Internet, Network, Security

Internet, Network, Security is a broad term for protecting your computer from many threats. One program, or service, may not cover all aspects of vulnerability.

Summary here: http://www.becluedup.com/InternetSecurity.html

Main protection programmes:
Firewall
Virus Protection.
E-Mail Phishing,
Site Phishing.


A firewall monitors and closes unused ports.
A port is the gateway a program uses to communicate through.
Most programs have a port number by default.
A Firewall determines the program risk and asks permission to allow communication. A low risk might be a program belonging to your operating system and high risk might be third party or unknown software.
You can give permission to:
Upload (Send): Download (Receive): Both (Send/Receive).
Allow: Once: Always (Give the program freedom)

With a firewall installed, and configured, your threats are:

Installing a program and giving it permission to, communicate, change settings, and overwrite files, without your knowledge. You think you’re just installing the program you want but you’ve allowed the virus attached to it.

IE: You’ve downloaded a screensaver from the internet and installed it. By doing that you’ve given it permission to change your home page, advert pop ups, diallers, etc. (No matter how good your firewall and anti virus protection is this will still happen if you’ve allowed the program to install).

A firewall grants or disallows communication on your computer, network, this is its only function.

An antivirus program determines if a file, or, program, is likely, or does, contain a virus.

The antivirus program establishes a threat by scanning an object against known virus patterns, so if a virus pattern is unknown it may fail to identify it. This could be because your program isn’t updated with the latest patterns or it’s an unknown virus.

If you’re installing a legitimate program, on your computer, your antivirus program may give you a virus warning because it wants to alter your system settings. Trojan attributes are in many innocent programs that require communication to function.

Strictly speaking a Trojan isn’t a virus because it doesn’t self-replicate, you’ve either been tricked in to allowing this program in, or, it’s been placed without your knowledge. But, a Trojan can be blended into a virus.

Threats:

Open ports:

Send or receive information, files, and programmes, on your computer, network, without your knowledge. Internet Virus, Internet Security, Network Security, Worm, Trojan, Virus, Protection, Email Virus, Phoshing, Risks.

Destroy, manipulate, control, information, files, and programmes, on your computer, or network.
Most common Trojans are commercial; this is the most likely type and will be obvious, eventually, making your computer unusable:
‘Diallers’ for premium rate lines.
‘Perpetual Pop Ups Advertisements’ the culprit gets paid for you clicking.
‘E-mail Contacts Book’ sent to advertisers spam list.
‘Internet Browser Corrupted’ changes your homepage to an advertisement and takes control of your browser.

More Sinister Trojans are employed mostly, if your using a works computer, you’ve been bugged by someone, this type operates secretly in the background.

Keystroke records what you type.
Logger records every function on the computer.
Remote viewing could allow someone to view your entire computer.
Remote access, with privileges, controls your computer.


The line between what’s a Trojan, Virus, or, Worm, can be confusing because one can overlap the other.

Generally:

Trojan (A Spy) compromises the security of a computer to send and receive information, or take control of it, without your knowing.

A Virus (An Assassin) is designed to be destructive and spread. A virus is, normally, attached to executable file and most commonly spread by the exchange of, software, video, mp3, etc. A virus can contain some elements, and operate, like a Trojan.

Commonly Spread:

Infected Media: CD, Floppy, USB Memory Stick, etc.

Infected Music files, especially, Peer to Peer sharing.

Infected E-mail attachment.

Infected Program downloaded.

Your computer could show no sign of infection, allowing you to spread it, and destructive later.

Your computer could contain a virus that’s inactive until you execute the file or program it’s in.


A Worm is designed to replicate and unlike a normal virus doesn’t need to be executed. It’s common for a worm to infect your address book and send the infection to everyone in it and so on. It can have the similar attributes of a Trojan or Virus but with the potential to quickly infest millions of computers. Hence, a challenge to your antivirus program in detecting it’s there.
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