Showing posts with label securing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label securing. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2014
Securing Your Home Wireless Network
With the growth of wireless internet networks in private homes, caution must be taken to be sure that your network is “secure.” What “secure” means in this instance is that your network is not available to be accessed by persons outside of your family, of visitors to your home to whom you have given temporary access.
What is a Home Wireless Network?
Networks are set up by connecting a piece of equipment called a “router” to your modem.” The router broadcasts a signal throughout your house that creates that can be picked up by your computers, smart phones, and tablets, providing access to the high speed Internet signal coming in to your modem.
The Danger of an Unprotected Network
While home networks have reached the point where they can be set up by nearly any skill level of user, not as many people are not aware of the dangers of not having their network secure, nor the steps they can take to make their network secure from intruders. An unprotected network could permit malicious ‘hackers’ to gain access to your data. In essence, accessing everything on your home computers by coming in through a “back door.”
Setting Up and Securing Your Network
Once your router is connected to your modem, follow the instructions which will allow you to change certain settings on the router. Generally this is accomplished via a secure website that the router manufacturer describes in the documentation that comes with the router.
Router Identification Names
Each router has an identification name. The default name is set by the manufacturer and is generally the name of the router manufacturer. The first step in securing your network is to change the name of your router, to a unique word that is not easily guessed. The identification name is also referred to as the SSID (service set identifier). An important option at this step is to “disable the SSID broadcast.” What this means is when people sign on their computers near your network, and see a list of available networks in the area, your network will not be listed.
Router Passwords
The router will come with a preset password as well, and of course you should change the password to something that also cannot be easily guessed. Neither the router’s identification name or the password should be something easy like your last name, or house address. Like any user name or passwords, they should be something easily remembered by you and your family, but not something that neighbors or strangers could obtain after several attempts of trying to log on to your network.
Security Options
As the technology of routers has advanced, so have the different types of security available within routers. This “security” allows the network to communicate with your computer, as you have “told” your computer to recognize the type of security that the router is transmitting with.
While the router will give you several different options of security to choose from, if it is available designate the security level as WPA2; WPA would be your second choice. These two options offer the most secure methods of protecting your network.
Guest Password
You may, as an option, set up a separate “guest password” for when visitors come to your house; this is in lieu of you providing them with your own personal password, as they would have the ability to access your network after they visit. Depending on the type and quality of the router, some networks “broadcast” beyond the walls of your house, providing you with another reason to protect the network as best as you can.
Firewalls
A firewall is an additional layer of protection. In the event someone has gained access to your network, a firewall prevents them from using your computer to send out malicious emails or other data. Most computers have built in firewall software, and it is just a matter of choosing the option to turn it on. Many computers will prompt you if you shut your firewall off, and advise you that it is not the best idea.
Updating
As with any password advice you read, for any device or service, you should consider changing your router password from time to time. Of course, you will have to remember to advise your family members of the new password.
What is a Home Wireless Network?
Networks are set up by connecting a piece of equipment called a “router” to your modem.” The router broadcasts a signal throughout your house that creates that can be picked up by your computers, smart phones, and tablets, providing access to the high speed Internet signal coming in to your modem.
The Danger of an Unprotected Network
While home networks have reached the point where they can be set up by nearly any skill level of user, not as many people are not aware of the dangers of not having their network secure, nor the steps they can take to make their network secure from intruders. An unprotected network could permit malicious ‘hackers’ to gain access to your data. In essence, accessing everything on your home computers by coming in through a “back door.”
Setting Up and Securing Your Network
Once your router is connected to your modem, follow the instructions which will allow you to change certain settings on the router. Generally this is accomplished via a secure website that the router manufacturer describes in the documentation that comes with the router.
Router Identification Names
Each router has an identification name. The default name is set by the manufacturer and is generally the name of the router manufacturer. The first step in securing your network is to change the name of your router, to a unique word that is not easily guessed. The identification name is also referred to as the SSID (service set identifier). An important option at this step is to “disable the SSID broadcast.” What this means is when people sign on their computers near your network, and see a list of available networks in the area, your network will not be listed.
Router Passwords
The router will come with a preset password as well, and of course you should change the password to something that also cannot be easily guessed. Neither the router’s identification name or the password should be something easy like your last name, or house address. Like any user name or passwords, they should be something easily remembered by you and your family, but not something that neighbors or strangers could obtain after several attempts of trying to log on to your network.
Security Options
As the technology of routers has advanced, so have the different types of security available within routers. This “security” allows the network to communicate with your computer, as you have “told” your computer to recognize the type of security that the router is transmitting with.
While the router will give you several different options of security to choose from, if it is available designate the security level as WPA2; WPA would be your second choice. These two options offer the most secure methods of protecting your network.
Guest Password
You may, as an option, set up a separate “guest password” for when visitors come to your house; this is in lieu of you providing them with your own personal password, as they would have the ability to access your network after they visit. Depending on the type and quality of the router, some networks “broadcast” beyond the walls of your house, providing you with another reason to protect the network as best as you can.
Firewalls
A firewall is an additional layer of protection. In the event someone has gained access to your network, a firewall prevents them from using your computer to send out malicious emails or other data. Most computers have built in firewall software, and it is just a matter of choosing the option to turn it on. Many computers will prompt you if you shut your firewall off, and advise you that it is not the best idea.
Updating
As with any password advice you read, for any device or service, you should consider changing your router password from time to time. Of course, you will have to remember to advise your family members of the new password.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Presentation Slide For IT Student Securing Data WithTruecrypt
Securing Data With Truecrypt
Objectives
Why Secure and how toWhat is encryption
Why encrypt
Truecrypt
Disadvantages of encryption
Why secure data
In the electronic age, information that could otherwise benefit or educate a group or individual can also be used against such groups or individuals.
A letter to your girlfriend may result in a letter from your wifes lawyer.
How to secure data
Hiding
Authenticating
Password and Security
Locking
Destroying
Steganography
Law
Changing form(encryption)
What is encryption?
Encryption is the conversion of data into a form, called a cipher text, that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized people.
Encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm (called cipher) to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key.
Simple email
Hello bad guy,
I am giving you a valuable information regarding my company. With that information you can ruin my company.
Regards,
Unaware Employee
Encrypted email
�韨Á¤ W ¦1≤¼ôÓ[Œ┌LS†Y␌¬üT†O─Œ¾␌YÓ7¤Þ]”ð°T¼“B◆ÜÊ‹┘‹EâÉ┐Ñ,␌<ÁÜÀ⎻¢²P┤Bž¯<ŒŒƒÉ»┴)û
ßàÇ┼┬ÀN.‹ÁúÍ[≠–ÎQ©íÎ▒ŠQä ù-™Z"ghë8¹⎼=Õ˵™Ø.─5]ÂÀ⎽×Ï┬%(;F›MJ¹âZπ ¿‡æE-= ¶ÒÊïž•"┤9
┴┬└┌⎼ÕŽÃð<L £6Å3┘óB”®ÈïXI
␋3þóéÔSKžï┐Ü┬ô▒ýŒ,Ʊ┌ùD±ÃÜ≥▒
Ü‚“€*,QÉ ž£6Ù¼ËZ=_-ÒÔ¡*NGY=ƒÜ›„ü/VV─
We need tool so that we cay easily encrypt and decrypt our data
Many commercial and free version available
Built in technology in OS
T r u e C r y p t is free open-source disk encryption software for Linux, Mac and Windows.
Features of Truecrypt
Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.
Encrypts an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive.
Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent
Main Features
Provides two levels of plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:
1) No TrueCrypt volume can be identified
2) Hidden volume (steganography) and hidden operating system.
- Standard Truecrypt volume
- Hidden volume
Truecrypt tutorial can be found athttp://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=tutorial http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/
Disadvantages of encryption
Extra processing
Slow access to data
Extra memory consumed
Data can be rendered useless if the key is lost
Forceful retrieve of key makes encryption useless
Question
?
Download the ppt slides for Securing Data With Truecrypt presentation from here.
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