Category: Networking Page 4 of 7

Top 10 Network Security Threats

On November 24, 2014

November 24, 2014

There are a number of security systems available that can help you protect your computer network from unauthorized access. However, there are a number of internal vulnerabilities, which are not commonly considered to be a threat, but have the potential to seriously infect your system.

Some of the common network security threats are:

USB Drives: These are one of the most common means of infecting a network. USB drives are small, inexpensive devices that can be used to share data between computers. Once a system is connected with a USB drive, most operating systems allow automatic running of programs, even the malicious ones.
Laptops and Netbooks: Laptops and Netbooks of people outside the company, if connected to company’s computer network can also transmit codes that can hamper the security of a network. These portable devices may also have many system codes running at the back end to search for and infect internal networks. These malicious programs can also provide an easy access to a company’s important information like salaries, phone numbers, addresses, medical records, employee passwords etc.
Wireless Access Points: These provide immediate access to the network to any user within the network range. With security vulnerability in wireless access points, hackers can penetrate a computer system to get hold of confidential information. Most of the wireless AP protocols such as WPA and WPA2 are susceptible to attacks if strong passwords are not used.
Miscellaneous USB Devices: Apart from USB drives, many other devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, scanners, printers, fax machines etc. also pose a threat to the security of a network by transferring infected files from one system to another.
Employees Borrowing Others’ Machines or Devices: Borrowing or sharing devices within the office can also cause an employee to inadvertently access restricted areas of the network. Thus, it is important that the passwords are strong and frequently changed.
The Trojan Human: These are attackers who enter the websites in the camouflage of an employee or a contractor. These types of swindlers are capable of gaining access to the secure area of the network, including the server room.
Optical Media: Just like the USB devices, optical media such as CDs or DVDs can also be used as a source of network infection. Once installed and run on a system, these portable storage devices can steal and disclose confidential data to other public networks.
Lack of Employee Alertness: Besides the intimidations from digital technology, the capacity of human mind to store information also poses a major threat to a network’s security. Employees should be alert to note who is around them when they log on to their system or while reading confidential documents in public places.
Smartphones: Today, phones are no less than mini-computers having the capacity to perform complex tasks. Hence, smartphones also pose the same security threat as a laptop, netbook or US devices.
E-mail: Emails are commonly used to communicate, send and receive files within the business networks. However, this facility can often be misused for malicious purposes. Confidential messages can certainly be sent to any outside target and many viruses can be transferred through emails.

Make sure you keep a note of all these potential threats and take the necessary steps to prevent your internal network from getting infected.

Online Security Tips For Youngsters

By centexitguy

On September 10, 2014

In Networking, Security

September 10, 2014

Internet has provided various means for youngsters to connect, share, explore and socialize with other individuals instantly. Social networking and social media sharing have become an important part of their daily lives. This has not only provided them ability to interact instantly but has also made them vulnerable and easy target for cyber criminals and hackers. Here we have jotted few security tips for younger generation that will help them to be safe and enjoy the social buzz to the most.

Keep computer system updated: Software companies keep updating their products to address potential online threats. Therefore, computer systems should be regularly updated whenever updates are available or it should be configured to automatically update itself.

Enable Firewall: Firewall acts as a security layer between the computer and internet. It helps to keep hackers away from accessing personal information, stealing identity or destroying files from the computer.

Create strong passwords: Passwords for all online accounts should be strong enough and should contain letters, numbers and symbols. Users should also refrain from using same password on multiple sites.

Only use secure websites: While making online purchases, make sure the credit card credentials are processed through a secure connection, known as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). For this you can check for https:// (“s” in end of http means the page is SSL protected) in the URL of the page. Also it is advisable not to use public computers for any kind of banking activities.

Securing Wi-Fi hotspots: Before using free Wi-Fi hotspots, users should verify that it is a secure connection. Using Virtual Private Networks provides a layer of security by routing data to a separate and secure network when using public connection.

Protect against malicious software: Software programs downloaded from unsecure websites are designed to track user’s login details, monitor online activity and transmit confidential information. Software programs should be downloaded only from safe and familiar websites. Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus and other security software should be installed that detects the presence of bots and viruses in the computer system, thereby helping keep the computer system clean.

Be Social Media smart: Social networking sites let youngsters connect with friends, relatives or family members. However, friend requests should be filtered and only people who are known should be added into the inner circle. Also be selective in sharing information with Apps on social networks.

Not answering phishing mails: Chain mails claiming to be from a bank or individuals asking for bank details should never be answered. These are spam mails and should be immediately deleted.

Online security is an important issue; therefore one must stay vigilant while using the internet. These preventive steps can help to keep information safe and also provide a sense of security while browsing the internet.

Different Types Of Networking Cables

By centexitguy

On March 25, 2014

In IT Support, Networking

March 25, 2014

Though wireless network technology has evolved many folds, still people use wired networks at home and offices. They use cables as a medium to transfer information and communicate through networked devices. These cables do look similar to a naive; however, they are quite different. You must know what kind of cable you need for your LAN and for this; you must understand different types of cable available in the market.

Coaxial Cables
The Coaxed cables or coax are copper cables, which are a standard for 10Mbps Ethernet cables. Cable companies used these cables to connect TV sets with antennas. Even the telephone companies use these cables. Two major types of coax cable, which were used in 1980s and 1990s, were thinnet (10BASE2 standard) or thicknet (10BASE5 standard). These cables are widely used in office Ethernet and LANs. The cable has an inner copper wire of varied thicknesses, which is surrounded by insulation and other shielding.

Twisted Pair Cables
Twisted pair cables are made of two copper wires, which are twisted together to reduce electromagnetic field. These wires are often wound together in pairs. Ethernet twisted pair cables have up to 8 wires wound together in pairs. These wires were introduced during 1990s, starting with 10Mbps (Category 3 or Cat-3), which later on evolved as 100Mbps (Category 5 or Cat-5) and soon became high-speed 10Gbps wires. Twisted pair cables are of two types, Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) and Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP). Higher grade twisted pair is used in LANs as it is far cheaper than coaxial cable.

Fiber Optics
Fiber optic cables have made the dream of long distance calls, internet, and cable TV a reality. These cables transmit information through strands of glass and pulses of light. These cables can easily bend, as they are made of glass and are used in Wide Area Networks (WANs) where the communication traffic is high. Single mode and multimode are two types of fiber optics. Single mode fiber optics has higher bandwidth capacity; therefore, it is used in long-distance telecommunications networks. The local networks use multimode because they are cheaper.

USB Cables
USB cables have twisted pair wiring and are used to connect computer with peripheral devices such as mouse, keyboard, etc. They are not used for connecting a computer with another for networking. By using Dongles, an Ethernet cable can be easily connected to a USB port indirectly.

Crossover Cables
Crossover cables such as Null modem cables connect two similar devices, for example two PCs. It is constructed by crossing over the order of the wires so that it can connect two computers directly. It looks similar to regular Ethernet cable, so one needs to buy carefully.

We at Centex Technologies provide complete office computer networking solutions to our clients. For more information, call us at (855) 375-9654

Tips on Computer Networking For Small Office

By centexitguy

On January 10, 2014

In IT Support, Networking

December 10, 2013

Small office computing differs from enterprise networks, in having modest computing and networking requirements. A typical small office network consists of about a dozen computers and a few printers or scanners. The key requirement of such a network is that it should allow the users to share information and peripherals. A small office network usually requires a single LAN with one or two servers, which can be managed by a single person with technical expertise.

Enlisted below are some basic tips for networking for a small office:

The most important step to establish a small office network is to ensure as strong foundation for the network. This includes investing in business-grade switches and routers for the network.

You will also need to ensure scalability for the network. This will make it possible to easily add or remove computers from the network, as per the changing needs of your company, as well as additional features and functionality as required.

It is a good idea to have built-in redundancy for your network, to ensure a good backup system for your network.

Opting for wireless access could enable a great deal of freedom for your small office network, through the use of devices like Wireless Laptops, P.D.A’s, printers, and cameras. It could also be useful in the event of having to set up a temporary office, where network access was not originally planned. The decreased use of cables also makes the office environment safer. However, wired networks offer the advantages of being more reliable, having a lower cost and offering faster connection speeds.

Some essential features that you should opt for include Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video surveillance, integrated messaging, and wireless applications.

It is advisable to use switches with inlet power, which will make them easier to install, use, and manage. While choosing features for your network, you should take into account their reliability and redundancy.

You can ensure prime security for your small office network by keeping the server room under lock and key, and ensuring that the VPN is administered internally. All the equipment and network gear should be password protected.

It is also advisable to use VLANs, which are LANs connected with a router. Public websites can be on a separate LAN secured by a firewall, and the servers can be on an individual LAN.

Tips On Planning A Big Office Network

By centexitguy

On October 11, 2013

In IT Support, Networking

October 8, 2013

The first step while planning a big office network is to evaluate the capacity needs of your current network. For this, you need to perform an inventory of all your network locations, which should include the available internet bandwidth, internet access type (VPN, DSL, etc.), and the location name. It is also important to take into consideration the building blocks of your office, which might influence the strength of a wireless network. You must consider the number of access points and bandwidth that your business will need to achieve the expected productivity gains. Along with this, you must also take into account the long-term maintenance of these access points, through centrally-managed controller appliances.

Once you have decided on the number of WLAN access points for your large business, you need to determine the power requirements of these access points, which is usually less than 15 watts. You can consider using power injectors placed along the line within 100 meters, as these provide greater flexibility than conventional power sources.

The next important consideration should be the security of your network. This is critical, considering that you depend on your network for a vast majority of your business functions, including communication, billing, inventory, sales, and trading. A network security breach could cost you heavily in terms of lost revenue and customer litigation.

While it is important to ensure that your network is highly secure, you must ensure that the security of the network does not come in way of its usability. Having a well-drafted network security plan is a good way to ensure effective network security. This should include all the major aspects of network security, such as email and communications activities, identity policy, remote access policy, encryption policy, password policy, antivirus policy, and acceptable use policy. Your network should be equipped with security technologies like firewall, Virtual Private Network (VPN), identity management, content security, and compliance validation.

Avoid interchanging home access points with multiple access points at the office. Even though these might be cheaper, they are likely to interfere with the seamless connection required at the workplace. Also, remember that just because an access point is at an easy location, does not mean it is the best location.

We at Centex Technologies design and implement computer networks for medium and large businesses. For more information call us at – (855) 375-9654