July 15

Stand on Guard
Security an increasing concern for business and personal PC users
Sun Review July 15, 2000

Computer security is an ever-increasing concern for both business and personal users. If your PC is your castle, you might consider placing an electronic moat around your computer system, especially if you spend a lot of time online or if you have an always-on high-speed Internet connection through cable or ADSL.

When you are connected to the Net, the Net is connected to you. Every day your computer system is under attack, from non-threatening intrusions such as cookies to more serious invasions or even malicious hacking attempts. Experts estimate that between 85% and 97% of intrusions are never detected.

The computer Emergency Response Team reported 9,859 hacking incidents in 1999, compared with 3,734 in 1998. In the first quarter of this year alone, 4,266 incidents were reported. Computer attacks have increased so much that many businesses are considering hacking insurance.

Security monitoring service Counterpane Internet Security Inc. announced Monday that it has teamed up with insurance house Lloyd's of London to offer Counterpane customers insurance against loss of revenue and valuable data due to network security breaches.

You may not be ready to hire Lloyd's of London, but here are some things you can do to protect your home or small business PC.

Software Protection:
Hackers can gain access to your computer through weaknesses in your software, either to steal information, infect your computer with a virus or just vandalize your system. You can fight these attacks with firewalls. A firewall is a hardware or software solution for preventing unauthorized access to your PC.

Popular firewall software includes:

Norton Internet Security 2000 (www.norton.com) - a comprehensive, easy to use suite of utilities that includes anti-virus protection (Norton Anti-Virus 2000) and a firewall (Norton Personal Firewall). $90-$100.
McAfee.com Personal Firewall (www.mcafee.com) - a relatively simple but effective firewall handy for broadband users and anyone who already has a favorite anti-virus program. $50-$60.
BlackICE Defender (www.networkice.com) - a firewall and intrusion detection program that allows you to identify intruders and block attackers. $50-$60.
ZoneAlarm (www.zonelabs.com) - a standalone firewall that complements existing security programs, and specifically regulates communications from your PC to the outside. Free for personal use.

Linux users can also put up firewalls if they have some technical skills. ZDNet's Help & How-To experts at www.zdnet.com have a complete rundown on how to protect your Linux system.

Hardware Protection:
You can also use hardware to shield your system. If you manage a small LAN (local area network) at home or in a small business, broadband routers like Netgear's RT311 (www.netgear.com) or LinkSys' EtherFast Cable/DSL Router (www.linksys.com) will guard multiple PCs, or you can jump to a thin server like Cobalt's Qube 2 (www.cobalt.com).

Common Sense Protection:
Never overlook common sense! Always keep your anti-virus software up to date, make sure your browser has the latest security patches, and maintain control over your software. There's no point in living in a castle if you leave the gates open and the moat empty.