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Posts Tagged ‘secure surfing’

When Microsoft debuted Windows Vista on January 30th, 2007 it was clear that they had made online security one of their top priorities with this operating system. In fact, Windows Vista was the most secure Microsoft operating system to date.

So how did the Microsoft team approach the security issue when they decided to create Windows 7? Well first, they decided to take into consideration suggestions from Vista users to see what they could possibly improve with their online security features. These suggestions allowed the programmers to make the system more user friendly when it came to the security features.

Microsoft developed Windows 7 according to the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL). The goals of SDL are to minimize the number of security related design and coding defects, and to reduce the harshness of the defects that remain. This alone doesn’t make the system unique from Vista, as Vista was also developed according to the SDL. But seeing how Vista’s online security features were Microsoft’s best yet, it was clear that Windows 7 needed to be molded from that version.

Along with implementing the SDL into this new system, Microsoft also included such Vista key security features as Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), Kernel Patch Protection, and Mandatory Integrity Levels.

So now you’re scratching your head asking yourself, “Then what makes this operating system special? Looks like it is just Windows Vista repackaged with a new look and name, but same security features.”

Though it’s true Windows 7 shares some of the same features as Vista on the security standpoint, it is also fair to say that some of those same features have been tweaked a little, improving their performance and reliability. Such as the Enhanced UAC you will find with Windows 7.

The UAC, or User Account Control, gives the administrators more power over what features and applications to grant access to when it comes to certain guest users and employees. UAC is what controls those pesky, annoying security prompts that you see pop up from time to time. Vista users gave this feature some heavy negative feedback, thus forcing Microsoft to re-think the way this feature works. They have worked out all the kinks and have reduced the number of applications and operating system tasks that trigger the prompts. Now if you access User Accounts in the Control Panel you can even adjust this feature to your liking and customize it to fit your own security needs.

Everyone knows you need more than just a password these days to protect yourself and your computer. Heck, nowadays most web sites require that you make your password at least so many letters long, include so many numbers, and on top of that you not only have to create a security question and password but also pick a picture from a series of graphics to be tied to your account. Windows 7 actually upped the ante when it comes to password protecting your computer. They have implemented better driver support and more reliable fingerprint reading across different hardware platforms. So now you don’t have to worry about some computer hacker logging into your computer to access all of your important files because if you have fingerprint access enabled on your computer, no one but you can get into your computer.

Windows 7 preserves Vista's data-protection technologies, such as EFS (Encrypting File System) and support for AD RMS (Active Directory Rights Management Services). Microsoft tinkered with those technologies to make them perform a little better, and they notably improved on Vista's BitLocker drive encryption technology, and it adds BitLocker to Go for encrypting data on separable media. You see, Windows vista was capable of protecting the volumes and drives that were part of the computer, but it could not do the same for removable drives. That’s part of the reason Windows 7 differs from Vista in that it is capable of protecting all of the files on your removable drives with BitLocker to Go. It’s a nice feature that will surely add more needed protection to your important files which you may keep on things such as Floppies, Jump Drives, or disc.

Also, with BitLocker to Go, administrators can block anyone from adding information to their removable files or even from removing information if those files are accessed. BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip to store BitLocker encryption keys and smooth the progress of the encryption and decryption of the BitLocker-protected data. Many desktops and laptops do not come with a TPM chip, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world for you and your internet safety. Microsoft has included the option to use BitLocker Drive Encryption without a compatible TPM, though it’s not a cake walk in order to access it. Though the lack of a TPM chip can create a small road block, it can be overcome.

So in closing I must say that I am very impressed with the online security features within Windows 7. Like I discussed above, the final product does mimic Vista in the features implemented within the operating system, but most of those features have been slightly modified in order to offer the Windows user a safer and easier way of obtaining protection when surfing the net.

Too many people take it for granted that what they do online is private and protected, but the truth is that most people have data that is vulnerable, all too ready for sophisticated people to capture.

Even people who work on private networks are at risk, but for those using public networks the risk is even greater. Keeping data secure is crucial for anyone who wants to avoid the damaging loss of personal or critical business information.

The simple act of hitting “Reply” on an email is task fraught with risk.

There are many safe guards that can be put in place, but one of the most secure ways to protect your online privacy is by using encrypted connections when working through a private proxy server.

Encryption, in terms of moving information, is the process by which data is put through a complex algorithm which makes it unreadable to anyone who does not have the key to decrypt it. Encryption can be used to protect data on computers and storage devices and is the first round of defense for those wanting to keep their personal data private when working online.

Another weapon in the arsenal of those wanting to protect their online privacy is the use of a private proxy server. A proxy server is a computer or application that serves as go-between for information requests between servers. Requests can be for information such as a web page, a file download, or other services and these are made through a proxy server rather than connecting directly to the server that houses the actual data.

The proxy server has two primary purposes, one is to maintain anonymity of the computer behind it for security reasons and the other reason is to speed access to a data resource.

There are numerous types of proxy servers including a caching proxy, a reverse proxy, a tunneling proxy, and a content filer proxy server. All of these different type servers provide different functions and features.

Many public proxy servers will accept unencrypted information and this can create a security risk because the data could be collected and thus make it vulnerable. It is important that those who use proxy servers know the integrity of the proxy servers they connect to, which is why the use of a private proxies with a good reputation is advised.

In some cases, malicious proxy servers have been intentionally set-up to record all unencrypted data and this data can later be harvested and used by those that have captured it. The key to protecting your personal data is encryption and this applies whether you are on a private or public network and specifically when accessing data through a proxy server. Using an encrypted connection can provide a great line of defense against internet hackers who employ packet sniffers and other sophisticated means of capturing private data.

I am going to teach you something today, and this is just for your information there is no need to actually try this out. You promise you will not?

OK, really I will not be held responsible for what you do with this information, if you lose your job or get expelled from school that is your fault!

The online world is one of two faces, the side where we find what we need, book holidays, save time with online services and generally enjoy ourselves. Then there is the darker side, where individuals and organisations are trying to infiltrate our lives without permission, steal our identities, money and generally destroy everything we worked hard for! So yes while we can say the Internet has given us many things, we must not discount the threats it has produced.

Being safe online these days is much harder than even 12 months ago, the methods deployed by criminals become more taxing and skilful by the day. The speed at which these new hacking techniques are being deployed far outstrips the speed at which patches are released for the software we are all using. Even the most respected browsers from Microsoft and Firefox fall foul to many a threat, despite their respective parent companies spending millions of dollars on development. It is therefore even more vital these days to be proactive in your attempts to thwart online criminals, relying on your free antivirus software alone is only going to lead to disaster these days!

Perhaps the most common, and most dangerous, system infiltrations involve key loggers and hidden P2P applications. A system compromised in this way will be working as a server, distributing pirate software or pornography to other users around the world. This takes place without your knowledge, and often with your anti-virus software still running! This is because the program has altered the way your Virus package works, so it reports it is working but really it is not. At the same time key loggers on your computer will record every thing you type, every login, every email, all your bank details will be recorded and sent back to the criminals.

Always ensure you are running with a software firewall on your computer, and preferably a hardware firewall on your modem or router too. These of course must both be setup correctly, if they are configured to allow all traffic then they are effectively not there!

Further you should ensure you are running a complete Anti-Malware package, this will cover virus, phishing, adware, key-loggers and Trojans at the same time, the better packages will include full firewall capabilities in the same package. Ensure you computer is fully patched, which these days requires you to be running with licensed software. Never use pirate copies of operating systems or Anti-Virus products, it may sound like obvious advice but it is amazing how many people trust their online security to the very people who do most of the hacking in the first place!

Finally install IP changing software with encryption technology so as to hide yourself online, as if they can’t find you they can’t attack you!

There is a general argument currently being broadcast that Anti-Virus software has ‘had its day’ because the pace of virus releases is outstripping the capabilities of Anti-Virus software Vendors to issue updates to counteract them.  It is getting to the point when you would need to update your Virus database minute by minute! (a recent study by Panda Security, based in Bilbao, Spain, detects an average of 37,000 new viruses, worms, Trojans and other security threats per day!)

Look, if you said to me that folk should stop wasting their money on stand-alone anti-virus applications then I may agree with you to some point. The one thing that is outmoded is the term ‘anti-virus’.

Precisely speaking, the main online threat isn’t called a virus, a more suitable term should be ‘malware’ and it is time we started to conform to this new term.

Online threats consist of viruses, adware, key-loggers and trojans, all residing under the common term of spyware.

I understand the term ‘anti-virus’ is a heavily marketed term and when you mention the term ‘anti-virus’ to PC illiterate and green users they know precisely what you are talking about, but when you talk about ‘malware’ they often give you that glassy stare, you know, the kind of stare that screams ‘What the hell are you speaking about?!’.

Most anti-virus applications now offer protection against malware and other spyware related threats as well, so it is really daft to keep calling them anti-virus applications, they are essentially anti-malware applications.,

The older definition based anti virus protection is pretty much over as the latest anti-malware solutions are moving towards behavior based detection, however it would be suicidal to scrap anti-virus solutions just because of the fast evolution of new threats.

Scrapping your anti-virus solution would be reckless and plain dumb, just like exclaiming we should stop patching the security issues in software and leave them un-patched because the threats exploiting these failings are developing way too fast.

Should we stop installing security systems in our homes because new, more advanced burglars are born each day? If you can protect your system against known threats why not do it?

It’s correct, spyware develops much faster than the anti-malware solutions, but known malicious software gets recycled on the internet time after time. Protecting yourself against a known variant means you cannot be attacked by it again and trust me it is not uncommon to be attacked by the same variant frequently. This means antivirus software still plays an urgent role in your defense against malicious software, it also implies that anti virus program engineers are still detecting new threats at a particularly high rate.

New variants may infect a lot of PCs before they get noted, but once the anti-virus sellers release an up to date signature file to all their users, they are at least constraining the dissemination of the spyware and forestalling uninfected users from getting infected.

Scrapping anti-virus solutions means systems are left insecure, and if infected they could, for instance, be making a contribution to the processing power of bot networks like ‘hurricane’ (a gaming network bot), without your knowledge or consent, if nothing else this could use up your available bandwidth and slow down your computer.

At least an infected system can be cleaned once a new variant has been detected, thus you are pro-actively taking a bot network down bit by bit and making it tougher for the malware to spread any further. Remember, an infected machine becomes a distributor for new variants of the malware. Murdering a known variant means you are forestalling it from mutating and spreading.

It is true, the debate that the value of anti-virus software is declining is hogwash.  Improve it, don’t just scrap it, giant companies should stop putting reckless ideas into the minds of ordinary users, they should stop the throw-away-your-anti-virus-program-and-buy-our-software kind of selling. The internet is dangerous enough as it is, so don’t go encouraging folk to throw away their anti-malware applications, not even in today’s arena of sophisticated malware attacks. Anti-malware applications are frequently the sole line of defence that is’s available to beginner net users.

Right now the best thing you can do is be sure to run industry leading Anti Virus Anti-Malware Software, preferably with full firewall capability, and encrypt your online activities through a respected anonymous proxy server.