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Wing IT shares home INFOSEC tips

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Robert W. Waterman
  • 315th Airlift Wing
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. --  The convenience of the Internet is prevalent in our everyday activities, from research to banking, communication and trip planning; we rely on the internet today more than ever.

Just twenty years ago, the internet, as we know it today, was still in the developmental stage. It was established in 1990, used primarily by universities for information sharing.

Although the internet was developed early on, it was not made accessible to the public until 1993 and it was not easily navigated by the common user. Because the internet is so commonplace, we the user, need to protect our personal information and be aware of the dangers and threats that may invade our systems.

Following are some threats to look for:

Phishing -- Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to solicit personal information by posing as a trustworthy organization, i.e. charitable organizations, reputable credit card companies or financial institutions.

Trojan horse -- Trojan horse programs are a common way for intruders to trick you (sometimes referred to as "social engineering") into installing "back door" programs. These programs can allow intruders easy access to your computer without your knowledge, change your system configurations or infect your computer with a computer virus.

Malware -- Malware is short for "malicious software;" it includes viruses - programs that copy themselves without your permission - and spyware, programs installed without your consent to monitor or control your computer activity. Criminals are hard at work thinking up creative ways to get malware on your computer. They create appealing web sites, desirable downloads, and compelling stories to lure you to links that will download malware, especially on computers that don't use adequate security software. Then, they use the malware to steal personal information, send spam, and commit fraud.

Computers may be infected with malware if they:
  • Slow down, malfunction, or display repeated error messages
  • Won't shut down or restart
  • Serve up a lot of pop-up ads, or display them when you're not surfing the web
  • Display web pages or programs you didn't intend to use, or send emails you didn't  write.

Denial of service (DoS) -- This type of attack causes your computer to crash or become so busy processing data, that you are unable to use it. In most cases, the latest patches will prevent the attack.

Intruders will frequently use compromised computers as launching pads for attacking other systems. An example of this is how distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) tools are used. The intruder install an "agent" (frequently through a Trojan horse program) that runs on the compromised computer awaiting further instructions. Then, when a number of agents are running on different computers, a single "handler" can instruct all of them to launch a denial-of-service attack on another system. Thus, the end target of the attack is not your own computer, but someone else's -- your computer is just a convenient tool in a larger attack.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing-- Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing allows users to share files online through an informal network of computers running the same software. File-sharing can give you access to a wealth of information, but it also has a number of risks. You could download copyright-protected material, pornography, or viruses without meaning to. Or you could mistakenly allow other people to copy files you don't mean to share.

Another security issue to think about relates to children and the internet. With young people born into a tech-savvy environment, equipped with touch-screen devices and on-line, interactive games, it is important to educate both parents and children on cyber security.

OnGuardOnline.gov is a federal government website devoted to providing educational tips to secure your computer, assist in preventing online fraud and protecting personal information. Their Net Cetera campaign targets parents and children in addressing information and resources to help children make safe, smart choices while surfing online. The site is chock-full of free resources for parents to help educate themselves and their children on the most pertinent internet security topics.

While it is important to be mindful of our surroundings on a daily basis in the physical world, we must also be mindful and vigilant in the online world we live in today.

For more information on the topics discussed in this article, visit the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team website www.us-cert.gov or www.onguardonline.gov.  

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