Computer Virus

A virus is a computer program that is designed to replicate itself by copying itself onto the other programs stored in a computer. This type of program may be benign or have a negative effect, such as causing a program to operate incorrectly or corrupting a computer's memory. Viruses can cause you a range of damage, from the very mild to the entire loss of your computer data. Viruses/malware are usually broken down into three types: "classic viruses"/ macro viruses, worms, and trojan horses. It is important to consciously fight these malware infections before it causes serious harm to your computer.

A macro virus is a virus that exists as a macro attached to a data file rather than to executable programs. Worms exist as separate entities because they do not attach themselves to other files or programs. Instead, they copy themselves without direct assistance by robotically worming your way into your email and broadcasting copies of themselves without permission. Finally, a trojan horse is a program that does something undocumented with the programmer intended, but that users would not accept it if they knew about it. Trojans rely on you to intentionally open your computer to them so they could then function as independent programs that operate secretly.

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/v/f/virus_def.htm

http://www.ust.hk/itsc/antivirus/general/whatis.html

Wireless Network Precautions

Many companies go for wireless networks because they want to save costs by avoiding wired equipment and to provide more convenience to their employees. These wireless networks make PCs even more portable by making them more productive anytime and anywhere. If your laptop has wireless connectivity and you use it to access public networks in airports, libraries, coffee houses, etc. there may be risks that you could be taking while doing so. Because you are sharing the network at hotspots, you have a greater chance of someone accessing your computer information or sending a virus to your computer. Therfore, there are many precautions that should be taken before accessing these shared networks.

 

 

In order to provide network protection over public wireless networks, make sure your computer has a hardware firewall. Also, use public Wi-Fi for simple internet browsing only rather than for banking or to transmit credit card information. Don't use public networks to log in to anything personal, including Webmail because hackers are well aware that most people use the same passwords across everything from email to bank accounts. Other users in the same hotspot may be able to grab and read your unencrypted messages right out of the airwaves so it is important to take these precautions as well as to avoid unsafe networks. Before joining a public network, look around for signs that advertise the name of the Wi-Fi network provided to make sure it is safe.

http://www.techgenie.com/latest/how-to-take-precautions-in-wireless-networks/

http://www.itlist.com/security-precautions-for-wireless-internet-users/

 

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is internet-based computing in which large groups of remote servers are networked so as to allow sharing of data-processing of tasks, centralized data storage, and online access to computer services or resources. The "cloud" in cloud computing can be defined as the set of hardware, networks, storage, services, and interfaces that combine to deliver aspects of computing as a service. Cloud services include the delivery of software, infrastructure, and storage over the internet based on user demand. It provides the means through which everything can be delivered to you as a service wherever and whenever you need. This is why most people see cloud computing as the next stage in the Internet's evolution.

 

Cloud computing's goal is to apply traditional supercomputing, or high-performance computing power, normally used by military and research facilities. To achieve this, cloud computing uses networks of large groups of servers typically running low cost consumer PC technology with specialized connections to spread data-processing chores across them. It is offered in different forms: public clouds, private clouds, and hybrid clouds, which combine both public and private. Often, virtualization techniques are used to maximize the power of cloud computing.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-cloud-computing.html

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/cloud_computing.html

 

 

 

 

Internet Filters and Parental Control Software

Because there is room for abuse and dangerous behavior wherever computers are used, at home children can be exposed to adult content and online predators. Also, excessive game playing can distract them from school work while unrestricted Internet access in the office can reduce productivity. Therfore, internet filters are used and help to keep both an organization and an individual legally protected. They are helpful in preventing users on a computer from accessing websites deemed inappropriate and downloading files that may affect the security of a computer. These filters provide large amounts of protection for libraries, work environments, colleges, and elementary schools among others.

 

Various kinds of filtering techniques are host-based filtering, serving-side filtering, and content filtering at the ISP level. Hate-filled websites dealing with racism, and sexism are also blocked to prevent offending anyone, and leaving an organization and individual open to a hate crime related lawsuit. Internet filters block unwanted content using pre-compiled filers and customizable lists. Many content filters are software based, but a large amount of organizations are moving toward hardware-based filtering, taking advantage of features in routers.

http://www.pc-chaperone.com/ 

http://www.securitysupervisor.com/security-q-a/parental-control/188-what-is-internet-filter

 

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

The RFID device serves the same purpose as a barcode or a magnetic strip on the back a of a credit card or ATM (it provides a unique identifier for that object). Just as a barcode or a magnetic strip must be scanned to get to the information, the RFID device must be scanned to retrieve the identifying information. It is the wireless, non-contact use of radio frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to the objects. They can be attached to clothing, possessions, or even implanted within people.

 

 

With RFID, the electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the RF portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to transmit signals. The system consists of an antenna and a tranciever, which read the radio frequency and transfer the information to a processing device, and a transponder, or a tag, which is an integrated circuit containing the RF circuitry and information to be transmitted. One of the main differences between RFID and a barcode technology is RFID eliminates the need for line-of-sight reading that barcoding usually depends on. It also does not need to be positioned precisely relative to the scanner. At each successive stage of production, the RFID tag tells the computers what the next step of automated assembly is.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-implanted-radio-frequency-identification-chip-smart-cards-in-a-surveillance-society/10097
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/R/RFID.html

Digital Image Steganography

Digital Image Steganography is the concealing of a message in digital format. It is the practice or art of concealing a message in any medium or hiding the fact that communication is taking place, by hiding information in other information. It comes from the Greek word meaning "to cover tightly" and "writing" and in image steganography the image is hidden exclusively in images. The practice of hiding information comes a long way during the times of Herodotus who shaved the head of one his most trusted slaves and tattoed the message onto the slave's scalp in order to communicate with his son-in-law. Today steganography is mostly used on computers with digital data being the carriers and networks being the high speed delivery channels.

Because privacy and anonymity is a concern for most people on the internet, it allows for some morally consious people to safely whistle blow internal actions and for copyright protection on digital files using the message as a digital watermark. One of the main uses for Image Steganography is for the high-level or top-secret documents between international governments. Although steganography has many legitimate uses, it can also be used by hackers to send viruses and by terrorists to communicate secretely and safely. Although implementing image steganography is important, thinking of how to detect and attack it and the methods to do so are far more complex than actually doing the steganography itself.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-digital-steganography.htm http://www1.chapman.edu/~nabav100/ImgStegano/download/ImageSteganography.pdf

Computer Forensics

Computer forensics is the study of evidence from attacks on computer systems in order to learn what has occurred, how to prevent it from recurring, and the extent of the damage. It can be for performing the root cause analysis of a computer system that failed or is not operating properly, or to find out who is responsible for misuse of computer systems, or who committed a crime using a computer system or against a computer system. This type of information cannot be accessed by just any member of law enforcement. The information is gathered during a computer forensics investigation that is not typically available or viewable by the typical user. These people are known as ballistics professionals with special skills and tools.

Although many people think otherwise, far more information is retained on a computer than they realize. This is why computer forensics are capable of finding evidence of, or even completely recover, lost or deleted information, even if it was intentionally deleted by the user. Although it is most often associated with the investigation of a wide variety of computer crime, computer forensics may be useful in criminal cases, civil disputes, and human resources/employment proceedings. Computer forensics has become its own area of scientific expertise, with accompanying coursework and certification. http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/computer-forensics  http://einvestigations.com/computer-forensics/what-is-computer-forensics/

Packet Analyzer

A network Analyzer is an analog computer (sometimes a program or a device) in which networks are used to stimulate power line systerms or physical systems and obtain solutions to various problems before the systems are actually built. It monitors the data traveling between computers on a network and is also known as a network analyzer, protocol analyzer, or a packet sniffer. It also allows the user to eavesdrop traffic traveling between network computers. It can inspect a packet to gather data such as the packet's point of origin and destination and can examine the data contained within the packet and may be used for security purposes.

Many employers use a packet sniffer to determine how much time their workers are spending online, if they are using that time to do their job, and if they are viewing innapriate material. They can do this because the packet analyzer can see all of the info passing over the network it is connected to. As the data streams back and forth on the network, the program looks at, or "sniffs" each packet. Some other examples of what a packet sniffer would be able to monitor are which websites you visit, what you look at on the site, whom you send e-mail to, what's in the email you send, what you download from a site and what streaming events you use (for audio, or video). http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-packet-sniffer.htm / http://www.solarwinds.com/it-management-glossary/what-is-network-packet-analyzer.aspx