What is a Firewall Anyway?

5.3 Recognize online risks and dangers in order to take appropriate actions to protect the business and self while using digital tools and resources.

When you finish watching the slide show create 20 relevant questions. You should have 10 fill in the blank questions, 5 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions. Save your questions as 13.2 Internet Security Reading Questions in your directory. Don’t forget to provide the answers! Print one copy with an answer key.

What is a firewall?

• A firewall is a network security device positioned between two different networks, usually between

an organization’s internal, trusted network and the Internet (similar to a moat around a castle)

Moat- A deep wide ditch, usually filled with water, typically surrounding a fortified medieval town, fortress, or castle as a protection against assault.

What does a Firewall do?• A firewall ensures that allcommunications attempting to crossfrom one network to the other meet anorganization’s security policy.

• Firewalls track and controlcommunications, deciding whether toallow, reject or encryptcommunications.

• In addition to protecting trustednetworks from the Internet, firewallsare increasingly being deployed toprotect sensitive portions of local areanetworks and individual PCs.

Why do you need a Firewall?

• Organizations around the world areembracing the Internet and Internettechnologies to forge new andbeneficial business relationships

• Firewalls help organizations balancethe openness of the Internet with theneed to protect the privacy and integrityof sensitive business communications.

What is Spyware & Adware?

• They are independent programs that can be automatically installed when you surf throughout the internet or when you install free software.

What is Spyware?

• Advertising companies use Spyware to “mine data” to further help them advertise better.

• Uses your Internet connection and reports statistical data about you and your surfing habits to a 3rd party.

• Violates your privacy.

• And it is a completely Legal program!

What is Adware?

• Adware are created by advertising companies.

• Comes in the form of pop-ups, unexplained advertising programs on your computer desktop like “Casino Night”.

• Advertising companies hope to generate money from customers who receive the pop-ups or unexplained programs on their computers

• Also a Legal program!

How does Spyware/Adware work?

• Spyware and Adware programs have a tendency to hide as cookies or temporary Internet files

• Adware startup has the tendency to hide itself in the register keys as a normal program.

How to detect you computer has spyware or adware…

• Continuous pop-ups

• Persistent change in your homepage

• Slower computer processing, takes the computer longer to process or startup

Extreme symptoms of spyware or adware

• Internet browser does not start up.

• Parts of your computers you cannot access without freezing.

• Major core data is lost or changed.

What programs are there to help get rid of those programs?

• Out of many programs out in the Internet that were created to detect spyware/adware, four programs were chosen for this presentation… They are:

1. Spybot Search and Destroy

2. Ad-aware 9.0

3. Symantec Anti Virus

4. Spysweeper

Recommendations

Preventing spyware and adware from getting onto your computer is your first step!

– Do not download unnecessary software from the Internet especially free ones because they most likely have adware or spyware inside them.

– If a download screen appears, asking you to confirm your download, click no if you are not trying to install anything.

– Avoid clicking advertised pop-ups especially ones that mention “free” stuff if possible.

Recommendation• Technical Recommendation

– Some adware/spyware files like to hide in the temporary Internet folders.

– Disable saving of temporary files by going to Program Files, control Panel, Network and Internet Connections, Internet Options, Temporary Internet Files Settings, Check Never under “Check for New Version of Stored Pages”

– Constantly delete old temporary files and cookies by going to Program Files, Control Panel, Network and Internet Connections, Internet Options, Delete cookies and Delete Temporary Files

– Remember though, adware and spyware can be tricky, no matter how cautious you are, there are bound to be adware or spyware programs that install into your computer.

• Always constantly scan your computer for adware and spyware and keep your adware/spyware killer programs fully updated at all times

References

Justin Leung, What to do w/ Spy ware and Adware, http://www.lbl.gov/cyber/systems/spyware_adware.ppt#257,2,Table of Contents

Firehouse Networks, (2009), What is a firewall? http://www.itconsultantschicago.com/techtips3.asp