Running a business with your website causes many different types of scammers, phishers, hackers and other malicious attackers to come out of the woodwork. As a result, network security should be one of your top priorities. When managing network security, you must be proactive in revealing any potential threats that could or are emerging. This begins with a thorough assessment of your website and network.

Ensuring your network and website is secure can literally make or break your business. If your site is breached by a hacker and a customer is scammed, negative word of mouth experience travels great distances; far enough to put you out of business. Security also involves keeping the wireless network at your office or store secure.

Many issues can arise in an unsecured network. Users that do not adhere to the security policy often allow attackers compromise networks. There are many examples of high-profile, large companies falling victim to internet attackers and almost ruining their organization. A few examples include RSA Security, OpenBSD, NASDAQ, Playboy Enterprises and Cryptologic.

In these instances, attackers used the following methods:

• Compromising a poor configuration
• Utilizing traffic
• Attacking specific network component
• Abusing a network
• Accessing user account passwords

Attackers compromised a poor network configuration related to a target host by utilizing scripts and other publicly available exploits. Also, they compromised traffic by evading security measures and using network sniffing methods. Additionally, attackers targeted a specific network component utilizing customized malicious scripts

Furthermore, by abusing the network configuration or bypassing a shoddy firewall, they were able to access vital information from public folders. Finally, attackers accessed user account passwords to concede additional hosts where that user may have an account.

To fully protect your network, you need to ascertain the technical expertise or hire someone with that knowledge, adhere to a security policy and develop an incident response procedure. These will help you prevent most attacks as well as correctly respond to them when they do occur. Once again, it comes down to being proactive as opposed to reactive in these situations.

Network security is one of the most important areas to develop within your website. Having an air-tight security policy and procedures mixed with extensive technical knowledge is like having a tornado shelter at your home. You will be protected in the case of an incident by building a secure, air-tight entity.

The more normal to even more abnormal security problems on the internet are usually the effects of a lazy programmer that has left a loop hole unchecked somewhere. A lot of the time the web designers do not have that much time to get their project finished in the proper manner, therefore the security is most likely one of the last issues on their mind. This is why many of the ensuing problems are not noticed until they have caused a serious problem in the network of the program. There are various different solutions to preventing such a problem form occurring on your site.

PHP

One of the newer type of programming dialects that is getting more and more widespread among all of the new ones is PHP. PHP is most likely the simplest to use of all of the other dialects, because of this it is probably misused more and more by the less experienced web programmers to eliminate time which in turn expedites the process but leaves it faulty. PHP’s overwhelming simplicity and the little amount of learning that it takes makes the room for there to be many different insecurities in the software that is created.

Unsure Web Apps

Phishing techniques, identity theft, and any other way to mess up the the security server for an operating system are techniques used by hackers trying to get into a network. Nowadays the main concern of web hackers is getting into the administrative interface of someones website to have the ability to get into online databases and server files. Most web applications have loopholes and this is probably the most simple way for hackers to infiltrate the site. Though web applications make the work of a webmaster much simpler with the least amount of hassle, there is a price as there is with just about any tool that makes the work easier.

Looking for Your Own Workers

Because web applications all have direct accessibility to ones site administrative functions, the applications can be used for many different atrocious acts, and also have direct access to the control panel of your sight. For an online business owner, this could ruin their business. To avoid this situation try to not use any new web applications that come from an unreliable source. Instead of using a web application for an over populated site, try using a personal developer that is qualified better for assisting you in making custom web applications.

Conclusion

Though the PHP dialect is very quick and efficient there are still many flaws if not used properly or not used by the right person. If the proper steps are take then the end result should be suitable to fit the users needs.

Businesses using VeriSign are now covered throughout the buying process. From search to browse to purchase, customers are protected from the hazards of online shopping with the addition of new trust enhancements. The best aspect of this technology for businesses is that it’s free to use.

The new features include:

• VeriSign Seal-in-Search
• Daily website malware scans

These new features allow webmasters to deliver trust from the beginning of the process to the end while displaying the most trustworthy logo in the industry: VeriSign. With an ever-increasing number of malicious attacks, this technology is a huge advancement for internet security.

The VeriSign Seal-in-Search feature lets those sites that utilize VeriSign SSL stand out during search engine queries. Users will immediately see the VeriSign logo in the search next to the site in the search results, shopping sites and online listings to indicate their protection and give the consumer more trust. VeriSign is collaborating with comparison shopping sites, listings and many different consumer-based websites.

A recent study conducted by online shopping center, TheFind.com discovered that search engine results displaying the VeriSign logo saw just under a 19 percent increase in click through traffic than those without. This shows consumers recognize and trust sites that display the VeriSign logo.

In addition to the Seal-in-Search and trust logo, VeriSign has also added a much needed daily website malware scanning feature. This will further protect the consumer from malicious attacks and hijackers. On the other hand, the scan prevents website owners from being attacked. The malware scans lessen the chance of a website being blacklisted by sensitive search engines.

The process is that the malware prevention service will notify customers when VeriSign determines a website is infected. VeriSign will also prove websites to customers that are infected which will be an indication to steer clear.

VeriSign has provided the strongest SSL encryption available commercially for many years. This ensures private consumer information is completely protected. Numerous Fortune 500 companies as well as some of the top banks in the world use SSL certificates to guarantee protection.

VeriSign is already by far the industry leader in consumer security. With the addition of these much-needed, fantastic features, consumers can remain at ease knowing their information is full protected from hackers, hijackers and malicious attackers. Additionally with Seal-in-Search, customers have many more secure options to complete their shopping needs.

Despite network technicians and programs that are monitoring for potential server attacks on shared hosting servers, it’s in the best interest of the client to follow several guidelines to ensure maximum protection. No security can ever be too much since wrongdoers always find a way to wreak havoc on information systems.

There are a few security measures that you can conduct to ensure the maximum safety of the server in which you are hosted upon. These include:

• Ensure your local computer is protected
• Use secure and encrypted connections
• Select strong passwords
• Ensure up-to-date web applications
• Verify permissions

The most important guideline is to ensure that your local computer is protected from spam, spyware and viruses. This will protect from any incoming threats from a shared server and also any outbound threats to the shared server. Antivirus software programs usually identify and fix any security holes as well as viruses and spyware.

The next tip is to use secure and encrypted connections. This will make it difficult for any offender to hack into your connection and thus your computer. Most providers have secure and encrypted connections, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Furthermore, using strong and difficult to crack passwords will help keep wrongdoers out of your personal files, folders and online accesses. This is especially important for banking and personal information. With so many clients hosted on a single server, it’s imperative to select robust passwords.

Ensuring that all web applications as well as software can be a data saver. Since patches and fixes are constantly released for most programs, by upgrading to the most recent update, you’re fully protected to the best of that programs ability. If there are security holes in a program, the developers may release a patch that will fix that issue guaranteeing proper security.

Finally, setting proper permissions for different accesses to a website or even your computer can protect against threats. Any root folders or files should not be available to the general public. The webmaster and a few others involved in the website should be the only users that have access.

Shared hosting has many benefits that make it an attractive option for many clients. Given that it’s the most widely used and popular type of hosting, there are many individuals on a single server which can cause serious threats. With these tips, you can protect your information and equipment to ensure safety.

Inboxes around the world are consistently clogged due to the massive amount of spam sent out each day. While spam filters and blockers eliminate a good portion of unsolicited emails, there are still many that slide through. As a result, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and the European community have all enacted different types of spam legislation.

Why is Spam Legislation Necessary?

Spam is said to make up over 65 percent of all email messages sent and received. The overall cost of spam to companies, internet service providers, individuals and email marketers is in the tens of billions of dollars. This cost factors in lost productivity, high bandwidth consumption, boosted storage costs and legal liabilities amongst employees.

Internet service providers suffer from a decrease in bandwidth and storage space and a decline in retention from unsatisfied customers leading to an overall loss of reputation among subscribers. In turn, these factors result in internet service provider operating costs to proliferate, thus increasing prices for the customer.

Furthermore, email marketers that run a legitimate operation must be constantly adjusting their business methods due to ever-changing regulations. Also, their product loses significant value because customers might believe their emails are also spam.

Three Major Pieces of Spam Legislation

There are three primary pieces of spam legislation setup by three different countries. These include:

• The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of  2003 (CAN SPAM) – United States
• The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulation 2003 (EC Directive) – United Kingdom
• The Spam Act of 2003 – Australia

CAN SPAM

CAN SPAM was designed in 2003 to limit the number of email spam messages since more than half of spam correspondence originates in the United States. This legislation forbids companies and individuals from distributing multiple email messages containing false header information, false identities, sexually-oriented material, address harvesting or hijacking various aspects of a computer system.