Computer Security Authentication

• Passwords

Passwords are the easiest and most common authentication process that are used, not only on desktop computers but also at the network level. However certain rules should be followed when setting a password for your computer or network. Do not use easily predictable words for your passwords; they don't even require a hacker to access the system through your account. Use passwords that are unpredictable. Set long passwords and use numbers and special characters when setting your password. Remember your passwords; don't write it down anywhere. Hackers use various tools to know your passwords, but a long password with a number of special characters, indeed gives them a lot of trouble.

• Digital Certificates

Using a certain algorithm, computer administrator combine your personal details with other user credentials to generate a public key. This public key or digital certificate is used for the authentication purpose in the network.

• Smart Cards

Smart Cards are among the very few hardware authentication processes in which a simple card with an embedded circuitry is used for accessing the network. Each valid card for a particular network, when inserted into the circuitry it has been made for, gives an output which decides whether you will be allowed to enter into the network or not. The programming logic inserted into each card is different and it is one of the safest methods of authentication.

• Fingerprint detection

Almost available in all laptops that are manufactured today; fingerprint detection is another safe method of computer security authentication. Everyone knows that even the iris pattern of two people may even match, but fingerprints can never match.

• Face recognition systems

Face recognition system, may amuse you, but of late many people working in the field of security have questioned its user-friendly nature and the security it can provide. A simple dimension calculation of the face is done by the computer and the logic used in doing so, has been often found to be prone to errors.

• Biometrics

Biometrics is often considered as a far more secure way of authentication than passwords or digital certificates. It is even safer than smart cards, which may be misplaced. The physical and behavioral traits of a person are taken into consideration in this type of authentication.

• Captcha Keys

This is the process of authentication that is used to verify whether a human or a computer bot has logged into the system. Captcha keys are randomly generated alphabets and numericals presented in such a form, that only a human can recognize.

The Biggest Cyber security Threats of 2013 by Forbes Magazine

Threat #1: Social Engineering

This begins with focusing on a tried-and-true blackhat tactic in both the physical and digital worlds. Now social engineering has moved onto social networks, including Facebook and LinkedIn. Attackers are increasing their use of social engineering, which goes beyond calling targeted employees and trying to trick them into giving up information.


Threat #2: APTs

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are highly sophisticated and carefully constructed. It can be the precursor for a sophisticated attack meant to breach the wall of an organization. They are targeting both corporations and governments. The intention behind APT attacks is to gain access to a network and steal information quietly.


Threat #3: Internal Threats

Some of the most dangerous attacks come from the inside. These attacks can be the most devastating, due to the amount of damage a privileged user can do and the data they can access.


Threat #4: BYOD

The issue of trust comes into play in the mobile world as well, with many businesses struggling to come up with the right mix of technologies and policies to hop aboard the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend. Users are increasingly using their devices as they would their PCs, and by doing so are opening themselves up to web-based attacks the same as they would if they were operating a desktop computer. All this means that the flood of iPhones, Google Android phones and other devices making their way into the workplace are opening up another potential gateway for attackers that needs to be secured.


Threat #5: Cloud Security

With more companies putting more information in public cloud services, those services become juicy targets, and can represent a single point of failure for the enterprise. For businesses, this means that security must continue to be an important part of the conversation they have with cloud providers, and the needs of the business should be made clear.


Threat #6: HTML5

Just as the adoption of cloud computing has changed the vulnerability surface, so will the adoption of HTML5. HTML5′s cross-platform support and integration of various technologies opens up new possibilities for attack, such as abusing Web Worker functionality.


Threat #7: Botnets

But even though the arms race between researchers and attackers favors innovation, expect cybercriminals to spend a lot of time perfecting what they know best, such as making sure their botnets have high availability and are distributed. While the legal takedowns being launched by companies such as Microsoft succeeded in temporarily disrupting spam and malware operations, it is naïve to assume attackers aren’t taking what they have learned from those takedowns and using it to shore up their operations. Botnets are here to stay.



Threat #8: Precision Targeted Malware

Attackers are also learning from the steps researchers are taking to analyze their malware, and techniques were recently demonstrated that can help render analysis ineffective by designing malware that will fail to execute correctly on any environment other than the one originally targeted.


read more on The Biggest Cybersecurity Threats of 2013

Differences between Virus, Worms and Trojan Horse

Virus

• a code fragment that copies itself into a larger program, and modifying that program
• may infect memory, floppy disk, a tape, or any other type of storage.
• virus are spread by the human action
• it need host to run

Worms

• an independent program so does not need human action to spread
• it produces by copying itself from one computer to another usually over a network
• doesn't modify program but it duplicate itself and effect the memory and the system of the computer

Trojan Horse

• a code fragment that hides inside a program and performs a disguised function
• it appear as a legitimate software also perform that function
• however it actually the program perfoms some other unauthorized operation

Tips on how to protect your computer

• keep your Firewall turned on
• install or update your Antivirus software
• install or update Antispyware technology
• keep your operation system up to date
• be careful what you download
• turn off your computer when not use it

Basic Computer Security Tips

• Tip #1: Set up user accounts

One computer, many users, is a security disaster waiting to happen. Your files and data are your personal, private content and should be protected accordingly. To prevent other users from seeing or accessing your data, set up user accounts on your PC. A user account shows an individual's specific data and not what is present on the entire system. It also specifies privileges on shared data, such as deleting/editing operations and what software can be installed on the machine.

This feature is especially useful when kids and adults use the same machine. What if your child accesses your important work files and deletes them by mistake? With a separate user account, he/she can only view certain files and cannot modify or delete them. Even if you are the sole user of the PC, set up a guest account, in case someone else needs to use the computer.

• Tip #2: Secure your wireless network

With wired Internet access, there's little risk of someone encroaching on your network. But wireless networks do have holes in their security, so as the owner of the network, you need to be vigilant. Setting up password-protected network access is the first step. You need to assign a network name and password to your Wi-Fi network. Use the latest wireless encryption methods like WPA or WPA2. Do not reveal your network password to others.

• Tip #3: Arm your computer with an anti-virus program

The best defense is a good offense. One of the most basic computer security guidelines is installing an anti-virus software. Installing security programs like an anti-virus, keeps your computer round-the-clock safe against viruses, malware, Trojan worms etc. and other malicious programs. For better protection, try to install complete security suites, that provide Internet security and firewalls along with anti-virus software.

• Tip #4: Be regular in updates and virus scans

Just installing an anti-virus program will not protect your PC. You need to keep it up-to-date with regular virus signature and threat updates. New viruses and malware programs emerge online each day. Another bad trait of viruses is that they keep trying to find new ways to enter an unsuspecting computer. The only way to counter such attacks is to update your security programs on a regular basis. You should also scan your computer regularly for dangerous programs. Schedule periodic scans, once-a-month scans, scanning new added devices and automatic full system scans, to ensure your PC is threat-free.

• Tip #5: Install parental control software for kid-friendly computer usage

Keeping your computer secure definitely involves keeping your kids safe from cyber enemies. Aside from explicit and adult content, you need to filter and monitor what your kid is up to online. Social networking sites in particular, are fun online places to socialize but they are also preying grounds for the depraved. Parental control software allows you to set filters and block sites as well as receive warnings when suspicious activity is taking place online.

• Tip #6: Block unwanted search results

You can even change your web browser's security settings to block certain sites and filter out objectionable content. Such settings are not as powerful as parental control software but it helps to be extra secure. You can find this feature in the Tools option of most browsers. With search engines like Google, you can fiddle with search preferences settings.

• Tip #7: Download wisely

Whether it is a picture, an MP3 or a game, downloaded files are an excellent way for malicious software to enter your computer. Once you download and install or use a file, there's no telling what it will do to your machine. So be extra careful when it comes to downloading. Download files from trusted and preferably certified sites. Sites offering free, cracked versions of software programs are especially dangerous, as some cracks can contain malware.

When a download begins, you are asked to save the file before the downloading actually starts. Read the file name and its extension carefully, to ensure what you want is being downloaded. While installing a program, read the license agreement and make sure, only the program you want is being installed. Sometimes spyware and hidden programs are bundled into the installer program, and are installed secretly along with your software. Scan your PC for threats after downloading files from the Internet.

• Tip #8: Be careful with emails

Getting and sending emails is easy, going through your inbox for mail, that is actually relevant, is not. Email inboxes are storehouses of junk mail, spam, advertisements, forwards, mail and many times, a hidden threat. You can keep your inbox sorted and clutter-free by using spam blockers and filters. Threat-wise, try to avoid opening emails from senders or addresses you don't know.

A key sign of a malicious email is poor language. Weird, nonsensical text or poor grammar or even bogus-seeming email addresses are some signs of a harmful email. Be especially wary of email attachments. Check the file extension. Files with .exe, .pif, .com,.bin or .bat extensions, can be malicious. If you do not know the sender of the email, do not open or download such files, just delete the mail. Instead of opening the attachment from the mail itself, save the file, let it download and scan it, before opening it.

• Tip #9: Secure your data with backups

Sometimes no matter what steps you take, you lose data. Part of being secure is having a fail-safe or backup to fall back on, in case something bad happens. So in case a virus has attacked your files or data is accidentally deleted, your data is never really lost, if you have a backup of it. Backup your data regularly, either by storing it on physical devices like CDs or by backing it up on a network. Set a system restore point for your PC, so in the event of a system crash, you can restore your PC to a particular working state with your data intact.

• Tip #10: Be smart with your passwords

Passwords are supposed to keep your individual settings and data safe, so you need to keep their true value or the actual password safe. This means, do not write down all your passwords on a piece of paper and keep it lying around. With numerous passwords, it's understandable that remembering them all is difficult. So you can write them down but the place where you store this info, should be secure. And once in a while, please change your passwords. If in case, they are revealed, updating the passwords can render all hacking attempts as naught. Another safety precaution is the "remember me" option in most secure sites. If multiple users access the same PC, do not select this option.

Types of Computer Attacks

Active Types of Computer Attacks

• Virus

Most famous computer attacks are viruses, which have been around for the longest time. They install themselves onto the computers and spread to the other files on the system. They often spread through external hard drives, or through certain internet sites or through email attachments. Once the viruses are launched, they become independent of the creator and aim to infect a number of files and other systems.

• Trojan

In the list of computer attacks, Trojan horses rank right after the viruses. They often disguise themselves in a piece of software, in screen saver, or in a game, which appears to work normally. However, once they are copied onto the system, they will infect the system with a virus or root kit. In other words, they act as carriers of viruses or root kits, to infect the system.

• Worm

Worms can be called the cousins of viruses. The difference between viruses and worms is that worms infect the system without any kind of assistance from the user. The first step that worms take is to scan the computers and exploit vulnerabilities. Then it copies itself onto the system infecting the system, and the process is repeated.

• Root Kit

Hackers gain access into the system with the use of root kit drivers and take full charge of the computer. These are among the most dangerous computer attacks, as the hacker can gain more control over the system, than the owner of the system. In some cases, hackers have been able to also turn on the victim's webcam and watch the activities of the victim, without the victim knowing about it at all.

Passive Types of Computer Attacks

• Eavesdropping

As the name suggests, hackers will sneakily listen to the conversation happening between two computers on the network. This can happen in a closed system as well as over the internet as well. The other names with which this is referred to is sniffing or snooping. With eavesdropping, sensitive data can make its way over the network and can be accessible to others.

• Password Based Attacks

One of the most common types of cyber attacks are password based attacks. Here the hackers gains access to the computer and the network resources by gaining password control. It is often seen that the attacker changes server and network configuration and in some cases may even delete data. Data can also be passed onto different networks.

• Denial of Service Attack

As the name suggests, hackers will sneakily listen to the conversation happening between two computers on the network. This can happen in a closed system as well as over the internet as well. The other names with which this is referred to is sniffing or snooping. With eavesdropping, sensitive data can make its way over the network and can be accessible to others.

• Compromised Key Attack

To store sensitive data, a secret code or number may be used. Obtaining the key is no doubt a real huge task for the hacker, it is possible that after intense research the hacker is indeed able to lay his hands on the key. Once the key is in possession of the hacker, it is known as compromised key. The hacker will now have access to the sensitive data and can make changes to the data. However, there are also chances that the hacker will try different permutations and combinations of the key to gain access to other sets of sensitive data as well.

• Identity Spoofing

Every computer has an IP address, due to which it is considered as a valid and independent entity on the network. One of the common computer attacks is to assume the identity of another computer. Here IP packets may be sent from valid addresses and gain access to a particular IP. Once access is gained, the data on the system may be deleted, modified or rerouted. Alternately, the hacker can make use of this hacked IP and cause attacks on the other systems within or outside the network.

• Application Layer Attack

The aim of the application layer attack is to cause fault in the server's operating system. Once a fault is created in the operating system, the hacker is able to gain access to the server controls. This in turn leads to the hacker modifying the data in various ways. A virus may be introduced into the system or may send numerous requests to the server, which can result in its crash or security controls may be disabled, due to which restoring the server back can become difficult.

What is computer security

Computer security protect your computer and everything associated with it - your building, your terminals and printer, your cabling, and your disks and tapes. Most importantly computer security protects the information you've stored in your system. That's why computer security is often called information security.

How you protect your computer?

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