protecting yourself online. viruses, trojans, & worms computer viruses are the "common...

Protecting Yourself Online

VIRUSES, TROJANS, & WORMS

Computer viruses are the "common cold" of modern technology.

One e-mail in every 200 containing a virus.

Virus-scanning company MessageLabs said it stopped 9.3 million viruses in 2 billion e-mails last year, which equated to one virus in every 215 e-mails.


VirusA computer program that replicates by attaching itself to another object.

Trojan HorseA program with hidden destructive functionality.

WormA computer program that replicates independently by sending itself to other systems.


HOW DO WE GET INFECTED?

Email

Sharing Floppies & CDs

Downloading Warez

Peer To Peer File Sharing (Napster, Kazaa)

Back Alley Websites

Instant Messaging

And finally as of lately…

Just connecting to the InternetProtecting Yourself Online

August 2003

Blaster, which zeroes in on the Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems, has been timed to attack a Microsoft security website distributing the patch needed to stop the worm in its tracks before it hits millions of users. It was ultimately derived from a package created by a Chinese group called Xfocus.


Infections spread at a steady rate, with the worm taking over 30,000 systems per hour

during peak times.

The new infections rate peaked around 11pm on Monday, with over 68,000 new infected IP addresses appearing in that hour.


SATELLITE BASED HIGH speed internet provider Direcway, reports that its customers are running a 10-20% infection rate.

Direcway's service was effectively unusable for almost 2 weeks.

Direcway has cut off service to all of their customers with the blaster virus, in order for their network to survive.


So How Does That Affect Me?• Render your computer useless

• Delete your files

• Use your computer against others (possibly legal trouble for you)

• You could lose Internet privileges.

• Gain important personal information about you (passwords, finances, etc)


If configured incorrectly, a file-sharing mechanism can share far more than you intend.

Once a worm or virus has control of your machine, it can use file-sharing and transmission features to send your personal information to a malicious third party or to propagate itself.

CERT/CC indicate that tens of thousands of systems have recently been compromised in this manner.

Instant Messaging Dangers…


•Keep IM within the firewall.

•Install a gateway product.

•Encrypt messages.

Block file transfers.

Instant Messaging Dangers…


• The Virus test: Does this email contain a virus? To determine this, you need to install and use an anti-virus program

The KRESV test for Email• The Know test: Is the email from someone that you know?

• The Received test: Have you received email from this sender before?

• The Expect test: Were you expecting email with an attachment from this sender?

• The Sense test: Does email from the sender with the contents as described in the Subject line and the name of the attachment(s) make sense?


Password Defenses


Protection

Use a combination of characters, numbers and, if possible, symbols. Alternate the capitalization, interchanging upper case with lower case.

Don't use common words.

Don't use proper names, names of family or friends.

Don't use the same password for everything.

Never give out your password to strangers.

Change passwords periodically.


Install Antivirus Software and Keep It Up To Date.

Activate full-time protection.

Make sure “All Files” are scanned.

Turn On Automatic Updating

Use a personal firewall – (Hardware/Software)

Keep regular backups of important data.

Keep your operating system up to date.

Be cautious of email attachments even if you know the sender.


Protection

FIREWALLS

An Internet Router, which is installed between your Internet connection and the rest of your network, protects your network by making your individual computers virtually invisible to the outside world


Protection


ProtectionSystem Updates

Questions?

protecting yourself online. viruses, trojans, & worms computer viruses are the "common...

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blaster virus

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computer program

sense test

received test

kresv test