For Apple MAC users
Here is 10 Most Essential Things for Securing Your Mac
- Secure Accounts
- Secure Sleeping Mode on your Mac
- Secure Keychain Access
- Control Screen Sharing
- Build Strong Firewall
- Encrypt Sensitive Data with FileVault
- Backup Often
For PC users
- Bios supervisor password
- HDD password
- Windows logon password
- Encrypt Sensitive Data by Encrypting entire HD Disk or folder/files
You can also can try services like LaptopLock to protect your laptop.
For step by step instructions on how to implement those tasks just use Google.
I am short on space in this blog, so I am not providing instructions here. If you need help e-mail me information0123@gmail.com
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
CSI Stick grabs data from cell phones
If someone asks to borrow your cell phone, or you leave it unattended, beware!
Unless you actually watch them use it, they may be secretly grabbing every piece of your information on the device, even deleted messages. If you leave your phone sitting on your desk, or in the center console of your car while the valet parks it, then you and everyone in your contacts list may be at risk, to say nothing of confidential e-mails, spread sheets, or other information. And of course, if you do not want your spouse to see who you are chatting with on your phone, you might want to use extra caution.
There is a new electronic capture device that has been developed primarily for law enforcement, surveillance, and intelligence operations that is also available to the public. It is called the Cellular Seizure Investigation Stick, or CSI Stick as a clever acronym. It is manufactured by a company called Paraben, and is a self-contained module about the size of a BIC lighter. It plugs directly into most Motorola and Samsung cell phones to capture all data that they contain. More phones will be added to the list, including many from Nokia, RIM, LG and others, in the next generation, to be released shortly.
I recently attended and lectured at the Techno-Security conference in Myrtle Beach, Fla. About 1,500 law enforcement and security professionals participated and were briefed on the latest in cybersecurity vulnerabilities from participating federal agents, manufacturers, and cyber-consultants. The CSI Stick caught my attention because of the potential to rapidly and covertly download all of the information contained in many cell phones.
This device connects to the data/charging port and will seamlessly grab e-mails, instant messages, dialed numbers, phone books and anything else that is stored in memory. It will even retrieve deleted files that have not been overwritten. And there is no trace whatsoever that the information has been compromised, nor any risk of corruption. This may be especially troublesome for corporate employees and those that work for government agencies.
The good news: the device should find wide acceptance by parents who want to monitor what their kids are doing with their phones, who they are talking to and text messaging, and where they are surfing. It could also be valuable in secure areas where employees need to be randomly monitored to insure that sensitive information is not compromised through the use of a cell phone as a memory device.
The CSI Stick sells for $200 and requires an added piece of software to mine the data and do sophisticated processing on your computer. So now, in addition to worrying about your conversations or data being intercepted through your Bluetooth headset, there is a new threat, and it is very real.
The rule: if your phone contains sensitive data, do not leave it unattended. If you loan it to someone to use because they tell you theirs is not working, make sure you actually see them using the phone and there is nothing connected to it.
Is your boss tracking your computer activities?
Admit it -- you've used your computer at work to view non-work-related Web sites. Heck, if you are reading this article at work, you might already be guilty as charged. More than 70 percent of the adult online population has accessed the Internet at work for personal use at least once, according to a September 2000 eMarketer study. Employees are sending personal e-mails, playing games, viewing pornography, shopping, checking stock prices and gambling online during working hours.
Don't think these cyberslacking activities are going unnoticed. With a simple software application, your boss can be tapping into your computer and see what you're doing in real-time. Whether you are guilty of wasting company time or not, your computer might be under surveillance. You can be monitored without your knowledge -- employers are not required to notify you that you're being observed.
The growing number of employers who are monitoring their employees' activities is a result of the low cost of the monitoring technology, a growing percentage of employees using their computers for personal use and an increase in employees leaking sensitive company information. Employers are also watching their workers to avoid sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits that stem from inappropriate and offensive e-mails circulating within a company.
Instead of monitoring those employees who exhibit suspicious behavior, many employers are instituting "continuous, systematic surveillance" in the workplace, according to a Privacy Foundation study written by Andrew Schulman. Reports of companies firing workers for misusing workplace computers are becoming more common as an increasing number of employers implement electronic monitoring software.
Computers leave behind a trail of bread crumbs that can provide employers with all the information they could possibly need about an employee's computer-related activities. For employers, computers are the ultimate spy. There's little that can stop an employer from using these surveillance techniques.
There are basically five methods that employers can use to track employee activities:
* Packet sniffers
* Log files
* Desktop monitoring programs
* Phones
* Closed-circuit cameras
Computer-monitoring programs carry such names as Shadow, SpyAgent, Web Sleuth and Silent Watch. The prices of these programs range from as little as $30 to thousands of dollars. The number of employers who believe that they need these programs and the relatively low cost has resulted in an emerging multi-million dollar industry called employee Internet management.
Anti-Forensics
Anti-forensics can be a computer investigator's worst nightmare. There are dozens of ways people can hide information. Some programs can fool computers by changing the information in files' headers. A file header is normally invisible to humans, but it's extremely important -- it tells the computer what kind of file the header is attached to. If you were to rename an mp3 file so that it had a .gif extension, the computer would still know the file was really an mp3 because of the information in the header. Some programs let you change the information in the header so that the computer thinks it's a different kind of file. Detectives looking for a specific file format could skip over important evidence because it looked like it wasn't relevant. Other programs can divide files up into small sections and hide each section at the end of other files. Files often have unused space called slack space. With the right program, you can hide files by taking advantage of this slack space. It's very challenging to retrieve and reassemble the hidden information.
It's also possible to hide one file inside another. Executable files -- files that computers recognize as programs -- are particularly problematic. Programs called packers can insert executable files into other kinds of files, while tools called binders can bind multiple executable files together.
Encryption is another way to hide data. When you encrypt data, you use a complex set of rules called an algorithm to make the data unreadable. For example, the algorithm might change a text file into a seemingly meaningless collection of numbers and symbols. A person wanting to read the data would need the encryption's key, which reverses the encryption process so that the numbers and symbols would become text. Without the key, detectives have to use computer programs designed to crack the encryption algorithm. The more sophisticated the algorithm, the longer it will take to decrypt it without a key.
Other anti-forensic tools can change the metadata attached to files. Metadata includes information like when a file was created or last altered. Normally you can't change this information, but there are programs that can let a person alter the metadata attached to files. Imagine examining a file's metadata and discovering that it says the file won't exist for another three years and was last accessed a century ago. If the metadata is compromised, it makes it more difficult to present the evidence as reliable.
Some computer applications will erase data if an unauthorized user tries to access the system. Some programmers have examined how computer forensics programs work and have tried to create applications that either block or attack the programs themselves.
Don't think these cyberslacking activities are going unnoticed. With a simple software application, your boss can be tapping into your computer and see what you're doing in real-time. Whether you are guilty of wasting company time or not, your computer might be under surveillance. You can be monitored without your knowledge -- employers are not required to notify you that you're being observed.
The growing number of employers who are monitoring their employees' activities is a result of the low cost of the monitoring technology, a growing percentage of employees using their computers for personal use and an increase in employees leaking sensitive company information. Employers are also watching their workers to avoid sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits that stem from inappropriate and offensive e-mails circulating within a company.
Instead of monitoring those employees who exhibit suspicious behavior, many employers are instituting "continuous, systematic surveillance" in the workplace, according to a Privacy Foundation study written by Andrew Schulman. Reports of companies firing workers for misusing workplace computers are becoming more common as an increasing number of employers implement electronic monitoring software.
Computers leave behind a trail of bread crumbs that can provide employers with all the information they could possibly need about an employee's computer-related activities. For employers, computers are the ultimate spy. There's little that can stop an employer from using these surveillance techniques.
There are basically five methods that employers can use to track employee activities:
* Packet sniffers
* Log files
* Desktop monitoring programs
* Phones
* Closed-circuit cameras
Computer-monitoring programs carry such names as Shadow, SpyAgent, Web Sleuth and Silent Watch. The prices of these programs range from as little as $30 to thousands of dollars. The number of employers who believe that they need these programs and the relatively low cost has resulted in an emerging multi-million dollar industry called employee Internet management.
Anti-Forensics
Anti-forensics can be a computer investigator's worst nightmare. There are dozens of ways people can hide information. Some programs can fool computers by changing the information in files' headers. A file header is normally invisible to humans, but it's extremely important -- it tells the computer what kind of file the header is attached to. If you were to rename an mp3 file so that it had a .gif extension, the computer would still know the file was really an mp3 because of the information in the header. Some programs let you change the information in the header so that the computer thinks it's a different kind of file. Detectives looking for a specific file format could skip over important evidence because it looked like it wasn't relevant. Other programs can divide files up into small sections and hide each section at the end of other files. Files often have unused space called slack space. With the right program, you can hide files by taking advantage of this slack space. It's very challenging to retrieve and reassemble the hidden information.
It's also possible to hide one file inside another. Executable files -- files that computers recognize as programs -- are particularly problematic. Programs called packers can insert executable files into other kinds of files, while tools called binders can bind multiple executable files together.
Encryption is another way to hide data. When you encrypt data, you use a complex set of rules called an algorithm to make the data unreadable. For example, the algorithm might change a text file into a seemingly meaningless collection of numbers and symbols. A person wanting to read the data would need the encryption's key, which reverses the encryption process so that the numbers and symbols would become text. Without the key, detectives have to use computer programs designed to crack the encryption algorithm. The more sophisticated the algorithm, the longer it will take to decrypt it without a key.
Other anti-forensic tools can change the metadata attached to files. Metadata includes information like when a file was created or last altered. Normally you can't change this information, but there are programs that can let a person alter the metadata attached to files. Imagine examining a file's metadata and discovering that it says the file won't exist for another three years and was last accessed a century ago. If the metadata is compromised, it makes it more difficult to present the evidence as reliable.
Some computer applications will erase data if an unauthorized user tries to access the system. Some programmers have examined how computer forensics programs work and have tried to create applications that either block or attack the programs themselves.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
WiFi Setup and security
Wireless networks are a great way to share files, printers, and your Internet connection to any computer in your home. With a wireless network adapter installed on your portable computer, you are no longer tied to your desk. You can communicate with friends, read the news, and surf the Web anywhere you can receive a wireless network signal.
The risks
Wireless networks don't stop at the walls of your home. In fact, wireless networks often extend more than 300 feet from your wireless router. If you live in an apartment, dorm, or condominium, you may have dozens of neighbors who can access your wireless network. If you live in a house, your neighbors and even people on the street may be able to connect to your network.
It's one thing to let a neighbor borrow your lawn mower, but you should think twice about allowing anyone to access your home network. There are several good reasons for this. People who can connect to your wireless network might be able to:
• Slow down your Internet performance.
• View files on your computers and spread dangerous software.
• Monitor the Web sites you visit, read your e-mail and instant messages as they travel across the network, and copy your usernames and passwords.
• Send spam or perform illegal activities with your Internet connection.
By setting up security features on your wireless network, you can make it very difficult for uninvited guests to connect.
How to protect your wireless network
Most wireless networks are completely unprotected when you first set them up. However, in just a few minutes, you can protect your wireless network by using the same method banks use to protect your password when you log on to their Web sites: encryption. Encryption scrambles data on your wireless network so that only computers that have the encryption key can read your communications.
You have several choices for wireless encryption:
• 64-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Protection). The original wireless encryption standard, it is now outdated. The main problem with it is that it can be easily "cracked." Cracking a wireless network means defeating the encryption so that you can establish a connection without being invited.
• 128-bit WEP. An updated, more secure version of the original WEP. However, skilled attackers can still crack 128-bit WEP in a few hours or less, giving them access to your network.
• WPA-PSK (also known as WPA-Personal). A more secure alternative to WEP, but because it is newer, it is not as widely supported. Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 supports WPA, so this type of encryption is the best choice if you plan to connect only Windows XP computers to your wireless network. However, if you have wireless devices that don't support WPA, such as media extenders or wireless cameras, you'll have to use WEP on your network instead.
You might also see the security method called "WPA-Enterprise." As the name suggests, this method of network encryption is designed for business use. Setup for WPA-Enterprise is more complex than for other types of encryption, and it requires special network infrastructure.
• WPA2. The newest type of wireless encryption, WPA2 provides the highest level of encryption available. WPA2 encryption should be your first choice if your wireless router and all of your wireless computers and devices support it.
Even though one type of encryption may be better than another, any type will dramatically improve your network's security by making you a more difficult target.
Can wireless encryption be "cracked"?
The short answer is, "Yes." Any encryption can be cracked. An individual with knowledge of computers and networking, and who is willing to spend a few hours researching free "hacking" tools, can crack encryption in a few hours (or less). However, most users who want to connect without authorization lack the expertise to crack wireless encryption, even relatively weak 64-bit WEP. In a crowded neighborhood with numerous unprotected networks, anyone looking for a free connection will likely choose the unprotected network rather than spend the time to crack your wireless encryption. Therefore, even WEP encryption offers better protection than not having encryption enabled at all.
Hackers
Thanks to the media, the word "hacker" has gotten a bad reputation. The term computer hacker first showed up in the mid-1960s. A hacker was a programmer -- someone who hacked out computer code. Hackers were visionaries who could see new ways to use computers, creating programs that no one else could conceive. They were the pioneers of the computer industry, building everything from small applications to operating systems. In this sense, people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were all hackers -- they saw the potential of what computers could do and created ways to achieve that potential.
As computers evolved, computer engineers began to network individual machines together into a system. Soon, the term hacker had a new meaning -- a person using computers to explore a network to which he or she didn't belong. Usually hackers didn't have any malicious intent. They just wanted to know how computer networks worked and saw any barrier between them and that knowledge as a challenge.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Best deal ever on Laptop Just $579.99 at BestBuy
Compaq - Presario Laptop with Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Mobile Processor T2390
Features
* Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core processor T2390 with 533MHz frontside bus, 1MB L2 cache and 1.86GHz processor speed
* 3GB DDR2 memory for multitasking power
* Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL media; also supports LightScribe direct-disc labels using compatible LightScribe media
* 17" WXGA+ high-definition widescreen TFT-LCD display with BrightView technology and 1440 x 900 resolution
* 200GB SATA hard drive
* Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with up to 358MB total available memory as allocated by Windows Vista; S-video out
* Built-in webcam with integrated microphone enables live video chat
* 5-in-1 integrated digital media reader supports Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and xD-Picture Card
* 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports for fast digital data transfer and easy peripheral connectivity
* Built-in 802.11b/g wireless LAN; built-in high-speed 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector; 56 Kbps modem
* Weighs 6.8 lbs. and measures just 1.8" thin for portable power; lithium-ion battery and AC adapter
* Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system with Service Pack 1 (SP1) preinstalled; software package included with HP PhotoSmart Essential, muvee autoProducer, more; 60-day trial of Microsoft Office 2007 Student & Teacher Edition also included
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8898348&type=product&id=1212192622613
If you all ready bought this laptop please write about what you think about it here.
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