Network Security: 4 Common Breaching Methods And The People That Use Them

VPNs still remain the single best way to insure that your business network is safe from prying eyes and thieves. But in spite of being one of the best methods there has been a few high profile cases that have given cause for us to question their effectiveness. Studies have shown that in most instances of security breaches, the breach could have been averted if the administrator would have known of the 4 most common methods used, and who the threat could have potentially come from.

4 Perpetrator Types

Often, knowing where your potential hackers could come from enables you to avert the situation long before it becomes damaging. These are the 4 most common types of people that could potentially hack your network:

Script-Kids - These hackers only want the bragging rights, but don't underestimate their power. Even though they won't steal everything that isn't nailed down, they will brag about the fact that they did it, and how they did it.
Political Maniacs - These guys want to either destroy your reputation, or possibly use your network to further their goals.
Monetary Thieves - These guys will want every credit card, bank accounts, and any other financial data. They will spend like madmen until you discover their hack.
Revenge Seekers - This category includes current and former disgruntled employees that want to get revenge on you and your company for whatever reason.

The 4 Common Hack Types

Security breaches can be avoided if you know how thieves gain access to your network, before they get started, according to experts. It has been reported that the 4 most common methods of gaining entry is:

Man-In-The-Middle Attacks - This hack requires the hacker to listen, (also called snooping or sniffing), for a client to log into the network. The hacker will then use the authentication packet gained to glean the log-in credentials.
Physically Accessed - When a device or machine is stolen that is network enabled. The device may have the passwords stored in a file, or even have the automatic log-in enabled. Even if the auto-log isn't enabled, hackers can decrypt the password files to get access.
Passing Information - Getting access to a specific network often happens due to an employee talking... in many instances this is a disgruntled employee. In the last few years this has become more prevalent.
System Exploits - Almost every hacker keeps up with system bugs and flaws in OSes, and security clients. This is because updating and upgrading systems can be a hassle, and often time consuming. Firmware, software, and security certificates are the mainstay of this category, and once a flaw is found, it is quickly passed around to the community.

It's Up To You

It's easy to see how these types of breaches and hackers can easily be thwarted, once you know the who and how. Security experts all agree that updating systems at least once per month, and if an employee is released, immediately eliminate log-in to your network, will eliminate most of thee threats. They also recommend changing passwords on a regular basis, and in the event a device is lost or stolen, change log-ins for that account.

Fields Marshall specializes in internet security, and advising people on VPN's, security technologies, and related services. He writes informational and educational articles for VPNReviewz, to learn more, visit http://vpnreviewz.com/best-vpn-service-providers/

View the original article here

Protect Your Network From Malware Using Anti Spam Services

Studies show 90% of the 200 billion emails sent out and received each day are spam messages. These spam messages are often harmless, but some may include malicious software (commonly known as malware) that compromise your security. You need reliable email filtering or anti spam services to protect your business.

There are two types of malware that are serious threats to businesses: spyware and Trojan horses. Spyware collects information about your network's users without your knowledge, while Trojan horses conceal other malicious programs that can do everything from keystroke logging to stealing passwords and credit card information. These malware aren't just threats to you, but to your business associates, customers, and anyone else you send emails to. This is why you need to find an email filtering service that has both inbound and outbound filtering.

Inbound Filtering

When talking about spam protection for email, inbound filtering is what usually comes to mind. This type of filtering scans all emails you receive for threats, and alerts you about them or automatically put the infected emails into a designated spam folder. Inbound filtering is usually included in most email hosting services, such as Gmail and Yahoo Mail. Certain anti spam services may keep records of the email or IP addresses sending you spam messages, which makes it easier for you to block them.

Outbound Filtering

Instead of scanning messages you receive through your email, an outbound email filtering service scans the messages sent from within your email system. Some hackers are able to gain access to your computer network without being detected, and could be using your own servers to send out malicious emails. Outbound filtering prevents this from happening by monitoring any potential threats in the messages you send, and detecting any suspicious activity such as sending out massive amounts of emails. This allows you to determine exactly where the spam or security threats come from, and enables you or your IT team to come up with an immediate solution.

Finding a Good Email Filtering Service

The tricky thing about security software is striking a balance between eliminating threats and making sure you still receive all your legitimate emails. Some filtering systems go over the top with their security measures, and may block messages from your business partners or customers. You want to stay protected but not risk losing any business relationships or opportunities because of your email's anti-spam protection.

There are many companies and software developers offering filtering services for businesses. When looking for reliable service providers, look for those who have years of experience and proven results under their belt. Doing a quick search on Google should reveal which among the available spam protection services are the most popular and effective, but you need to do more in-depth research than that. Find customer reviews and testimonials that talk about the software you are looking into, or ask your IT team for their recommendations.

Do not forget to keep your budget in mind as you search for filtering software. Some of the more effective packages are often pricey, but it is easy to find alternatives you can use until you manage to build up the funds for the best filtering services.

Mae O'Connell is a software developer who helped create an effective email filtering service and anti spam service.

View the original article here