 |
Net Gains (Jan 10, 96)
|
If being on the Net is all about sharing information with anyone & everyone who wants it, then why the fuss about security on the Internet ?? Because there are people, like Boris above, who want more than just passive information. The Internet connection through the WorldWideWeb (WWW) can be used by such seedy characters to cause havoc. There are those who, just for a few thrills, take on the avataar of digital vandals. There are other crackers who are hired by companies to steal vital business information and to cripple information flow. Unauthorised breaches by hackers could result in erasure of files or even planting of a deadly computer virus.
To keep network intruders at bay, one common corporate security technique used is called a firewall. You could imagine the firewall to be an electrified fence. A firewall is a combination of hardware and software used to keep unwanted intruders from accessing a private network. An effective firewall ensures that all network traffic passes through the firewall, allowing only authorised traffic, and is immune to unauthorised penetration. So unless someone has a valid authority, they can't break into the network.
Banks are already on the WWW in the U.S.of America. People checking their accounts on the Net, wouldn't like it too much if there's someone miles away, peeping at information that they would like kept private. That's why there's so much concern about Net Security. A Web Browser is a tool used to surf the Internet - and web surfing is often an interactive two way communication process You often have to fill out forms giving personal details, credit card number (when subscribing, or ordering Net goodies), and other confidential information. When you submit the form, the Web Browser sends the information to the destination computer network. In case a hacker is eavesdropping on your Web session, it's no big deal for him to intercept and read the data you just transmitted. Imagine waking up one morning, only to find out that someone's used your credit card (while it was physically with you all the time ) to buy his lady- love a flashy car !! That's why, at the time of submitting any form, the Browser warns you that it may not be safe for you to transmit the information. You then have the choice of carrying on with sending the information at your own risk.
Most Net Browsers today, try to keep your information from falling into the hands of digital vandals by using some one of two forms of security support to encrypt your data. One technique is called Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (SHTTP), and the other is called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). They function at different levels, and encode the data, giving your session some semblance of privacy.
Another kind of security breach is the Data Driven Attack. Also known as letter bombs, the act of opening and viewing the received information activates the attack. The consequences vary from erasing your files to corrupting your hard disk. You can call this upon yourself by unwittingly downloading files from seemingly harmless documents and software from the Internet. For instance, while trying to get a recipe from the Net for your Mum, you could, inadvertently, end up cooking trouble for yourself.
Cypherpunks (or hackers) are so proud of their achievements, that they have a home page on the Net. They go under the company name DigiCrime Inc., and they advertise their various services on the Net at : http://www.digicrime.com. I visited them there, and got the shock of my life seeing the blatant advertising. At the end of 15 minutes of heart-stopping reading, their last line revealed that the whole thing was a joke ! And a really good one at that !!