� Network and Internet Security

Network and Internet Security

We lock our houses, our cars, even our bicycles. But do we secure our company�s information? Small businesses need the resources to learn that their information networks don�t even come with locks installed, much less any other type of protection. How secure is your company�s most confidential data? Would your network withstand a hacker or a disgruntled employee?

How to keep your network secure from invasive and potentially fatal hackers

If you access the Internet for only a couple of minutes a day the likelihood of your being �hacked� is small. Why? Because each time you logon you are issued with a new �identity number� (IP address) Hackers access networks through IP addresses. If your IP address is constantly changing, it is virtually impossible for a hacker to locate your IP address quick enough while you are surfing, and get into your system.

But are you at risk if you have a permanent link to the internet? � Absolutely YES � In theory any person or company who knows how to locate your one IP address can access your system before you know it.

Why a hacker would want to enter your system is anybody�s guess. Some are merely curious and see hacking as a challenge. Others will hack your network with the intent to cause untold malicious damage or worse, steal valuable or confidential data.

With BT and other suppliers now offering affordable, permanent links to the Internet, it is now more critical than ever to protect your system. Having a permanent link to the web is time saving and often more cost effective. But it opens up a very real danger of being hacked.

Here is the solution

Install a good Firewall if you fall into either of these two categories:

• One, if you connect each time you access the web and you tend to remain connected for more than a few minutes at a time.
  
  
• Two, if you have a permanent Internet connection through your ADSL or leaseline.

A good Firewall locks all unnecessary entry points to your network from any outside connections except for essential items such as email and web browsing. Different firewalls do this in different ways. Basically, you�re connected to the web by a system of �ports�. Each port is numbered and has a different function. By closing all the ports except the ones you need at any one time a firewall limits the number of point a hacker can access your system.

Not installing a Firewall is like leaving your front door wide open at night. It is inviting crooks to enter your premises. The equivalent to a locked and bolted front and back door � in computer terms � is a firewall.

But is just using a firewall enough?

Once in place, a firewall is a wall around your network, with a couple of well-chosen gates. A wall has no capability for detecting someone trying to break in, or for determining whether someone coming through a gate is an imposter.

It simply restricts access to the designated points based on rules set by you. Therefore, in general, it will not tell you if a break-in is occurring, has occurred, or could occur because of a hole in the wall or a system being protected by it.

You need to give your firewall extra security software

Some type of network Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is needed.

An IDS attempts to detect unauthorized use of computers by monitoring traffic and reacting to the flow of data. Two IDSs are CyberCop Monitor by Network Associates Inc., or RealSecure by Internet Security Systems (ISS), Inc.

There are also packages that run on the Linux system. With an effective IDS you will be able to detect an attack and take the appropriate action for your network.

It cannot be overstated how valuable it is to detect an intrusion and then do something about it, immediately, to prevent further harm to your data and/or productivity.

What should you do if you are being hacked?

If the attackers do get inside, you need to keep them from looting your systems by implementing security measures at each server and workstation. This brings up another point. While firewalls are keeping Internet intruders out, your internal users might be looting your systems.

According to the FBI, over half of all virtual break-ins occur internally.

You may need to separate departments, divisions, or business partners using the same firewall technology, and you may need to implement encryption throughout your organization using technologies like IPsec, ipv6, and VPNs.

Encryption also yields many benefits such as deterring packet sniffing and preventing connection hijacking. Firewalls also do not protect against leaks, such as users connecting to the outside with a desktop modem.

How can I get 100% security?

Using a firewall in conjunction with all of these measures will increase your security but 100% security is not possible. Even Buckingham Palace gets the odd intruder every year!

But, if you don�t do anything at all and you still think that you are not a target � well when your email box is full of �I Love You� messages, your main web page is on CNN with �Hacked by Everybody� typed all over it, and when your servers seem to crash all the time for no particular reason due to denial of service attacks. Just remember...I told you so.