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Preventing Unauthorized Access

Security is Everyone's Responsibility

The need for increased security and the prevention of unauthorized access to your computer has never been greater than it is today, and it will continue to be a challenging issue for the years ahead. The increased use of broadband Internet access (cable or ADSL) where computers are always connected have made the issue one that cannot wait any longer to be addressed. If you are not using some protection, sooner or later you will become a victim.

"Malicious software is so rampant that the average time it takes for an unpatched Windows XP to be compromised after connecting it directly to the Internet is 16 minutes—less time than it takes to download and install the patches that would help protect that PC." - TechWeb News

We're More Vulnerable Than Before

The world we live in has seen massive changes from a society where information was on paper in locked filing cabinets or in massive mainframe computers with extremely limited access to one where global access over the Internet makes us vulnerable from anywhere in the world and challenges our understanding of the very concept of security:

"Now we live in a world that is strictly bounded by our capacity to understand it, by our ability to keep up with the pace of technological change, and to manage the new risks and security challenges that come with limitless storage capacity, limitless transmission capacity, limitless data mining capacity. We are bounded by our own limited capacity to understand, to imagine the implications of data flow and data aggregation, and our ability to teach." - 2005-2006 Report on the Privacy Act by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Test Your Knowledge

Test yourself in The Case of the Cyber Criminal, a fun animated quiz.

How Easy is it to Hack Windows?

Hacking Vista: Easier than you'd think is an instructive video on YouTube that shows how a hacker can gain access to a computer without the user being aware of it. What is particularly interesting is how the user can misinterpret the "infection" incident and that the hacker gained total access in a very short time.

Security Basics

Most viewers of this page are running some version of Microsoft Windows. When combined with its tendency to place emphasis on ease of use over the needs of security, this dominance has led to a huge problem.

"We generally think of computer security as a problem of technology, but often systems fail because of misplaced economic incentives: the people who could protect a system are not the ones who suffer the costs of failure." - Bruce Schneier's Crypto-Gram

If Microsoft bore the cost of security failures in their Windows and Office software, as Ralph Nader forced the auto industry to accept responsibility for their failures, fewer vulnerabilities would exist or be allowed to continue unchecked. Instead, we are spending large amounts of money annually on antivirus, antispyware and other security programs that are less critical on other operating systems because they are not as vulnerable nor targeted as readily.

Running Older Windows?

If you are running a version of Windows older than Windows XP or Windows 2000, you should immediately upgrade. Such upgrades are best done on newer hardware as the system requirements (the speed, storage and memory needed to run them) are more demanding.

Microsoft discontinued support for Windows 98/98SE/Me on July 11, 2006. Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows XP with Service Pack 2 as soon as possible.

How To Protect Yourself

The information on security may not be light reading, but you ignore it at your own peril. I'd suggest returning to this page from time-to-time to refresh your memory and to check for revisions that affect how secure your computer is and what risks you are exposing yourself and your family to.

Stop-Think-Click--Top 8 cyber security tips

False Confidence Deadly

You need to use the tools on this site to protect yourself from threats to your computer. If you think you're protected, consider the findings of one study that reported that 80 per cent of home PCs are infected:

"Nevertheless, almost three quarters of those surveyed reported believing that their PC is very secure or moderately secure." - AOL/NCSA Online Safety Study

Key Elements of Security

To enhance the security of your computer(s) and computer networks, you need to include the following components in your protection plan:

There is more information about each of these, either on this page or on other pages on this site. Follow the links in each of these subsections to learn more.

Choose Programs Wisely

The choice of software to use on your computer affects how vulnerable you are to security-related attacks. This is particularly true for Windows users, specifically in regards to your choice of Web browser and e-mail client.

While the standardization to the Windows platform with Internet Explorer and Outlook Express may make things easier to use and make it easier for managers to find 'trained' employees, it has also made us more vulnerable to inappropriate uses of that technology, including viruses, hacking, phishing, and more. The GDI+ Windows vulnerability for JPEG images was exacerbated because of how widespread the use of Microsoft Office had become.

Windows Messenger & MSN Messenger

There are two "messenger" programs running by default in Windows XP: MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger:

Home users and most smaller businesses do not need Windows Messenger. MSN Messenger should be removed or disabled on business computers. MSN Messenger can put all accounts on a computer at risk. Further information is found here:

There is also concern about how much information is shared on Microsoft Windows XP systems with Microsoft computers.

You should also be aware that much of the free utilities, screensavers and similar programs available on the Web are either adware/malware or install software along with it that behaves in that manner. Do a check on the program by seeing what is said about it by others with a Web-search using the program name or executable file name as the search criteria. Bloggs (Web logs) often provide interesting insight to the usability of such programs and their relative merits.

Anti-Virus Protection

Viruses can do everything from infect others through your e-mail program and address book to compromising the security of your computer.

Purchase and use current anti-virus software. Since some products are free for personal use, you have no excuse not to ensure you are protected.

Firewalls

A firewall is an essential part of your protection, particularly if your computer accesses a broadband connection. Be sure your software firewall is effective and that it protects you from outgoing as well as incoming attacks.

A router both protects you and provides for secure shared access to high-speed Internet.

Spyware Protection

Your privacy has never been under attack as intensely as it is today. You need to protect yourself using legitimate privacy tools.

Effective Passwords

Passwords are an essential part of Internet life today. They are used for everything from access to your e-mail to the millions of Websites and forums that require you to identify yourself using a username and password combination on a daily basis.

Passwords and encryption can be effective tools only if you use them correctly.

Summary

It is also particularly important that you both keep your antivirus, firewall and anti-spyware security software current (install all updates) and that you run this software at least weekly. Once study indicated that the time from the discovery of a vulnerability to when it is exploited is now four days or less. Weekly updates and scans are a bare minimum.

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More About Security Issues

The following related pages offer more information about security:

PDF Documents

Several documents on this Website are labelled as PDF. You will need the free Acrobat® Reader® to view and print the PDF documents. Get the free Acrobat® Reader®.

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www.RussHarvey.bc.ca/resources/security.html
Updated: April 8, 2008