Category Archives: Internet Security

Women build capacity in internet security – Ghana News Agency

PrintMonday 14th August, 2017By Josephine Nyarkoh, GNACape Coast (CR), Aug 14, GNA - A five-day coding and technology trainingworkshop to build the capacity of women in internet security and innovation hasbeen held in Cape Coast.It was organized by Vodafone Ghana Foundation the charitable arm ofVodafone Ghana and brought together 30 female scholars.They were introduced to basic coding skills, including the langua

By Josephine Nyarkoh, GNA

Cape Coast (CR), Aug 14, GNA - A five-day coding and technology trainingworkshop to build the capacity of women in internet security and innovation hasbeen held in Cape Coast.

It was organized by Vodafone Ghana Foundation the charitable arm ofVodafone Ghana and brought together 30 female scholars.

They were introduced to basic coding skills, including the language ofthe internet and how to build a website.

They additionally received training in financial intelligence,networking and career guidance.

Mr. Ebenezer Amankwah, Vodafones Corporate Relations Manager, indicatedthat the power of information technology was transforming the entire world andsaid the nations youth could not be left behind by this revolution.

Technology has become a catalyst in the transformation of the globaleco-system and no one should be left behind in harnessing its power andbenefits.

As a company, our strategy has always been clear we want to be at theforefront of bringing this knowledge and empowerment to life across Ghana.

Mr. Amankwah said other initiatives would soon be unveiled to give truemeaning to our strategy.

The participants were presented with laptop computers and other items byVodafone Ghana Foundation at the end of the training.

GNA

Go here to read the rest:
Women build capacity in internet security - Ghana News Agency

3 Problems Related to Internet Security and Online Safety – Bdaily

Internet security has been an increasingly important problem amidst the serious threats from enterprising hackers. The cybercriminals are more powerful and more creative in finding ways to steal key information from the targets. The problem is that our ability to combat the attacks remains hampered by several factors. You might think that businesses are better in forecasting the possibility of cyber attacks. However, facing persistent attacks, they can fail managing the attacks.

The truth is that businesses have more financial resources to manage the problems related to attacks. they can spend millions or even millions of dollars every year to build a powerful wall against the cyber attacks. In addition, businesses that are constantly faced with threats tend to be more proactive and prepared when facing the real attacks.

On the other hand, consumers realize the increasing possibility of threats, but have little resources to build the internet security. A report released in 2016 showed that cyber attacks were the second largest threats for the American businesses and their owners. They were immediately below the global and political conflict, in which social unrest and terrorism belong.

Problems with Internet Security and Online Safety

Many businesses are considered too ill equipped to manage the increasingly powerful internet threats. Several reasons may be responsible for the failure. The following are some of them:

Adaptation to Cloud-Based Security System

Some of the leading anti-virus businesses focus on helping the consumers in preventing harms to individual files and personal computers. Ability to do this is one of the measures. However, that is not actually the only goal. A successful anti-virus company must be able to manage the risks resulting from the threats. However, it must be noted that the industry is still in adaptation process.

The software companies are still attempting to create a secured environment for file sharing, internet sharing, and cloud-based activities. The problem is that the system is often unsecured, thus leaving some holes for the hackers to attack. In addition, hackers are increasingly smarter. They can go undetectable by making small changes to the malware.

Furthermore, anti-virus industry is still developing. The existing software is capable enough to stop familiar malware and threats, but it is not yet good enough to protect the PCs and files from ransomware, which mostly comes in disguise. Therefore, one of the ways to protect your online presence is by using private, encrypted connection, which allows you to access the cloud safely.

The adaptation to cloud-based security system is even more difficult due to scarcity of human resources. Finding competent IT staffs can be another challenge, let alone to retain them by offering a supporting environment. It seems that fully migrating to the cloud is still few years away. Many things have to be prepared and learned.

Problems with Terminology

It is true that internet security world is associated with a number of muddling terminologies. The term Virtual Private Network is used anywhere and sometimes too liberally. Sometimes, the VPN provider offers the companies simply access to public internet. The truth is that the VPN must be able to provide you with a secured and legitimate private network. Such a network should enable remote but secured access to digital information.

Another muddling terminology is cyber threats. Many internet users think of them as simply virus attacks or malware. In fact, cyber attacks are not simply about viruses and malware. They include any kind of risks or vulnerability to your data, data abuses, hacker attack, insider threats, and weak security system.

Developing Threats

You will never be able to anticipate and manage the threats unless you keep up with the changes. Yes, the threats are developing. The cyber attacks have been like the cat-n-mouse attacks. They keep growing in terms of both power and number. They are more complex and designed to result in major damages. You certain remember the recent Wannacry ransomware, which attacked a number of banks and stole the data. Even though the ransomware was finally stopped, it was successful enough to result in major damages.

A similar problem also happened when the election campaign websites for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were attacked. Therefore, the businesses must be always prepared to prevent and manage any kind of attacks against their networks. Cyber protection is certainly not the only solution. A perfect protection must combine a powerful and secured cyber security and proactive actions to anticipate the upcoming threats.

How To Protect Your Data from the Cyber Attacks

Many businesses and users of personal computers now do not fully believe the claims from companies that provide internet security services. It is true that sometimes you receive fake notifications, which prompt you to take actions to protect your data. You may be directed to buy a product, which actually you do not need. Therefore, you need to go to the source for verification. The following are some steps you need to take to protect your data from cyber attacks:

Pay attention to the cyber security tool before purchasing it. Make sure that it provides you with private access to online information by using encrypted massages and hiding your IPD address.

It is better to allocate some funds for paid cyber security systems. You certainly know that there are many kinds of free ant-virus applications to download. However, paid apps offer better protection and they are equipped with features, which may not be available in free software.

Choose a cyber security that offers powerful system to filter out any kind of cyber attacks and cyber crime, such as DDoS

Make sure to update your security system regularly. Use a cyber security system that alerts you anytime the protection is weakening. This way, you can take the necessary action before the system is attacked.

Do not open suspicious emails, which come into your Inbox or Spam folders. Sometimes, such emails bring malicious attacks. Anytime you open the junk emails, the viruses will damage your files accordingly.

Cyber attacks are around and they come in varied forms. Make sure you always safeguard your precious information. Protect the computer-based or cloud-based files from any possible attacks. Make sure to minimize the risks and cut off any possible pathways for the incoming viruses.

Follow this link:
3 Problems Related to Internet Security and Online Safety - Bdaily

Internet security at home avoid being an online victim – North Coast Courier

Viruses, phishing, malware and ransomware are some of the new words and terms that we have had to come to terms with as computers and digital devices play a larger role in our lives.

In May this year, the WannaCry ransomware attack hit the Internet.

This is the type of malicious software that threatens to publish the victims data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid.

Within 48 hours, the attack had affected companies and government department across the globe, and it is estimated that one in ten organisations in the USA were affected.

We were not immune in South Africa and even sophisticated, IT-savvy companies such as Telkom were impacted and their customer service platforms crippled, said Tim Parle, managing director of Durban-based Internet and digital solutions company Mitsol.

Moreover, research opinion is that 2017 will be worst in every aspect of information security, and that as the song goes we aint seen nothing yet!

Tim Parle of Mitsol

So this begs the question as to what we can we do in our personal capacities to shield against these looming threats?

Integrated functions will include anti-phishing, password management, checking your home WiFi routers security and even automatically turning off your webcam while banking. All of this will allow you to surf, bank and pay more safely online.

Overall it is wise to take a professional approach to your personal Internet security.

To find out more or to view available packages on offer from Mitsol, visit their website orcontact them on 031 566 2451 or email info@mitsol.net.

Original post:
Internet security at home avoid being an online victim - North Coast Courier

Healthcare Industry May Not Be Prepared For Internet of Things – JD Supra (press release)

A recent survey conducted by ZingBox, a Silicon Valley internet security startup, found that more than 90% of healthcare IT networks have Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The survey further found that more than 70% of IT departments believe that current security systems for laptops and servers can also protect connected medical devices.

According to Xu Zou, ZingBox CEO, Typically you will see 10 to 15 IoT devices per bed in a hospital. He defines a healthcare IoT device as anything that is portable and connected to the Internet.

This has caused serious problems with medical and other organizations. For example, on May 12, 2017 a ransomware cryptoworm called WannaCry attacked on devices on every continent. An estimated 200,000 computers in 150 countries were infected. The attack included hospitals in England and Scotland and affected up to 70,000 devices, including MRI scanners, blood-storage refrigerators, and theater equipment. Some ambulances were diverted and some non-critical emergencies were turned away.

A more recent global attack occurred on June 27, 2017. Petya (also known as NotPetya), a ransomware cryptovirus, affected largely Ukrainian and Russian hospitalsbut also hit locations in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In ransomware attacks, malware prevents a user from accessing certain computer records (e.g., patient records). These records are not released until a specified amount is paid to an anonymous recipient. Generally, these types of attacks rely on cryptocurrencies, such as BitCoin. Cryptocurrencies function like paper money, so the transaction is anonymous and difficult to trace.

Health care has been late to respond to the need for protected information, and the information is worth more, said Michael Ebert, a partner with KPMG who advised companies on cybersecurity. Its amazing how far behind we are, and we know we have to do something.

Ransomware attacks not only show the vulnerability of hospitals (and healthcare companies generally), but they present a threat to human life. For example, experts have suggested that up to 500,000 childrens medical records are on sale and could be used to compromise the care given to a child.

Ransomware attacks are on the rise. A 2017 Verizon Data Breach analysis found that ransomware attacks rose from the 22nd most common type of malware attack to the 5th most common between 2014 and 2017. [H]olding files for ransom is fast, low risk and easily monetizable, wrote the authors. The report noted that 72% of all health care malware attacks in 2016 were ransomware.

Investments into IoT technology is also rising. So far it is at nearly $25 billion and is expected to rise dramatically. Accordingly, the spread of the technology can be expected to increase. Examples within the medical device community include blood pressure and heart rate monitors.

Most of those surveyed by ZingBox may be optimistic about the state of their security. However, the healthcare industry is likely to be more vulnerable in the future as the IoT becomes more ubiquitous.

More:
Healthcare Industry May Not Be Prepared For Internet of Things - JD Supra (press release)

Kaspersky Lab Launches Internet Security Campaign in Asia Pacific – Guiding Tech

The internet is fast evolving into a necessity as it enables and interconnects various products that we use on a daily basis be itthe e-commerce websites, social media or our work emails and much more. And since our life these days is so connected to the internet, its important to focus on security on the internet too.

Towards this end, to educate and inform the public about safety on the internet and how to avert common mistakes, Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab launched a campaign in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region on Monday.

The campaign, called Goondus Awards, has called out for submissions from public related to mistakes that theyve witnessed on the internet that has led to a loss of reputation, finances, property or personal information of individuals.

We want to educate people about safer Internet behaviours and to showcase real world examples of missteps leading to some form of loss or damage. While some stories may be humorous, the repercussions and damage were real and in some cases severe, said Altaf Halde, Managing Director, South Asia, Kaspersky Lab, in a statement.

The campaign aims to raise awareness regarding cyber security through sharing of personal experiences and stories of individuals who have faced security threats on the internet.

This will enable others to learn from their mistakes and help future generations on the internet to avoid making the same errors.

With the ease of access to the Internet, users have developed a sense of complacency or even a mild form of naivety in their daily digital lives, potentially lending themselves to becoming victims of cyber crime, the company said.

The internet has greatly integrated itself with our lives and online security should be deemed great importance by each individual or else they are putting their financial as well as personally identifiable information at great risk.

(With inputs from IANS)

Read the original:
Kaspersky Lab Launches Internet Security Campaign in Asia Pacific - Guiding Tech

Bitdefender Internet Security 2016 – PCMag India

When a security company like Bitdefender packs its antivirus utility with so many features that it starts to resemble a suite, you have to wonder what else it'll find to add in its actual security suite. Never fear: In addition to the cornucopia of features offered by Bitdefender's standalone antivirus, Bitdefender Internet Security adds a spam filter, a two-way firewall, a file encryption utility, and more. It's an excellent full security suite, and it remains an Editors' Choice.

At first glance, the only way to tell this suite from the company's standalone antivirus software is by reading its title bar. Its main window has the same big status indicator, the same Autopilot indicator, and the same buttons to launch scans and dig in to various protection components. The color scheme is likewise the same, with light-colored text on a background decorated in shades of gray.

The difference becomes evident when you click for a deeper view of the program's features. On the Protection Features page, the antivirus advises you to upgrade if you want firewall and spam filtering. File encryption, webcam protection, and parental control display a similar message on the Privacy Features page. These features are fully available in this product, Bitdefender's entry-level security suite.

You will still find a page of tools not offered in this suite: OneClick Optimizer, Startup Optimizer, Anti-Theft, and Disk Cleanup. To get those goodies, you must upgrade to Bitdefender's feature-packed mega-suite, Bitdefender Total Security.

At $59.99 per year for a single license and $79.99 for three licenses, Bitdefender costs about the same as Kaspersky and ESET. Suites can be had for less, but few deliver the wealth of features found in Bitdefender. McAfee Internet Security deserves special mention. For the same price as a Bitdefender three-license subscription, McAfee lets you install protection on every Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS device you own.

Naturally, every security feature found in Bitdefender Antivirus Plus also comes with Bitdefender Internet Security. I'll summarize my findings here, but for a full understanding of those shared features, you should read my review of the antivirus.

I follow regular test reports from five antivirus labs around the world. All five include Bitdefender in their testing, and it scores at or near the top in almost all of them. For example, Advanced+ is the best rating available from AV-Comparatives, and Bitdefender received that rating in all four of the tests that I follow. It also took an AAA certification, the best of five possible certification levels, from SE Labs in England.

Also from England, MRG-Effitas tests products against banking malware and against a broad-spectrum malware collection. Rather than reporting grades or percentages, this lab's tests are more like pass/fail, with many products failing. Bitdefender passed both tests.

Test experts at AV-Test Institute evaluate antivirus products and assign up to six points for Protection, Performance, and Usability. A tiny slip in Usability brought Bitdefender's total score to a still-excellent 17.5, rather than the perfect 18 points achieved by Avira, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro.

Bitdefender's aggregate score, based on tests from all of the labs, is 9.8 of 10 possible points. Kaspersky's score came out the same. Avira Total Security Suite managed a perfect 10, based on results from just three labs.

Bitdefender didn't do as well in my hands-on malware protection test, taking 7.1 of 10 possible points. Tested with the same samples, Emsisoft managed 9.4 points. However, when my tests don't jibe with the lab results, I defer to the labs. Bitdefender did successfully protect against 91 percent of the malware-hosting URLs I threw at it.

Cyber crooks who create phishing websites avoid the tedious task of coding up malware, choosing instead to attack the user's gullibility with fraudulent websites that resemble secure login pages. In my antiphishing test, Bitdefender earned a new high score, with a detection rate 12 percent higher than that of long-time phishing protector Norton. Kaspersky and Webroot are the only other recent products that have outscored Norton. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac also beat Norton, but only by 5 percentage points.

Bitdefender's web protection also extends to marking up dangerous links in search results. As with Norton's similar feature, you can click through to get more detail. Where Symantec Norton Security Deluxe presents specific threats found on the page, Bitdefender identifies it as a malware-hosting page, a phishing fraud, or any of a dozen-odd other types of online fakery.

In addition to the expected quick and full malware scans, Bitdefender offers a Rescue Mode that reboots your PC into an alternate operating system, allowing it to remove even the most resistant malware. It also scans the system for security vulnerabilities, including such things as weak passwords and missing security patches.

The suite offers some key bonus features as well. Bitdefender's Wi-Fi security advisor pops up a warning when you connect to an unsecured hotspot. Bitdefender Home Scanner isn't actually part of the antivirus, but you can install it for free and run it to check the security of every device connected to your network.

If you read the news, you know there's a growing need for ransomware protection, above and beyond basic malware scanning. Bitdefender's Safe Files feature keeps ransomware at bay by forbidding unauthorized access to your important documents. This feature also appears in Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac.

Other bonus features shared by the antivirus and this security suite include: Wallet, a simple password manager; Safepay, a hardened browser for your sensitive transactions; and File Shredder, for permanently deleting sensitive documents. File Shredder becomes even more useful in this suite, as I'll explain below, the File Encryption section of this review.

See How We Test Security Software

The idea that some internet creep could connect to your webcam and spy on you is enough to give anyone the shivers. In a nod to the need for spyware protection, Bitdefender now includes a webcam protection component. Like the similar feature in Kaspersky, it limits webcam access to trusted programs, either programs like Skype that are already on its list or ones that you've approved. When a new program attempts webcam access, you choose whether to allow that access or not.

Bitdefender's Mac antivirus doesn't offer this feature, which makes senseneither does the Windows antivirus. Webcam protection exists in Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac, but it's a simple on-off switch, without the system of trusted applications found in the Windows product.

Bitdefender's firewall correctly blocked the web-based attack tests I threw at it, and put all of the test system's ports in stealth mode. I should point out that if your computers are behind a home router, the built-in Network Address Translation already gives them a similar degree of protection. In order to even test network attacks, I have to use a test system that's configured to go through the router's DMZ port, with no protection from NAT.

The flip side of firewall protection involves controlling how programs on your system make use of your internet and network connection. In Autopilot mode, Bitdefender's firewall configures access permissions for known programs and monitors unknowns for any signs of network chicanery. Norton works in much the same way, and the levels-of-trust system in Kaspersky Internet Security is also similar.

Early personal firewalls used to rely on the user to make a security decision every time an unknown program attempted internet access. Few users relished the resulting blizzard of popup queries, and even fewer were actually qualified to make an informed choice. Bitdefender does let you enable this level of control, but the name of the feature suggests a certain bias by the designersParanoid Mode. The non-paranoid majority can let the firewall simply take care of business.

Bitdefender doesn't attempt to block exploit attacks at the network level, but the same webpage protection that detects and averts malware-hosting URLs and phishing URLs also handles some exploit attacks. To test this feature, I hit the test system with about 30 exploits generated by the CORE Impact penetration tool. It successfully detected and blocked 41 percent of them, and in almost every case identified the attack by its official CVE number. That's a better detection rate than most products. Norton holds the best score among current products, with 63 percent detection. Because the test system is fully patched, even attacks not blocked by the firewall didn't actually penetrate security.

Self-defense isn't precisely a firewall featureit affects the entire security suite. But historically it showed up first as a feature of personal firewalls, and certainly a security product that can be disabled, crashed, or otherwise defeated by malware is not doing well. I couldn't find any way to disable Bitdefender by tweaking Registry settings; that trick hardly ever works. Trying to kill its two core processes just got me the peremptory message, "Access denied."

When I tried to disable it by attacking its Windows services, results were slightly different from my last attempt. I did successfully stop two helper services, but doing so had no effect on protection. As for the three essential services, I couldn't stop them, and I couldn't change their status so they'd be disabled on reboot. This firewall is as durable as ever.

If you get your email through a web-based service like Gmail or Yahoo, you don't see a lot of spam, because the provider filters it out. The same is probably true if you have Exchange-based email from your workplace. But if you don't have that upstream filtering, you need a local spam filter to avoid having your inbox overwhelmed by spam and scams. Bitdefender's spam filter does the job, provided that your email account uses the standard POP3 protocol.

The spam filter integrates with Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird. From its toolbar, you can mark spam messages that got past the filter, or valid messages that were filtered in error. You can also click to put a sender on the Friends or Spammers list. Those using a different email client must create an email rule to route marked spam messages into their own folder, and manage the Friends and Spammers lists from within Bitdefender itself.

If you do use the toolbar to mark a missed spam message, Bitdefender asks for permission to send that message in for analysis in the cloud, thereby improving the filter. I suggest tweaking the settings so it always sends missed spam messages for analysis. It also asks for permission to send valid messages that were mismarked as spam, but that seems like a bad idea. Do you really want Bitdefender sending your personal email for analysis?

ZoneAlarm's spam filter features many pages of configuration choices. Avast Premier and Quick Heal let you determine how aggressively the filter acts. With Bitdefender, there are next to no settings. You might consider setting it to block emails using Cyrillic or Asian character sets, if you don't expect to get legitimate mail using those character sets.

Do you have any documents on your computer that you wouldn't like anyone else to see? Yeah, you probably do. A data-stealing Trojan that somehow got past Bitdefender's defenses could hoover them up and transmit them to its master. If you step away from the computer without locking the desktop, a nosy relative or co-worker could view your secrets with impunity. If you'd rather not take that risk, protect your sensitive data using encryption.

As with ESET Internet Security, AVG, and others, Bitdefender's encryption system works by creating encrypted storage volumes. These volumes, called vaults, look like any other disk drive once opened with a password. You can freely move files into and out of the vault, create new files, edit files, anything you could do in a physical drive. But once you lock the vault, its contents become completely inaccessible.

You can create as many vaults as you think you'll need. For each vault, you define a name, accept or change the location for the file representing the vault, and set the vault's size100MB is the minimum. You can assign the vault a specific drive letter or just let Bitdefender pick a letter, starting at Z: and working down. Don't forget the password. Without it, your files become so secret that not even you can access them.

As I mentioned earlier, the File Shredder component becomes even more useful in this suite. Hiding your secret files in encrypted storage is pointless if you leave the unsecured originals out in the open. And deleting those files, even if you bypass the Recycle Bin, still allows the possibility of forensic recovery. For maximum security, then, you should copy sensitive files into a vault and then shred the originals.

Kaspersky's similar feature makes shredding the originals part of the process. Note, though, that this feature doesn't appear in Kaspersky's entry-level suite, only in Kaspersky Total Security.

There's a panel for Parental Advisor in the main window's Privacy Features page, but when you click to configure this feature, it takes you to your Bitdefender Central account online. Online configuration makes sense, because the parental control system works on all the Windows, Android, iOS, and (new this year) macOS devices your child uses. There's no limit on the number of children, or the number of devices per child, though you can't assign a single device to more than one child. Note, too, that iOS support is limited to location-related tracking.

To start, you enter the child's name and birthdate and choose a photo. Next, you identify which devices this child uses. For Windows and macOS devices, you can also choose the user account. Installing on a Mac is a simple matter of installing Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac (either directly or by sending an email with installation details) and associating that Mac with the child's account. On an Android or iOS device, you download the parental component from the appropriate app store, log in with your Bitdefender account, and associate the device with a child profile.

Bitdefender names this feature an advisor rather than calling it parental control. In the same vein, instead of talking about blocking content categories, it refers to "interests monitoring." However, the effect is much the same. If you choose to block any of the 42 interests, Bitdefender blocks sites that match. It pre-configures which to block based on the birthdate you entered for each child, but you can freely change those settings. This feature affects Windows, macOS, and Android devices.

When Bitdefender blocks access to a site in a Windows or Android browser, it displays a page with a very simple message, stating that the page "has been blocked by your parents." On the Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch that I use for testing, I observed that the message comes as a slide-in notification.

In testing with popular browsers, I found that Bitdefender also blocked secure anonymizing proxy websites. That's important, because access to a secure anonymizing proxy would let a clever teen totally evade content filtering. I also found that Bitdefender blocked unwanted sites in an unknown browser, one that I coded myself. However, using the combination of an unknown browser and a secure anonymizing proxy, I managed to slip the bonds of parental control. Admittedly, this is a scenario that few kids could manage.

The Parental Advisor monitors applications that your child uses on each Windows, macOS, or Android device. On the Activity page, you can view which apps the child used, with a link that jumps to the Applications page. Preventing use of an application is a simple matter of clicking it from On to Off on that page. Note, though, that only apps used within the last 48 hours (and apps already blocked) appear in the list. If you encounter a situation where your teen is evading the content filter as just described, all you need do is block use of the unknown browser. Don't worry; your child can't hoodwink this feature by copying or renaming the blocked application.

Managing when the kids go online can be as important as managing what they do on the web. In the previous edition, Bitdefender allowed parents to define a device-free bedtime time span, separately for weekdays and weekends. This edition adds a full-week scheduler for device access, with the option to set a device-use cap for weekdays and weekends. I found that during a scheduled no-device time, I could log in to Windows with a child's account, but couldn't run any programs. On Android, Bitdefender just prevents online access, since the child might need to phone home. The daily cap works across devices, so a child who runs out of time on an Android tablet can't just log in on a Windows box to get back online. The time scheduling feature doesn't apply to iOS devices or Macs.

Social media tracking specifically keeps an eye on your child's Facebook account. You can log in to the child's account and install it, if you know the password. Otherwise, you can send an email asking the child to install it. Clearly, you need cooperation to use this feature, though you do get a warning if the child uninstalls it. From Bitdefender Central you can view info, likes, and photos, or open the child's account directly.

If you've associated a mobile device with a child profile, you can define geographic areas as safe or restricted, and get a notification when your child enters or leaves one of these areas. The child can also tap a button in the app to report safe arrivalthis check-in feature is new with the current edition. Parents can also check the location of a child's Android device independently of defined locations. I installed the parental app on a Nexus 9, defined safe and restricted zones, and toodled around town to see this feature in action. It worked just fine.

One final feature works very specifically with Android phones. Parents can monitor the child's phone-call or text contacts, and can block any contacts they deem undesirable. There's also an option to refuse connection to calls that have caller ID suppressed. The Android device I used for testing is a tablet, not a phone, so I couldn't actively put this feature to the test. However, I did observe that Bitdefender imports the child's contact list so parents can view the list and preemptively block undesirables.

You may have noticed that I didn't mention iOS much in the feature descriptions above. Indeed, the iOS app does very little. It reports when your child passes the border of a defined area, and it receives the child's safe arrival notification. That's about all. To be fair, parental control is tough to implement on iOS, but other vendors, including Kaspersky, have managed to do quite a bit more.

If you need parental control as part of your security suite, and your kids don't use iOS devices, Bitdefender most definitely delivers. This edition is even better than the last, with useful additions like full-week scheduling of device use, support for macOS, and the mobile feature that lets your child check in on arriving safely. Norton and Kaspersky are among the few that do even more than Bitdefender, and Check Point ZoneAlarm Extreme Security licenses the well-known Net Nanny. All too many suites include parental control that's limited, porous, or both.

The days of resource-gobbling security suites that dragged down computer performance are over. I hardly ever see any serious slowdowns in my simple performance tests. Bitdefender's effects were measurable in some of the tests, but not hugely so.

Getting security up and running when the system boots can take time. My boot time test measures how long it takes from the start of the boot process (as reported by Windows) until the system is ready to use. My metric for readiness is 10 seconds in a row with no more than five percent CPU usage. I run the test dozens of times on a clean, physical computer, then install the security suite and again run multiple tests. Comparing the before and after averages, I come up with a performance-hit value.

The boot process took 44 percent longer with Bitdefender installed. That might sound like a lot, but the actual time difference was just a bit over 30 seconds. Given that many of us never reboot except when forced to, that's not so bad.

Performance Results Chart

A drag on ordinary file manipulation activities could be more significant than a boot-time slowdown, so I test those as well. One test times a script that moves and copies an eclectic collection of files between drives. The other times a script that zips and unzips that same collection. Bitdefender had no measurable effect on the zip/unzip test, and the file move and copy test ran just one percent slower with Bitdefender active.

Bitdefender's average for the three tests came in at 15 percent, which is not bad. However, many suites have done even better. Coming in with the very lightest touch, Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus and adaware antivirus total didn't produce a measurable slowdown in any of my tests.

At the core of Bitdefender Internet Security, you find an award-winning antivirus and a strong, silent firewall, but these two are supported by an amazing cast of characters. In addition to the simple spam filter, enhanced parental control, and top-notch phishing protection, you get webcam safety, ransomware protection, file encryption, and much more.

Bitdefender Internet Security is a PCMag Editors' Choice for entry-level security suites. It shares that honor with Kaspersky Internet Security. With either of these suites, you can count on excellent, comprehensive security.

Sub-Ratings:Note: These sub-ratings contribute to a product's overall star rating, as do other factors, including ease of use in real-world testing, bonus features, and overall integration of features.Firewall: Antivirus: Performance: Privacy: Parental Control:

See original here:
Bitdefender Internet Security 2016 - PCMag India

Mozilla bets its Rust language will make your internet safer – CNET

Mozilla's Rust programming language is designed to be more secure.

Twenty-two years ago, Mozilla co-founder Brendan Eich whipped up JavaScript in 10 days of manic activity in 1995. It's since become the world's most popular programming language.

Now Mozilla hopes lightning will strike twice with a sequel called Rust. If successful, the new programming language could be as important as JavaScript to Mozilla's mission of making the internet better for us all -- and it could be just as helpful to the nonprofit organization's reputation, too. JavaScript let web developers make websites interactive, triggering an explosion of innovation like online photo editing, scrolling and zooming maps, and word processing with Google Docs. Rust is a lower-level tool, though, that could make Mozilla's Firefox web browser faster and more secure.

And if its enthusiastic reception in programming circles continues, Rust could help protect a lot of other software from attacks that today are the bane of online existence. Attackers who have learned to exploit vulnerabilities in internet-linked software are responsible for stolen identities, drained bank accounts, leaked confidential documents and political persecution.

Rust, the "most loved" language in a 2017 survey by programming advice site Stack Overflow, won allies like online storage service Dropbox. Programmers have contributed tens of thousands of packages of pre-written code to help others get their projects moving faster, too. Need to decode a web address, check the time, or handle some video? Somebody's probably already written the basics for you.

In a sign of growing interest, programmers are steadily increasing the number of pre-written Rust packages. That make it faster to get started with a Rust software project.

"Rust is growing," says Redmonk analyst Stephen O'Grady, who tracks language popularity. "It made a substantial jump and is now solidly in second-tier language territory -- which is good company to be in."

It's really hard to create a major language like C, C++ or Java used by millions of programmers. Mozilla succeeded with JavaScript, with countless others helping to refine it over the years.

Looking good in programmers' eyes improves Mozilla's reputation as an innovator, not a laggard to be left behind. "The language is exciting," says Jonathan "Duke" Leto, the founder of programming firm Leto Labs. Restoring that reputation is important for Mozilla's attempt to ignite enthusiasm for its Firefox browser and use it for goals like protecting your privacy or making sure Google's websites don't require you to use Google's browser.

The biggest reason to like Rust is that it can wipe out a huge class of software security holes -- a major problem with browsers that today handle everything from our most personal communications to our biggest financial transactions. Even if you're not a programmer, you'll like a more secure internet.

"Every big piece of Rust code we get in there decreases the attack surface for security holes in the browser," says Dave Herman, Mozilla's director of strategy and research.

Rust's safety lets Mozilla free up Firefox memory, too, a key computing resource these days as we keep so many browser tabs open. Rust is also designed to better handle the thorny computing challenge of doing many tasks in parallel -- that's key to unlocking the power of modern chips that have many processing engines.

Even if nobody outside Mozilla ever touches Rust, it will directly help Firefox. Mozilla moves Rust-written components into Firefox through a project fittingly called Oxidation. Indeed, Rust and Oxidation are key to a project called Quantum to speed up Firefox with the release of Firefox 57 this November.

Sean White, Mozilla's vice president of technology strategy

"You can try a lot of different experiments," says Sean White, Mozilla's senior vice president leading the emerging technologies. "We have way we can very quickly try and fail on things without touching the hundreds of millions of people using Firefox."

The source for these Rust components is new core browser software called Servo, a Mozilla research project that's written mostly in Rust.

Going whole hog and building a new browser entirely on Servo would be risky, though. Instead, Mozilla is cherry-picking the best parts and adding them to Firefox's core, called Gecko. "The future is intelligently managing the combination of the two," says David Bryant, Mozilla's vice president of platform engineering.

In the longer run, Mozilla wants Servo to be useful on its own. It struggles today even with basic web documents like Wikipedia. Mozilla's goal of getting it to work with the much more complicated Google Docs site is actually very ambitious. If successful, though, it would signal a major step forward in overall practical readiness.

David Bryant, Mozilla's VP of platform engineering

And Mozilla is considering making a version of Servo that can be embedded into smaller computing devices, White says. One possible example: a VR headset that displays virtual reality worlds constructed with the WebVR technology Mozilla helped create. Servo is designed to take advantage of modern computer chips that can run lots of tasks in parallel, and success there could make Servo very efficient on inexpensive hardware.

Another programmer, Robert O'Callahan, is such a big Rust fan that he quit Mozilla to work on Rust programming tools at his startup, Pernosco. Most languages either give programmers low-level control or protection against memory-induced security problems, but not both. "Rust is the first mainstream language to escape that tradeoff," O'Callahan says.

Even if you don't care much about programmers toiling over their keyboards, you should care about that Rust advantage. With governments and identity thieves paying top dollar for computer attack software, everyone on the internet can be a potential victim.

Intolerance on the Internet: Online abuse is as old as the internet and it's only getting worse. It exacts a very real toll.

It's Complicated: This is dating in the age of apps. Having fun yet? These stories get to the heart of the matter.

Follow this link:
Mozilla bets its Rust language will make your internet safer - CNET

Kaspersky Internet Security 2018 18.0.0.405 – Tech Advisor

Kaspersky Internet Security 2018is a powerful suite of malware-hunting, anti-hacker, websafetytools. The package isn't officially out yet, but the download is fully functional and is effectively a release preview.

There's antivirus. Browsing protection. A firewall. Exploit protection. A vulnerability scanner, parental controls, webcam and audio protection, online transaction protection, and more.

These features have real value, too. Independent testing labs such as AV-Comparatives typically rate Kaspersky as offering some of the best protection around.

There'stheSoftware Updater, whichchecks for updates to common applications (Adobe Reader, Flash, Java, Chrome, Firefox, more), and can optionally install them without you having to see or do anything at all.

A "Secure Connection" feature is essentially a privacy-oriented VPN (virtual private network), automatically kicking in to protect you when using wifi hotspots, web banking sites and more.

An Installation Assistance tool looks out for adware and other pests that get silently installed with some "free" software, and the Software Cleaner helps you decide what to remove.

What's new in KasperskyInternet Security2018?Your computer is now protected whilst it's either booting or restarting, there's better protection against third-party manipulation of files on your hard drive, additional notifications to warn against potential malicious websites and, for any reseller, Kaspersky has made it much easier for a user to be able to add a new licence to an expired subscription rather than forcing the user to renew.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2018 is an excellent security suite with someworthwhile improvements and enhancements. It's still one of the best packages around.

Originally posted here:
Kaspersky Internet Security 2018 18.0.0.405 - Tech Advisor

Top 5 Internet Security Practices to Staying Safe Online – The Merkle

When Tim Berners-Lee was designing the technology that would herald the Information Age, he searched for a name that would complement the intricate network of linked pages and sites. He eventually settled onthe termweb, which is how the World Wide Web got its name.

However, the words web and net both have negative connotations. A web is what a spider weaves to trap unsuspecting flies, while a net is used for catching fish. If you know anything about Snowdens leaks, you would realize how apposite the name is.

Thats right! The World Wide Web is one giant trap that lures in more than two billion flies every year. It is a place where everything you do leaves a digital trail. And that trail leaves you open to monitoring and surveillance.

So what must you do to feel at ease whilewillingly wandering around this web? Here are a few things you can use more cautiously to keep your personal data safe from online snoopers:

Search engines log your browsing history, geo-location and preferences, and then build your personalized profile. Your profile is then sold either to third parties that want to sell you their products or to law enforcement agencies. Make it a point to use a search engine that does not log your history and keeps your browsing activities private.

Today, we use clouds to store all sorts of personal data from photos and videos to office memos and Excel sheets. However, using cloud services based in the U.S., UK and France and a number of other countries can leave your personal data open to snooping. Thats because these countries are known to be tolerant to snooping by law enforcement agencies. Hence, make it a point to check which country yourcloud service is based in, and dont forget to read itsterms and conditions before you start saving data on it.

When it comes to emails, simply follow one rule: DO NOT use free emails services! Free emails are abundant, and that in itself is quite suspicious to begin with. However, you want to know what should be more suspicious? A U.S.-based free email service. Yes! Any email service based in the U.S. or UK is a no go since theyre more vulnerable to government surveillance and snooping in the name of national security. So instead of going for a free email service, try out a paid one.

For many movie junkies, the best type of entertainment is free. Its no wonder then why torrenting has become so popular over the years. However, with increasing DMCA scrutiny over torrentingactivities, it would really pay to remain anonymous when downloading your favorite movies and TV shows. One of the simplest, most effective ways to do so is with a Torrent VPN. A Torrent VPN shields your IP address and anonymizes your online activity so you can go about your daily online activities without the fear of DMCA scrutiny.

Lastly and most importantly, make sure you do not save passwords in your browser or on your desktop or hard drive. Instead, use a paid password-management app to save all your login credentials foryour favorite sites. While youre at it, make sure you work on password complexity by using a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and numerals. This will make them virtually impossible to crack.

As a rule of thumb, try to convince yourself that you can no longer trust any commercial company that handles electronic communication for free. And, with the recent surge in cybercrimes and government surveillance, it would certainly pay off to be extra vigilant when using the internet.

We hope you found these online security tips useful. Do let us know or leave us a comment to let us know what you think is the most important online security tip of 2017. Until next time, ciao!

Author Bio:

Anas Baig is a Cyber Security Journalist & Tech Reporter. He has been featured on major media outlets including TheGuardian, Lifehacker Australia, CIO, ITProPortal, Infosec Magazine, Tripwire and many others. He writes about online security and privacy, IoT, AI, and Big Data. If youd like to get in touch, please send an email to [emailprotected] or follow him on Twitter@anasbaigdm.

Read the original:
Top 5 Internet Security Practices to Staying Safe Online - The Merkle

Every day is Internet Security Day | Opinion | thenewsherald.com – Southgate News Herald

Being safe online is important every day.

There may be days devoted to internet security awareness, but you need to be careful every time you go online.

Do you know what it takes to be safe online? You probably connect daily to get information, shop, socialize or work. Every time you go online, you need to avoid the risk of theft or fraud. Here are some tips to use while visiting the Social Security website and the other websites you use.

Use Strong Passwords. Strong passwords have at least eight characters and include capital letters, numbers and non-letter characters. These passwords make it harder for someone to hack your account.

Dont Recycle Passwords. Although it requires effort to think of new passwords constantly, it provides safety when you do. What if you use the same password for every site and you lose your password? If someone finds it, they could get access to all your accounts. Many people choose to reuse dont be one of them.

Take Advantage of Multifactor Authentication. Many websites offer the option to use a second factor or method in addition to just a username and password to ensure that only you access your information. Using more than one factor to establish identity makes it harder for someone to get into your account and steal your personal information. Beginning June 10, Social Security now requires multifactor authentication to access a my Social Security account. Customers choose whether to receive a one-time security code to either their phone or email in order create a new account or sign into their account. Visit this link to find out more about how to secure your personal my Social Security account: socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/verifyandprotectid.html. Consider using multifactor authentication whenever its offered to protect your information.

Read Scam Alerts. For information about fraudulent activities related to Social Security, you can find information at our blog Social Security Matters under the Newsroom section at blog.socialsecurity.gov. One way to avoid identity theft is to create your own my Social Security account, if you havent already. When you have an account, no one else can set up an account using your information. Social Securitys Office of the Inspector General investigates fraud involving Social Security and they publish Fraud Advisories at oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/news-release. The Federal Trade Commission website publishes information about scams that appear in the news at consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts. Youll want to be aware of current scams to avoid being tricked.

Review Your Online Accounts and Credit Reports. Just as you review your earnings record with Social Security for accuracy at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, you should review your bank and credit card accounts for accuracy. Get a free copy of your credit report available annually from the three credit reporting agencies Experian, Equifax, and Transunion at annualcreditreport.com and check it for incorrect entries.

Protecting your identity can be daunting. Guarding your personal information requires investing some time, but is worth it.

Discourage theft and fraud by adopting these security practices when you use the internet.

Erin Thompson is a public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration.

Read the original here:
Every day is Internet Security Day | Opinion | thenewsherald.com - Southgate News Herald