The risks of conducting online transactions are not new to both common Internet users and online corporations alike. However, not all are equipped with the knowledge and resources to protect themselves from those risks. Internet security then has been a top priority of the I.T. industry and many programs and applications are being developed to ensure this. But what exactly does Internet security protect one from?
The following are challenges that Internet security strives to address.
1. To filter or remove inappropriate or profane materials such as pornography, racial intolerance and copyright infringed materials.
Since the Internet is user-oriented, most of the information that go through it are unfiltered. Commonly, a lot of these information may include inappropriate material which are not conducive for the workplace, classroom or home. More importantly, for minors, they might be exposed to information that will compromise their safety, their morality and etc. Pornography especially, may stir the loss of productivity among employees and it may even lead to the possibility of sexual harassment cases due to provocation by the material.
2. To protect from hackers and Identity thieves
Hackers can get valuable information through almost any means. The danger of these thefts not only compromises the user's confidential information, often times, it compromises their lives as well. Take Identity theft for example. Once user's identities have been stolen online, it may be hard for them to apply for loans, scholarships, credit grants and etc. A company's success may also be compromised once hackers steal information from its private network. It may result to financial loss.
3. To protect against viruses, spyware, adware and other types of malware that may compromise user information security
Viruses are a type of malware that invade one's computer system and duplicates itself within it. They are destructive especially to the user's files and they're typically used by hackers to steal information from a computer. Viruses are usually embedded in emails or websites. They are currently the greatest threat to Internet Security because of its evasiveness and it is currently on the rise.
4. Protection from DoS (Denial of Service Attacks).
Denial of Service Attacks or DoS, are made to deny access to a networked resource. DoS usually crash servers by engulfing the network with ample traffic that degrades service. These DoS attacks prevent a network from performing normal activity efficiently. They make productivity almost impossible by continuously overriding the networks.
5. Protection from active content, such as ActiveX and Java.
ActiveX, a programming language that embeds small programs in web pages, are typically not considered secure to allow into a network. This is because it paves the way for malicious programmers to write controls that may compromise user information security like deletion of files or obtaining of files. Java is another program that embeds small programs, called applets, in web pages. It usually is considered safer than ActiveX but nevertheless, it is best filtered out for more security and because there have been many instances of bugs in these safety mechanisms.
Tina L. Douglas is a skilled writer from California. With numerous experiences in the field of writing for several financial institutions, she is greatly qualified across a variety of economic issues. Her notable pieces of writing involve internet security software.
