Dejections

February 21st, 2010

Gas Suppression You Can Rely on

Posted in Markets, Security Portal

Gas Suppression can secure your homes by being a trustworthy fire protection technique and any householder will find it beneficial to apply one. Gas Suppression is of further value to homeowners in that they do not damage prized possessions while getting rid of your fire, as water-dependent fire extinguishers do.


How Gas Suppression Function


Every gas fire extinguisher is stuffed with an non-aromatic and colourless gas named Halon. When the substances are administered into the fire, the Halon helps in cooling it dramatically. These instruments extinguish fires by diminishing the presence of oxygen and chilling the flames.


To ascertain correct performance, find out first to make sure that the pressure inside these gas fire extinguishers are in the correct settings. When the substances are reading excessively low or excessively high amounts of pressure, these tools should be right away exchanged. The safety pin of your extinguisher should be pulled out out first before they can be used. If the pin is not utmost, your FM200 extinguisher will not function.


In order for you to know how to use fire extingushers safely and effectively, request for a demonstration from venders and your local fire authority. Studying how to apply them properly now is better as opposed to figuring out how to employ them during a sure emergency. Employing the correct utilization of FM200 in advance can save your households and family.


Getting Your Personal Gas Suppression Device


Gas Suppression is available to the populace via many contending marketers. Buyers can look to obtain accomplished service from these sellers. Be certain that the company with which you prefer to do business has a verified record of achievement and a long list of contented clients that can be provided on demand.


You can buy from online retail merchants as well as physical retail merchants. By sustaining minimum overhead costs, online retail merchants can sell these fire extinguishers at a lower price compared to other physical stores. If you opt to buy Gas Suppression tools online, make certain that the company is prepared to offer a warranty on their product. This helps in getting the confidence that the merchandises we buy from them are serviceable and won’t malfunction when they are really used.

February 14th, 2010

A Feeling of Peace with House Security

Posted in Misc Stuff, Security Portal

Do you ever worry that your home is not as safe and secure as you want it to be? A tight family protection tool can help in preventing these dangers and even contact the emergency services should anything happen. You need to make sure that you choose the best family security system to fit your requirements. Everybody has different safety needs and your friends’ home alarm tool likely won’t suit yours. You’re going to have to examine your home and its individual needs, remembering your funds. Does your family have a garage connected to your house? Do your fittings use gas? The threat of carbon monoxide poisoning is heightened if so and will be a high priority when you pick your home alarm monitoring tool. Older people may prefer a family security monitoring tool which will contact help with a single push of a button. A security camera system would be better suited to families with babies as they are ideal for keeping watch over babysitters. Keep in mind when you buy a home alarm system that there are many tiers of security to consider. A greater level of security is ensured by implementing a covert security camera tool, as nobody will know where it is. A security system that is nearly impregnable could be accomplished provided you install a heavy duty security monitoring tool with retina and/or fingerprint ID tech.

Visual surveillance isn’t the be all and end all of a premium family security tool. It’s possible to integrate a network of glass break, movement, vibration and impact sensors that will contact help directly the moment an individual breaks into your house. Top-level family protection monitoring systems should be fitted with a distress switch, to keep your worries at bay. Just activating that button sends an alarm to the security company should anything threatening happen. The authorities should then be sent out to help you, or the security company will get in touch with you to see what the problem is, which depends on which options you chose when you purchased the family protection monitoring tool.

There are a lot of comprehensive home security blogs on the Internet for you to have a look at where you should also find more pointers and information. If you consider all of the different benefits of each family protection monitoring tool then the right family protection monitoring system for your home and family will become plain. This is definitely something you should do if you desire safety and will ease your mind…

December 8th, 2009

Fire Suppression Equipments Are Necessary

Posted in Markets, Security Portal

To avoid destructive harms caused by fire in homes or offices, safety precautions should be well planned and performed. Escape routes should also be made in case a fire emergency breaks out in addition to a fire alarm system. Fire exercises should also be put in place as in the case of schoolhouses. More importantly, youngsters should know where to run in a fire emergency.


Most homeowners install fume detectors at various places in the house. Fume sensors render security from fume that is sensed at high degrees in a room. In an electrical fire where smoke is slowly produced, it may take some time before smoke detectors are tripped. This procedure may not give decent time for residents to properly respond so in this case fire alarms become our first line of defense.


To each building occupant, FM200 is very cruci al. Sometimes, building occupants may be in a lot of the building where alarms are not heard well. Possessing a effective emergency escape design and fire alarms will significantly bring down injury and death. In the home, a fire alarm with a heat detector will detect exceptional points of heat that would be considered unreasonable in normal home environments. A fire alarm can also be prepared with warning sounds that can be heard by neighbours. This is dependable security also from fires that could impair neighboring homes. A fire alarm can also save a home from being completely damaged aside from saving its residents.


Fire suppression devices that possess heat sensors demand minimum sustainment. When typical heat degrees are surpassed inside a room, heat sensors are activated. To fend off the alarms from being unnecessarily triggered, they should be placed far from areas in the house which are subjected to heat like kitchens, furnaces, ovens and hearths.


Adding fire suppression devices to your home means imparting value to it as well. They bring peace of mind to the residents especially for families with small kids or the aged.

November 2nd, 2009

The Legality of Spy Equipment

Posted in Security Portal

Obviously, a great deal of spy equipment is legal. It is used by private investigators and bounty hunters. Additionally, our federal government uses spy equipment, as do local law enforcement entities. So, with many people allowed to use surveillance equipment, it only makes sense that it is also okay for private individuals to own it. For the most part, many individual amateurs make use of spy stuff to play pranks on their friends or to protect their homes. Neither of these things is illegal (although you better be sure what kind of friend you are playing the joke on). It is important to note, though, that different states have different laws. Some spy equipment is not legal in all 50 of the United States. Additionally, surveillance equipment may not be legal in some countries. With the Internet so prevalent, it is possible to purchase nearly anything from anywhere and have it shipped to your door. It is not the responsibility of the company that sells the spy gadgets to determine whether or not some equipment is legal where you live. That is up to you to determine. Additionally, you should realize that even though it may not be illegal to own some spy equipment, some of the uses that you put the equipment to may carry legal ramifications. Before engaging in a specific mission, you should check your local, state, and federal laws in order to ensure that you are not treading on forbidden ground. And for some professionals in certain situations, what may be illegal for a random amateur individual is legal for someone with the right authorization. You are pretty safe in most cases when you choose to purchase spy equipment. It can be fun to use and it can also protect your privacy and your family. But you have to make sure that you are using it appropriately. If you are a professional, you have few restrictions on you than just any random person. But you should also realize that you may operate under some very real guidelines. Using spy gear can be a rewarding and fun pastime, and it can make a good job. Just make sure that you are using your spy equipment in a legal manner. (c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This article is about: Spy Equipment.

September 19th, 2009

Gas Fire Prevention Tools Are Most Effective

Posted in Markets, Misc Stuff, Security Portal

Gas fire security system is one of its kind. They curb fires without damaging electronic or electric machines. They soak up heat and restrict the presence of oxygen in the region affected by fire. This is very idealistic for electrical and electronic installations as fires can result from electric devices and instruments that have overheated.


Gas fire suppression engineering occurs in full-pipe concept and wall mounted gas cylinders. Counting on the area, the full-pipe process is relevant for large spaces while for average ones, the wall mounted cylinders are normally employed.


Benefits that Gas Fire Suppression technology has to offer


1. Works without water or residue


As an example of a gas fire prevention system, CO2 fire suppression systems release CO2 flawlessly and quickly. Unlike water, they dont destroy electrical and electronic equipments. It would be ridiculous to think that the water you employed to preserve your instruments from burning is the cause of them getting damaged still. In this case, applying gas fire prevention engineering is the idealistic thing to do as it forbids fires from spreading and at the same time maintains your machines safe.


2. Demands lesser time to react to fires


When employing gas fire prevention engineering, the suppressant is instantly brought out upon detecting the presence of flame or smokes. The overspreading of fire is immediately held back because the system is adequate of quickly reacting to fire break outs. As a come, both the place and lives of its occupants are saved.


3. Space saving


For facilities with restricted space, it is urged that gas fire protection devices be used. This system is most preferential to overseas facilities.


One element to reckon when figuring out the amplitude of the gas fire security process you like to put in is the size of the area you want shielded. For best solutions, consult fire suppression experts.

June 2nd, 2009

My Shiny New Home Alarm Systems

Posted in Better Home Improvement, Buying + Selling Real Estate, Security Portal

I have been shopping for a security system for 1 year now and I finally bought the system that seems to fit my apartment, my wife and kids and our livelihood.

We searched four different security companies to learn the least expensive choice versus the priciest selection. I must say, that I was sad with most of the websites we faced at but one stood out to us and that was http://www.familyhomesecurity.com. Their security system info was great, eye opening and enlightening. I wish they were a company that installed protection systems themselves because I know it would be done smartly and with very much of tending to detail.

What made it a strong experience? Well, we experienced a breaking and entering 4 weeks ago that wasn’t very fun. Fortuitously, we were away of town and they only got jewellery and dollar bills. Now there are tikes in the home and a lot more noteworthy stuff like computing machines, electronics, and above all - family and family memories and pictures. We simply wanted to find the optimal security system that we could all expend and feel secure with. It was definitely time to receive one this week.

So, how did the family obtain the appropriate home security system? We began by searching ‘alarm’ on the search engines, then ranged all over entirely of the sites on the basic page. A plenty of them were junk…and I was sorry about that. Everybody I recognize says Yahoo is the freshest…anyway, later looking all over those internet sites we couldn’t obtain what we were waiting for. We aren’t looking for want a difficult sales process and we didn’t want to remember much about it. Virtually all of these sites were pesky sales pitches - I wanted selective information!

All of the businesses we regarded were GE, Brinks, APX, ADT and Pinnacle. Some of them look to utilise similar security systems…and we finally wound up with a Pinnacle Security system after reviewing the great information heard at homesecurityguru and www.FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

It’s solid to find some illuminating sites out there on the matter of alarm systems.

Home security is vital!

March 18th, 2009

Combat with Viruses

Posted in Security Portal

Viruses, Worms and Bacterias are the well known biological pathogens. In computer terminology, experts have termed them for malicious programs. In previous decades, these programs were supposed to be a computer flaws or mistakes. Lateron, many passionate destructive programmers coded such programs which were intentionally programmed to perform some destructive activities. Their benefits are not known, although, their destiny is known to us and that is - Prison. But, question arises that - why such programmers have chosen such a poor activity? I think the reason is the human nature, these people can not do anything good to become famous, so they have chosen to become bad name and gain some fame. Afterall, that is also the kind of fame. In this article, you will find some precautions and ideas to get rid of these malicious programs and also a brief introduction to such programs.

Philosophy of Viruses

Each virus is a malicious program which is programmed and designed to take benefits of flaws in computer system including hardware and software components. The actual thing what each virus demand is - CPU Resource. CPU resource can be understood as state of execution. All the executables programs follow the following states -

[1] Dormant State

[2] Ready State

[3] Execution State

[4] Waiting State

The executable program at the beginning is at dormant state. In this state, the executable is only stored in the secondary storage device (Hard disk, Floppy etc.). After the CPU Scheduler schedules the executable file, the executable gets the CPU resource. Each program passes through all these states. The operating system has the scheduler program that runs under the kernel to perform the execution of executable programs. Even a Virus also follows through these states.

In MS-DOS and Windows based Operating systems .COM, .EXE are the common executable files. Many Trojans and Cuckoo eggs take benefit from this. Trojans are the malicious programs, but, they cheat the user by his mistake and also operating system flaws. Such as they may store a program with the same name in a directory which is scanned by operating system shell first; like System32 folder of Windows-2000 is searched for presence of a file before Winnt. Due to this, if you type a executable file without providing its full name, you may accidentally execute a different file that may be malicious too. The other option for such programs (Trojans) may be extensions of Windows operating system. A .COM is executed before .EXE, I meant that if two files have the same name with only difference of extension, you may execute a .COM accidentally which may be a Trojan. One other option which such Trojans follow is typing mistakes. But, GUI based operating systems where icons are followed , such mistakes automatically eradicated.

Effects of Viruses

Viruses not only use system flaws but, they also work with useful components of operating system. The best way for such programs is performing a loss to the computer system by spreading themselves. This quality of viruses matches with biological viruses. I think that is the main reason why ‘Virus’ name was coined. Viruses may -

[1] Replace the system files and software executable with their own program.

[2] Delete some content or modify all the contents.

[3] Read you Address Book and mail the Virus program as a attachment to your friends and group.

[4] Eat-up all the system resource by using memory acquired by them. (Memory-resident Viruses)

[5] Make the whole system state unstable or nearly stop working.

[6] Create a Bad Sector to hard disk which Operating system discards reading.

Most of times Viruses act in such a stealth manner that user is not aware with what is going on. A novice user may not notice the incident that is going with his computer system. Sometimes, experts also miss such incidents. Actually, Virus developers do not follow any common method and technique. They are simple programmer who accidentally know some system flaws and enjoy the loss of other people. They do not think of effect of such activity. A computer system may be installed in any place. It may installed in a Hotel, Office and even in Hospital. It may be installed in an ICU of a hospital. Think of a scenario when someone dies only due to failure of computer of ICU. This is a real shame on virus developers. If they can not do something good, why applying all frustration on poor citizens. What they did unfair with you? Whom are you taking revenge? I think they are the heartless fellow who do not understand human feelings and they are apart from humanity. I have just one suggestion to them, meet psychiatrist.

Virus, Trojans, Worm, Bacteria, Spy ware and Botnet

These all programs are collectively called malicious programs. These all the executables in various forms. Some VBA programs are also one of these.

Virus : Any malicious program which creates multiple copies and performs any miscreant activity withing the system resource. They eat-up memory, replace or corrupt boot sectors of hard disk or stop a working systems.

Trojan : These programs resemble with viruses, but, they have interesting way to make themselves executed. They take benefits of typing mistake or priority based system of operating system as discussed above.

Worm : Worm are network based programs that takes network based flaws into consideration. They spread themselves through network and generate serious problems in servers. They may affect bigger organizations to home computers with their execution. Their activities are similar as defined in previous point, but, they differ in their methods of spreading.

Bacteria : These malicious programs have just single intention to copy themselves many times. This causes lack of resource in the computer.

Spyware : Such programs spread through Internet. They take useful information from the computer systems and send them to a web-server which installs them to know the secret user information. These are easy to develop and spread.

Botnet : Such programs are similar to spywares, but, their mechanism is different. These programs are installed by Internet, the developer installs them in may computers of the world and they have interest to copy softwares and programs installed in many organization. They usually command the other systems and implement actions. Once the central server sends a command through IRC, all the computers where botnets are installed, respond to it.

This was a brief information about these malicious programs. Now, I should come to the point what you can do to escape from them and rescue if you affected accidentally.

Escaping from Viruses

There are many precautions which can be taken to avoid viruses. I have enlisted some of the precautions, all of them are mandatory to follow -

[1] Do not store installable programs in Hard disk.

Many times, we copy the installation program from CD-Rom of software to Hard-disk directory. Actually, most of viruses replace the executable programs with the virus program. If they affect your hard disk, you may accidentally install them.

[2] Have a Virus Scanning program and scan the executable files before you execute

You must install any Virus scanner program which can scan each file individually on your command. This will escape you from state where you accidentally execute a program that is already virus affected.

[3] Windows users should not follow web view of windows explorer.

Most of viruses replace the Folder.htt with some VBScript. Each time you view a folder, you execute a virus and you keep thinking - why my computer is so slow?
Follow the folder option and replace the view of folder with classic folder view.

[4] Use Full extension instead of Filenames only

By default Windows Explorer is designed to hide the extension of known file types. This is the weak point. Actually, most of viruses that executed through e-mails use this weakness. They may use the same icon of Microsoft Word to an executable file. You would take a file as Microsoft Word file which has .DOC extension. You could not see its extension, you are just watching its icon which is similar to .DOC file. You may execute it and accidentally affect your system. So, follow the Folder Option from Control Panel and uncheck the option in View tab that suggests - Hide file extension for known types.

[5] Keep better control on programs that are executed at system start-up

You can follow System information from Program > Accessories > System Tools. Click Software Environment and then click Startup Programs. If you find any program that may be malicious, you can remove it from startup. There are two options for any program to execute at startup -

(a) Programs > Startup Folder.

(b) Windows Registry

You may easily remove a suspected file from startup folder by deletion. But, Windows registry is bit trickier. You may study one of my article on Windows registry.

The Ultimate Solution

Anti-Virus programs are the best solution. There are may freeware Anti-virus programs such as AVG, Avast and others. On the other hand, we have Norton Antivirus, PcCillin and McAfee which are famous ones. Use any one of them that suits your requirements. The anti-virus programs keep some patterns of file organization of a virus infected file and they match the same pattern to all the files stored in your system. They may track a series of viruses. If they find any virus during scanning, you are prompt to delete such files. You are also informed with the name of virus. Actually, these names are given by anti-virus programs, but, names are common to all the anti-virus.
You should update your anti-virus software through Internet to make it efficient over new viruses. Most of updations are free of cost.

Rescue for a virus affected computer

If you find some specific files affected by virus while scanning with anti-virus program. Remove them immediately. But, if you find that many files are affected and even system files are also corrupt. Save all the data files stored in boot drive (mostly C:) and store them in other partition of your hard-disk. Scan you boot sector with anti-virus program and if that is also affected, store your data files in a floppy disk or some other media. After this, power off your system, do not shut down properly in this case, there may be some files related with windows shut down process, affected with virus. Such program may also affect your recently secured data files. Next you do is re-installation of operating system. You should format the partition affected by such viruses. Do not install without formatting.

Some VBScript based viruses can be removed by deleting .HTT files. .HTT file keep the customized folder setting. Search these files in all the computer folders and then delete. You may also search them with clause of text containing as ‘vbscript’. This will affect only the view setting of all the folders of your computer. But, if you are already using classic view of Folders Option, you will automatically get rid of HTT files related problems.

Worms are real problems for the computer which are part of a LAN or Intranet. Your Internet connection may also be LAN based. If you are not using firewall, Botnet and worms can perform their poor activities. Firewall is a software that can be installed to protect unauthorized access to your system through network and controlling incoming and outgoing traffic efficiently. Such program allow only those applications which are intended to use the Internet or access the network. One of the firewall software is - ZoneAlarm of Zone Labs. This product is freeware for home users. You need not be an expert. This program is by default well configured. Trusted zones are set into it which are the computers of the network which can make connection with you. You can lock the internet facility if you are not using it. Actually, spywares make contact to any server to perform their activity, when they lose the connection, their effect becomes negligible. So, firewalls can be used to get rid of worms, botnets and spywares.

Anti-Spyware softwares are the other method to protect the spywares. Actually, spywares have a similar pattern to work. Making access to Internet and send the useful information and address book to their web-servers. They put themselves in start-up with the resembling name to a system file, such as rundll32.dll or Kernel32.dll. They masquerade with you and play silly game of breaking your privacy. They are not the one who delete something from your system, but, they are the one who want to perform something which can not be regained. Do not use Internet Explorer if you are entangled with again and again installation of viruses. Use Mozilla Firefox instead. Actually, being more powerful Internet Explorer allows execution of some scripts which may be harmful to your computer. Spywares are not the viruses, but, I keep them in malicious programs.

Conclusion

You should trace the reason of any virus infection. If you trace it properly, problem may be avoided in future. Anti-virus programs work to trace virus files, but, no one take guarantee. Your awareness is above all. Afterall, a virus is a program and it has its process in your computer. Use task manager to get them deleted on the spot. Scan your computer with such programs and do not click each executable, first scan the file, then, execute it. I have mentioned some of the precautions, but, the list is long. One best precaution is to use registered softwares only which follow some standard. There are many organizations for standardization. Products downloaded from good software companies do not contain any such problems. You can download such programs from registered companies site. Overall, I can say -

“Precaution is better than cure.”

“One scanning a day, keeps Viruses far away”

- Som Dutt Tripathi

Som Dutt Tripathi - EzineArticles Expert Author
March 10th, 2009

Make Use of CCTV

Posted in Security Portal

Successfully protecting your home or business can be a major worry but with closed circuit television (CCTV) the solution is at hand. CCTV technology is in widespread use across the country, in shopping malls, bus terminal’s and other prominent public venue’s. The reliable supervision that CCTV systems provide is ideally suited for home security; it’s affordable and designed for ease of use.

Modern CCTV systems deliver constant monitoring, through a series of cameras strategically placed in your home. This network of technology will transmit all activity, producing sharp on-screen imagery that can be recorded and kept. CCTV Surveillance can be installed to secure 4, 9, or up to 16 rooms in your family home or office. The effective security created byCCTV can produce a safe and secure environment for you and your family, something you’ve been looking for, leaving you with total peace of mind.

Various independent research carried out, in the UK and other European countries show that CCTV security system surveillance has become a vital tool in reducing crime. Crime prevention is recognized as the most effective method of making our streets safe and CCTV has been shown to get results. Extensive camera networks can catch the criminals and ultimately lead to more prosecutions, in the war against international terrorists CCTV is a crucial weapon.

You can use modern CCTV video equipment to make sure that your home or office is safe and secure place. A CCTV security system can be installed to resolve your own particular security worries with every emphasis put on vulnerable entry points and other areas that may concern you.

March 8th, 2009

Ponzi Schemes And Pyramid Schemes - What’s The Difference?

Posted in Security Portal

Pyramid schemes - also referred to as Ponzi schemes (after Charles Ponzi, who ran a very famous one in 1920) - are basically structured such that they use the entry fees from participants to make profits for earlier entrants to the scheme.

They have no real product, the only real money being used is the entry fee. Be careful, some pyramid schemes will have very tenuous “products” which cannot really be sold to anyone who isn’t participating in the scheme. That’s why, when you are considering any investment, online or offline, a good product is one of the key criteria you should look for.

Let’s have a look at Charles Ponzi’s famous pyramid scheme. It’s a perfect illustration of what you should avoid.

The 1920’s Ponzi Scheme
Carlo (Charles) Ponzi was born in Italy in 1882 and he emigrated to the United States in 1903. After travelling around the country for about 14 years, during which time he held a wide variety of jobs, Ponzi eventually settled in Boston in 1917.

A couple of years later, in 1919, as part of his research into a business venture which would involve publishing a magazine, Ponzi was in correspondence with a business associate in Spain. At one point in their correspondence, Ponzi’s Spanish associate included an international postal reply coupon for Ponzi’s use. The coupon was included so that Ponzi could take it to a US post office and exchange it for postage stamps.

The coupon had been purchased in Spain for the equivalent of 1 cent - but when Ponzi exchanged it at his local US post office he received 6 cents worth of postage stamps!

Ponzi decided to set up a business to exploit the huge diffrence in the value of the international postal reply coupons. He would buy them in foreign countries, change them in the USA and make huge profits in the process. Not such a bad idea really - you can see how Ponzi might hope to profit by this.

Unfortunately, all the red tape, bureaucracy and the lengthy timeframes needed to transfer foreign currency at that time, ate away at his profits and his scheme lost money. Undaunted, Ponzi registered his company at the end of December 1919 and promised his investors a 50% return on their money within 90 days. In fact, he claimed he could deliver a 50% return within 45 days - equivalent to doubling your money in 90 days.

In the first six months of 1920 thousands of people put money into Ponzi’s scheme. It’s estimated - although we can’t be 100% certain - that more than 10,000 people paid out in excess of $9.8 million over an 8 month period in the end. Ponzi used the money coming in from later investors to pay off those who had invested earlier - he robbed Peter to pay Paul.

Inevitably, as the scheme grew, there simply weren’t enough people coming into the scheme to pay off the earlier investors. Ponzi was arrested in August 1920 and, after a lengthy examination of his books he was jailed for 5 years. A lot of people lost a lot of money.

The Difference Between A Ponzi Scheme And A Pyramid Scheme
Today the terms Ponzi scheme and pyramid scheme are often used to mean the same thing. However, there is a slight difference.

A true Ponzi scheme usually promotes what appears to be a real investment opportunity which investors may contribute to without actually being an affiliate, distributor etc. A pyramid scheme, on the other hand, usually requires that participants make a payment for the right to recruit other people into the scheme, at which point they will receive money.

At the end of the day, this is splitting hairs a little. All you need to know is that people lose money in either of these schemes. Avoid them like the plague.Evaluate your business opportunities in a logical manner - and pay particular attention to the product or range of products on offer - and you won’t get caught up in one of these illegal schemes.

Hamish Hayward
Starting A Home Based Business ……
Discover the key criteria you must evaluate when starting your own online or offline business.
January 16th, 2009

Online Security for Business: User Access Threats

Posted in Security Portal

The biggest security threat to your company is you and your staff - not the internet.

The internet is merely a communications channel for data - it’s how you manage that channel and that data that is important.

With computing, shared networking, and internet connections, it means that information can flow more easily between PCs.

But that also brings with it added security risks - it’s easier for people to find your logins and try and force them, and opportunists will try and steal your passwords where they can.

Ultimately, it’s not up to the internet or existing software to reactively protect you against every instance of a security threat - you need to take proactive action in the first place to minimise those threats.

This really needs underlining, because even the most sophisticated security equipment will not protect you as required if it is poorly used.

Ultimately, protecting your business can be as easy as using common sense and following very basic steps.

Here are a few basic tips on how to protect against these user access threats:

  1. Don’t use the passwords manager on Internet Explorer to save passwords. If your PC is infected with a trojan or virus, this is often one of the first places they check.

  2. If you save your passwords to a file - a text or Word document - don’t name it something obvious like “passwords”. If an unauthorised user got into your PC, you want to make it hard for them to locate your passwords.

  3. Again, if you save passwords in a file, don’t use the word “password” in such a file either. Otherwise an unauthorised user could simply use your computer’s “search” facility for that word, and go straight to them. Simply use the initials “U” and “P” for “username” and “password” - that will be much harder to search out.

  4. Only provide password information to people who need to use them - and if someone needs to use a password protected feature temporarily, then change the password afterwards. After all, you cannot be certain how well third-parties will protect your important security details.

  5. Have different levels of passwords for different operations. For example, have a different password for accessing your e-mail, and a different password for accessing your website. That way, if someone somehow finds out one of your passwords, they cannot access all of your business operations.

  6. Create really secure passwords by mixing up letters, numbers, and using upper and lower case, and even punctuation marks. Make passwords memorable by basing them on acronyms - ie, this is an article called “Online Security for Business: User access threats” and is written in 2006 - so an acronym from that could be: OS4Buat2006. That’s a strong password, and it’s much easier to remember as an acronym.

  7. Don’t install desktop search applications, even by reputable vendors such as Google or Yahoo!, as they will not only help you find information quickly, but will also be invaluable to a hacker looking for sensitive information on your computer system. Instead, keep your files organised on your PC so you don’t need to resort to a desktop search tool in the first place.

  8. Ensure you install anti-virus, a firewall, anti-spyware and anti-adware - and keep them up to date. This will make it far harder for anyone to access your machine without authorisation, The best of these software types will also keep checking the internet for updates.

  9. You should ensure you make regular hard-copy back-ups of your computer data. And store them safely and securely, in a restricted place - such as a safe. You can make these backups to computer tape, DVD or CD media, or even just save everything to a USB stick at the end of the day.

  10. Ensure you have off-site back-ups of all physical and electronic data essential to your business. In the event of catastrophic damage to your premises, you can at least restore basic business operations.

Conclusion

You are never going to be clear of security risks - but you can certainly minimise them. Keeping a security-conscious office is neither expense nor time-consuming. Considering the costs of losing essential data and equipment, can it really be that hard?

Brian Turner runs Security Watch, a site that keeps up to date with exploits and security discussions. He also runs the online security resources Trojan Library and Worm Library.

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