Any Ape

For many years, novels and films have given us apocalyptic views of how easily mankind could disintegrate into ruthless barbarity once removed from the constraints of law and order, and the comfortable smooth machinery of “civilization”. But all that was just fiction, right? Not really. The reality is in the news.

While the people of New York City responded predominantly with goodwill and a heroic attitude to the World Trade Center attacks, it is important to keep in mind that the basic structure of the city - the services, facilities, and general day-to-day functions - were still intact. The disaster that has befallen the gulf states is an entirely different kind of animal. The entire city of New Orleans has been utterly devastated. Many peripheral communities and cities have been essentially washed away. There is no source of free-flowing fresh water, food sources have been severely depleted, virtually no energy infrastructure remains, although line crews from neighboring states are working feverishly to get power restored to critical facilities like the water supply system. Tens of thousands of people have lost their possessions, their homes, their jobs, and their entire way of life. As some of the survivors have put it, they are literally “adrift”.

While many people do have a positive, strong mental and psychological orientation, allowing them to forge ahead and find a way to carry on within the boundaries of law and moral principles, many others do not.

Poverty-stricken communities already have a tendency to have higher crime rates under normal conditions, due to obvious environmental factors. Many people in this environment often become dependant on the “welfare-state”, deriving some of their income, access to services, and food allowances from government-sponsored systems. In a “civilization-destroyed” scenario, these systems cease to function. In times like this, people who ordinarily would not resort to outright theft or robbery do so, and the more violently criminal-minded become even more ruthless and barbaric.

A disaster on the scale as that of the gulf states, where the ability of the government (local, state, or federal) to control affairs is seriously diminished, creates a ripe opportunity for the desperate and the criminal to exploit the misfortunes of others. And they’re doing it. Armed gangs roaming the demolished landscape, reports of rape inside the overwhelmed astrodome, boundless pillaging of every storefront or home left standing; these are the stark images that tell us just how fragile our domestic peace really is.

America is truly a great nation, populated by many great people. But there is bad among us, too, waiting for the opportunity to seize upon the misfortunes of others, whether for profit or just for plain pathological gratification.

For more information on what you can do to be better prepared to protect yourself and the ones you love, visit http://www.1stdefenseproducts.com .

Jonathan Merritt has over 20 years of experience in the security industry, and has written numerous articles on personal, family and home security. His company site, http://www.1stdefenseproducts.com, provides links to government and community security information, as well as access to his newsletter 1st Defense Network.

Why shop online in the first place?

When you decide to go online for shopping there is a reason for that. Of course there is reason you think. But really; why not just go down town and buy the product you need? It’s probably only a street or block away.

Because you like to do some fast research on the net to compare prices maybe or to simply check your options out there in the product jungle. By a click on the mouse your product is on its way to your home. It’s amazing how easy it is now a days. Only a few years back in time you went to the mall to get all your shopping done in one place.

But now, you got the internet, which is one giant world wide mall. You can buy all kinds of stuff and products online: luxury, furniture’s, motorcycles, cars, wigs, diamond rings, shoes, golf equipment, jewellery, grocery, saltwater fish and a much more. I don’t think there is anything that the internet does not offer in some way.

But how safe are you really?

One thing that is important when you shop in online stores is, look for the https in the URL in your browser before typing anything private in the stores checkout page. The s that is put in front of the http indicates that the transmission is secure and encrypted. That is preventing hackers to listen in on your shopping to steal your private data. The last thing you want is for some hacker to empty your bank account either directly or via shopping in your name so to speak. So, look for the https.

Can I trust the online stores?

How sure can you be that the store actually intends to send you any of the goods you order? Maybe they simply keep your money and that is all you ever going to see from them. Again, look for signs that this online store is serious. Look for customer service; there should be a direct phone number to the store, if you have any questions you need to be answered before or after your purchase. How do they ship items, and how about if you want to return the item? It should also be possible to pay via international credit cards like Visa or similar cards. I think it is too risky to transfer money directly into a bank account, unless you know the store well.

Final word about online stores.

I enjoy shopping online. I purchase books, both e-books and regular books, clothes, vitamins, access to information and much more. The net is a wonderful media when searching for information and services. Just look for the secure signs, and enjoy your shopping in online stores.

Huge amount of quality online stores information on this site - Go there! http://www.onlinestores.infostairs.com/

Looking for free computer security tools to use?

Got Spyware?

There is now a bill in Congress to make Spyware illegal. Good luck at catching the creators, in the mean time here
are two links you can use to get started on your journey against Spyware.

http://www.lavasoft.com Ad-aware
http://www.safernetworking.com Spybot Search and Destroy.

Note there is better version available for a cost. There are many things you can also do to protect your computer
Keep Automatic Updates turned on for all of your Anti-Virus Software, and operating systems. Clean out your cookies
as well there is often cookies placed to track your whereabouts on the Internet.

Now the subject of viruses. There are commercial anti-virus scanner like Symantec Norton Anti-Virus and MacAfee in
fact many new computers come with trial versions. Unfortunately when these versions run out users most of the time
ignore it and wonder why do I have a virus? Let me explain something just because you have a antivirus software
program on your computer you are not cured. Virus writers do just that write new viruses and edit old ones to do
new things. You need to update your signatures of your anti-virus software continuously. Crafty virus writer’s code
Viruses to disable your anti-virus software!

There is free anti-virus solutions one is called AVG http://free.grisoft.com. I personally use this product and love
It, it is not a memory hog like Norton. And you can also set up schedules to run and get updates.

A good firewall is a must especially nowadays. This is because everyone for the most part is running DSL and Cable
modems. Which are great for connectivity horrible because it’s like leaving your front door unlocked.

Check out http://www.zonelabs.com They have a product called Zone Alarm. It is customizable and blocks allot of
attempts of entering your network. It is shocking to see the amount of people trying to get into your network. Zone
Alarm will alert you to programs trying to access the Internet. This is kind of annoying but can be a life saver if
a program is dialing Kenya on your telephone!! Zone Alarm can remember certain programs.

Windows Service Pack 2 has a firewall in it and I recommend enabling it.

There are many web browsers that you can use. I love Open Source you can probably guess I’m using Firefox
www.mozilla.org/products/firefox.There are so many features that I can rave about like tabbed browsing, if your
anything like me at home I have at least two or three browser running if using Internet Explorer, with Firefox I can
have as many websites as I want open and tabs at the top with descriptions. it’s ingenious in my opinion. I don’t
have to switch browsers like I do with IE.

Internet Explorer is one of the most used browsers and most targeted. Mozilla Firefox has many advantages including
security. It also does not use ActiveX.

Scan your own systems! To see what ports are open and running. DO you have services that do not need to be running?

Knowledge is power. I work for a technology company for three years and never have they trained any people in
multiple departments on security that I’m aware of. I’m amazed to hear things from co-workers such as I don’t have an
account with so and so bank but they wanted my information and I gave it to them! Corporate networks are and will
continue to be infected by users that are untrained about computer security. People all the time open attachments
that they do not know where they came from. Homes users are sometimes even more ignorant. That is not said in a mean
way. File Sharing programs are popular and an opening to viruses, Trojans and other lovely things you don’t want in
your network.

For the best and current security tools, alerts and news use Google http://www.google.com.

Benjamin Hargis CEO

Phuture Networks

http://www.phuturenetworks.com

http://www.computersecurityadvice.com
Free Computer Security Advice !!!

Being fully aware of what is going on around your home, both day and night, is a good strategy for home security. And having measures in place that make a break-in to your home very difficult when you aren’t there decreases the likelihood that a successful home intrusion will take place. And advancing technology continues to arm homeowners with more and more sophisticated ways to protect their home and family with devices that constantly monitor what is going on around the home.

One of those devices is the simple motion detector. For years they have been used in other applications like garage doors where it prevents allowing the door to close if it senses movement or a blockage underneath the door. But now they are being increasingly used in home security systems to help inform the homeowner of outside movement,especially at night, and also even set off surveillance systems that can capture on video what is happening as well.

So how can you include motion detectors in your home security system? One of the most simple ways to do so is just to install lights around the house at strategic spots that have motion sensors in them and turn on automatically when triggered at night. These kind ofr lights can be found at any hardware or home improvement store and are very inexpensive. They can be wired into your home lighting system and turned on manually, or you can also use battery powered units that are light sensitive and can only be activated when darkness falls. Just be sure to replace the batteries regularly.

For more advanced home security systems, motion detectors can be used to trigger the home alarm system when activated. They are often installed inside the home in addition to sensors that monitor the doors and windows. If someone does gain entry to your home while you are away they will detect the movement and trigger the alarm. This works very well if you don’t have pets or small animals that would be moving around the home and could trigger false alarms.

They also can be used outside to turn on video surveillance cameras for more advanced security systems. When installed with video cameras, they can trigger the camera to begin recording whenever motion is detected, and also notify you of the movement if you are home. Since the video camera only captures the action when motion is detected it doesn’t have to be on all the time and this saves a lot of video tape or hard drive space depending on how the camera saves the video information.

As you can see the humble, hard working motion detector can be used in a variety of ways to help guard your home and family. Why not begin thinking about how you can include them to enhance your own security system today?

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including home security. You can find out more about a home security system and motion detector alarms by visiting our Home Security Review website.

What is a computer virus?

Virus is a harmful program which when runs on a computer may alter the information, files and damage data stored in it.

How a computer gets infected from virus?

1. From Infected Floppy Disk

2. From infected files downloaded from website.

3. From infected files from a infected CD

4. From infected E-mail attachment.

5. From running an unknown program or code on your computer.

What precautions or measures we can take to prevent virus from entering into our computer?

1. We should only use floppies that are from known source and are properly scanned from an anti-virus.

2. We can install a good firewall on our computer.

3. We can install good anti-spyware on our computer.

4. Never open an E-mail from an unknown person or unknown source.

5. Install a good Anti-Virus on your computer.

6. In the Internet Explorer go to go to Tools icon then go to the Internet Options.

Then click the security tab and select Highest security option on the slider.

Then click Apply and Ok. This step will help you from restricting harmful viruses and Trojans from entering into your computer.

The above instructions will help you reducing the risks of saving your computer from any Virus Attack.

What we should do when a virus attacks our computer?

1. First of all we should try to back-up our data that is most important to us.

2. If our computer is on network, just disconnect it from the network so that the virus should not spread in to the other computers.

3. Now run a good Anti Virus on the computer to scan for the viruses.

4. After the viruses are found by the anti-virus try to remove them with it.

5. Some times the viruses are internet Trojan horses or spyware, in that case you should use good anti-spyware to remove them.

The ideas above are own ideas of the author based on his 10 years experience on internet and networks. The author is not responsible in anyway for any damage or loss of data caused to the user directly or indirectly.

Cyber Force is always with YOU.

Website: http://www.cyberforce.info
The ideas above are own ideas of the author based on his 10 years experience on internet and networks. The author is not responsible in anyway for any damage or loss of data caused to the user directly or indirectly. The author has been granted Expert status from http://www.ezinearticles.com and was able to grab top position in google search (in approximately 8 million WebPages search with keywords virus and spyware attack and cyber force virus)

Although the fake check scam is an old one and about 65% of the population are aware of it, scammers are constantly finding ways to improve their techniques and trap even the most computer/internet savvy of people.

So as technology progresses along, so does the online crime.

Heed my warnings to beware of any offer that you receive utilizing a “cashiers check” over the amount of what is being asked. The newest scam to date is the “phony job offer” coming through online job boards such as CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com, Dice.com, HotJobs.com etc. etc.

How it Works

You are notified via e-mail with a job offer to act as a “Donations Processor” or something similar. You are e-mailed a link to a (fake) contract and asked to sign and fax it back.

Within a few days, you will receive a FedEx envelope containing a Cashiers Check in the amount if either $4500 or $7500. Your main contact will notify you via e-mail requesting the status of the funds. Once you have the funds available, which you likely will considering the banks will immediately release the monies of a cashiers check under $5000, you will be given instructions on how to and who to send the funds. You will likely be asked to wire the funds via Western Union but strongly instructed not to send the money as a “business” transaction but rather a “personal” transaction. Note: the needy somebody you are sending the funds to is always in Ukraine!

You will also be strongly instructed to not send the funds online, but to walk in to a Western Union office. You are told to keep 10% of the cashiers check for your time and efforts and to pay for the wire transfer funds out of the cashiers check as well. It is also likely that your wire transfer will be sent in two (2) different transactions to two (2) different names.

Within days, you will be notified by the bank that your account is being closed and that the check you deposited was a counterfeit. You will also be notified that you are possibly facing felony counterfeit charges for passing a fraudulent/counterfeit check.

Your original contact will fall off the internet planet. Your e-mails will be rejected and the website will be long gone.

Sound Stupid?

Yes, while reading this article, it probably sounds obvious that this is a scam, but when you receive the job offer with the CareerBuilder.com logo and transaction numbers listed along the bottom, you are not apt to suspect anything fishy. This is the trap!

Every victim of this scam fell for it because the original job offer came via e-mail shortly after submitting their resumes to CareerBuilder.com.

About 90% of the job offers are using CareerBuilder.com as their primary form of contact, although a reported few have come from Monster.com and HotJobs.com.

What to do if you are a victim?

Every victim has filed complaints with the FBI, FTC, IFCC, Western Union, FedEx, their local General Attorneys and police department with no success or response. I spoke independently with a representative from the Secret Service that claimed in essence, this is the perfect crime. No representative of the United States will step forward to assist with prosecution or extradition because the neighboring countries won’t assist. What does this mean? It means that so long as the public isn’t aware of what to watch for with these internet scams, then basically the victim is victimized 10 times over.

The victim has to foot the financial bill in addition to possibly facing jail time for passing a counterfeit cashiers check. This also means that money is being stolen from Americans and could very possibly be used to support terrorism. Sound a little far fetched? I don’t think so, we don’t know who is running this internet scam, the only fact known is that they have made millions, possibly even billions of dollars stealing from us, the Americans.

Online organized crime continues to slip through the cracks making scammers and possibly terrorists rich.

Efforts have been made to contact CareerBuilder.com asking for their assistance with notifying newly registered job seekers of the dangers that easily leak through their system. CareerBuilder.com steps aside from their responsibility by stating that a “fraud” link at the bottom of their pages provides warnings of what to watch for. They neglect to admit that this particular scam isn’t listed on that page. They also neglect to admit that they don’t inform you that your personal contact information including everything on your online resume is sold for profit. CareerBuilder.com has the funds and the means to assist with putting a halt to these types of scammers, however, they don’t and they won’t.

If you are angered by the negligence of CareerBuilder.com, feel free to send written correspondence to the following:

1. Chairman — Robert Montgomery - Robert.Montgomery@careerbuilder.com

2. CEO — Matt Ferguson - matt.Ferguson@careerbuilder.com

We Need Your Help

I have begun a personal crusade to inform the public of this scam and others like it. I have also decided to ask for help from society to offer support to the victims of this scam. They are alone, nobody is stepping up to the plate to help. Why should they have to bare this cross alone? I am a single parent dedicating hours out of my day to publish what I know and effortlessly work to research what the scammers’ next steps are going to be. If I had the finances to assist, believe me, I would. I have partnered with another victim of this scam who is footing finances barely available to work towards the same goal as I - stopping organized criminals from ripping off innocent hard working Americans. You may visit our website and offer your contributions toward our efforts at www.webnetpresence.com and www.peopleschronicle.com. A receipt is provided for your contribution in addition to contact information to verify the validity of the donation. Thank you in advance.

Ramona Kurylas
http://www.webnetpresence.com
ramona@webnetpresence.com

The world today is noisier than ever, and more pervasive. We are never alone -joggers have ipods to keep them company. We overhear bits of others phone conversations everywhere we go. A constant cacophony of information pours from a multitude of sources, some of it meant for you, some of it not.

We are migrating what used to be in private to the public world, with privacy no longer a given commodity. We have become a world under surveillance, by criminals, snoops and even our governing bodies. The price we pay is a creeping colonization of our privacy and a fundamental loss of personal security.

Nothing moves faster than the internet and email has become the preferred communications tool for those who want uninterrupted workflow, or those of us struggling to “stay in touch.” Currently, we have a Fast Food mentality towards email: speed versus quality becomes an issue. Replying to email in a timely manner often means having to respond to inputs more quickly with less time for thought, reflection, even accuracy. “You can’t make phone calls or personal visits to all your friends very often, but you can ‘cc’ them regularly with a couple of keystrokes. That turns out to be very important,” said Jeffrey Boase, co-author of the Pew Internet and American Life Project’s report, “The Strength of Internet Ties” report which surveyed the importance of online communications in the lives of 60 million Americans. (1)

Communicating quickly is not necessarily the same as communicating effectively. There are trade-offs that comes with the speed and efficiency of email, the top concession being security and ultimately, privacy.

With increasing dependency on email (and the internet in general) as a tool for faster communication comes the need to recognize it’s security shortcomings.

Shortcomings of all unencrypted email accounts:

- All messages are sent in clear text, making any intercepted message readable to anyone.

Shortcoming of free email services, such as Yahoo or Hotmail:

- They archive your email online, making it far too easy for hackers to crack accounts and access contents.

Shortcoming of Internet Service Provider (ISP):

- Although an ISP service will transfer messages you open to your own hard drive, a hacker can still get access to all email you haven’t opened yet.

Shortcoming of Web Services such as Google:

- It is now well documented that these services store your browser histories interminably, making your entire search history available for the asking.

- Search engines are not fully shielded by the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act 2

We have had security issues for as long as we have had computers, and even today most computers do not have enough safeguards built in. Human management overhead can be expensive and complex, and inevitably there will be mistakes as well as ever evolving compliance issues to keep up with. The answer is to apply some intelligence and implement security products that will reduce the risk of error, products that can be effectively managed as assets of any business. Adopting a security solution creates a policy of preparedness versus reactionary scrambling in response to email incidents.

1.) “Internet serves as ’social glue’” BBCNews.com, 26 January, 2006, http://www.bbc.co.uk

2.) News.com’s article on their Google FAQ: http://news.com.com/FAQ

Schwarz is the director of corporate marketing at Essential Security Software (ESS), a provider of document and email security solutions. http://www.essentialsecurity.com

Nobody wants to pay to remove spyware. At the very least, I don’t. The blasted stuff shouldn’t be on my computer anyway, so what ever would make me want to shell out cash to get rid of something that I shouldn’t have in the first place?

Spyware removal tools come in many different forms, and from many different places. Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware is from Sweden, and Spybot: Search and Destroy is from Germany, I think. (Their error messages come up in German, so I have to assume..)

Purchasing adware removal software can even be dangerous, so to speak. If you’re buying it from a pop-up then more than likely you’re just lining the pockets of the person that infected your machine in the first place. I’ve had many infested machines have icons for spyware removers magically appear on the desktop. Of course, if you want to actually clean anything, you have to shell out some dough.

If you’re going to go it alone, for free, then there are a few tools you’ll need. The first is Ad-Aware, as mentioned above. Spybot: S&D is a second excellent choice. The third, and much more advanced (and therefore difficult to use) spyware remover is HijackThis. Almost all scanners will miss various adware items, simply because there is so much produced nowadays so quickly. It’s impossible to keep up.

Once you have the aforementioned software downloaded, installed, and updated then you’re going to want to boot to safe mode. Why not scan now immediately? Cause the adware is still running. You can’t delete a file that’s in use. That said, safe mode is less effective than it used to be, but it still may work.

To get to safe mode: Reboot the machine, press F8 repeatedly once it restarts until a menu comes up that has “safe mode” listed. Select it, and press enter. Windows will load nothing but the essentials.

As soon as safe mode is loaded then go ahead and do a full system scan with Ad-Aware and Spybot or whatever you happen to have. Following that, reboot and see how your computer runs. If it still has issues, then HijackThis will be neccesary. In order to use this tool, you’ll need to have a pretty good grasp on what should and shouldn’t be loading in startup, as well as a grasp of what Browser Help Objects you need. (Technically, none, but some software you have installed may use them)

You can get HijackThis help, but if it eludes you then you really should have an experienced user have at it.

Kevin Souter is a full time computer repair technician, and runs sites in his spare time dispensing his knowledge on free spyware removal and computer repair.

Spring is here. Well, sort of. Daylight Savings Time has returned on schedule, as reliable as New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July. Your clocks have sprung forward, you changed the batteries in your smoke alarms, and not too many of you overslept on April 2. Now you get to clean the filters on your air conditioners and do whatever else you need to do to make sure you’re ready for the warm summer months. Maybe even do a little bit of spring cleaning.

This is also the time of year you get bombarded with ideas for travel - for spring break, summer vacations, and short weekend getaways to a mountain cottage or beach house or country inn. Sometimes it seems that half the city and a large part of the suburbs empty out every weekend once spring arrives.

And guess what? Late spring and summer are among the happiest times in the world for thieves! Why not, when there’s nobody around to notice that they’ve broken into your house, and you won’t be back until Monday at the earliest, maybe not for a week or more - by which time your prized possessions have been fenced, your car has been through the chop shop, and tracking the burglars gets harder with every day that passes.

So before you pack the SUV or call a cab to take you to the airport, take stock around your house or apartment. Here are a few things you should consider doing before you get away on your get-away.

Tell someone - the police department, a neighbor, nearby family members - about your trip. Let them know when you’re leaving, where you’ll be staying, when you’ll be back, and how to contact you in an emergency. If you have a security system connected to the police and/or fire department, make sure they know that you’re not there.

Stop delivery of mail and newspapers. Nothing shows your absence better than several days’ worth of newspapers in front of your door or a mailbox so full nothing else will fit.

Ask someone you trust to keep an eye on the house while you’re away. Make sure they have a spare key. They can make sure that no deliveries slip through the cracks and keep your place looking occupied. A friend with a key can also be helpful in an emergency of any sort. Imagine you get sick while on vacation, and the insurance papers you need for treatment are locked in the house. Or if there is a break-in, they’ll be available to a) call the police and b) be there when the police come to investigate.

Take valuables to your safe deposit box. Don’t leave jewelry, negotiable bond certificates, coin collections, and other easily portable items in a desk or bureau, even if it’s locked. If you don’t have a good safe to store them in, take them to a place that does.

Set timers to turn lights and appliances on and off. Sophisticated systems will allow you to preset “random” times; simpler ones turn on the same appliances every day at the same time. But don’t leave the house looking empty.

Check your security system. Make sure all access points are securely locked. Front door, back door, and garage doors are all vulnerable. So are windows. If you don’t have key-operated window locks, get them. Better yet - especially for city apartment dwellers below the third floor - get bars put on all accessible windows.

And don’t forget - when you get back home, thank the people who watched over your house - send a note to the police department, take your friend out to lunch or buy them flowers. Because the best security in the world comes not from locks and keys, but from being - and having - good neighbors.

Now, make your plans, and have a great vacation!

Originally published: http://www.mr-locks.com/news.php?id=52

Andrew Reed grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. He moved to New York in 1970, and following his undergraduate studies at Columbia University he became a marketing specialist with National Broadcasting and other companies. He returned to the WNC mountains in 1993, where he works as an editor, freelance writer, and marketing consultant. He operates a web-based editing and marketing company, http://www.myowneditor.com, and specializes in writing for web sites.

This article explores computer security, aiming to give businesses an insight into why they must be proactive in protecting their systems. There are many aspects to security on the Internet and a lot has been made recently of the security of e-commerce transactions. Whilst many of the security issues that a website administrator faces are similar to those that your businesses computers are threatened with, this column will concentrate on how and why you should secure your internal IT investment.

The Internet in its current state is similar to a city with no locks on the doors of its houses, where computers can be thought of as houses and the networks making up the Internet, the city streets. Computers as they are sold today are inherently insecure, allowing access to anyone with a bit of curiosity or malicious intent. As businesses come to rely more and more on electronic information (not least e-mail), the potential disruption caused by a data burglary, informational arson attack or digital graffiti has reached a level that businesses should not ignore

The threat Any computer on the Internet exposes a series of ports through which information flows. By default these are all open and unlocked. Whilst many of them may lead to empty rooms or brick walls, an attacker will only need to find one port vulnerable to attack for the whole system to be compromised.

Even if your ports are secure; intruders can get into your computer in a Trojan horse. A piece of software disguised as something useful can contain a malicious sub-program to install a backdoor into your system. Often these programs claim to give something for free or display small games whilst an attacker has a good nose around

One of the most worrying developments has been the proliferation of automated attacks. These can be run from an attacker’s computer, scanning hundreds or thousands of computers in a day; or can be the self-replicating Internet worm. These are a hybrid of virus programs and computer security attacks. In worst-case scenarios, they can bring whole segments of the Internet to a standstill.

Attacks on your information can be carried out for as varied reasons as an arsonist burns things, a robber steals things or kids spray-paint walls. An electronic attack could leave you with no data (imagine losing your accounts the day before your filing date), data that has been altered in subtle ways (imagine your accounts with 10% taken off each figure), a website that is ‘owned’ by a teenager in another country or an office full of computers that no longer do the job for which they were intended.

When we drive a car we are accepting and using a set of standards that have evolved since the turn of the century to ensure safety, convenience and fair access for all users of the road system. Some of these standards are globally accepted (for instance a road is made from tarmac and wheels are made from rubber) whilst others vary from country to country (for example if we drive on the left or the right). The practical upshot of these standards is that a car designed and built for use in one country can be safely used in another (possibly with a little bit of inconvenience).

The aftermath Attacks on your information can be carried out for as varied reasons as an arsonist burns things, a robber steals things or kids spray-paint walls. An electronic attack could leave you with no data (imagine losing your accounts the day before your filing date), data that has been altered in subtle ways (imagine your accounts with 10% taken off each figure), a website that is ‘owned’ by a teenager in another country or an office full of computers that no longer do the job for which they were intended.

Almost worse than losing all your data (because we know you keep a regular backup), is having your system infected with a worm program. In some cases this can leave your computer unknowingly sending an attack the way of all your contacts. Alternatively, your computer could be under the complete control of a third-party, who is using your processor, memory and hard-disk for their own purposes.

What can I do to stop it? Just as it is not the councils responsibility to stop burglars coming down your street, in the UK there is very little responsibility on ISPs to prevent attacks. If your systems are not locked (with firewall software), alarmed (with an intrusion detection system) and insured (by taking a daily backup) you have no-one to blame but yourself.

There are three pieces of software that every business needs to at least consider. I cannot over-emphasise the need for an up-to-date virus scanning program. Most reputable products will scan for and remove some Internet worms and some Trojan horses; however they will not detect other types of attack. For those attacks a good firewall package is essential. Installing one of these programs is akin to fitting locks to your doors and windows. Finally an intrusion detection system (IDS) is similar to an alarm system, warning you of a potential attack.

In my opinion all businesses should have a solid anti-virus policy as well as a good firewall. Whichever solution you choose at the end of the day, you must fully understand its capabilities or it will be as effective as not having anything at all.

Keep an eye on patches Most electronic attacks exploit a mistake in the program code of the software you use. Responsible software vendors will issue a ‘patch’ that resolves each issue as soon as it is brought to their attention. You will find that many software companies have e-mail lists that you can subscribe to in order to be notified of new problems and patches.

This patching mechanism makes up the software industry’s response to the hacker community. If you are applying your patches diligently, the security of your computer systems depend on how far ahead either side is. It is therefore good practice to have a complete security audit of your systems by an external consultant twice a year or more often if you rely heavily on your data.

It won’t happen to me Your business network is constantly being probed by hackers on the Internet looking for ways into your data. Most attacks occur without the user even knowing that a system is compromised. Our systems at FWOSS get probed three or four times a week, so our firewall is invaluable in ensuring they get no further.

What can I do in the case of an attack? Of course your regular backup provides your ultimate safety-net, but as the effects of different electronic attacks are so varied there are no hard and fast rules to recovery.

It is very much a case of prevention being better than cure; therefore you should think about installing an anti-virus program, firewall and intrusion detection system. You should keep a daily backup; check if your systems need patching weekly; and have a security audit bi-annually or more frequently.