[NOSIOJ]

How Safe Is Internet Security?
By Anna Lorraine Miranda-baysa

I was auspicious enough to have worked with MSN chat support for a few months and saw how they made sure their clients are taken care of, this includes having measures to block phishing emails and incoming e-mails from an unknown sender, meaning, one who is not yet on their address book. Yet, this has not stopped identity theft or information fraud from happening. This jam has been out in the open for years now and internet companines have done their part that we thought this has somehow clogged and scared the hackers online. But surprise, there seems to be an outburst of who hacks the fastest. Question is, how can we make sure that our files kept as back-up in our computers are safe and will never be corrupted?

It is extremely easy to gain illegal access to data in an insecure networked setting, and again, it is hard to catch the intruders. Although users have nothing saved on their computers that they consider their property, that computer can be a weak linkage, making it possible to information to the organization's information and systems. Some of the many examples of confidential information are passwords, keys and access control files,encryption algorithms and personnel information and yes credit card numbers and our social security numbers.

Although having the best Firewall or AntiVirus Software are still not a surefire way of filtering what's coming in in our internet connection, it still helps to have one installed. Aside from this, here are some of the practical things we should remember to protect our personal information:

Do not instantly open e-mail attachments from unknown senders. Spam e-mails are the common carriers of viruses.

Do not provide any confidential information through e-mails, Instant Messages or Chat Messages because they are not safe.

Always make sure that you know your website's security. Check if the screen's address bar changes from "http" into "https".

Make sure that you only give email passwords, computer passwords to the people you COMPLETELY trust. Even your family members who are closest to you should be informed not to write or save the pertinent information on the computer.

Do not believe in chain letters which are, believe me, still very active nowadays. They usually tease you that when you forward you would get rewards. Anything which seems to be too good to be true, is probably not true.

Anna Lorraine Miranda-Baysa is a 30-year-old mother of two and currently lives in Makati City, Philippines. She has been a constant journal-keeper for more than a decade, thus, enhancing her love for writing feature articles. She had served as a Features Editor in high school, a Contributor in their college schoolpaper as well as in their Church Institute Newspaper. Other than this, she worked as a disc jockey/ newscaster in a local radio station for five years. As a fledgling writer, she would like to concentrate on topics of Photography, Motherhood, Friendship and Love. She is currently working on her very first novel,too.

[techguy]

nice article thanks for posting this