Decoding the Secret Code for Joomla Security

Though Joomla is a well organized and secured content management system, still you need efforts to make it completely secured. Here are some methods that will be beneficial for the security purpose of Joomla. Now, let us decode all the secret methods:

Backup Of Website: As Joomla is dynamic content management software, it needs to store various data and thus needs a backup store for this. Now, when does the website needs a backup?

• When you are installing new extension of Joomla 

• When you are upgrading the current Joomla version 

• When you have a regular backup strategy monthly, weekly or daily///

Hosting and Servers: The hosting and servers are very crucial items that need to be selected with efficiency. Some open ports or shared hosting may lead to various server errors. So, ensure that you are using a secured host. Then you need to run PHP 5.2 by hosting your site on the server. The PHP scripts help to filter the user accounts specifically and thus resulting in efficient security.

Use Of htaccess file: You need to rename the htaccess file from htaccess.txt to .htaccess and then place the file in your root folder. You may edit or rewrite the files as required. This particular activity will surely protect the security of Joomla.

Permissions and Specific User Accounts: The default username ‘admin’ should be changed to something else so that the hackers find difficulty in revealing the details of the accounts. There is a default rule where you need to change all your files to 644 and folders to 755. There may be some exceptions to this rule, but these will definitely come up with exceptional security.

Incident Management and Backup: Backups are required in every stage so that you do not lose any important data from your site; and by ‘incident management’ I basically mean a proper planning before your site gets hacked. Thus a well planned system will surely help you to restore all your lost data very quickly.

Extension Management: You need to prepare a thorough checking system for all the third party extensions. You can go through the code review of the extension or run a test suite. Finally you need to update the codes as and when required.

Managing Version Numbers: The extension version numbers need to be removed if required. You can use the version names only by editing them with tools like Dreamweaver.

Unused Files: There may be various incidents when you have installed software but ended up by not using it at all. The unused files need to be identified soon and uninstalled as and when required. They seem to be very vulnerable during the Joomla process.

Protection by Password: The conventional method of protecting through the password always comes handy. Brute Force can be the common virus that generally attacks feeble passwords. Just create a unique password with upper and lowercase letters and numbers. You can change the password every 30 days to ensure its security. You also need to protect the administrative folder of Joomla through strong passwords. The administrators may need to sign in twice for entering into a single account, but this will protect the software very efficiently.

Try HTPASSWD: This activity will surely help in the authentication of the user which is the combination of the Unix and Linux based web servers. You can manually create the .HTPASSWD file and the .HTACCESS file.

Using the CPanel For Security : You have to operate the CPanel using some simple steps for the protection purpose. At first, just log in to the CPanel , then select the Password protect directories. After that just navigate through Home/Myaccount/public_html/administration folder. After that, you can choose the administrative folder and fill up the folder name with username and password.

Applying The Security Extensions : For using the security extension of the Joomla, you need to log into the administrator of Joomla. Then navigate through components/admin tool/password protect administrator. You will have to insert the username and password finally.

Updating Add-Ons : You are required to update the Joomla and its extensions. You just need to enter into the administration section and select ‘update’ from the “components” and your CMS will automatically be updated.

Updating Extensions : Just choose the extension from the extensions manager and then the update tab. The ‘purge cache’ and the ‘Find updates’ are to be selected and then finally the extensions that you need to update.

Changing Table Prefix : The default table prefix needs to be changed regularly as the hackers target the database tables to gain access to the usernames and passwords. If you are using Joomla 1.5, then the DB admin can be a beneficial component for you. But if you are using the Joomla 1.6 version, then it will be better if you run the security process during the installation itself.

SSL Certification : You can easily use the SSL mode for logging into Joomla. You just need to ensure that you are having SSL certification for your own domain. If you are using any shared version of the SSL certification then your purpose may not be successfully fulfilled.

FTP Layer Of Joomla : You may shut down the FTP layer of Joomla for the third party extensions to process the function in a proper manner. You need to check that the layer is not saving your login details and passwords. The SuExec can be applied by the servers instead of the FTP layer.

Register Globals : The register global is not necessary and can be turned off. This will help to disable few active PHP scripts. Thus, you can edit the php.ini file from your domain in the root directory.

URLs Must Be Search Engine Friendly : Not only to make your site rank better in the search engine results, but the search engine friendly URLs will surely protect your domain from the hackers.

You need to be always updated with latest security changes and likewise protect your domain. Just be on top from all your competitors if you keep up your guards efficiently.

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Author Bio

 Sarah Wilson is a well known professional Joomla expert who is sharing some useful tips and tricks for protecting your Joomla from the modern hackers. You can visit our blog and know more information about the Joomla security.

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Good Practices In Database Security

Databases are often the targets of security attacks by cyber criminals. Databases that hold all the security related information, passwords and financial details of users are what these attackers are looking to profit off. That is why database security is an incredibly complex topic that can be covered in elaborate detail. Get in touch with your remote DBA now.

However here are a few of the best practices in database security that will help businesses.


   1. Keep the database and the web servers separate.

Usually when the entire web related software is been installed, the database is automatically made. For the sake of convenience the database is made on the same server where the software has been loaded which is the web server. However this opens the doors for a security breach because then hackers will only need a single point of entry. If they are able to make their way past the security for the web server then all the data stored will be at their mercy.

This is why the database should be stored separately on server that is further protected by a firewall and not with the web server. It is a more intricate but well needed procedure. To know more visit - http://www.remotedba.com/


   2. File encryption

Just storing the database on a separate server is not enough to ward off persistent attacks. Encrypt all the files that are being stored. The stored files of the web software have the information that will enable it to connect to the databases. If you store the data in plain text files like a lot of people then they will provide the data that the hacker needs to get to the sensitive information.

It is not just the files that need to be encrypted. Encrypt the backup files too incase there is an internal attack.


   3. WAF

Use WAFs or web application firewalls. It isn’t true that the web server protection is completely separate or irrelevant to the database. A proper WAF will protect your website from cross site script vulnerabilities, vandalism and also potential SQL injection attacks. If SQL queries can be prevented from being injected by a criminal then the firewall will be successful in keeping all the sensitive information which is stored in a database away from unwanted attention and attacks.


   4. Current patches

This is one thing that a lot of web administrators like remote DBA fall short. Web sites which have a lot of third party apps, elements, widgets, plug-ins and other add-ones become easy targets to something that could have been patched on time.


   5. Less third party apps

Try and reduce the number of third party applications being used. While it is understandable to use user-interactive widgets and other content that makes websites attractive, any app that accesses the database is always a weak point which can be exploited. Unless it is required don’t use third party apps. Remember that these are made by programmers who then stop support after a while.


   6. No shared servers

If your database has highly sensitive information then don’t use a shared server if you can avoid it. It will be cheaper and easier. However remember that you are putting all your important data at the hands of someone else. In case you can’t avoid it, do a keen review of all their security protocol.


   7. Security controls

Put in security controls on your database. Check your controls and ensure that they have been enabled even though it is automatically enabled by most databases these days.


About the author

Trisha Ray is a database administrator for the past five years. She is also a remote DBA. Trisha loves cycling on the weekends.

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Pocket Protection

Are you concerned about security on your mobile device? It's no secret that mobile users have been hacked in the past and had their personal information stolen. But is mobile security getting any better? Here are a few things you need to know about the current state of mobile security.

Apps Can Protect You Or Hurt You

Image via Flickr by William Hook

Many app developers understand the risks that occur by having a mobile device and using it to access different networks, files, and applications. That's why several trusted app developers have released security apps designed to warn you of dangers and to keep your data safe. For instance, the 360 Security - Antivirus&Boost app for Android is designed to protect your device from malware and viruses. Others like Find My iPhone will help you locate a lost or stolen device and even lock your smartphone so that thieves can't access your private data.


The downside to smartphone applications is that even though there are apps that can protect you, others can hurt you. For instance, you might think you're downloading a seemingly safe application when in reality there's a virus piggybacking on the download. Furthermore, top-rated apps may become prime targets for hackers, meaning that even the best apps aren't always completely safe.


The good news is that an increasing number of app developers are using encrypted data to keep your information further from the reach of hackers. For instance, the cloud storage service Spideroak encrypts data at every stage of the process, making it a bit safer than options like Dropbox that don't.

It's In the Fine Print

Before you download an app, be sure you're checking what the app has permission to access on your device. An application may not be damaging in the way that it installs malware and viruses without your consent. In fact, you may simply be giving the app permission to access your files. If an app does compromise your privacy, it could be because you've allowed it access to do so, though.


The good news is that in app stores like Google Play, you'll see a list of what the app is asking permission to access. You'll want to read through the full list before accepting the terms, so that you're not surprised later by how the app gains access to and uses your information.

File Sharing Raises Concerns

Mobile devices and their complementary cloud-based storage apps raise many concerns, particularly for businesses. The security threat here is that people are concerned that sharing files could lead other users to forward sensitive information. The further this information is distributed, the more vulnerable it is.


According to 2013 research into the state of mobile security, the second top concern with BYOD aka Bring Your Own Device was that users would be able to forward company data onto cloud-based storage services. This grave concern fell behind only that of lost or stolen devices.


It's clear how this may raise concerns for businesses allowing individuals to bring their own devices to work. As an individual, however, this should also be a concern. That's because even if you delete sensitive data on your device, such as photos, contact information, etc., it still survives on cloud storage services and on devices of anyone to whom you've forwarded the file. Even if you're the only one with the file, that digital data is never gone. Today, it's still a huge worry for many people about where the copies of their files are and how susceptible the information is to being breached.

The Bottom Line

While there are still a lot of concerns surrounding mobile security and the protection of your device -- including even physically protecting your phone from damage and water -- there have been improvements. For instance, more applications are taking security measures to encrypt their data and create constant updates to stay out of reach from hackers. In addition, operating systems like Google's Android 5.0 Lollipop OS are becoming more secure.



How do you feel about your device and its security?

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5 Common Hacks & Advice on How to Defend Against Them

You may think that hackers are excessively clever people who are coming up with improbable hacks around elaborate security systems, and some are, but most rely on a few old tricks that have been around for years.

I am going to look at 5 common hacks that are used so that you can become aware of them, as knowledge is the first line of defense. I will then give you some actionable advice on what you can do to defend against these common hacking techniques.

Common hacks 1: Bait and switch

There have been countless ‘bait and switch’ scams over the years. I’m talking “years” as in over the last century. Things haven’t changed much in the computer age as bait and switch style hacks are still used.

Commonly, they’ll buy legitimate advertising space on websites. The hacker will switch the link contained within the ad from the approved one to a malicious one, or they’ll code the legitimate website to take the user to a malicious site. Clever hackers will give away something free, like a website counter, and allow thousands of websites to use it - and then switch it out for something like a nice fat JavaScript redirect.

How to defend: Given the large variety of bait and switch hacks out there, it’s difficult to give advice on them. The first point is to make sure that you understand that anything you don’t control can be manipulated. If it isn’t your web counter, someone can exploit it. If you didn’t find the website yourself, the ad can direct you somewhere you don’t want to be. These can be defended against by simply going to trusted resources for your web counters, or doing your own search for the content within the ad.

Common hacks 2: Cookie theft

Cookie theft, also known as session hijacking, enables people to assume your online identity on popular websites. This allows them to log into your accounts, taking over your social media accounts, as well as making purchases in your name.

To make matters even worse, there’s even a program called Firesheep that allows people to do this with a few clicks while using another trick we’ll talk about next, the fake wireless access point. All it takes is a few clicks, and they’ll take over your identity.

How to Defend: Try to always use websites that have secure development techniques and the latest cryptography. A tool that can help you do this while using Google Chrome is called KB SSL Enforcer.

The KB SSL Enforcer plug-in forces your browser to go to the most secure version of websites. This will be the one that starts with HTTPS, with the ‘s’ being ‘secure’ and referring to TSL cryptography. It is not 100% protection, but it does make things more difficult. If hacking you is a challenge, hackers are more likely to move on to someone who hasn’t read this list!

Common hacks 3: Fake Wireless Access Points

Everyone loves free wifi, including hackers. How this hack works is a hacker will set themselves up in a public location, a coffee shop, restaurant, airport, or public library as examples. They’ll establish a fake wireless access point (WAP) of their own and name it something that makes it sound official: “McDonalds Free WiFi” or “Laguardia Free Connection.”

Those who are looking to make a quick connection, for free, will then establish a connection to these WAPs. There are two ways that a hacker can steal information. The first is that they can set it up so that you have to enter a username and password to connect. Most people use a common username and password for these quick “set it up and forget it” accounts. Hackers will then take that information and use it to try to log into your Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, iTunes and other popular accounts. This is one example of online identity theft.

The other way that a fake WAP will work is by the hackers just sifting through the information that is going through the connection and taking whatever isn’t protected or encrypted.

How to defend: First, ask the proprietors of the establishment what the correct name is for their WiFi. That’s the easy one. Next, be sure to always use a unique password and login for public WiFi. It may be a pain, but it’s your best form of online protection.

To protect against those who sift through and steal information that isn’t encrypted, use a personal VPN to encrypt all of your communication. You can read more about top VPN services over on the blog I work for.

Common hacks 4: False file names

This work by tricking people into clicking on files that look enticing, like BeyonceNipSlip.avi, but are actually files full of malicious code when opened.

One of the most famous examples of this right now is one known as the Unicode character switch. It fools computers into displaying a file that is actually BeyonceNipSlip.exe (an executable file that can tell your computer to do things) as the less harmful looking BeyonceNipSlip.avi (.avi being a video file).

You then open it thinking you’re going to see a video of a small slice of heaven (sorry, clearly Beyonce biased), and instead get a computer full of something bad.

How to defend: This is one of those instances where you have to do your homework. If someone is sending you a file, be sure that you know what the full name is with the extension. If you don’t know who is sending you the file...don’t open it! If you have a virus scanner which allows you to scan individual files before opening them, put it to work.

Common hacks 5: Wateringhole attacks

Watering hole attacks can be related to point 3, but with more focus and malice. Hackers will scope out a common place where employees of their target company hang out for drinks, dinner, or even online social platforms - a ‘watering hole.’

These employees are often more relaxed about their security, but since they’re with co-workers they’re still prone to discussing business matters. The hackers will then either install fake WAPs in the physical location that they gather to get company credentials, or they’ll install harmful JavaScript redirects into the online places that these people visit.

The hackers will then use the login details or compromised workstations to gain access to the inner workings of a company. Notable wateringhole attacks have happened to Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook.

How to defend: Making it known to your employees is the first step. They can not use their same credentials on their workstation and on these types of sites, or in these locations. Like it or not, in today’s digital world, your employees have to act as if they’re always at work.

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About The Author:
Marcus is the resident security writer over on the Best VPN Providers blog. He writes about internet security issues, occasionally goes on rants about the government, but doesn't go too far off the rails...most days.

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Cyber Security Defense Strategy: 7 Steps to Effective Network Segmentation

Many of today's networks have a flat structure that sets up no barriers between disparate systems. Organizations may wall off SCADA systems from the rest of the network, but they fail to limit unnecessary communication paths between other network nodes. Too often, systems like CCTV, manufacturing control, alarms and building access control live on the perimeter of a network with no limits on internal access. For example, attackers can compromise the workstation that maintains access control functions. They can then disable door keypads, compromise building security, steal data and manipulate power distribution.
In a world that has seen exponential growth in cyber security threats, network segmentation limits an attacker’s movements, protects proprietary information and prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data. The process brings together logical groups of users, applications and assets. It then ensures that these groups don't interact unnecessarily with one another. The key is to balance segmentation for cyber security with the organization's need for agility and rapid workflow. It's a long-term process, and the implementation timetable will differ depending on the size and complexity of the organization.

1. Take an Inventory of Machines

Few organizations know exactly how many machines they own. They also may not know who's using those machines, and they may not even know where to find what they have. For this reason, taking an exhaustive inventory of every machine is crucial to starting the network segmentation process. These machines may fall into these categories and more:

• Windows and UNIX servers
• Development servers
• Financial servers and workstations
• HR servers
• Security devices
• Other network infrastructure

In particular, pay attention to equipment that’s controlled by system administrators. One compromised system administrator laptop can give an attacker access to a wide range of functions and employee credentials.

2. Decide How to Protect Each Machine

A Windows server in one location may not need the same level of protection as a Windows server in another location. Therefore, after taking a machine inventory, categorize the machines according to the type of protection that each machine requires. Once you know what you have and what it does, then you can make decisions regarding how to protect each asset.

3. Take an Inventory of Personnel Including Which Machines They Can Access

Make a list of every person in the company and which machines they can access including workstations, notebooks and mobile devices. Then, ask yourself whether these people actually need every machine they have. In the previous step, you decided how to protect each machine according to its characteristics and functions. Now, make more decisions about protection by factoring in whether the receptionist or the CEO is using the machine.

4. Create an Initial VLAN to Isolate a Low-Maintenance Group

Instead of trying to tackle a company-wide segmentation, start by creating a virtual LAN (VLAN) for a low-maintenance group of workers. Good choices include the legal department, accounting and human resources. Start by monitoring the group and monitoring all traffic in and out of the servers so you can understand what the group accesses and how workflows actually happen. As you learn to understand your initial group, you can expand your segmentation efforts to other groups.

5. Create a Default Deny Ingress Rule for Each Group

Starting with your pilot group, develop a default deny ingress rule so that other users, machines and applications can't interact with that segment of the network. Every time you implement a new default deny ingress rule, prepare for some problems. For instance, if the CEO can no longer access a desired financial report, prepare to apologize profusely and to quickly fix the problem.

6. Prepare for New Equipment Needs and Personnel Training

Old equipment may not be able to handle your segmentation. For example, you might have to purchase a new router if the old one can't implement your new access control list. Also, you'll have to train personnel to navigate through your segmented network. They should understand why they no longer have access to certain areas.

7. Refine Your Groups Over Time

No matter how much time you spend trying to understand business drivers and workflows, you're going to make mistakes that people will find disruptive. Refine your group structure and protection strategies as you learn, and give yourself a generous timeline to implement a full network segmentation strategy.

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Need for Speed: How to Keep All Your Devices Running Quickly and Smoothly

Have you noticed that your computer, tablet, or phone is not running like it used to? Your device may run super fast when it’s brand new, but after awhile it is common for it to slow down. There are several reasons that your device might be acting sluggish, but know that these problems aren't just due to old age. There are a few things you can do to help get your device back to it's top performance level. Read ahead to learn about a few ways you can help your device speed along and prevent it from slowing down in the future.

Get Rid of Unnecessary Files and Apps

Tablets and smartphones tend to get filled up fast with apps, because it’s so easy to connect and download them. This can result in too many apps piling up on your device, many of which you never use. Go through your apps from time to time and delete the ones you don’t need. You can even delete those that you only use once in awhile and download them again when you need them. You'll be surprised at how many apps you accumulate over time, and even more surprised at how much your device speeds up once they are cleared away.

Protect Against Viruses

PC users know that viruses have the potential to wreak havoc with their computers. The same is true for some tablets. Like Mac computers, iPhones and other Apple devices don’t have a high risk of viruses, but if you have an Android or Windows device, you should head to the app store and download a good anti-virus app. There are plenty of anti-virus apps and programs, some are free, and some cost money, but the most important thing is that you download one of these protection systems as soon as possible.

Close Programs and Apps When Not in Use

Tablets and smartphones are not really designed for easy closing of apps, and generally all the apps you use stay open all the time. You can get a task manager, which is an app that will automatically close multiple apps with one touch. Similar programs exist for computers. These can close unnecessary background processes that are using memory. You may not realize how many apps you have running, but if your battery starts to drain quickly, this could be because you're running too many apps at once. Closing out of programs you have been using will help out a great deal when it comes to giving your device a little speed.

Avoid Flashy Personalization Options

Devices and computers promote cool technology like “live” wallpapers that move and high quality graphics and icons on the desktop. According to professionals of thelocalcircuit.com who specialize in laptop repair in Denton, TX, these things use a lot of memory and slow down your device. Resist the temptation to use flashy personalization options and go with basic wallpapers and icons because these can really put the brakes on your device and make it difficult to complete simple tasks.

Clean Your Screen

For touch screen devices and computers with touch screens, something as simple as neglecting to clean your screen can slow things down. If you don't clean your screen regularly, tiny substances will build up on the surface of the screen. You might not even be able to see anything on the screen, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything there. Cleaning your screen will allow the device to recognize your touch more quickly, allowing you to perform tasks right away. Plus, cleaning your screen will clear away any germs or bacteria that might be lurking on the surface.

Keeping you device at top speed is easy; it just takes some regular maintenance on your part. A good method is to run through a short series of maintenance tasks on the same day you do a regular backup. That should keep your computer and devices in top shape and keep you more content as you quickly run through tasks without any loading or extra frustration.

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Why is Security for Your Business Important?

Did you know that in 2010, over 1000 workplace homicides took place in the United States according to the CDC? Did you know that 2% of all sales revenue, on average, is stolen annually by employees?

Did you know that having on-site security reduces your chances of being robbed by 85%?

These are just a few of the reasons why every business, regardless of size, income level, or specialty, needs to focus on protecting their business both physically and electronically.

Workplace Homicide and Assault

Workplace assaults reach in the tens of thousands annually. Each instance opens a company up to a potential lawsuit. These lawsuits can add up to millions of dollars in damages and legal fees for the companies and so investing in some security can be a very smart move.

Strong HR polices aren't always a deterrent from homicide or assault in the workplace. Having on-site security present can reduce liability in the event of something unfortunate happening. Security can also reduce the chances of an attack occurring at all. When managing a large company and mixing all different types of personalities you should definitely invest in some physical security to protect your employees and the company's assets.

Theft

Theft is a major problem in the workplace. Whether it be physical property stolen or intellectual property stolen it can pose a serious problem. Companies report between 2 and 5 percent of their income has been lost due to theft both within the company and outside. This can be theft of office supplies, computer equipment, or currency by employees. It can also mean theft of merchandise by customers which could be avoided if precautions are taken. With items like security locks from Security Centers in Southern California you can be sure to protect your business from thieves.

A security detail can monitor the entire company to ensure profits are not walking out of the door. The cost to protect against theft is a fraction of the overall cost of theft in a company. A visible security guard can reduce theft by as much as 50% or investing in some anti theft security software can help guard your property from malicious intentions.

Identity Fraud

Identity theft costs American companies nearly $25 billion per year. Scams pilfer another $2 billion from corporate coffers. While no one can completely prevent all forms of identity theft or scams, having security teams monitoring email traffic for key words or known phishing attempts can dramatically reduce the likelihood that it happens in your company.

Having a computer security expert working to protect your business can save another 3 to 7 percent of anticipated profits annually. Corporate security is not longer about physical security. Computer security is just as important.

Experts expect the rates of computer scams and identity theft to continue. Estimates put total losses at over $50 billion annually by 2020.

Hiring a team of security professionals and security software can help protect your online and physical assets can seem expensive but the price of not acting can be significantly greater if your business is compromised.

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Transfer Content Safely: Avoid Information Overload Using a Torrent Search Engine

If it is used properly, bittorrent is one of the safest ways of transferring content. The reason why this is the case is because the torrent file contains metadata about the files that are to be shared and the bittorrent client subsequently checks the content received against this metadata.

The safety checks in place should ensure that any discernible difference in the content received will be discarded as a result of these measures.

Using a bittorrent client like www.Vuze.com will help to ensure that malware cannot be added to any torrent once it has become active meaning that any data that is damaged during this transmission process will be discarded an re-downloaded, ensuring a good level of security.

On the assumption that you already have a working knowledge of bittorrent, here is a look at how you can go about finding the content that you want and avoiding an information overload.

Different torrent search sites

There is an incredible amount of content currently available in bittorrent and it is estimated to be somewhere in the region of 25 PetaBytes of content that is available spread across in excess of 20 million active torrents.

These are split into public and private torrent search sites and the general consensus of opinion is that private torrent sites are preferable as they offer several advantages over their public counterparts.

With a private torrent site, you not only get the privacy aspect due to the fact that only members are active on torrent, but you should also enjoy cleaner torrents and greater speed, due to ratio enforcement which ensures a well seeded torrent.

The negative aspect of a private search site is that some of them can certainly suffer from over-zealous administrators policing them and a greater level of rules and regulations to overcome.

Unwanted features

It is a sad but true fact of life that even the best public torrent search sites can be plagued by scam links, adverts and toolbar downloads.

It is therefore really important that you make use of a web browser that has advert blocking capabilities so that you can hopefully eliminate all those unwanted features. Firefox offers an additional feature called AdBlock Plus and with Adblock Plus PopUp you can make all those scamming adverts and non-existent downloads disappear into the background.

Common deceptions

Avoid the scam links that offer you things like a Trusted Download and Sponsored Links and the toolbar downloads are often annoyingly placed very near to the Download Torrent button, so take a moment to check what you are clicking before you go ahead.

Do not be tempted by the adverts that do make their way onto the torrent search site, not all of them are completely questionable but why take the risk? Simply avoid downloading them to save you from any potential subsequent problems.

Key criteria

Your goal when it comes to finding a good public torrent search site is to find one that offers genuine and healthy torrent so you can get the content you want without any complications.

A good torrent site will often contain a large index of torrents backed up by a comments and ratings system, excellent search filters and sorting capabilities.

Also, make sure that you are uploading and downloading only files that do not infringe upon any copyrights.

Stick to this key criteria and you should be able to achieve your goals and achieve a safe transfer of content.

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About The Author:
Richard Miller is an avid web user for work and play. He enjoys turning in his years of navigating the information superhighway into blog posts to give the average user direction for understanding and maximizing the internet's capabilities.

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Your First Web Hosting Account: What You Really Need to Know

If you've read even one article about what to look for in a web hosting plans (or more likely these days read several articles that just re-stated that one article!)  you will see that they blather on and on about the importance of a feature like Wordpress over another feature like Joomla or how important bandwidth, storage space and many other plan items are to the future success of your website.  What these articles completely disregard is how utterly unimportant these features are to the average person looking to get a web hosting account. 

The main difference between Basic Plans and Advanced Plans isn't th e features it's the webmaster who will use those features.  Even a basic plan for beginners contains many features that an advanced webmaster will want and use.  The key is to know how to use these features.

Most beginners could care less about knowing what MySql or PHP is.  They just want a website that looks good and advertises their business.  Some of the more adventurous new webmasters might explore some of the plan offerings like subdomains or content management but for the most part they will use only a small amount of the features provided by a webhost.  For example, a new webmaster may only use the host's website builder or they may use the Wordpress blog builder feature.  That is likely all they want or need.  All the other features are meaningless to them.

So, what does all of this mean?  It means that if you are a beginner don't waste your time comparing plans and packages as almost all web hosts these days offer the same features.  Instead, focus more on other aspects of the web host such as reliability, speed of servers and whether they have the features you know that you need. 

What about reviews? At this point reviews are basically worthless as so many can be bought or a competitor can launch negative attacks so you can never be sure if a good review is really a good review or a bad review is a real bad review.  Instead, ask around.  See who your family and friends use for their web hosting company.  What has been their experience?  Do they like the service?  Hate it?  That is a much better guide to figuring out what web host to go with.  As I mentioned earlier, if you are new to all this website builder stuff almost ANY web hosting plan you go with will have what you need to create your website and upload it to the internet. 

One last note of caution - while it doesn't matter what web host you go with as their offerings will almost always be very similar don't go with a web host that is too cheap.  They will usually have a bunch of extra fees that you don't know about when you sign up or their service will be so bad that you will want to leave.  The normal price for a web hosting account is in the $5/month to $10/month range.  Usually if you get a plan or hosting package in that range it will be a decent web host. 

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Not Your Mom's Antivirus Software: 7 Ways That Antivirus Is Evolving to Meet Today's Threats

When antivirus was developed, an antivirus software provider would learn about a piece of computer malware. It would then record the code and enable its software to scan a computer for the malware signature. Soon, security companies began to share information about the viruses they detected. Consumers benefited from their combined efforts to stop malware in its tracks.

As the Internet has expanded and the number of connected devices has grown, the sheer volume of malware from phishing emails, from malicious websites and from other sources is more than signature-based antivirus solutions can handle. Also, today's malware is designed to morph and change to evade signature-based detection.

By nature, antivirus software is reactive. It may protect individual machines from known threats, but it doesn't stop attacks until those malware signatures are detected. Fortunately, the best antivirus software is evolving to handle today's threats. Instead of becoming obsolete as some experts have argued, antivirus has evolved in seven primary ways to become more relevant than before.

Behavior-Based Blocking

Antivirus software and deep discovery tools can detect malware based on how a snippet of code behaves. By using data analytics to review the patterns associated with known malware, behavior-based blocking identifies code with similar characteristics or operating patterns to existing malware. In addition to pattern analysis, behavior-based blocking tools analyze the reputation of the source that transmitted the code. They also sandbox suspicious pieces of code, running code in a silo to expose malware without infecting the network or end-user devices.





Web Browser Integration

Today's antivirus solutions can analyze websites and prevent users from opening pages containing malicious code. Working as a browser extension, antivirus software can greenlight safe pages and red-light potentially dangerous pages. Many antivirus extensions also incorporate privacy tools, and they allow parents to control which sites their children can browse.

Network Access Monitoring

Modern antivirus tools log network access events. They record each time a user accesses a database, a set of files or a server and make note of any unusual patterns. For example, the software may send out an email alert if a user tries to access data from an unfamiliar IP address. Also, IT can review employee logs to see if data was accessed using an unfamiliar browser or from an unusual location.

Whitelisting Approved Sites

Instead of just blocking known malicious websites, applications or data, today's antivirus tools allow IT to take a whitelisting approach to security. By default, end users have access to nothing online unless it's authorized by IT. Whitelisting removes the burden of trying to detect every possible malicious site or application. Instead, users are given access to only what they need, and they avoid exposing the company to dangerous or malicious sites that may escape threat detection tools.



Early Warning Services

Security companies are competing to sell products, but they also work as a community to protect consumers and businesses from malware threats. When one company's antivirus tools detect a new threat, that company shares the information to keep threats from spreading.

Web Crawling

Some antivirus tools offer Web-crawling tools that crawl websites looking for malicious executable code. The tools then blacklist dangerous websites from the company network, and they provide an early warning to other security companies that keep the malware from spreading.

Application Isolation

Instead of detecting threats and then quarantining them, some antivirus tools isolate applications from a computer's operating system. Applications work as they should, but if any code from the application attempts to make changes to the operating system, the suspicious code is isolated and then discarded when the application is closed. Bromium creates a microenvironment for every task an application executes. Its vSentry solution detects any code's attempt to propagate, persist or compromise the microenvironment. Polymorphic malware can be eliminated even on unpatched computers, and IT can have a full view of the attack forensics.

Ignore the hype that says antivirus is obsolete; it's still an important component of any security strategy. Security companies are constantly incorporating value-added services into their antivirus solutions. Simply put, today's security programs have made significant advances from your mother's antivirus software.

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Now It Is The Time To Get Mobile Website And Apps

Present generation uses their mobiles to shop, book and gaming in websites. They love to get anything from everything in their mobile phones. With mobile banking and mobile customer services most of the business and financial service providers have made the mobile the most challenging platforms to promote business and services. This made most of the businesses and service provides to make their website available on mobiles. As a businessman or service provider there are some important factors to consider about mobile version websites.

Normal website won’t work; get mobile versions

There is no doubt almost all types of mobile phones support internet. Hence, your customers have the tendency to search for your products and services in their mobiles. But your normal websites find it so difficult to get loaded in the mobiles and takes comparatively long time. This makes the customer worried and chances are a lot to think about other better options. Hence make sure that you have developed mobile version of your website to make it readily and easily available on the mobile web. Mobile browsers will promote website designed with simple but superb features. Hence it is your time to get mobile versions for your website.

Know about mobile web

Screen of your Smartphone is nano in size when compared to desktop or laptop screen. On mobiles you have to use to fingers in the place of mouse. Hence smaller text and link will not entertain the mobile user. This is the reason why the website should be completely rebuilt to suit the requirement of mobile web and the users. Your website should have larger test, clearly visible buttons and links to make the website experienced satisfying for the mobile users.





What makes you stop using mobile browser?

Even though mobile web browsing is getting more demand, the problem is that still there are lot of website which are not optimized for mobile web. With normal versions it appears as it is in the mobiles giving a partial look. The customer or user can find small texts, broken links, missing images and more. He or she needs to zoom everything to get a clear look. On the other mobile web optimized website gives clear visions of the website making the browsing easy and fast. Hence make sure that you have mobile version for your website to keep your mobile customers satisfied.

Mobile apps for instant access

Even though mobile versions gives quick access to website through mobile web, present generation expect something more from mobile. This is why mobile apps are so hot and popular on mobiles. Now the saying is that without mobile apps, mobile is just a electronic scrap. Yes, everyone needs mobile apps for their most visited websites. Mobile apps are icon shortcuts that can be easily placed on your homepage of mobile devices. This helps the user to get access to the websites or services without making any searching or typing. It gives straight access to web address.

Information at finger tips

It is all the amazing benefits that made apps to rule mobile web world. Users can get the information right at the finger tips. With just a touch on the mobile app, it serves the users with what he or she really needs. There is no need to save the website link. These are really small icons with professional business face linked to the mobile version websites. Hence, it is so easy to get access to your website without searching and typing the website address. You can directly visit the website without checking for search or title bar in the search engines.

Benefits of mobile apps

It is hard to do business in feature without mobile apps. We can found unexpected and amazing increase the numbers of mobile apps. Thousands of mobile apps introduced to web world every month. Here are some of the important benefits of getting apps for your business.

Benefits to business

• Perfect reinforcement of brand
• Effective loyalty building
• Enhanced visibility
• Increases accessibility
• Easy access to on-the-go consumers
• Quick exposure through mobile devices
• Increase sell-through

Benefits to customers

• Easy reach to products and services
• Quick and effective notification of product launches and special events,
• Access to contact information with a single touch
• Directions to route map to location form wherever the customer is
• Fast and instant appointment scheduling

Do mobile apps give complete experience?

It is better to answer this question with NO. Even though there are several benefits for mobile apps, advertisement placing on apps, storage space for apps, unavailability of apps for website and more can sometimes make the mobile user to think twice before downloading the app.
This is the reason why most of the businessmen develop unique and professional apps exclusively for their business. This makes their app free from any unwanted advertisement and keeps it purely for their business. Once a customer gets satisfied service through mobile apps, then there is no doubt he or she will not look for another option.

So which is best?

So which is best mobile web design of mobile app for you? The answer should come only from you. It is way how you use web on your mobile devices that makes the best option. If you use mobile web rarely then there is no need to download and store the app. But if there are some websites that use regularly, then it is best to get the mobile apps downloaded and stored in the home page for quick access. Now the time is yours to evaluate your mobile web usage to take the decision.
But whatever it is, one thing is sure. Without mobile web or mobile app you can’t hold the future customers with your business.

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About The Author:
Adrian is a blogger who work as a web designer and coding expert in UK. He in his free time blog about web design companies at his blog - http://bigdropinc.net/. You may check more about these companies at his blog and how it can help.

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Electronic Security Devices For Your Home That Tops The List

Theft, fires or home invasions are like a dreadful nightmare. To prevent these occurrences, it is important to install an efficient security system at your home. Barrier bars, motion detectors and electronic alarms are considered to be few security options that are available for the home owners. Investing in these security options can prove to be fruitful as it performs the dual function of preventing the invaders and alarming the homeowners about the presence of the unwanted guests in the premises of the house. Of all the options that are available, the electronics devices are considered to be the most efficient ones.

Gamut of security system

This electronic device is designed to protect the entire house, and they are connected to the central panel, which is designed to detect the presence of intruders. After these devices detect the presence of a trespasser, a series of incidents follow one after the other. An alarm goes off that alerts the intruder as well as the homeowner of the incident. It sends the message to the security provider of the incidence and the latter deputes professional or contact the police at the earliest to safeguard your property. Finding the best security system might be a daunting task at times. If you want to know about the best electronic device, that is available then have a glimpse of the list.

• The name that appears on the top of the list is FontPoint Security. It comprises with a gamut of devices designed for providing security to various portions of your house and also has a good monitoring system installed in it. Smoke detectors, sirens, devices for personal security, sensors, flood protection devices are few features of this security systems. Apart from theft and burglary this also safeguards the house from different natural disasters. Installation of this device is easy, and you can do it yourself in maximum duration of half an hour. To major benefit is that it is affordable and also that there are customer representatives to assist you if you need so. 
• Next name that appears in the list is Protect America and mainly due to the nominal startup cost. With this device, your peace of mind is guaranteed. Two way intercom service, round the clock monitoring through internet and portable devices and other devices are included in this security system. If you want to protect your home from fire, theft, burglary, spread of poisonous gases then this is the best device that you can lay your hand on. The best part of this system is that you can customize the package as per your need from the wide collection of devices that they have. In fact, it is known to have the widest collection of security plans that are available.
• SafeMart is another name that is worth mentioning in this arena. It can be installed easily by the homeowners. This security system comes with sensors that can detect motion of windows, doors, garage doors, heat, breaking of glass and protects your property.
• ADT Security is in the business for the last 130 years. It offers cellular and landline monitoring and is interactive in nature. Professional assistance is provided while installing the service. In case of emergency, it provides round the clock monitoring of the home.

Home security is an important matter, and you need to take immediate steps to safeguard your near and dear ones. It is obvious that you do not have necessary expertise to do the same so contacting a home security contractor is a good idea. In this regard, San Francisco ADT Pulse can be a good choice. Seek their help to know the option that suits your home the best.

About The Author:
Kelly Lawson has availed the services of San Francisco ADT Pulse to safeguard his home. They come with different devices like sirens, motion detectors and also monitors the different occurrences seamlessly.

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5 Reasons the FCC Should Regulate the Looming Wireless Duopoly

In an ideal free market system competition is fierce, which keeps consumer costs low and innovation high. As each company strives to earn your business, they offer deals, create new and better products, and the entire economy benefits. In a healthy market too much regulation is bad. It slows down the innovation process, which costs the companies money (costs that they pass on to the consumer).
However, in an unhealthy market, such as the current wireless carrier duopoly, new regulation would not only be helpful, it might be necessary. Here are five reasons why the FCC should regulate the Verizon/AT&T duopoly.

Wireless Service is Getting More Expensive

In 2011, 5 million people signed up for a mobile phone each quarter. In 2012 that number dropped to 3 million, and 2013 saw it drop to under 2 million new subscribers per quarter. This means that less and less wireless company revenue is coming from new contracts. Instead, the enormous profits in telecommunications are reaped by squeezing existing customers.
Wireless companies (or rather, Verizon and AT&T) are only able to do this because they control more than 70 percent of the US smartphone market. When AT&T was the only carrier to offer the iPhone, there was at least some semblance of competition between these two behemoths, however, now their pricing systems are almost identical. When one changes a policy, the other changes it within weeks, and none of these changes are making anything any cheaper. For a consumer standpoint, they're basically the same company.

The System is Rigged Against Smaller Companies

"Fair enough," you might say, "If Verizon and AT&T are abusing their customers, why don't those customers simply go to one of the smaller companies that offer cheaper rates, like T-Mobile, Sprint, or a regional carrier?" Good question.
One reason is that once 2-4 people have signed up with Verizon or AT&T with a "family plan" it is prohibitively complex to switch everyone over to a new wireless carrier. For some families college age children aren't home most of the time, making it difficult to switch, or the upgrade system gives different family members access to new phones at different times (each requiring a contract renewal). The duopoly does anything and everything in their power to make it difficult for you to leave.
Another reason is that, as CEO Michael Prior put it, "Telecom is an infrastructure business." Essentially, that means it is too expensive for new competitors to enter the market - essentially ensuring Verizon and AT&T maintain control by default.
Fortunately, according to BGR, it looks like Sprint may acquire T-Mobile, which might add a third player powerful enough to create real competition with AT&T and Verizon. Without such a merger, however, FCC regulation would be the only way to make the market competitive again.

The Current System Impedes the Rest of the Economy

According to Steve Berry, a columnist for Light Reading, "History shows that preserving and enhancing wireless competition is a vital means of driving economic growth and job creation, maintaining our nation's global competitiveness, promoting continued innovation, and enhancing consumer welfare."
While this might seem like a bold claim, it actually makes perfect sense. Businesses often give cell phones to their employees (usually smartphones). If the wireless duopoly is gouging them they way the are with the rest of their consumers, then the business will have less money to spend on other things (like their own infrastructure, or payroll).

Light Regulation Now Could Prevent Heavy Regulation Later

This might seem paradoxical - creating regulation to prevent regulation. However, if the FCC can create some light regulation now, like ensuring that all carriers have access to 4G LTE (which they don't at the moment), the market will become more competitive. If the market becomes more competitive, then it will, once again begin to (more or less) regulate itself and more draconian regulation won't be necessary.
So, if you're tired of expensive and complex phone contracts, of rate hikes and hidden conditions, write to the FCC and tell them that you're in favor of regulating the Verizon/AT&T duopoly.

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Protect Your Assets With High-Tech Security for Your Home, Business and Self

Technology has evolved at a rapid pace over the previous decades, and the rate of change seems to rise every year. New technology can help you protect your home and your business, and it can help ensure your personal safety. Here are a few technologies that can help protect your assets.

Computer Security

Modern Windows systems are inherently more secure when compared to older systems, but they are still vulnerable to a variety of attacks. In addition, hackers have developed more sophisticated methods to steal credit card, banking and identity information. Those who run Windows and OS/X systems will need to ensure that they avoid potentially dangerous downloads, and they'll want to run virus and malware scans on a regular basis. We store more information on out computers than ever before, so take steps to keep it safe.

Biometric Identification

Movies have long portrayed a future where fingerprint and iris scanning would ensure building security, and technology is finally catching up. Basic fingerprint identification systems are now affordable for most businesses, and these systems can be hard to crack. Combined with keys or other security measures, these systems can keep your assets well protected. In addition, these systems can monitor activities, allowing you to watch out for employee theft and other potential problems.





Video Monitoring

In the past, video monitoring was expensive and yielded only mediocre results. Today, technology is much better, and new products are far more affordable than older products. Thanks to the low cost of video technology, camera systems can be installed virtually anywhere, and the software used to access information is far easier to use and, in some cases, free. So if you want to protect a Calgary steel fabrication business, Aero-Tech Specialty Welding & Fabrication Ltd, opting for video monitoring is the only solution for security. There are a number of turnkey systems on the market, and more adventurous people might want to consider a do-it-yourself approach.

The Cloud

The cloud paradigms are often touted as convenient and easy to use, but there most significant benefit might be their ability to keep you information secure. Cloud providers depend on providing top-notch security to ensure that their clients stay with them, and they use the latest technology available to provide superior protection. While they are not impervious to attack, they provide better security that most home and business users have access to.

We often focus on new forms of entertainment and new ways of being more productive, but high tech has had a significant impact on home, business and personal security as well. By keeping up with recent technological developments and using modern systems, everyone can achieve better security.

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About The Author:

Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise as well as researching new topics to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.

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Significance Of Ftp Set Up Provided With Hosting Service

An FTP setup is very necessary for businesses to flourish. FTP refers to file transfer protocol. FTP is used to transfer pages from a server to the user’s browser. It is also used to transfer electronic mail across the internet. Files can be easily uploaded with the help of FTP. To get started you need to upload an FTP client on your computer and set up an account with a home page hosting service which offers FTP . The first step is to get connected after selecting a profile name and address.

Understanding the technology

FTP can help you to transfer files between in the internet and a couple of computers. Files can be easily copied using FTP technology.

• FTP is the short term for file transfer protocol.
• Both ASCII and Binary files can be transferred between computers easily.
• An FTP server is required on the target computer for FTP to be running.
• A user-name and password is required for FTP to run.
• University of California Berkely was the first to develop FTP.
• For a quality FTP server both security and bandwidth is very important.
• File transfers are made possible through internet protocol and transmission control protocol.

Aspects related to file transfer protocol

It is important to pay heed to certain important points if you want to use FTP effectively.

• You can use an FTP backup tool to save information. This measure needs to be adopted so that when your hard disk crashes it is easy to obtain the essential data.
• In order to sync FTP hire the services of a reputed company which has strong track records.
• The best feature of FTP is that it is independent from the operating system.
• FTP has undergone transformations since the day of its inception. SSL has been incorporated to encrypt file transfers.

Implications of FTP

FTP is mostly used in secured networks. In order to load files FTP software is required. If you already have a website setting up a files transfer protocol will make your life easier. You will be able to upload and download files from your server easily. AS large files are difficult to share, FTP hosting allows you to share large files with certain people. FTP hosting will allow you to store the files in accessible locations and share them with the people you want. With the large availability of hosting providers it is very important that you conduct a thorough research before reaching a final decision.

Selecting an FTP host

While selecting an FTP host you must evaluate certain criteria. The more storage place that it is offered to you the better it is. Usually focus must be laid on obtaining large storage price at affordable prices. The FTP hosting service must be highly functional. It should help you with file transfers. Dragging and dropping files must be easy. Sharing files via links and offering features for back up is very essential. You should be able to access the files from most devices and across different platforms. Make sure that the hosting service makes use of encryptions to transfer files.
Hosting services which provide FTP must be able to provide strong customer support. If you face any problem the hosting service should be able to come to your assistance at once. They should be able to clear your queries and address all your problems. Certain service providers host FTP in the cloud. You can enjoy unlimited bandwidth and unlimited storage. Without ads your privacy is completely guarded as you opt for files transfer protocol.

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About The Author:
Greg is a website owner who has referred to InexpensiveWebHosting.co to know more about FTP. He feels that with FTP his tasks have become easier.

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Should Businesses Really Worry About Cloud Security

Several companies are jumping onto the bandwagon of cloud computing with a dream of saving costs and making IT infrastructure scalable and flexible. Yes, cloud computing can offer several benefits but at the same time, it comes with inherent risks and challenges that companies need to understand before implementing.

Challenges

Cloud computing, being a shared resource, faces several security challenges. Let’s look at them.

• Data location: Under the traditional IT infrastructure, it was relatively easy to know and maintain the location of data. With cloud computing, data could be residing physically anywhere. If the exact location of the data is not agreed upon under service level agreement (SLA) with cloud service providers (CSP), it becomes difficult to know where it’s stored, specifically when CSP is outsourcing capabilities to third parties.
• Data breaches: When it comes to cloud security, there are several factors that can lead to data breach. If CSP doesn’t implement adequate physical, logical and personnel control, anybody can access the data. Another way of breaching data is through the usage of virtual machines to extract private cryptographic keys used by other virtual machines on the same server.
• Data loss: Data can be lost due to several reasons — natural disasters such as fire, flood or earthquake; a malicious hacker could delete the data out of spite; or encryption key could be lost when the entire set of data is encrypted. Recovering the lost data is a tedious task but it becomes impossible when the lost data is untraceable. Businesses may even get into trouble with regulatory bodies when the data they were supposed to store for years is lost without a trace.
• Account or service traffic hijacking: Breaching data becomes easy for an attacker if he/she gains access to account credentials. He or she can not only eavesdrop on companies’ activities and transactions but can also manipulate data and redirect the companies’ clients to illegitimate sites.
• Insecure interfaces and APIs: Interfaces are important for cloud provisioning, management, orchestration and monitoring; while APIs are integral to security and availability of general cloud services. If these elements are weak and insecure, the risk factor for organizations increases tremendously.
• Denial of service (DoS): When companies are dependent on the availability of IT infrastructure 24/7, DoS is a huge problem. And this problem becomes an expensive one when organizations are billed by CSPs based on computer cycles and disk space consumed as DoS consume huge amount of processing time.
• Malicious insiders: A malicious insider could be anyone, from current or former employee to a contractor or a business partner who gains access to network, system or data for nefarious reasons. This type of risk is particularly great when CSPs are solely responsible for security.
• Cloud abuse: Many times hackers use cloud to break an encryption key that’s too difficult to crack on a standard computer, launch DDoS attack, propagate malware and share pirated software.
• Insufficient due diligence: Unfortunately companies using cloud do not fully understand the contractual issues concerning liability and transparency. Also, if the company’s development team isn’t fully familiar with cloud technology, it can create operational and architectural issues.
• Vulnerabilities arising out of shared technology: CSPs share infrastructure, platforms and applications to offer scalable services. Consequently, any issue in the underlying components that make up the infrastructure can make all the organizations on the server vulnerable.

Solutions

There are several steps that CSP and companies can take to combat the threats stemming from cloud computing.

• Robust security: Traditional approach toward IT infrastructure is no longer adequate. CSPs need to implement layered model to ensure the privacy and appropriate access of data in shared, multitenant cloud. This task will specifically include: content protection at different layers in the cloud infrastructure, such as at the storage, hypervisor, virtual machine and database layers; and mechanisms to provide confidentiality and access control, including encryption, obfuscation and key management.
• Trust and assurance: Companies need to have confidence and trust in the cloud environment, including in physical data centers, hardware, software and resources employed by CSPs. On the other hand, CSPs need to establish an evidence-based trust architecture and control the cloud environment through adequate monitoring and reporting capabilities. CSPs should also be able to offer audit trails to help customers meet internal and external demands for provable security.
• Isolation: CSPs can ensure isolation for companies’ data even within a multitenant environment by implementing multiple virtual data centers, each with its own virtual LAN. To up the security measures, each of the virtual data centers can be configured into one or more trust clusters, separated by demilitarized zones and virtual firewalls.
• Confidentiality: To maintain the confidentiality of companies, CSPs can offer encryption and/or obfuscation. However, obfuscation in the cloud will require the use of new architecture and approaches to enable access to the original non-obfuscated data with maximum security controls.
• Access control: Identity management and provisioning platforms should be utilized to ensure that only authorized users can access relevant applications and data. These measures should be supported by compliance and audit, and log management to let the companies track the movements in their clouds.
• Control over credentials: Companies should prohibit their employees from sharing account credentials with other parties. They can also implement two-factor authentication techniques wherever possible.
• Monitoring and governance: CSPs should offer resources that allow companies to monitor the security and compliance of their data. Also, the resources should allow the companies to take appropriate actions whenever necessary on the basis of the security information received from CSPs.
• Cloud certified professionals: One of the smart moves that companies and CSPs can make is to hire professionals with cloud computing certification. As these employees are highly trained in the fields of cloud computing technology, architecture, security, governance and capacity, the threats to cloud security are minimized.
• Precise SLA: Companies and CSPs should have clearly defined SLAs as they serve as blueprint as well as warranty for cloud computing. An ideal SLA should codify the specific parameters and minimum levels required for each element of the service; remedies in case of failures while meeting the requirements; recognition of the ownership of data stored on the cloud; details of the system infrastructure and security standards to be maintained by both the parties; and the cost to continue and discontinue the service.

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About the Author:
Krishna Kumar, an engineer by education, has experience of serving the IT industry for 13 years. Currently he is the CEO of Simplilearn Solutions and displaying his expertise in e-commerce, through innovative online learning portal, which was started with the aim to help professionals round the world in achieving their world recognized professional certification. He wants to share a little about cloud computing certification training.

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Security Risks: What You Should Know About Identity Theft

Identity theft is a very real problem that can affect almost anyone today. Identity thieves do not operate just online, they employ a variety of techniques in order to steal information that can be used to access personal accounts, or to open new accounts. Avoiding identity theft requires vigilance and knowledge about the practice. Every person should know how to deal with common risks that could lead to identity theft.

Unsecured Wireless Routers

Identity thieves can use unsecured wireless routers to steal personal information. Software-like packet sniffers, and other applications can capture and decode data moving through the router from hundreds of feet away. The packets can reveal login and personal data, when banking or making purchases online. This can be prevented by protecting wireless routers with a strong password, or by using virtual private network software.

Impersonation

Identity thieves often impersonate utility workers, or city officials in order to gain access to a home. Thieves lie about needing to check an appliance, or other item in the house. They then use the time inside to collect personal information like bills, credit cards, or bank statements. It is important to verify the identity of anyone being let into the home. Additionally, strangers should never be left alone.





Malware

Malware can be installed quietly on a computer from an email or a malicious website. The malware can slowly gather keystrokes, passwords, and personal data for weeks and then send it to a remote server. Avoiding malware involves not clicking on suspicious links, and not opening emails from unknown senders. Suspicious websites should also be avoided.

The Identity of Children

Identity thieves are starting to target children in order to create false identities backed by some real information. Parents need to make sure no personal information about children is posted on social media networks. Paperwork and documents listing information about children should be stored securely or shredded in order to protect their identities.

Physical Theft and Burglary

The most common way thieves get personal information is by burglarizing a home and stealing documents. This can occur in less than two minutes. The solution is to contact a company like Banhams Close Security that can install strong locks, doors, and alarms to prevent burglaries. Securing the home, and increasing physical security around the property will deter most identity thieves.

It is important to protect even the smallest pieces of personal information. Identity thieves can work for weeks or longer trying to assemble data about a person from several different sources. Homeowners should add security to the house, shred all documents with personal information, and take every precaution when online.

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About The Author:
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and recent graduate of the University of New Mexico. She lives in Los Lunas where she writes, spends her time outdoors, and tries all the new food she can. Contact her via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.

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