how many you really want to keep.....) of the e-mails you receive. Consider creating personal folders to store and organise them. Name the folders for easy reference. To create a personal folder:
1. Go to File > Folder > New Folder. This brings up a Create a New Folder dialogue box.
2. Name the folder, choose what it will contain (mail) and select where to place the folder.
Filter to personal folders
You can also filter or send mail directly to personal folders. By creating a rule, for example, all of your corporate mail will go into the "business" folder. To create a filter rule:
1. Highlight the message you want to base the rule on.
2. Under Tools > Rules and Alerts (this brings up a Rules and Alerts dialogue box), click New Rule and select the conditions and actions you want to apply. For example, Move message from someone to a folder. Edit the rule description (meaning choose the person you want the rule to apply to and the folder).
3. Click on Apply > OK.
An alternative to filtering is to create a profile or user account for each person in Outlook. To add a new profile:
1. Go to Tools > E-mail accounts >Add new e-mail account > Next.
2. A wizard appears. Choose your type of server, such as Pop3.
3. An E-mail Accounts box will appear. Enter user information, log on info, server info > OK.
To switch between profiles, click Start > Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > Prompt for a profile to be used > Apply. When you launch Outlook 2003, a dialogue box will appear, asking you to select the profile you want. Select one to log in.
Flag messages
To help remind you that further action is required regarding a particular e-mail, flag or mark it. Highlight the message > right-click > select Follow Up > Choose a coloured flag. The message is then copied to the For Follow Up folder and organised by colour. It's handy to use the different colours to indicate importance. For example, red may signify an urgent message.
Set up group contacts
In the address book, you can organise and view contacts in a category, such as leads and personal contacts. To create a group contact or distribution list:
1. File > New > Distribution List.
2. Name the group and select the members from your contact list > Save and Close.
The distribution list will appear as a contact. This means you can send an e-mail to the whole group with just one click — a great time-saver.
Delete e-mail
Should you delete your e-mail once you read it? Managing your e-mail when you first read it will help you reduce e-mail clutter - it is best to read, respond, tag for follow-up or delete e-mail. In short, don't keep e-mail for the sake of keeping it.
Archive messages
At some point, you'll have too many messages in your personal folders, so you'll want to archive - as well as archiving to the normal archive file you can archive messages in a personal folder to a CD:
1. Minimise the e-mail screen.
2. Right-click the personal folder and drag it over to your desktop. Release the mouse button and select Move Here.
3. Open the CD-burning software and burn the personal folder. All the messages in the folder will be copied to CD.
4. Delete the personal folder from your desktop.
5. Create a new personal folder in your e-mail.
Now you have a clean inbox.
To make your life easier, take advantage of the various e-mail management features within Outlook 2003. The following tips show you how you can use Outlook to help organise and sort your e-mail. If you don't have Outlook, no worries. Many of these functions can be adapted to any e-mail client:
Get rid of junk
Outlook 2003 includes a junk e-mail filter that identifies and filters spam. You can also add an annoying sender that slips through to the block sender list by clicking on Actions > Junk E-mail > Add Sender to Blocked Senders List. Conversely, if the programme blocks an e-mail that isn't junk, add that sender to the safe list by clicking Actions > Junk E-mail > Add Recipient to the Safe Recipients List. Note though, that the spammers often use unique addresses each time so adding to the blacklist may well not work............
Create personal folders
You'll want to save some (but think how many you really want to keep.....) of the e-mails you receive. Consider creating personal folders to store and organise them. Name the folders for easy reference. To create a personal folder:
1. Go to File > Folder > New Folder. This brings up a Create a New Folder dialogue box.
2. Name the folder, choose what it will contain (mail) and select where to place the folder.
Filter to personal folders
You can also filter or send mail directly to personal folders. By creating a rule, for example, all of your corporate mail will go into the "business" folder. To create a filter rule:
1. Highlight the message you want to base the rule on.
2. Under Tools > Rules and Alerts (this brings up a Rules and Alerts dialogue box), click New Rule and select the conditions and actions you want to apply. For example, Move message from someone to a folder. Edit the rule description (meaning choose the person you want the rule to apply to and the folder).
3. Click on Apply > OK.
An alternative to filtering is to create a profile or user account for each person in Outlook. To add a new profile:
1. Go to Tools > E-mail accounts >Add new e-mail account > Next.
2. A wizard appears. Choose your type of server, such as Pop3.
3. An E-mail Accounts box will appear. Enter user information, log on info, server info > OK.
To switch between profiles, click Start > Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > Prompt for a profile to be used > Apply. When you launch Outlook 2003, a dialogue box will appear, asking you to select the profile you want. Select one to log in.
Flag messages
To help remind you that further action is required regarding a particular e-mail, flag or mark it. Highlight the message > right-click > select Follow Up > Choose a coloured flag. The message is then copied to the For Follow Up folder and organised by colour. It's handy to use the different colours to indicate importance. For example, red may signify an urgent message.
Set up group contacts
In the address book, you can organise and view contacts in a category, such as leads and personal contacts. To create a group contact or distribution list:
1. File > New > Distribution List.
2. Name the group and select the members from your contact list > Save and Close.
The distribution list will appear as a contact. This means you can send an e-mail to the whole group with just one click — a great time-saver.
Delete e-mail
Should you delete your e-mail once you read it? Managing your e-mail when you first read it will help you reduce e-mail clutter - it is best to read, respond, tag for follow-up or delete e-mail. In short, don't keep e-mail for the sake of keeping it.
Archive messages
At some point, you'll have too many messages in your personal folders, so you'll want to archive - as well as archiving to the normal archive file you can archive messages in a personal folder to a CD:
1. Minimise the e-mail screen.
2. Right-click the personal folder and drag it over to your desktop. Release the mouse button and select Move Here.
3. Open the CD-burning software and burn the personal folder. All the messages in the folder will be copied to CD.
4. Delete the personal folder from your desktop.
5. Create a new personal folder in your e-mail.
Now you have a clean inbox.
A spring clean can help your computer run faster and allow you to work more productively. Many people I meet can't understand why their computer is so slow and continually crashing. One small business owner recently told me "There were days when I was practically in tears with frustration and anger - my working day was being ruined by all the time-wasting".
If you're having major problems with your computer, a little "technological cleaning" may put the hum back in your hard drive and speed things up. Follow these simple tips for sprucing up your computer system and find out how to make your computer work better and faster.
Get rid of clutter
Freezing PCs can be casued by clutter - start your spring clean with the most visible thing — icons. Look at your system tray or taskbar on the bottom right corner — those small icons represent programmes that start up as your computer boots. It takes time for your computer to find the icons for all those shortcuts. Remove or turn off unnecessary ones, like Messenger, with a swift right click. Also do you need immediate access to all those files, pictures and MP3s on your desktop? Probably not. Categorise them in the My Documents, My Photos and My Music folders to keep them organised and eliminate the clutter on your desktop.
Remove old programmes
If you've never used a programme that came with your computer or haven't used it in over a year, you may want to consider binning it. If you don't use it, get rid of it, it will fill up your hard drive space." You can't delete a programme by binning its files. If you don't use the Add/Remove (in the Control Panel) or the uninstall programme that comes with your programme, it's still there. Also remeber to empty the Recycle Bin afterwards.
Defragment your computer
As you work on your computer, information gets stored onto the hard drive in bits and pieces — wherever there is space. To open a certain file, your computer runs around looking for all the components. Think of it as having various chapters of a book on shelves throughout your home, and having to find all the sections when you want to read the full text. The defrag tool (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter) does its best to reorder your hard drive.
Upgrade your operating system
Windows XP is more secure and stable (therefore much less likely to crash). If your system can handle it (visit Windows XP Upgrade Advisor to find out), consider the upgrade. Keep your software and hardware frequently updated to get the best performance out of your system. Updates can be downloaded by visiting the manufacturer's website. Windows Update can also scan your system and present a list of updatable items. There is a little reminder box that will occasionally pop up in the right-hand corner of your screen when you start Windows. That reminder will let you know when you need to update — just click on it and it will install the necessary upgrades for your system.
Clear your cache
Every time you visit a new website, content is stored in your Temporary Internet Files folder, or Cache. Not only does this make surfing the web slower, but it also takes up valuable space on your hard drive. If your computer freezes three times in one day, that's a sign to clean up: while on Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then Internet Options, and, under Temporary Internet Files > Delete Files. You can also set the amount of disk space you want such files to use by clicking on settings and changing the megabytes.
Assess your memory and tools
The more programs you keep open while you work, the more random access memory (RAM) you need to keep them running smoothly. Norton says at least 256 MB of RAM should keep XP happy but more and more I find 512MB much better. If your mousework isn't smooth, buy a new optical version to make your work more efficient. And make sure your keyboard and office layout are ergonomically correct — even if your computer is optimised, efficiency will quickly deteriorate if you develop carpal tunnel syndrome!
If you're having major problems with your computer, a little "technological cleaning" may put the hum back in your hard drive and speed things up. Follow these simple tips for sprucing up your computer system and find out how to make your computer work better and faster.
Get rid of clutter
Freezing PCs can be casued by clutter - start your spring clean with the most visible thing — icons. Look at your system tray or taskbar on the bottom right corner — those small icons represent programmes that start up as your computer boots. It takes time for your computer to find the icons for all those shortcuts. Remove or turn off unnecessary ones, like Messenger, with a swift right click. Also do you need immediate access to all those files, pictures and MP3s on your desktop? Probably not. Categorise them in the My Documents, My Photos and My Music folders to keep them organised and eliminate the clutter on your desktop.
Remove old programmes
If you've never used a programme that came with your computer or haven't used it in over a year, you may want to consider binning it. If you don't use it, get rid of it, it will fill up your hard drive space." You can't delete a programme by binning its files. If you don't use the Add/Remove (in the Control Panel) or the uninstall programme that comes with your programme, it's still there. Also remeber to empty the Recycle Bin afterwards.
Defragment your computer
As you work on your computer, information gets stored onto the hard drive in bits and pieces — wherever there is space. To open a certain file, your computer runs around looking for all the components. Think of it as having various chapters of a book on shelves throughout your home, and having to find all the sections when you want to read the full text. The defrag tool (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter) does its best to reorder your hard drive.
Upgrade your operating system
Windows XP is more secure and stable (therefore much less likely to crash). If your system can handle it (visit Windows XP Upgrade Advisor to find out), consider the upgrade. Keep your software and hardware frequently updated to get the best performance out of your system. Updates can be downloaded by visiting the manufacturer's website. Windows Update can also scan your system and present a list of updatable items. There is a little reminder box that will occasionally pop up in the right-hand corner of your screen when you start Windows. That reminder will let you know when you need to update — just click on it and it will install the necessary upgrades for your system.
Clear your cache
Every time you visit a new website, content is stored in your Temporary Internet Files folder, or Cache. Not only does this make surfing the web slower, but it also takes up valuable space on your hard drive. If your computer freezes three times in one day, that's a sign to clean up: while on Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then Internet Options, and, under Temporary Internet Files > Delete Files. You can also set the amount of disk space you want such files to use by clicking on settings and changing the megabytes.
Assess your memory and tools
The more programs you keep open while you work, the more random access memory (RAM) you need to keep them running smoothly. Norton says at least 256 MB of RAM should keep XP happy but more and more I find 512MB much better. If your mousework isn't smooth, buy a new optical version to make your work more efficient. And make sure your keyboard and office layout are ergonomically correct — even if your computer is optimised, efficiency will quickly deteriorate if you develop carpal tunnel syndrome!
Friday, 12 January 2007
Is your business run through a Limited Company?
If your business is run through a UK Limited Company, you should be aware of the change in law which requires websites and email footers to show the same information as printed business stationery ie Registered Office address, company registration details, VAT number and so on.
Take a look here for more details.
Take a look here for more details.
Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Securing wireless networks
Wireless is becoming an increasingly popular way for businesses to share information and work away from the office. According to a survey by Gartner of 625 SMEs, more than a quarter of staff already does some work from home – and this figure is growing rapidly.
Keeping vital information safe is critical for workers on the move, particularly on a wireless network.
Wireless offers businesses a flexible internet connection, to allow workers access to a company network from locations outside the office. As the cost of wireless devices is decreasing, small businesses are now able to have the capabilities of larger organisations at reduced costs.
The problem, however, is that wireless devices can be hard to secure. Wireless devices work on a radio signal: where exactly the signal can travel can be difficult to contain, leaving them open to intruders and hackers. All devices need to be secured, not just those in the office, as the weakest link is often when staff take laptops home or access the network remotely.
Wireless networks are susceptible to a number of security breaches, including all the problems that affect wired networks. Denial of service (DoS) attacks are just one security issue that wireless users could find themselves faced with. DoS attacks prevent legitimate users from accessing the network and essentially disable your computer network.
Numerous simple steps can be taken to protect information on a network and prevent critical information being lost or stolen. These include encryption, firewalls and anti-virus software to protect against malware threats. These are just a few of the simple ways you can ensure all critical data is safe from hackers and viruses.
Recent research by business Link shows half of all SMEs expect at least one security breach each year. With the consequences of a breach so potentially damaging (not only financially, but businesses can also lose their reputation and the confidence of customers), small businesses really do need to implement the necessary barriers to protect themselves and their data.
Anti-Virus software
Malware (or malicious software) such as worms and viruses are designed to infiltrate and damage computer systems, often causing loss of data and vital information, along with causing a computer to run extremely slowly. Malware often comes from a file sharing programme or pop up, which once on the system can be hard to get rid of. Installing anti-virus software is one security measure to prevent malware. Keeping this, along with operating systems (i.e. Windows) updated can help block any malicious codes.
Encryption
This is a process of encoding information so unauthorised users cannot understand it. The intended recipient of the information decodes the data with a specific code or password.
This is one of the most effective ways of securing vital data. Encryption is a useful and necessary practice, which prevents hackers or those who are able to tap into the wireless network from gaining any sensitive or confidential information. If staff are using USB memory sticks, it is also good idea to encrypt any information that is saved, as these are easily lost or stolen, leading to the loss of critical or sensitive information.
It is good practice to employ the highest level of encryption possible, when using wireless. This entails setting the wireless device to use WEP (wired equivalent privacy) encryption with 64 or 128 bit encoding, as this can help protect against eavesdropping (128 bit encryption is more secure). WEP also prevents unauthorised access to a wireless network by encoding information, using secret user keys which users must enter to gain access to the network.
SSID
Wireless routers often come with a pre-defined SSID, so it is adisable to change this, as often it it merely the manufacturer's name or the router model. It can be accessed from within Windows-based configuration tools (but don't use an obvious name such as birthdate, address or other personal information).
Firewall
A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that is a necessary security measure in both wired and wireless networks. It works by acting as a filter, through which all traffic passes. Any information that does not meet security criteria is blocked and not allowed to pass onto the system. Having a firewall in place can prevent all hackers, viruses and worms, as malicious internet traffic is screened out before it reaches your computer. Hardware firewalls provide more protection than software firewalls and generally are more expensive, but are necessary to protect a network of computers.
Updating default settings
This is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to add extra security to the network. All devices come with a set of default settings, which may need altering in order to get increased security.
The administrator password is a good example of this. The default setting sometimes does not require a password to gain access to the system. This should be changed immediately to make the network password protected and therefore blocking unauthorised users.
Implementing a combination of these basic defence methods is necessary and will provide enhanced levels of security for a mobile worker. For example, firewalls alone will not provide sufficient levels of security to protect against malware threats. It is crucial that wireless networks are kept updated as new threats or vulnerabilities are continually arising, leading to new devices and protection measures that need to be implemented in order to provide protection on the network.
In addition to these steps, all businesses need to think about wireless devices as part of an overall technology security strategy. Small steps, such as not allowing personal laptops on the network or file sharing through non-secure channels such as instant messaging are vital.
Whatever size or type of business it only takes one security breach to play havoc on the business.
Keeping vital information safe is critical for workers on the move, particularly on a wireless network.
Wireless offers businesses a flexible internet connection, to allow workers access to a company network from locations outside the office. As the cost of wireless devices is decreasing, small businesses are now able to have the capabilities of larger organisations at reduced costs.
The problem, however, is that wireless devices can be hard to secure. Wireless devices work on a radio signal: where exactly the signal can travel can be difficult to contain, leaving them open to intruders and hackers. All devices need to be secured, not just those in the office, as the weakest link is often when staff take laptops home or access the network remotely.
Wireless networks are susceptible to a number of security breaches, including all the problems that affect wired networks. Denial of service (DoS) attacks are just one security issue that wireless users could find themselves faced with. DoS attacks prevent legitimate users from accessing the network and essentially disable your computer network.
Numerous simple steps can be taken to protect information on a network and prevent critical information being lost or stolen. These include encryption, firewalls and anti-virus software to protect against malware threats. These are just a few of the simple ways you can ensure all critical data is safe from hackers and viruses.
Recent research by business Link shows half of all SMEs expect at least one security breach each year. With the consequences of a breach so potentially damaging (not only financially, but businesses can also lose their reputation and the confidence of customers), small businesses really do need to implement the necessary barriers to protect themselves and their data.
Anti-Virus software
Malware (or malicious software) such as worms and viruses are designed to infiltrate and damage computer systems, often causing loss of data and vital information, along with causing a computer to run extremely slowly. Malware often comes from a file sharing programme or pop up, which once on the system can be hard to get rid of. Installing anti-virus software is one security measure to prevent malware. Keeping this, along with operating systems (i.e. Windows) updated can help block any malicious codes.
Encryption
This is a process of encoding information so unauthorised users cannot understand it. The intended recipient of the information decodes the data with a specific code or password.
This is one of the most effective ways of securing vital data. Encryption is a useful and necessary practice, which prevents hackers or those who are able to tap into the wireless network from gaining any sensitive or confidential information. If staff are using USB memory sticks, it is also good idea to encrypt any information that is saved, as these are easily lost or stolen, leading to the loss of critical or sensitive information.
It is good practice to employ the highest level of encryption possible, when using wireless. This entails setting the wireless device to use WEP (wired equivalent privacy) encryption with 64 or 128 bit encoding, as this can help protect against eavesdropping (128 bit encryption is more secure). WEP also prevents unauthorised access to a wireless network by encoding information, using secret user keys which users must enter to gain access to the network.
SSID
Wireless routers often come with a pre-defined SSID, so it is adisable to change this, as often it it merely the manufacturer's name or the router model. It can be accessed from within Windows-based configuration tools (but don't use an obvious name such as birthdate, address or other personal information).
Firewall
A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that is a necessary security measure in both wired and wireless networks. It works by acting as a filter, through which all traffic passes. Any information that does not meet security criteria is blocked and not allowed to pass onto the system. Having a firewall in place can prevent all hackers, viruses and worms, as malicious internet traffic is screened out before it reaches your computer. Hardware firewalls provide more protection than software firewalls and generally are more expensive, but are necessary to protect a network of computers.
Updating default settings
This is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to add extra security to the network. All devices come with a set of default settings, which may need altering in order to get increased security.
The administrator password is a good example of this. The default setting sometimes does not require a password to gain access to the system. This should be changed immediately to make the network password protected and therefore blocking unauthorised users.
Implementing a combination of these basic defence methods is necessary and will provide enhanced levels of security for a mobile worker. For example, firewalls alone will not provide sufficient levels of security to protect against malware threats. It is crucial that wireless networks are kept updated as new threats or vulnerabilities are continually arising, leading to new devices and protection measures that need to be implemented in order to provide protection on the network.
In addition to these steps, all businesses need to think about wireless devices as part of an overall technology security strategy. Small steps, such as not allowing personal laptops on the network or file sharing through non-secure channels such as instant messaging are vital.
Whatever size or type of business it only takes one security breach to play havoc on the business.
Tuesday, 9 January 2007
Where IT goes wrong at SMEs
Following research, Concerto Networks believes that there are real issues within SMEs today that impact the value and success of technology as follows:
1. Information management issues are not understood by the business
2. Technology is viewed as a commodity with a focus on cost
3. The business often makes unreasonable demands
4. Performance of technology is measured by cost or time and not contribution
5. End-user training is not taken seriously
6. Lack of attention to the basic infrastructure of IT Systems
7. Lack of partnership and solution orientated vendors
1. Information management issues are not understood by the business
2. Technology is viewed as a commodity with a focus on cost
3. The business often makes unreasonable demands
4. Performance of technology is measured by cost or time and not contribution
5. End-user training is not taken seriously
6. Lack of attention to the basic infrastructure of IT Systems
7. Lack of partnership and solution orientated vendors
Friday, 5 January 2007
The terabyte drive is here......
Last year, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies predicted hard-drive companies would announce 1 terabyte (1,000 gigabyte) drives by the end of 2006. Hitachi was only off by a few days.
The company announced yesterday, January 4th 2007, that it will be producing a 3.5-inch-diameter 1 terabyte drive for desktops in the first quarter, then follow up in the second quarter with 3.5-inch terabyte drives for digital video recorders.
The drive will cost $399 (currently around £200) when it comes out. Rival company Seagate Technology will come out with a 1 terabyte drive in the first half of 2007.
So what is a terabyte? Strictly it is a million megabytes, or 1,000 gigabytes, as measured by the hard-drive industry. But what does that equate to in eveyday terms? About 50,000 trees would be necessary to create enough paper to hold a terabyte of information, the drive will hold 250,000 MP3 files, or 330,000 photos each of 3MB.
So do we really need this kind of storage capacity? Some would argue that first we should get smarter about housekeeping and not just keep everything for ever - many businesses do this and often keep multiple copies of the same thing, eating into disk space. However as new technologies develop (video typically takes up 1GB per hour), files sizes are increasing and ulitmately, yes, we will probably all benefit from the increased storage available.
As an aside, and for comparison, it's hard to believe the hard drive celebrated its 50th birthday in 2006, and the first drive ever was 24 inches in diameter with 50 platters, stored 5MB and weighed over a ton!
The company announced yesterday, January 4th 2007, that it will be producing a 3.5-inch-diameter 1 terabyte drive for desktops in the first quarter, then follow up in the second quarter with 3.5-inch terabyte drives for digital video recorders.
The drive will cost $399 (currently around £200) when it comes out. Rival company Seagate Technology will come out with a 1 terabyte drive in the first half of 2007.
So what is a terabyte? Strictly it is a million megabytes, or 1,000 gigabytes, as measured by the hard-drive industry. But what does that equate to in eveyday terms? About 50,000 trees would be necessary to create enough paper to hold a terabyte of information, the drive will hold 250,000 MP3 files, or 330,000 photos each of 3MB.
So do we really need this kind of storage capacity? Some would argue that first we should get smarter about housekeeping and not just keep everything for ever - many businesses do this and often keep multiple copies of the same thing, eating into disk space. However as new technologies develop (video typically takes up 1GB per hour), files sizes are increasing and ulitmately, yes, we will probably all benefit from the increased storage available.
As an aside, and for comparison, it's hard to believe the hard drive celebrated its 50th birthday in 2006, and the first drive ever was 24 inches in diameter with 50 platters, stored 5MB and weighed over a ton!
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
WEEE is here.........
The directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment came into effect in the UK on 1 January 2007, and must be complied with by July 2007.
If you aren't familiar with the implications for your own business now is the time to do the necessary research.
The European Commission home page on the Directive is here.
The Department for Trade and Industry information is here.
And here is some guidance at the NetRegs Web site.
Everyone in business is likely to be impacted either as a producer, distributor/retailer or a user. The NetRegs piece is quite succinct and will take you straight to the relevant summary of the regulations.
If you aren't familiar with the implications for your own business now is the time to do the necessary research.
The European Commission home page on the Directive is here.
The Department for Trade and Industry information is here.
And here is some guidance at the NetRegs Web site.
Everyone in business is likely to be impacted either as a producer, distributor/retailer or a user. The NetRegs piece is quite succinct and will take you straight to the relevant summary of the regulations.
Microsoft is limiting the free use of Outlook 2007 to Exchange 2007 users
Microsoft is limiting the free use of Outlook 2007 to Exchange 2007 users: licensing terms for the new Exchange e-mail platform software only give free Outlook e-mail software use to registered Microsoft Software Assurance upgrade subscription users.
As firms normally want to run Outlook with Exchange, the licensing change could prove costly to many firms. Exchange 2007 was released last month, but it does not include Outlook 2007 in its Client-Access License (CAL).
Previous versions of Exchange saw customers given a free copy of Outlook with each Exchange CAL. So, for example, with Exchange 2003, if a firm installed the platform along with 150 CALs, they would also be given 150 copies of Outlook 2003. But the new licence restricts free Outlook 2007 software to those firms with Software Assurance in place as of 30 November.
As firms normally want to run Outlook with Exchange, the licensing change could prove costly to many firms. Exchange 2007 was released last month, but it does not include Outlook 2007 in its Client-Access License (CAL).
Previous versions of Exchange saw customers given a free copy of Outlook with each Exchange CAL. So, for example, with Exchange 2003, if a firm installed the platform along with 150 CALs, they would also be given 150 copies of Outlook 2003. But the new licence restricts free Outlook 2007 software to those firms with Software Assurance in place as of 30 November.
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