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Feeling Safe? |
So computers and the Internet have their security problems, what can a user do about it? As discussed earlier,
there are many different things that one can do to protect their computers and information
from would be hackers. But how does one go
about getting these protections? How exactly
might someone write an encryption code or put up a firewall, especially with little to no
knowledge of computer programming? This is a
common problem for many, but rest assured, there are many solutions out there. There of course, are different programs that can
be bought at stores or downloaded from the Internet.
Besides buying or downloading all these different programs, there is a much easier
way for companies or individuals to acquire the programs to protect their security and
protect their privacy. By simply going online
and running a search on Internet security, one can find just about everything they want in
protection in the form of different organizations and companies that provide just about
every service one could possibly want. There
are so many out there, both for companies and for individuals, how does one possibly
choose the right one? It all depends on what
type of protections and security someone is looking for, but this section will discuss
several of these services just to show what is available to the everyday web surfer.
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Anonymizer |
Still not convinced that just about everything anyone
does on the Internet can be tracked, or that almost anyone can get access to a computer at
any time? Well, just click here to get a little example of what anyone
with a little know-how can find out about any Internet user. As easy as it is for someone to find out this
information, it is just as easy for someone with the right motivation to read emails,
follow everything someone looks at online,
or get any other information that might be
transmit over the Internet (such as credit card numbers).
Anonymizer is just one site that can
provide an Internet user with the protections that they are looking for. The site describes almost perfectly the reason why
individual users should protect themselves:
“Whenever you visit a Website unprotected, you not
only expose yourself to risk of invasion, you provide information about yourself, that can
including your viewing habits, your search terms, your geographical location, your
address, phone number, employment details, your credit card numbers, and more.”
(www.anonymizer.com/3.0/why.shtml)
This site provides many different services to the
individual user (and in the future to businesses). Some
of these services include Anonymizer
Surfing, Anonymizer Email,
Anonymizer Window Washer, and SSH/SecureCRT. Anonymizer Surfing
prevents outside parties from viewing and keeping track of a user’s surfing and from
acquiring personal information (such as credit card numbers). Anonymizer Window Washer is a program that clears
basically anything a user wants—from the browser’s cache and history to emptying
the recycle bin and temporary folders, all of this happening whenever the user want it to. SSH/SecureCRT encrypts a user’s Internet
interactions with a secure link from the user’s computer and Anonymizer’s, which
generates the encryption. Anonymizer Email is
the only free service—some can be used for free on a trial basis but the user must
subscribe to Anonymizer.com to receive full use of the services. This really seems to be a pretty good site for
providing privacy and security, as it offers many of the same things as other pages as
well as some things above and beyond other sites (such as the Anonymizer Window Washer).
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Internet Security Systems |
A
company more aligned towards providing security for businesses, ISS is another in the line
of many companies out there ready to help protect people from the dangers that come with
the Internet. “While there’s no way
to achieve 100% protection, it is possible to dramatically reduce risk through
comprehensive security management” (www.iss.net/company/profile) (ISS points out that
while protecting the user or business through the use of specialized software or through
the use of something such as Anonymizer.com or Somebody
(a service similar to that of Anonymizer.com) is beneficial, better security can be
provided by a service that fits itself to the customers needs. ISS does exactly this, “through broad-based
needs analysis, identification of network resources and access requirements, and data
driven implementation and management services.” (www.iss.net/company/profile) To this end, ISS provides several different
services. SAFEsuite Security is the broad name for all that ISS provides to a company. Included in this is an assessment of the companies
current system, analyzing it for weaknesses and helping determine the different services
that ISS can provide to best help the company. Included
in this are checks of the network, checks of the system, and checks of any databases. Another service that is included in the SAFEsuite
is RealSecure, an intruder detection system that allows a company to monitor their systems
for any improper access or intrusion. While
ISS helps companies analyze their security systems and provide improvements for the
systems, it also provides an important consultative service, which provides the companies
with help in the design and implementation of security systems, as well as instructional
programs (to help teach employees how to use and manage the security system). ISS is also involved with helping e-business, including helping insure
e-businesses. ISS is one of the more
comprehensive Internet security services out there.
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Security Services |
Anonymizer.com and Internet Security Systems are just
two of the many companies out there that provide individual users with better security and
more guarantees of their privacy. Others
include SecurityPortal.com,
Idzap, PRIVACYX.COM,
Somebody,
and Shields
UP!, just to name a few. These all
offer similar services, meant to improve the security and privacy of the user. The important thing to remember with the Internet
and security is that each user is different, each company different, as are the hackers
who want to find out a credit card number or mess up a company’s system. Each user needs to determine what risk they are at
when using the Internet, and needs to select the right protections or services that will
help secure them the best. There are plenty
of options out there to beef up the security on any system, and it is just a matter of
choosing what is best for the individual or company.
Back to Psybersite |
This project was produced for PSY 380, Social Psychology of Cyberspace,
Spring 2000, at Miami University. All graphics
in these pages are used with permission or under fair use guidelines, are in the public
domain, or were created by the authors. Last revised: Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 15:11: %3 This document
has been accessed 3,936 times since 1 May 2000.
Comments and Questions to R. Sherman. |
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