Articles Index
Free Port Scanner Software
Links to free port scanner software to analyze your system for open ports to help you secure it
Free Software for Computer and Network Security
A categorized collection of free software that you can use for computer and network security including free antivirus, free personal firewalls, free packet sniffing, free port scanning, free encryption tools, and more.
IPhone Security Benchmark
A brief overview of the Center for Internet Security (CIS) security benchmarks for the Apple iPhone (OS 2.2.1)
Business Continuity During an Epidemic or Pandemic
New cases, or at least potential cases, of swine flu continue to pop up around the world and the swine flu death toll continues to rise in Mexico. What should businesses do to minimize any impact to productivity and to be prepared in the case of an actual pandemic
Swine Flu Spam and Phishing Attacks
Spam and phishing attacks may start to prey on swine flu fears. Swine flu related domains are being snatched up and may be used to target the spike in interest and fears of a global pandemic related to the swine flu outbreak.
Cybersecurity Act of 2009
A bill introduced recently in Congress would give the President of the United States the authority to shut down functions of the critical infrastructure, including the Internet itself, in the interests of national security. In the event that there is a cyber attack threatening our nation, should the President be able to shut down the Internet? Is this too much power to grant to the Executive Branch?
The 2% Business Model
Why is spam and phishing so successful? There are tools to block it from getting to your Inbox to begin with and users, for the most part, seem to understand that you don't buy your little blue pills from an email that calls it 'v1@gra' and that no Nigerian prince is really trying to give you $5 million. It exists because it works. The secret is that it only takes a 2% success rate to make a killing.
Surviving Conficker Worm
The Conficker worm received a great deal of attention as April 1st approach. Many predicted 'the sky is falling' end of the world as we know it scenarios, but ultimately nothing really happened. Now that April 1st is done, is the threat from Conficker gone? No. Conficker is still out there. Learn how to determine if your PC is compromised and how to remove Conficker.
Win32/Conficker.B Worm Plagues the Internet
With millions of unpatched computers to victimize, the Win32/Conficker.B (also known as Downadup or W32.Downadup) worm continues to exploit the vulnerability in Microsoft RPC identified in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-067 released out-of-cycle as an emergency update in October of 2008.
April Fool's Day
April Fool's Day is a day of jokes, pranks, and general frivolity each year. If you don't lock your PC while you're away, you could find yourself the victim of one of these classic PC pranks.
In Depth Security
In Depth Security. Using a layered approach to network security provides better protection. An attack that compromises or bypasses one security layer will be detected and blocked by another.
Security by Obscurity
A discussion of the merits and weaknesses of security by obscurity. Security by obscurity relies on the confidentiality or secretive nature of the existence of a security hole to protect it from being exploited.
Security Through Obscurity
Security by obscurity relies on protecting a system or application by hiding knowledge of its existence. This article shares my point of view on why security through obscurity is the wrong way to go.
Top 10 List: What Will Not Happen in 2009
A satirical Top 10 list illustrating the Top 10 most common information security issues that seem to plague security administrators and organizations each year no matter how many tools or applications are deployed or how much users are educated.
Secure Information Storage on iPhone / iPod Touch
A brief article discussing the need for protecting sensitive and confidential data on the iPhone or iPod Touch and links to some Apps available to do just that
Computer Security Myths
An article discussing the myths, hoaxes, and chain letters that plague and confuse computer users.
Heartland Data Breach
Heartland Payment Systems, a credit and debit card processing company, revealed this week that their network had been compromised and potentially millions of credit card accounts have been breached. Should consumers care? What should consumers do?
Microsoft Security Bulletin
A brief article highlighting and linking to the critical MS08-078 Microsoft Security Bulletin released off schedule in December 2008 to address a zero-day exploit in the wild affecting Internet Explorer.
Senator Hatch Is At It Again
Orrin Hatch is at it again. The Senator from Utah has concocted yet another bill aimed at giving his buddies in the RIAA and MPAA broad, sweeping legal grounds to declare virtually any technology illegal by virtue of its ability to "induce" copyright infringement.
Computer Security 101
A simple overview of active scripting such as JavaScript, VBScript and ActiveX, Cross Site Scripting (XSS), Instant Messaging (IM), Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Networking and Packet Sniffing. This is the 5th of a 10-part series called Computer Security 101 from your About.com Guide, Tony Bradley.
Computer Security 101 (tm)
An article on network perimeter defense systems such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems and honeypots by your About.com guide for Internet / Network Security, Tony Bradley
Microsoft Security Bulletin
A brief article highlighting and linking to the critical MS08-067 Microsoft Security Bulletin released off schedule in October 2008.
Introduction to Port Scanning
Introduction to Port Scanning is a basic overview of TCP/IP port scanning - how to do it and what the results will or won't tell you- from your About.com Guide for Internet / Network Security, Tony Bradley
National Insecurity
The GAO reports every year that government agencies and interests fail completely at computer and network security. Seven years after 9/11 and $3 Trillion later, why have we not done more to protect the national infrastructure?
Mixing Business and Personal Email
Should you mix business and personal email? Are there any reasons for or against it? Are there any rules that govern it? Is it a good idea?