How to Protect Your Personal Data on A Wi-Fi Network

With the latest innovations and introductions to technology, people are increasingly benefiting and want to get the most out of them. In fact, a Wi-Fi network has been the latest demand for every laptop and smart phone user. The ultimate benefit we get from the Wi-Fi network is that we can get the fastest browsing and usage of internet applications. But this advantage involves some kinds of risks which affect the cyber security of your computer or online world.

Today's Wi-Fi networking products are sometimes unable to help the user get relief from online hacking and virus attacks. With wireless network security services you can save your time and get an effective solution for the safety of your computer and can make more efficient use of internet applications.

Internet security is the basic necessity of any server and helps in detecting unauthenticated elements that try to penetrate your accounts, emails or online world. Important tips essential for every Wi-Fi user wanting to improve network security on a wireless connection are mentioned below:

Change the default administrator username and password

Every home Wi-Fi network has an access point or router which controls the setting. Manufacturers provide some web pages that allow the owners to enter into the user's network, address and account information. These web tools can be protected by the login screen to allow only the rightful owner to work with it. By changing its settings, you can easily prohibit hackers from misusing your control panel to extract information.

Get WPA/WEP encryption

Encryption is a technology that scrambles the messages sent over wireless networks and makes them temporarily unreadable. Pick the strongest form of encryption that is compatible with your wireless network. Since all Wi-Fi devices on your network must share identical encryption, you need to find the "lowest common denominator" setting.

Avoid auto connect to open Wi-Fi networks

When you connect to an open Wi-Fi network, your computer is exposed to security risks. Although most computers have an available setting that allows these connections to be processed automatically without bothering the user, the user should disable this setting to prevent unauthorized connection to his network.

Use firewalls for every computer and router

The latest network routers have built-in firewall capabilities with the option of disabling them. These firewalls are very essential for wireless network security since the firewalls installed can provide you with regular alerts and notifications in case of any unidentified software heading your way. It also scans incoming and outgoing emails to check for viruses, spam and hacking attempts. Therefore, for extra protection, consider installing and running personal firewall software on each computer connected to the router.

By following these important tips, you can prevent your computer and router from being hijacked by hackers. With the benefits of the best network security tools, you can prevent unauthorized persons from getting into your Wi-Fi traffic. Search online to find the best network security tool for the ultimate wireless network security.

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How VPN Is Safer Than Trusted Computing

Business enterprises and government institutions are constantly looking for ways to protect data security. The cyber fraud is increasing and no user is safe on the internet. Every individual and organization should potentially establish secure platforms to communicate with other systems on the internet. The challenge in establishing secure platforms is that anonymity is compromised while enhancing security. For internet users, anonymity is equally important as security and hence, finding the right platform to ensure anonymity and security at the same time is important. Moreover, the platform should have minimal demands from the clients because the use of mobile devices and mobile internet can't always guarantee access to consistent hardware and software from the client side.

Trusted Computing - What Is It?

Trusted computing is a new kind of technology developed by an exclusive Trusted Computing Group. This group essentially believes that software security should be coupled with hardware security to provide trusted and safe environments for internet users to gain safe and secure access to internet. According to trusted computing technology, consistent behavior is expected from the client side and this behavior is reinforced by a combination of hardware and software. To make anonymity possible, the trusted computing technology uses a trusted third party as a middleman between the client and server.

VPN - How It Works?

The Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology believes in the use of trusted and secure servers as middleman between client and server. Rather than connecting to the main server, the clients will establish contacts with the secure server which will in turn connect to the main server requested by the client. All the data transferred from client to trusted server will stay secure and the server will attempt to provide security and anonymity to clients. The main server will never even know that the client is connecting through a secure middleman server.

Why VPN Is Safe And Better Than Trusted Computing?

When two different technologies are available to meet the same purpose, it is only natural to compare the technologies to find out a better option. The technology that is only suitable for people and organizations with a specific set of resources can't be implemented by everyone and this where VPN gains a winning point. Moreover, trusted computing technology is still in its budding stage and not everyone can benefit from it.

The trusted computing technology is only possible when the clients have resources and means to use services of trusted third parties. The server that has to connect with the client should also have access to trusted servers. Otherwise, anonymity is impossible. VPN on the other hand is very well established and the servers don't have to worry about the source of the connection. Complete anonymity is guaranteed for client computers and data transferred between client and VPN servers is always secure. Moreover, mobile VPN is also available and hence, you can securely access internet even from your mobile devices. The quality of data security and anonymity you obtain from VPN servers directly depends on the service provide and that is why you should trust leaders in the industry like VPN4all.com and OcShield.com.

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Common WiFi Security Problems and Solutions

The internet is a very important aspect of our lives and most people will spend of a majority of their day on the internet. As more people continue to go on the internet, the risk of running into problems will rise simply because technology allows hackers a better opportunity. Here are some of the most common WiFi security problems and solutions to use.

Modulation Spectrum Technique: This is a technique that has been used for quite some time now and it uses very low security. This allows hackers to access your computer fairly easily and you are very open to viruses. The solution to this is to ensure that you have the latest model for modulation spectrum to protect the WiFi for this problem.

Change Default Passwords: Hackers are also able to hack into the default password that your manufacturer gives your computer. These hackers will then use your password to access all of your personal files. The solution to this is to change your default password right away and to ensure that you choose a password that is very hard to guess yet something that you can always remember. Some suggest that you make a combination of letters and numbers to guarantee that hackers will not have access.

Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP): Sometimes you will hear that it is a good idea to use WEP as a way to be secure but this is actually a very insecure process as it is fairly easy to break a WEP's encryption. The solution to really get through this problem is to upgrade your wireless encryption to a VPN which is called a Virtual Private Network.

Crackers: This is arguably one of the biggest problems when it comes to WiFi because crackers are very advanced when it comes to WiFi. The solution to avoid crackers is by using the different methods that use the placement of access points in the area that you want. WiFi is a combo of wireless and devices that use wires and so dividing these two things will be able to avoid crackers.

Service Set Identifier (SSID): Another big problem for WiFi security is breaking the service of SSID. This is very easy to break through and is easily broken with a sniffing tool. You will be able to avoid this problem by using an encryption like radius or by using encryption of data.

The internet is very open and the problem is that most people have no idea how to handle themselves when they are using the internet. Most wireless internet connections are very vulnerable and it is highly recommended that you do not just enter any open wireless internet connection as this can very well be a trap. When you are outside leeching for internet, be sure to only use protected connections that need passwords as this is a great way to stay protected. When you have WiFi at home, it is also recommended that you create a password and make sure no one else uses your connection.

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PCI DSS Could Benefit From Out of Band One Time Password Authentication

The PCI DSS or payment card industry data security standard protects cardholder's identities however does PCI DSS compliance mean your customers confidential data is well protected? Although there is requirement for strong security, technology is changing rapidly and attackers are becoming savvier. Malware is everywhere and the chance of interaction with an infected computer, whether company or client side, is inevitable.

There does not have to be a complete overhaul of the compliance standards but instead an addition. With so many consumer interactions being handled through mobile devices today an out of band one time password authentication process would eliminate many troubles without expensive burdens placed on the financial institutions.

PCI DSS compliance was developed by Visa, JCB, MasterCard and American Express and requires the implementation of two factor authentication. Authentication is required for any remote access to the network however there is no requirement for an out of band OTP. All that is required is 2 of 3 factors be present before an identity is securely authenticated. However if a password is transmitted it must only be encrypted using strong cryptography.

The problem with not requiring out of band authentication by utilizing a separate network for the OTP is that all operations of the authentication process are handled in one location. This leaves the process vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks where an infected computer or device is transmitting information and an attacker intercepts the transmissions.

Becoming more common in the media, man-in-the-middle attacks are often the way hackers gain access for data breaches. When only one device is used for identifying a user the ease of phishing information or implementing malicious software to gain identification information for authentication is relatively trivial.

By utilizing out of band one time password authentication the OTP is sent through a different transmission network such as the phone company's network. This creates a problem for hackers since gaining access to both of the devices, the computer and mobile phone, can be a difficult task and beyond that being able to sync both hacked transmission networks to one owner would be almost impossible.

When you think about authentication security especially for an industry with as much value as financial verticals have, you want the strongest protection possible. Protecting you customer's personal data goes beyond PCI DSS compliance because customer trust is the future of any business. By utilizing a smarter process you eliminate the chance that a weak link in the chain leaves you susceptible. Whether the client's computer or the businesses computer is infected it would not matter, the attacker could only receive so much identifiable information for the authentication process.

When it comes to the customer a company does need protection through strong authentication, however, no expensive burden should be passed on to the client. Some out of band OTP authentication processes utilize proprietary tokens rather than mobile devices that have proven to be less than effective.

Some very large data breaches such as the RSA data breach have been attributed to tokens not utilizing truly dynamic passwords. Also the extra hardware to carry around and the expense associated with these tokens and their network does not make them a viable out of band one time password source.

By utilizing a mobile phone as the token device the user would not need to carry anything extra. SMS text messages also utilize an already existing infrastructure so there is no added cost of running a new network.

Even though PCI DSS compliance can benefit from out of band OTP authentication it does not mean a company could not offer stronger security that is seemingly inexpensive for its consumers. Not to mention that a data breach does not look well on your company record and could potentially destroy you business.

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Firewall Security: Shielding Against Internet Threats

Use of the internet has become vital in modern times. Its applications play a great role in individual and community growth. Applications on the internet offer great fun but are unsafe and prone to unauthorized access and security threats. Also, sometimes one has to face the possibility of information theft with the establishment of unauthorized software hampering your software, which all points to security risk. In fact, an internet security firewall can best shield the computer.

Why is internet security so vital?

All of us are vulnerable to cyber security threats, but we can safeguard ourselves from them. Government offices and corporations are especially on the radar of computer criminals. They attack the networks for the purposes of theft or leaking a firm's confidential data. These threats can downgrade the business' reputation. These types of cyber security breaches lead to great destruction of what one might be aware and sometimes there are unseen damages as well.

Firewall protection is essential to security

Firewall is a sure sort of solution for tackling cyber threats. It is a hardware or software system protecting any unauthorized access from or to a network. Firewall security can easily be implemented in hardware and software, and in combination. Following are the advantages that are offered for internet security:

1 - Firewall protection makes sure that unauthorized internet users never reach private networks when connected to the internet. The firewall is the midpoint, which checks the entering or leaving of data in the intranet. Each packet is examined and allowed to pass through if it matches specified security criteria.

2 - Firewall security bans unauthorized access to the network and only allows the access of authorized communications.

3 - It is one of the most suitable ways to remain safe from viruses, Trojans or malware which can repeatedly try to continue interfering and damaging connecting to the internet or network.

4 - Generally, a firewall operates one way and monitors inbound traffic. Windows XP and Vista, for instance, fail to tackle multiple threats.

5 - For complete firewall protection, one should go with a two-way firewall. Both the inbound and outbound traffic is checked for internet security threats. The two-way firewall operates as an intrusion detection system starting with the outbound connection.

Firewall security functions in a simplified way. The method of communication in the network is by passing small packets from the originator. The installed firewall is capable of analyzing the type of message and also determining whether the originator is authentic or not.

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Benefits of Firewall Software

A firewall is essentially the divider between your computer and the internet. When the firewall is turned on in a computer, it is used to detect and prevent any unauthorized use or access to your personal network. The firewall analyzes all of the data coming and going from your network based on the parameters that you have set. Your firewall is an important part of your network and it provides an in-depth protection against the majority of the attacks coming from the diverse world of the internet.

Low Cost

Considering that many firewalls are already installed on your computer thanks to your operating system, you will generally have to pay absolutely nothing to ensure the protection of your computer. For the computer owners that are without a firewall, you will be able to acquire a firewall for an inexpensive cost or for free, depending what company you go with. The fact that you can get the utmost amount of protection for virtually no cost is a beneficial factor in itself.

Outside Entity Detection

The majority of firewalls offered by reputable companies not only decide what to let in and out of your computer but they can also detect harmful attacks against your data. Most firewall software will have the ability to detect viruses, worms, trojans, or harmful data collectors. This way you don't have to worry about anyone trying to access your personal information.

Configuring and Reconfiguring

Another large benefit of software firewalls is that they are configurable. Sometimes you will notice that when you visit a website it will not allow you to view certain images or videos because they come in conflict with your firewall's parameters. Having a configurable firewall allows you to choose what you want to view and what you don't want to view based on your browsing habits. That way, you can have complete freedom with what you view without having to worry about a program preventing you from doing so. Reconfiguring is also beneficial because if you are unhappy with your original configurations, you can change them as many times as you please. For example, if you are using the computer and you want to be able to view everything you want, you can turn your firewall off completely. If your child then wants to browse the internet, you can turn the firewall on so that they are less likely to come across malicious entities by way of their browsing habits.

Firewalls are one of the best ways to ensure the safety of your computer and the protection of the files and data on it. Considering that there is a large amount of malicious viruses such as worms and trojans littered all over the internet, firewalls can help you to avoid them from accessing your network. Most computers come with a pre-installed firewall but if you find that you are without one, you should find a downloadable program. Firewalls are completely customizable which makes them easier for use and they are also relatively low in cost if you are looking to purchase one directly from the manufacturer. For an inexpensive cost, you can offer your network all the security that it could possibly need.

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