Encryption is also now being applied extensively in offices so if ever information does get out and falls into the wrong hands it is rendered useless without the proper cipher key. The use of military-grade encryption has random generators and multi level encryption technologies which were previously available only to the military forces. Hardware based encryption is also another developing technology where hardware components such as hard disks, network cards and other such peripherals are embedded with encryption technology on a chip thus preventing unauthorized data being useable that is transmitted or contained within them. All these technologies along with promising technologies in development such as faster multi-processors allow higher encryption levels without sacrificing performance as today�s technologies are limited to (the faster the processor, the faster the coding/decoding of information that would become almost unperceivable with future computers).

With the advent of VoIP or a revised name for a P2P (peer to peer) connection using the internet for use with voice calls while simultaneously sharing and moving file across the vast area that is the internet, more and more information that is within your computer and the information that you send through the net is at risk.
So what can we do to boost the already anti-virus protected environment that is the net and the data that may become lost? Traditionally IT experts and analysts have recommended the use of perimeter protection for a network which has sentinels or programs that defines who can access where and when. Data mining software, scans all the files on the network and determines who gets to see and use which and prevents data loss by storing them securely in servers. Software like InfoScape from the EMC Corp is just one of the many software products along with Kazeon Systems Inc.
The key is to de-centralize and distribute the security solution along with the files themselves which follows the approach that the traditional network with walls has been thrown out the window.

They also report that the amount of malware has increased significantly with them growing ever complex making it harder for industry to cope unless there is mass infections. The initial detection of a threat mobilizes emergency centers that these software company’s have who work against the clock to provide updates to their many registered subscribers which they send updates to once they have the cure. They also send out updates to virus signature databases which allows the anti-virus, Intrusion detection and Prevention Systems to counter attacks by letting them recognize them hopefully in time to prevent mass infection.

Previously we discussed the importance of having an intrusion detection system to handle the growing number of attacks on corporate networks with Intrusion Detection Systems. A better solution would be to give some form of control to the detection system giving it teeth to execute actions that would prevent intrusion such as denying access or deleting errant file attachments. This comes in the form of Intrusion Prevention Systems which have the ability to detect, analyze and take appropriate action as programmed to do so by the systems administrators who then gets a detailed report on what was done. This allows them to review and take further action if the file was simply quarantined and not deleted by the system. They can then be submitted to the software vendor so they can analyze and formulate a solution to the threat providing feedback to prevent further infections.

This stiffer action when handling data includes high costs for as good as encryption systems are, they also cost a lot of money. Most have the cash to spend as in Europe and most of the Developed world but what of the millions in the developing world, should they suffer just because they could not afford the high-tech solutions available to countries and economies that have the cash to spend? That may be the case but remember that the internet connects us all in one big network and any holes in one side, is a hole in the whole net.

The IT industry hailed the coming of the social network as the next step in the evolution of the internet, and it truly is. But as much as we spend more time on our computers in the office and even when we get home, we expose ourselves to more and more threats, more than we could handle. In Europe, the trend in crime has moved into the mainstream internet with many crime organizations shifting from risky manual labor to safer online communications and operations. The various security leaks that resulted in millions of personal records being either lost or stolen have mounted to immeasurable levels the British government had to enforce stiffer data management protocol.

Apple Inc is under fire from industry experts for it’s actions in the delivery of their new web browser for Windows, Safari 3.1. Why all the fuss, they used the auto update functions of iTunes and QuickTime to install the software without the knowledge of users. This is criticized as a practice that borders on malware and should be avoided at all costs. Users must be informed of what and when updates are to be installed however the minimal effects it could have on a user’s computer system. Let’s call it full disclosure as this post in the IT Security Blog points out, software developers do this as a standard practice maybe because they’re ashamed to admit they have made such an elementary error for such a long standing and respected developer. The auto update feature of most software is placed there to facilitate the updating and patching of software without the need for user intervention which can be quite annoying if there were a lot of software products installed on your computer. The risk is highlighted by this incident which I’m sure is not the only incidence of such activities.

The House of Representatives of the US have raised questions regarding possible danger scenario’s which could become problematic with the US Federal government’s plan to distance government networks from the rest of the internet. The move coined “The Cyber Initiative” would dramatically block out links to government sites in hopes of beefing up security as they are come of the most attacked sites on earth. This would come in the form of more data monitoring systems on government web sites aimed at preventing malicious cyber-attacks. The government has done so along with the implementation of full disclosure which re-defined the way and period information should be made available to them upon request. More on this matter, this is a move to beef up homeland security which is seen by many as restrictive but is argued to be an initiative that is essential for Homeland Security.

Imagine the case of the botnets that Microsoft says they have ended, they were the same programs initiated and running constantly for many years before people even found them and found ways of disabling them. They were running all the time and nobody raised a finger to get them off-line because, they were driving the IT security industry to some extent. That is paradoxical for the IT security industry is alive because of these threats. Old ones revived with new routines and made to do more mischief, stealing information, credit card numbers and more. The cyber-world may be more secure but as long as people are at the helm, there will be holes and these holes will be seen and used for profit, sometimes by the people entasked with providing security themselves.

As sad as it may be, cyber criminals are an integral part of our online society as criminals are part of our real world. This is what a whitepaper on Information Week says and to some extent this is true for as long as there is opportunity, there are those that will seize them for their own benefit. Virtual crime is becoming a real headache for security experts worldwide and they’re not just dumping tons of spam on your mailbox, they’re taking information right from under your nose without you even knowing it. Phishing, Vishing and malware all share a common trait that any weakness is quickly discovered and turned into a money making venture. Cyber criminals are quite difficult to apprehend for unlike real criminals that leave behind DNA and other stuff for forensics to take on and analyze, these cyber-criminals operate with utmost anonymity.