Technically Easy

Category: Security

Security is an important topic when it comes to technology. There are many different areas of security, so this category is divided into various sub-categories to help navigate through the posts on security.

  • What You Need to Secure Your Computer

    What You Need to Secure Your Computer

    I have written many posts regarding securing a computer in the past. Many of the posts have gone into detail about using specific software and hardware to secure your computer.

    In this post I will provide a more quick overview of the main components that you should have if you want to secure your computer.

    Hardware Firewall

    A good hardware firewall should be your first line of defense. This piece of hardware is connected directly between your modem and computer, so any data that is sent from the Internet to your computer passes through the firewall. This allows it to protect your computer from malicious traffic.

    I have both a wired and wireless router/firewall connected to my modem. My wired router/firewall is the Linksys 10/100 Mbps Router. My wireless router/firewall is the Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router.

    Software Firewall

    This piece of software performs a similar function to it’s hardware sibling. The biggest difference is that it is installed on your computer and runs once your operating system loads.

    You should use this in conjunction with the hardware version since it provides additional protection from bad traffic. Not only does a software firewall monitor traffic that is sent to your computer from the Internet, but it also monitors traffic from your computer to the Internet.

    Why should you monitor traffic sent from your computer? If you have spyware or a virus installed on your computer that is sending information to a server on the Internet, the software firewall will alert you. When you receive the alert you can block that software from sending information and then lookup how to remove it.

    ZoneAlarm is the most popular free software firewall to use. I have tried other free firewalls, but found ZoneAlarm to be the easiest to use.

    Virus Scanner

    Everyone who uses a computer has probably heard about viruses and the trouble they can cause. There are many software packages on the market that can easily help clean your computer from many of these viruses. It is important that you install this type of software to help keep your computer clean and secure from viruses.

    For a good free virus scanner, check out AVG. This is the one I currently use for my computers.

    Anti-Spyware

    Similar to virus scanners, these tools are used to remove malicious software it finds on your computer. Spyware is meant to “watch” you as you surf the Internet, or even record your keystrokes. Installing anti-spyware software will help keep your computer free from spyware.

    Two free and easy-to-use spyware applications are Ad-Aware and Spybot-S&D. I currently use both products on my computers.

    Common Sense

    This is probably the most effective “tool” you can use to keep your computer safe. Don’t open e-mails from recipients you don’t know, or visit questionable Web sites. You may also want to backup your data to keep it safe from computer crashes.

    Summary

    This post provided a quick overview of the tools you will need to keep your computer safe. Besides the hardware firewalls, there are good free alternatives of the tools that you will need.

    In the end, however, the best tool you can use is good ol’ common sense.

  • Default User ID and Password for Various Routers

    Remembering my WRT54G default password and user ID can be difficult if I ever needed to reset my router. I have received a few e-mails regarding the default user ID and password for different routers. Most people that ask for this information usually have reset their router back to the factory default, but can’t seem to find the instructions to the router.

    I have decided to begin compiling a list of default user IDs and passwords for various routers. This is by no means a complete list, but I will add to it as time goes by.

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  • 123 CCTV Security Camera Surveillance Equipment

    When talking technology, one aspect that is usually overlooked is that of site security. Not only is it important to monitor your computers using firewalls and anti-virus, but it is also important to provide security for the entire site.

    123 CCTV Security Camera Surveillance Equipment is a company that specializes in site security and has served both home users and the Pentagon over the years. They offer security equipment that ranges from hidden cameras, to internal and external surveillance cameras.

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  • How to Reset the D-Link DI-524 Wireless Router

    How to Reset the D-Link DI-524 Wireless Router

    Some time ago I wrote a post titled Securing D-Link DI-524 Wireless Router. In that post I outlined the steps needed to secure that particular wireless router.

    More recently I wrote another post title How to Reset the Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router and decided to write a similar post on reseting the DI-524 router.

    Reset Button

    Note:

    Reseting the router to the factory defaults will delete any changes you have made to the router, including any security settings. This should be used as a last resort.

    The steps involved in reseting the router is simply pressing a button located on the router. The image below (courtesy of D-Link) shows where the button is located.

    Reset Button Location
    Location of the D-Link DI-524 Reset Button

    To reset your router, use the following steps:

    1. Press the reset button for 10 seconds. You can use a small object, such as a paper clip to hold down the button.

      2. Do not power off the unit while the router is being reset.

      The unit should now reboot, and once the WLAN light stops blinking the router should be reset.

    2. Open up your Web browser and enter 192.168.0.1 in the address bar.
    3. For the login, enter admin as the ID and leave the password blank.

    The router has now been reset. Follow the steps in Securing D-Link DI-524 Wireless Router to secure your router.

    Summary

    This post has provided the instructions you can use to reset your D-Link DI-524 wireless router. If you are having problems with your router, try reseting the router to the factory defaults, and then make the changes again and see if the router starts working.

  • Internet Explorer Not Connecting to the Internet

    Recently I received an e-mail from someone who was having trouble getting Internet Explorer to connect to the Internet. Various other programs, such as e-mail, were able to connect, however, the browser was having difficulty.

    As I always like to do, I decided to see if I can help. It is more difficult via e-mail to solve computer problems, but a few checks and some investigation I was able to determine the issue behind the browser. I provide my findings in this post.

    Connection Issues

    The person having issues explained that Messenger and Outlook were connecting no problem, but Internet Explorer was display a message indicated the Web page could not be displayed. Seeing as Messenger and Outlook were both connecting, I immediately eliminated any connection issues to the Internet Service Provider. I decided to concentrate on the browser itself.

    At first, I thought it may me a DNS cache issue. I had the user run ipconfig /flushdns from the command prompt to attempt to clear any local DNS cache. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as the user indicated that the response back was Could not flush the DNS resolver cache: Function failed during execution. This could possibly mean that the DNS Client service has not been started, so I next had the user attempt to start the service.

    The user did as I asked, and then replied back to me that the software firewall on the machine displayed a message regarding a program change. The little light bulb went on in my head when I read this. For those who have seen these messages from software firewalls, but don’t know what they mean, allow me to explain it to you.

    When a new program attempts to connect to the Internet, the software firewall detects this and stops it from connecting without permission. To get permission, the firewall displays a message on the screen for the user to either allow or deny the program to connect. When you allow a program, such as a Web browser, to connect to the Internet, the firewall allows any requests made from the application to be sent to the Internet.

    In the issue discussed here, Outlook and Messenger were given permission, but Internet Explorer was denied permission to connect to the Internet. This was the reason Internet Explorer could not display any Web pages. Once the user granted permission for Internet Explorer to connect, they were able to display Web pages again.

    Granting Permission

    The image above shows ZoneAlarm asking permission for Internet Explorer to access the Internet. Other software firewalls will have a similar message. To grant permission in ZoneAlarm, do the following:

    1. Click the Remember this setting checkbox. This will prevent ZoneAlarm asking permission every time Internet Explorer attempts to connect to the Internet.
    2. Click the Allow button to grant permission.

    Repeat the above steps for any application you want to access the Internet. Click the Deny button if you don’t want an application to connect.

    Summary

    I recently received an e-mail from an individual who had trouble getting Internet Explorer to access the Internet, even though other applications could access the Internet. After a few e-mails, it was determined that the software firewall installed on the computer prevented Internet Explorer from connecting to the Internet. Once permission was granted to Internet Explorer to access the Internet, the user was able to display Web pages in the browser again.

  • Automating Computer Maintenance

    I have written several posts in the past regarding regular computer maintenance. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule is important if you would like to protect yourself against viruses and spyware, as well as maintaining the computer performance. My latest post title Regular Computer Maintenance provided a tutorial on performing some standard maintenance on your computer.

    In addition to the information provided in that post, there is an automated way of virus and spyware scanning as well as defragging your hard drive, all without you having to worry about it in the future. This post explains how to accomplish this.

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  • Data Archiving Method

    I have recently begun backing up my data such as photos (both digital and film), videos, and other files so that in case something happens, I will not lose my irreplaceable data. There is always much discussion on the best ways to archive data, and I have my way. Many may agree and disagree with my method, but this one works for me.

    In this post I will explain my method, as well as the reasons I chose to use the tools and storage devices.

    Organizing and Labelling the Data

    Before I begin to archive the data, I first organize the data, as well as set some labeling standards. The archival process is much easier once you have organized all your files, photos, and whatever else you will be archiving.

    If you plan to scan photos, slides, negatives, or other documents, you should separate them into groups, either by date or people. This will help you to keep certain items together within your archives.

    Once you have organized your data, you should create a labeling scheme to make it easier for you to find the data that you need. I have decided to backup my data on DVDs (I’ll explain why below), so each DVD is stored in a jewel case with a label assigned to the case. The label contains the following:

    1. Title – I provide a descriptive title to indicate the contents of the DVD.
    2. Years – I indicate the years covered by the data on the DVD. This helps to order the DVDs in chronological order, even if they weren’t burned in that order.
    3. Created Date – The date that I created the DVD. This will come in handy in the future to determine how old the DVD is, and whether I should create a new copy of the DVD.
    4. Catalog Name – This is a unique name that I give each DVD so I can organize them. I came up with a naming convention that indicates the type of data on the DVD.
    5. Family – This field contains the last name of the family represented by the data on the DVD. This helps to find data for a specific family name.

    I also decided to use coloured jewel cases that will help indicated the data on each DVD. For example, for photos I use a black jewel case, and videos will be stored in blue cases. You can easily purchase a box of coloured jewel cases for cheap.

    Once I have organized my data, and came up with a labeling scheme, the next step is to start determining how to store the data.

    Archiving Media

    This is probably the most debated point with regards to archiving data. Many people have their opinions about which media is best. Each media type has its pros and cons, so choose one that works for you.

    I have chosen to archive my data on single-layer DVD discs. I chose this method because they are relatively affordable, can hold a lot of data and can be easily stored. When I do make an archive disc, I always make two copies, so that if one becomes corrupted in the future, then I can retrieve my data from the copy.

    I have, however, not chosen just any DVD discs to use for archiving. I have chosen to use DVD+R discs from Taiyo Yuden. The DVD+R format has several benefits over the DVD-R specification, with one of the benefits being better error management. Taiyo Yuden discs are known as very reliable discs, so I chose them for my archives.

    Just in case you are wondering where you can purchase Taiyo Yuden discs, I discovered that very few stores, if any, carry them. I ordered mine online, as most people probably do. I only know of two online stores where you can order them for those living in Canada or the United States:

    If you know where else you can purchase these DVDs, I would like to know. Be careful, however, as many places offer DVDs that say they are Taiyo Yuden, when in fact they are fakes.

    I burn the DVD using Nero, using the catalog name as the DVD name, and perform a verification after each burn to ensure that the data was written without any issues. Once the burn has completed, I print the label, and then insert the label into the jewel case with the DVD. I write the catalog name on the DVD using a water-based CD marker.

    When I’m done with my burning, I move one of the copies offsite to prevent all my archives from being destroy if something were to happen to my home.

    Many people have discussed the life of a burned DVD, and whether their data will be available in 50 years. I think that as long as the data is readable after 5 years I should be good. I’ll probably move my data to the next generation of storage media, so won’t care if these DVDs can be read in 50 years.

    Summary

    In this post I have provided an overview of my method for archiving my data. I use a simple labeling system as well as DVD+R discs to organize and store my data. For more security, and piece of mind, I also always burn at least two copies of the data, just in case one is destroyed. Finally I move one of the copies offsite to losing all archives if something were to happen.

    You can choose to follow my method, or come up with your own. You should always create a system that works best for you.

  • E-mail Frauds and Scams

    For many years now security experts have been warning others about fraudulent e-mails and scams. Even after the warnings, there are still people who are taken in by these frauds and scam artists. The cost to those who are taken in can be hundreds of thousands of dollars or even their entire identity.

    In this post I will discuss the types of scams and frauds that are mostly used in e-mails and ways to avoid them.

    Phishing

    In the past you may have received e-mails from a trustworthy institution asking to confirm some details about yourself. These details can include everything from a user ID, password to your account or PIN number. These e-mails are sent by scammers looking to steal important information from you. This is known as phishing.

    Phishing has been around for many years, but has now entered the security spotlight as more users get caught in the scams.

    Usually someone will receive an e-mail from a reputable company asking the user to confirm some important information about themselves. The e-mail usually contains a link that directs the user to a form on a Web page. The Web page is designed to look exactly like the company that they are pretending to be. The form, however, is located on a server the scammer uses and can control.

    Once the user fills in the information on the form and submits it, the scammer can then use that information as they please. This is a major cause of identity theft as the scammer can now assume the identity of the user.

    Prevention

    There are many ways to prevent losing important information to a scammer. The most important method is common sense. I don’t know of any financial institution, or any company for that matter, that will ask for personal information through e-mail. If you receive an e-mail such as this, and are unsure, then call up the company and let them know. Many times they will then take action to stop those who are sending the e-mails.

    A clue to determining if an e-mail is legit is to look at the spelling and grammar. Many times the spelling and grammar will be extremely poor, which indicates that a company did not send out the e-mail.

    Many of the newer browsers, such as Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2.0, and Opera all have built-in anti-phishing measures. These browsers will notify you if you access a Web page that has been flagged as a phishing site. If you haven’t already, I suggest you upgrade to one of these browsers.

    Advanced Fee Fraud

    Have you ever received an e-mail from someone who says they are an official with millions of dollars? You are then to contact them as you are the beneficiary of this so called money? If you have then you know about the scam known as Advanced Fee Fraud also known as the 419 fraud.

    These frauds are different than phishing in that they try to get your money and not your information. It is called the 419 fraud after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes. Many of these scams deal with traveling to Nigeria, mailing something to Nigeria, or meeting with a Nigerian official.

    Many of the e-mails tied to the 419 fraud usually involve some sort of urgency such as a health matter. An individual representing someone else with a vast fortune will contact you stating that you are the beneficiary of the fortune. In the e-mail, you will be instructed on transferring money to the unknown individual for fees and other costs of transferring the millions to you. This is how many of the scammers make their money.

    Prevention

    Since this scam occurs through e-mail, the biggest method of preventing it is to use your common sense and just delete the e-mail. Most of the time you can spot these e-mails by the extremely poor spelling and grammar. Sometimes the spelling is so bad it becomes comical.

    If you want some enjoyment of seeing these 419 fraud scammers getting what they deserver, check out: 419 Eater. What the author of that site does to the scammers is very amusing.

    Summary

    In this post I have talked about two of the popular methods that scammers use to steal your identity or money. It is important to understand that the best method of protecting yourself is to simply use common sense. I you don’t recognize the sender of the e-mail, just delete it.