Internet Security

Introduction

• The digital world is changing at a tremendous speed. New communication technologies open up new possibilities, but by using them you can also expose yourself, and others, to risks. Many people have trouble assessing these risks especially with regard to the subject of safe digital communication. This is particularly true for people working in regimes with high levels of censorship. However, also in countries considered to be relatively free and uncensored, your data can be used or misused by others - governments, companies, or other persons (sometimes even unintended).
• How to protect yourself, your sources or your friends? What are safe routes to take? How do you secure after your personal data? This blog aims to address these issues to help you choose your own 'level' of safety.

What is the internet security?

• When a computer connects to a network and begins communicating with others, it is taking a risk. Internet security involves the protection of a computer's internet  account and files from intrusion of an unknown user.
• Basic security measures involve protection by well selected passwords, change of file permissions and back up of computer's data.
  

        

     What are the risks?

        -Vulnerabilities

        -Trojan horses

        -Worms
-Viruses
-Keyloggers
-Sniffers
-Phishing

                             
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-Vulnerabilities

Vulnerabilities

   Vulnerabilities is a flaw or weakness in a system's design, implementation, or operation and management that could be exploited to violate the system's security policy.

-Trojan horses

   A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is a non-self-replicating type of maleware which appears to perform a desirable function but instead drops a malicious payload, often including a backdoor allowing unauthorized access to the target's computer. These backdoors tend to be invisible to average users. Trojans do not attempt to inject themselves into other files like a computer virus Trojan horses may steal information, or harm their host computer systems. Trojans may use drive-by downloads or install via online games or internet-driven applications in order to reach target computers. The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek Methology because Trojan horses employ a form of "social engineering", presenting themselves as harmless, useful gifts, in order to persuade victims to install them on their computers.

-Worms

   A  computer worm is a standalone Maleware Computer Program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers. Often, it uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security failures on the target computer to access it. Unlike acomputer virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause at least some harm to the network, even if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer

-Viruses

   A  computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are man-made. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.

  -Keyloggers

      A keylogger is a type of surveillance software (considered to be either software or spyware) that has the capability to record every keystroke you make to a log file, usually encrypted. A keylogger recorder can record instant messages, e-mail, and any information you type at any time using your keyboard. The log file created by the keylogger can then be sent to a specified receiver. Some keylogger programs will also record any e-mail addresses you use and Web Site URLs you visit.

Software Keylogger

Hardware Keylogger

-Sniffers

   Network sniffers monitors data flowing over computer network links. It can be a self-contained software program or a hardware device with the appropriate software or firmware programming. Also sometimes called "network probes" or "snoops," sniffers examine network traffic, making a copy of the data but without redirecting or altering it. Some sniffers work only with TCP/IP packets, but the more sophisticated tools can work with many other protocols and at lower levels including Ethernet frames.

   -Phishing

   Phishing is the act of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting public. Phishing emails may contain links to websites that are infected with malware.[1] Phishing is typically carried out by e-mail spoofing[2] or instant messaging,[3] and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to deceive users,[4] and exploits the poor usability of current web security technologies.[5] Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, public awareness, and technical security measures.

Link Manipulation

Link Manipulation

Fake ADDs

What can I do to protect myself from computer viruses and Trojans?

These days, practically everyone's online, downloading and exchanging files, and developers are in such a hurry to get their Web sites up or their files out that checking for a nasty bug is more of a courtesy than a requirement. If you're not careful, your computer can end up with a nasty virus that makes your files act oddly, crashes your computer, pops up bizarre messages, or worst of all, destroys your operating system.

A computer virus is the most subtle of computer problems. It usually loads itself into your computer system when you run a program to which it has attached itself. From the computer system, it'll then reproduce itself, much like a biological virus would, by attaching copies of itself to other programs on your hard drive. What it does then depends on the malevolence of its creator. Some viruses are nothing more than a practical joke. They may bring up a message like "Merry Xmas" or melt your display. Most of them though, either start destroying your system or your files immediately or on a date specified by their creators—like the much-publicized Michelangelo virus, which erases important pieces of your system on March 6. "Trojan horse" programs are similar to viruses in their effect on your system, but they can't reproduce themselves. They're usually a program disguised as something you might want to download onto your computer—for instance, a rogue, modified version of PKWare's PKZIP utility. But when you run the new program you just found, it can do anything from popping up a message to erasing your hard disk, as the rogue PKZIP utility really did.

In either case, you have to actually launch the infected program or the trojan horse for it to infiltrate your system. Though hoax e-mails, like the one about the "Good Times" virus try to make you believe otherwise, neither a virus nor a trojan horse program can do anything if you simply leave the malevolent file sitting on your hard drive.

Finding out that you copied a trojan horse onto your computer is remarkably easy. You launch the program, and the next thing you know, something completely unexpected happens—maybe your system is gone or your computer is laughing maniacally at you. But unless you notice your computer acting oddly before the virus has done its worst damage, you may very well not know you have it until it's too late.

   

   Protect Yourself

There are a few basic rules that computer users should follow to short-circuit viruses. The best known bit of advice is this: Never open any attachment unless you know who it's from and why they are sending it. Refusing to open unsolicited e-mail of any kind is the only sure-fire way to sidestep all forms of trouble.

Anti-virus software is crucial to preventing virus attacks, but this strategy only works if users update their software.Unfortunately, 'keeping it current' means updating it weekly, at least but most products today allow one to automate this process, but file downloads can be large and slow.

Factors to consider when buying an anti-virus package include cost, quality of tech support, how frequently the package self-updates and the platforms supported by the program.

Common sense is another good weapon in the fight against viruses. Be wary of opening any email attachments, even from your firends , especially if it has been forwarded to them.Set up your anti-virus product so that it automatically scans incoming e-mail and avoiding e-mail software that allows automatic launching of attachments.

If all of this sounds like a lot of work, it is. There is always a tradeoff between ease of use and security but the extra time you spend updating your anti-virus software now will save you hours of time and buckets of frustration later.If you don't keep it updated, you might was well be completely unprotected.

  Prevention

1. Be sure do a full back up of your system on a regular basis. The best way to clean up an infected file is to replace it with an original non-infected file. Not to mention the grief a current back up will save if a virus takes your system completely down. It's also a good idea to keep more than one set of backup in case the current one is infected before the virus is detected.

2. Always use an anti-virus software program, one with both an on-demand and an on-access scanner. You'll want to look for one that has a fairly complete database of viruses and that is updateable. New viruses are produced daily, so it's important to have software that can detect the latest threat.

Be sure to read the manual and follow the directions of the software program to ensure it's protecting you properly. Also, consider buying and using two different brands to be doubly protected. See our review of anti-virus programs.

3. Update the virus database in your anti-virus program regularly (each month or by the direction of the manufacturer).

4. Don't allow your web browser to automatically run programs, such as MS Word or other programs through its e-mail program. Configure your browser to launch WordPad or Notepad instead. One of the biggest and growing threats is the macro virus, which is spread through data processing and spread sheet programs

5. Configure your web browsers to disable ActiveX, Java, and Javascript. You'll lose some of the fun the Web's been known for, but you'll save your computer from contracting a virus and speed up your connection.

6. Know that the only way a virus spreads is either by launching an infected file or by booting an infected disk. You can not get a virus by simply being online or by reading e-mail. You have to download and launch an infected file before it will spread. Therefore, do not launch any unsolicited executable files sent via e-mail.

7. Using an updated anti-virus program, scan all new software for viruses before installing them on your hard drive. Even shrink-wrapped software from major publishers has been known to contain viruses.

8. Be aware of hoaxes. To increase mass hysteria, there have been many stories conjured up and spread by unacknowledged users. For a list of known hoaxes check out the following site: http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/threatexplorer/risks/hoaxes.jsp

Viruses are not the only type of programs that are written solely to cripple computer systems or to use a computer in an unauthorized way. As i mentioned there are other malicious programs are Logic Bombs, Trojan Horses, and Worms.