Content Maker Network Blog

When you think about your family’s safety, you’ll hope to plan for every contingency. It’s good to know you’ve left nothing unturned. What do you need to know? A great many of the essential tips, relating to alarms, remote monitoring, et cetera, will be analyzed in what follows. Arranging to have the appropriate wireless alarms set up is an essential step to keep your home safe. Naturally, there’s a sliding scale. High quality arrangements involve control pads, cameras, sensors and alarms to garner excellent results. Burglars search for security flaws, so clearly enough it’s crucial you don’t give any around.

While admittedly not likely to do everything needed by themselves, illumination serves an essential role in boosting the power of ADT security services. Ask yourself, would an intruder rather commit their crimes through the shadows or while brightly lit? You know the answer. Keep in mind that, as well as providing you with this chance to see burglars coming, they aid any CCTV. Needless to say, substantially improved results can be obtained with lights under the control of motion detection gear.

This is scarcely the only thing that ADT’s monitoring systems can help with. The company will also provide help should a member of your family become ill or injured. Therefore, if an old or injured loved one is resident in your residence, it’s vital to have emergency wristbands or necklaces active.

Typically, a criminal looks for uninhabited houses — so while you’re on business trips, here are a few simple pointers to trick them. Most simply, request your neighbor remove your post and newspapers for you to prevent them piling up somewhere visible as a clear sign. Easily copied signs of life are things like lawn sprinklers and lighting that turns on and off. Criminals rarely try their luck in circumstances like these — at least, not those that prey on uninhabited houses. There are no guarantees that nothing will happen to your apartment or that nothing bad will ever happen, but monitored alarms and security systems can greatly enhance your protection. And with your apartment more secure, your burden will lift.

Everyone is talking about online shopping. It’s easy and a lot less hassle than a trip to the mall. It puts unbelievable choice right at your fingertips. Despite the advantages, there are certain things you do and don’t do when it comes to your money and your safety. Street smarts are the rule online and off when it comes to safe shopping. Online that goes double.

Online shoppers, just like those in the physical world, know to be aware of the neighborhood where they are shopping. They know the reputations of the places where they do business. They watch their wallets, and they know to be aware of who might be scrutinizing them just a little too closely.

Do a little research. Anyone can build a website. If you encounter an unfamiliar company where you want to shop, find out who they are. Look for an address. Be wary of any company that does not list one. An address is no guarantee, but you can use it to check references with the Better Business Bureau, BBB. Their online site at http://bbb.org/ has nationwide listings.

Sometimes you may want more information than the BBB provides. In this case, after the BBB check, use your favorite search engine and try an “about search.” The difference in an “about search,” and just looking for the site, is that you already know where the site is; now you want to find out what people are saying about it. Generally, just putting “about” in front of the company name will get you started.

For a very small purchase, you might want to dispense with all this investigating. But do use a low limit credit card. That way if anything does go awry, it isn’t that far awry. Yes, we all know about the $50 liability limit, but the low limit card can be a hassle saver online.

You may choose not to use a debit card online at all. Many debit cards do not offer the same protections against fraud as credit card companies. You could be putting your whole bank account at risk.

While you are at it, be sure to check out the return policy and guarantee. Online and off, most good companies do accept returns, either by providing a cash refund or product exchange. Note, however, shipping costs are typically not refunded for online purchases.

Online Security:

After you’ve found exactly what you have been looking for, checked out the seller, and their return policy; the next thing you need to do is make sure the site is secure. Secure means your personal information is encrypted in transit to the seller’s server. This prevents unauthorized (hacker) access and possible misuse of your credit information.

Examine the URL in the address bar. If the site is encrypted you will see an “s” directly after the http – like https://. The whole site will not be encrypted, but the order page for the transaction should be.

Other things to look for – depending on your browser, you may see either an open or a closed padlock, or a whole or broken key. If the key is broken or the lock open, you should assume that the site is not encrypted.

Sometimes security issues get tricky. Suppose you personally know the owner, it is a solid local business, but there is no encryption system in place and they expect you to transmit your credit information online. With small businesses, this is most often a case of not knowing better, that does not, however, mean that you do not. In cases like this, look for a phone number and call in your order. If there is no phone number and no mailing address, you should seriously consider whether you want to risk an unsecured transaction.

Common sense is the rule online and off. Guard your personal information, including Social Security Number, bank account information and passwords. No reputable merchant has a need for your Social Security Number and it is not standard policy to ask for it when you buy your groceries for instance. Requiring this for a routine purchase should send up a red flag. You should immediately take your business elsewhere. Some will do whatever they can think of, in all kinds of official looking ways, to get you to provide private personal information. If you call, they may personally assure you that they do indeed need your bank account and password to sell you that CD. No way, just because it looks good, and they sound sincere, doesn’t mean that it is or they are, and you may not know there was ever a problem until you see your credit report.

The last big rule is to keep copies of everything. Print out the pages with the description and prices of items you order. Print out your credit card receipt. Most companies will email you a copy as well. Keep that too, and make sure it matches your online information.

And remember, online and off, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t let the heat of the offer lull you into abandoning your good common sense. Of course, you could miss the deal of a lifetime, and that is exactly what the unscrupulous want you to think. Likely as not, online and off – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Shopping the net is destined to change the way we do business, but it is still a new frontier, with many of the uncertainties that go with it. The only way to really be secure online is to develop your street smarts and sometimes, that may not be enough. It will certainly level the field though, and by keeping your cyber smarts well honed, you should be able to safely shop the net.

Regina Garson has lived and worked on the Internet for many years. She teaches computer classes at Virginia College in Huntsville, Alabama. Online and off, she has helped many learn their way around the net. For more about online shopping, you can visit her website: LaFindz of the Net at http://lafindz.tripod.com

If you are running the popular Windows XP Operating System and your computer is connected to the internet then you are susceptible to the installation of unwanted programs known as Spyware. There are a few measures you can take to help protect yourself from this unwanted software. Spyware is a program that is usually installed on your computer without your knowledge, these programs can subject you to un-wanted advertisements in the form of popups and some can even help in the stealing of your identity. It has been reported that up to 90% of all computers connected to the internet may be infected with these types of malware programs.

You can take some steps to help minimize the risks these programs pose to your computing environment. First is to ensure you have the latest security patches for the Windows XP operating system and ensure you have a firewall such as the Windows XP firewall implemented. You should have Windows XP Service pack 2 installed and unless you have good reason you should let Service Pack 2 enable all the default settings to protect your computer both from SpyWare and other malware type applications such as Viruses and security vulnerabilities.

Another measure you can take is to stop using Internet Explorer as the application for your browsing. There are other Internet Browsers available for free that do not suffer from the same security vulnerabilities that have plagued Internet Explorer. The Mozilla based Firefox browser offers many of the same features that you get with Internet Explorer, but because the Firefox browser is not as tightly couple with the Operating system means it is less susceptible to these security holes. Also because it is not a Microsoft product, means it is not as large of a target as Internet Explorer is. This is not to say the Firefox is not susceptible to malicious code, it is, but the risk is less than the more popular Internet Explorer Browser. Many users actually star to like the features Firefox gives them once they become used to the browser more than they like Internet Explorer. The two can exist on the same system without any issues so you can go give Firefox a try at http://www.getfirefox.com

Utilizing the Firefox browser along with applying the latest updates to your operating system and ensuring you have a firewall installed will greatly reduce your chances of becoming infected with Spyware type applications. Now you should still practice due diligence and be careful of the types of web sites you visit as this will also help you to prevent the installation of this type of software on your computer. You should also remember the golden rule in Information Technology circles. When presented with a question about an action to take. If you are not sure, then always answer No to the prompt you are being presented with at the time. Make sure you understand the implications of software installation before you install anything on your computer.

Bruce Hopkins is an Information Technology Director over a large multi campus network and is a avid DotNetNuke Open Source Supporter. For recommended spyware detection visit this site

Every homeowner needs to be active and aware of their home security concerns. With home invasions and break-ins on the rise, it is time to take some steps towards protecting your family and your valuable belongings. It would surprise most people to realize how simple it is for a burglar to break into their home. By following these simple steps, you can reduce the odds of coming home to discover your home has been broken into and your cherished valuables have been taken.

For a burglar, the three greatest enemies are noise, time, and light. If a burglar must make a lot of noise, take a lot of time, and work in a well-lit area to get into your home, chances are that he will not bother. In most cases, he will move onto an easier “mark”. These are things that work in the favor of homeowners. I always tell my clients that, in order to defeat the burglar, one must think like the burglar.

Take some time and “case” the exterior of your home for points of entry. Imagine yourself as a burglar. Where would you try to get in? Where are the security weaknesses? You could even conduct a little experiment, by locking your home and trying to break in. If you, honest citizen, can break into your home with relative ease you can be sure it will be no problem for an experienced thief to gain entry.

Doors and windows are the first places to check when assessing the security of a home or business. Make sure that your home is equipped with a hard wood or metal exterior door, that is at minimum 1 ” thick. The doorframe should be equally as strong. A peephole is much better than a simple door chain, as it will allow you to identify the person at your door without having to open it. And if there is one thing you spend a bit of money on, be sure it is a good quality deadbolt!

Windows are also extremely vulnerable, from a security standpoint. If you have an older home with double-hung windows, you can secure them by nailing the upper and lower panes together from the inside. As well, simple key locks can be added to windows for a reasonable price. If you have windows that are located at street level, consider adding an iron grate or grille for added protection. Balconies and fire escapes can also be security weaknesses, so consider purchasing one of those metal “accordion” gates.

There are a few other simple precautions you can take to secure your home. Try to establish a routine to ensure that your doors and windows are locked when you leave the house and when you go to bed each night. If you can afford it, you should also invest in a home security system. There are some incredibly advanced systems available on the market today, and these systems are very difficult to bypass. These simple steps could make the difference between being a victim of crime and being safe from harm. Think about it!

Jack Nelson is a security consultant, and a member of the editorial team at homesecurityandalarms.com – an informative guide to home security with information about motion sensors, security cameras, emergency monitoring and more.

January 31, 2006, Plymouth, Minnesota — Dotcom-Monitor has just added Sydney as its newest web server monitoring location, bringing executive class monitoring to Australia.

“Companies need to know how their web sites respond to customer usage,” says Vadim Mazo, CEO of Dotcom-Monitor. “Adding the Sydney monitoring station means they will now be alerted if their web site is inaccessible or slow to Australian customers.”

The Sydney’s monitoring station is a robot that visits a company’s web site, simulating a human visitor, and performs various functions, including surfing, form-testing, shopping cart usage, etc. Performance speed, accessibility and response times simulate a human user’s experience.

Companies depend on remote web server performance monitoring to respond quickly to emergencies (such as an order form no working), as well as to plan for long term upgrades to ensure maximum satisfaction for customers. It is estimated that $20 to $40 billion is lost each year from users who abandon slow loading web sites.

Global web site monitoring secures customers world-wide

Global marketers understand that web sites respond differently in different parts of the world due to trans-Atlantic connections, bottlenecks, the quality of local connections, etc. “Just because a web site performs well in New Jersey, does not mean a customer in Sydney or London benefits from the same performance,” Mr. Mazo says. “Monitoring your web servers from Sydney will tell you if you need to make changes to better serve your Australian market.”

While only 13% of U.S. home users still use sub-56K Internet connections, that number is much higher in less developed countries, meaning web sites optimized for U.S. customers might not perform well overseas.

Sydney is the tenths monitoring station in Dotcom-Monitor’s global network. The other five sites are:

- London, UK - Minnesota, USA - New York, USA - California, USA - Florida, USA - Calgary, Canada - Colorado, USA - Frankfurt, Germany - Honk Kong, China

Dotcom Monitor is an executive class website monitoring company, offering top performance services above and beyond the norm in the industry. Since 1998, its goal remains to protect the reputation and profitability of online business by bringing together monitoring, reporting, notification, escalation and analysis in the combination best suited to a company’s needs.

About Dotcom Monitor: Dotcom Monitor is an executive class website and network monitoring company, offering top performance services above and beyond the norm in the industry, including website load stress testing introduced in 2004 (offered by very few monitoring companies). Since 1998, Dotcom Monitor has been protecting the reputation and profitability of businesses online by bringing together monitoring, reporting, notification, escalation and analysis in the combination best suited to a company’s needs. Visit the website at www.dotcom-monitor.com or get more details about website monitoring services at www.dotcom-monitor.com/web-site-monitoring.asp. Get information on network monitoring at www.dotcom-monitor.com/network-monitoring.asp.

New Orleans is a changed city after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina in the 2005 Hurricane season. As we all watched with horror as the flooding destroyed the city and killed indiscriminately the city became an example of the power of nature’s fury. As we approach the 2006 hurricane season many survivors of Hurricane Katrina are still in temporary shelters and haven’t returned to their homes yet. As the world braces for the next hurricane New Orleans has introduced a new strategy for protecting its citizens.

During the 2006 hurricane season New Orleans residents are going to be asked to evacuate not to their nearest hurricane shelter but to shelters outside of the city. The idea is to avoid keeping people inside the city of New Orleans which is predominantly either at sea level or a few feet above it. The city has set into action a plan to evacuate its residents to higher sea levels further inland and is setting up transportation for the elderly and disabled residents. For the residents of the temporary shelters this does mean being evacuated from the temporary shelters to a local hurricane shelter at the sign of even something as small as a tropical storm. If the tropical storm upgrades to hurricane status the residents of the temporary shelters would be moved out of the city of New Orleans with everyone else.

The Superdome Stadium has always been known as New Orleans shelter of last resort. This was true for Hurricane Katrina as well and the Superdome suffered heavy damage. For the 2006 hurricane season the mayor of New Orleans is making it clear that there is no shelter of last resort. The mayor is pushing strongly to evacuate residents out of the city altogether to avoid the dangers of a storm surge like the one that Katrina caused. Storm surge is the main reason for the deadliness and danger of hurricanes.

Find out everything that you should know about hurricanes at http://my-hurricane-guide.info.

At times I laugh when I see companies, banks, educational institutions laying so much emphasis on the deployment of firewalls, anti-virus, server room protection e.t.c.

Yes firewalls, anti-virus are good but without a comprehensive information security program in place all these security technology tools will only provide a false sense of security. When we start thinking about information security, we need to think about security as a system not a single technology.

Let Us take a Hypothetical Scenario

A company has over 5 million clients. It has an e-business website. It has deployed firewalls, anti-virus solutions and other vendor security solutions. It conducts 90% of its business through its e-business website.

A Hacker studied the situation and asked; how do i get at this company?

What is the weakest link in the companies information security model? Why the weakest link? The hacker knew that going through the firewall, the intrusion detector systems would take him time which he was not willingly to spare. The hacker found out through painstaking research and study that the over
5 million customers were the weakest link.

The attack followed;

• A fake website of the company was created.
• E-mails were sent to the company’s over 5 million customers.

The E-mail read.

Dear customer,

We have deployed new security solutions that will help increase the security of conducting business with us through our website. Please kindly enter your contact and billing details, by clicking on this link. www.wilbroser.com/details.html.
Thanks for your cooperation.

Yours faithfully,
Alex Brown
Head of IT

Result of the E-mail

Out of the 5 million customers, 3 million of them clicked the link and reentered their contact and billing details.
The remaining 2 million felt indifferent and didn’t respond to the mail. The credit card information of over 3 million customers was stolen.

Why did the Hacker Target the 5 Million Customers of the Company?

The hacker found out that to commit e-fraud, it will take more effort and time going through the firewall, anti-virus and the other security solutions of the company.

The thought of the weakest link came. The company has never embarked on a security awareness training program for customers. A lot of emphasis has been on staff and security solutions.

The hacker identified the customers as the weakest link. Having identified the weakest link , the attack was launched.

Why Was the Attack Successful?

1. The over 5 million customers. None could tell the difference between a fake copy of the company’s website and the company’s website.

2 The customers could not tell if the company sent mails to customers when there is an upgrading of their information technology infrastructure.

3 The customers could not tell the difference between a fraudulent mail and a mail coming from the company.

By reading this article, you will hopefully be convinced that your information security model goes beyond the use of any single piece of technology.
Most people clearly understand the need to secure their information assets. Unfortunately, this high priority generally leads to technology that drives the security.

While I will never be one to argue that a firewall is not a good idea to include in a security model, this is not the proper approach to creating an information security model. It creates a security model that is built around what security a particular device can provide, rather than the security the organisation needs. I counsel my clients that, instead of talking about hardware and software, the first order of business should be to create an information security policy. A security policy is a high-level statement of principle and describes the needs of the organisation. Once we know what we need to do, we can then discuss the information security model. The Information security model is the actual hardware, software, and configuration guidelines that will be used to enforce the policy.

Most e-frauds in this age will come through the weakest link in the information security chain.
Identify your weakest link now.

Christopher Okoh

CEO
Computer Security & Network Associates

Website:http://www.compsana.com

Security window bars, retractable gates, roller blinds, or retractable shutters are
different ways of providing home security. If security window bars are used, care
must be taken to ensure they have the proper break-out mechanism so that
residents can escape in case of fire. Escape ladders can be used for exiting your
home from an upper floor through a window or off a balcony. You want to lock out
intruders, yet be able to get yourself out if needed.

Security window bars and the other products mentioned can help you to have peace
of mind. You will know that intruders or other damaging forces, such as flying
debris, can’t enter your windows. These protective bars don’t have to be
unappealing to the eye either; you can find many designer window bars that will
coordinate with the look of your home. You may also want to install matching
security gates and security screen doors. You can find contractors to assist you, or
install your products yourself.

Security windows are an important aspect of protecting your family and your home.
Whether from humans or nature, we live with destructive forces. Window security
film or laminates can stabilize your window glass. If breakage occurs the window
security film will virtually eliminate flying glass, harm to occupants or your home’s
interior.

There are a number of different types of window security films available. Depending
on your needs, you can get films which offer greater or lesser resistance to outside
forces. Some are intended to prevent the destructive impact of sunlight on your
home’s carpeting, drapes, and furnishings. Others are stronger and protect against
the powerful forces of nature of attempts by intruders to gain entry. If you live in an
area with powerful winds, or even hurricanes, you can stop worrying about breaking
windows.

Window security film is unobtrusive. It can make your home safer and help protect
your home’s value in the event of hurricanes, explosions, or attempts to enter by
intruders. Wouldn’t it be great to weather the storm knowing your home was safe
from flying glass or entry from the windows? How about keeping your home safe
from storm damage or break-ins through your windows? Window security
laminates can give you that peace of mind. Effective window protection is a
fundamental component of protecting any structure and its contents from weather,
sunlight, or physical force of any kind, whether from storms, flying debris, or
human force.

Window security laminates are available in various types, depending upon the
application you desire. The thinner laminates, or films, can provide solar control,
protecting the interior of you home from UV rays, reducing fading and sun damage
to fine furniture, artwork or carpets. You can also use laminates on your windows
for purely decorative purposes. Some laminates are designed to deal with graffiti on
windows or display cases. At the other end of the spectrum some products are so
tough that they resist breakage from flying storm debris. And these products can
deter theft, because it is very difficult to puncture through the window, even with
repeated blows from a hammer. The glass will splinter, but the laminate will hold it
together. Get started on protecting your home with these easy options today!

J.J. Nielson is a successful graphic artist and published internet author. She has
worked in the entertainment security field, as well as with private investigators.

For more information and home security resources, visit our site at www.best-home-security-online.com