Foxleys Consultancy Limited

Now LANDesk Security Suite allows you to minimize network downtime and protect critical data, by almost instantaneously implementing security patches by using its active single console security management system. Utilize antivirus enforcement, quarantine, threat remediation, computer access restriction and more, to take complete control of endpoint security.

Stop Unprotected and or Infected Systems from Connecting

Now you can stop unprotected and or infected systems from connecting to your network system and also simultaneously provide protection for your business resources from connected systems that become infected while using your systems by way of “Trusted Access Technology” by LANDesk.

Patented Gateway Technology Only With LANDesk Solutions

You will only find Management Gateway Technology with LANDesk solutions. With this patented technology you can effectively manage your systems security on the Internet and by the way, this also includes users outside the parameters of your firewall in remote locations on the Internet. It allows you to quickly and expediently execute antivirus enforcement, patch antispyware and perform security threat management and block applications.

Easy and Simple Internet Connection

What’s more, virtually all Gateway technology contained in LANDesk is implemented by way of an easy and simple Internet connection. Understand that this means that no VIP or dedicated lease line is required. It really doesn’t get more simple and effective than that.

But Wait! – There’s Even More

Also high frequency and standard vulnerability scanning allows you to expediently identify application patch, OS and antivirus needs contingent entirely on your on your own level of needs and detail. A threat analyzer allows you to accurately identify configuration risks. Also custom scans allow users to define the exact conditions that were scanned for.

Gourd Your Systems in Real Time

With LANDesk Security Suites antispyware you can guard your systems in real time and it’s the result of the LANDesk data-base of key loggers, Trojans and other various malware. LANDesk technology also allows you to contain access to your network only to IP addresses, authorized networks and block communication with specific networks and controlled access to disc drives, ports and modems and communication channels.

Contained Antivirus Measures

Contained anti-virus measures allow you to manage your McAfee, Sophos, Norton, Trend-Micro or Symantec antivirus solution directly from your LANDesk Security Suite console. Additionally, you also have the option of enabling and configuring an XP 2 firewall from the console as well.

Assess Patch Needs and OS Applications

Assess patch needs and OS applications with the assistance of LANDesk Security Suites extended patch management. Also expediently research automatic patch distribution and maintenance. Also Targeted Multicast technology contained allows you to expedite patch deployments to multiple targets, while at the same time minimizing bandwidth required for total network traffic. All this with no required router or hardware reconfiguration.

Maintain Perfect & Secure Configurations

Keep and maintain perfect secure configurations with LANDesk Suite’s roll based policy based and administration tools. With them it is only you and you alone who can change your corporate security guidelines and policies with baseline configuration capabilities. Its reporting capabilities also include spyware reports, security policy and trend graphs. Also the LANDesk Executive Dashboard allows IT executives a clear and simple graphic perspective of all that is important in a business.

Top five strategies for combating modern threats:

Is anti-virus dead?

Changing environment and threat

The corporate IT environment has changed irrevocably over the last few years.

Threats are no longer high-profile viruses that spread themselves obviously to millions of internet users for maximum publicity. Now they are highly targeted, silently infecting computers to steal data and make money for criminals. They are increasingly surreptitious and low profile, mutating in hours or even minutes to evade detection.

At the same time, today’s working environment is rapidly changing. The network perimeter has dissolved to such an extent that it is virtually unidentifiable. Yesterday’s “castle and moat” architecture – with its office-based desktops and servers protected by a gateway firewall – has crumbled. Remote working, the use of endpoint devices such as USB sticks, constant internet access and the rapid emergence of Web 2.0 technologies have redefined how employees interact with an organization’s systems. In addition, increasingly complex networks must accommodate not just employees, but also outside contractors, vendors and customers.

The need for all points protection

Cybercriminals exploit any vulnerability they can find to infect corporate networks. Their latest tricks use countless loopholes in web security to get malware onto a user’s computer in seconds. One new infected webpage is discovered every five seconds, and over 90 percent of these pages are on legitimate websites that have been compromised.

Users are duped into visiting these compromised websites, typically via links in spammed emails. There can be layers of complexity with the original website going to another site and that in turn going to a third, and so on, ending with a Trojan being downloaded onto the user’s computer – all of this happening in a matter of seconds.

The task of securing the network against this and other exploits – at the web, email and endpoint – is a daunting challenge for today’s IT departments who are being asked to do more and more with their constrained budgets.

Reducing the attack surface

Within this new threat environment, and as attitudes to work and information continue to evolve away from those of the past, organizations have become more aware of the acute need to control all points on the network to protect its data and systems from criminals. However, the speed with which new threats emerge and infect means that defenses are often inadequate and usually out of date.

Protection versus detection

While much can be achieved by user education and enforcement of acceptable use policies – for example, banning unencrypted laptops and USBs from being taken out of the office, or stipulating what can and cannot be sent by email1 – there is need to take a different approach to technology in order to reduce the attack surface and protect the network, systems and data from malware.

In addition to the ability to detect, there are several criteria that need to be taken into account to ensure ongoing manageable protection. The key strategies are highlighted below.

STRATEGY 1

Maintain traditional anti-virus protection

Totally reliable malware detection remains at the core of any security solution, and updates created by security vendors from samples of particular viruses still form the basis of efficient detection.

Issues of manageability and automation are important – anti-virus will only protect the network if it is correctly configured, deployed and updated across the whole network, and new computers logging on to the network need to have anti-virus software installed immediately and automatically.

So while organizations need to take other approaches into account too and use other technologies, powerful traditional anti-virus protection remains crucial. It is relying solely on the traditional reactive approach that is no longer adequate.

STRATEGY 2

Proactively protect the network

Traditionally, protection against malware and spam was created by security vendors collecting samples of particular viruses and spam, and then developing specific protection. Today this method is simply too slow and inadequate – there are too many targeted threats and they mutate too rapidly. For example, SophosLabs sees over 20,000 new malicious samples every day. Such large volumes of rapidly mutating malware require proactive, zero-day protection, to protect against threats that the vendor has not yet seen or analyzed.

Anatomy of a threat

Here is how a significant number of infections are achieved:

• As part of a highly targeted spam campaign, a user gets an email from a hijacked computer.
• The spammed email includes nothing more than a subject line and a link to an infected website.
• This is a legitimate site so the user is not suspicious and clicks on the link.
• Using a vulnerability to install, a Trojan is immediately downloaded onto their computer.
• Their computer sends confidential data to the hacker.
• The hacker also uses the newly hijacked computer to send out more spam campaigns.

This proactive protection can be achieved through behavioral analysis, a HIPS-like* technology that aims to stop malware before a specific detection update is released, by monitoring the behavior of code – not just when code is run, but also beforehand:

Pre-execution analysis – examines the behavior and characteristics of files before the file is run to find traits commonly found in malware.

Runtime protection – analyzes the behavior of files and processes as they are running, checking for suspicious activity.

An added advantage of strong proactive protection is that the number of individual threats that a research lab needs to analyze is reduced, enabling the rapid creation of new updates and protection where necessary.

STRATEGY 3

Use preventive protection

Network access control

A key weapon in exercising control to ensure security and productivity, is the assessment and management of network access. Finely controlled network access reduces the risk of infection by ensuring security policy is being complied with by all computers – not just those owned and managed routinely by the company but also those unmanaged guest computers connecting to the network.

By assessing and certifying systems before and after they connect to the network, network access control software can ensure compliance with policies, such as requiring all computers to have security software in place and properly configured, and operating system and application patches up to date. In this way organizations can enable safe access to the network, rather than simply blocking guests or maintain hugely inefficient pools of computers for contractors and partners to use.

Safe, effective web browsing

The need to control unauthorized endpoint access to the network is matched by the need to enable safe web browsing while preventing access to infected or inappropriate sites. Although the web has now become the key vector for online hacking attacks, as well as representing a drain on productivity for many businesses, the vast majority of businesses are unprotected against today’s modern web-based malware.

Solutions that offer reputation filtering, that is, that block websites known to be “bad”, provide some protection, but this is inadequate against “good” sites that have been hacked. Today’s threats require that the content itself is also checked – and all this without adversely impacting speed and efficiency.

STRATEGY 4

Control legitimate applications and behavior

Application control

Employees installing and using legitimate but unauthorized applications – such as Instant Messaging, VoIP, games, peer-to-peer file-sharing software, virtualization software, and unapproved browsers – are a real and growing threat. Not only can they introduce malware to the corporate network but they also seriously impact network and employee productivity and cause unnecessary support issues, and further security (and legal) risk if sensitive company or personal data is sent outside the company.

Restricting the use of these non-business-critical software applications narrows the threat vectors and is an increasingly important facet of an overall security policy. For maximum efficiency and return on investment it needs to be incorporated into the management and control features of an organization’s anti-malware solution.

Application whitelisting

Application whitelisting has been suggested as the modern solution to the challenge of protecting computers from unauthorized and malicious software. In this approach, known “good” applications form a whitelist and only this authorized software is allowed to run, in contrast to the traditional approach where “bad” applications (malware) are prevented from running.

The theory is that with application whitelisting, organizations do not need to rely on anti-virus companies to keep up with all the new malware released every day. While the approach has some merit, in reality it is just one of many technologies – such as anti-virus, HIPS and application control that need to be used to ensure comprehensive endpoint security.

STRATEGY 5

Control and encrypt devices and data

The protection of sensitive corporate data, especially in mobile computing, is more important than ever. The news is filled seemingly daily with reports of company laptops, CDs and USB keys packed with confidential information falling into the wrong hands. By using device control you can prevent data being copied and stored on devices like these. However, the problem is that modern business practice often requires the use of such devices. An effective solution to this obvious security weak spot is encryption to ensure that, though the medium might be lost, the data itself is protected and that no unauthorized person can access it or the rest of their IT infrastructure.

By encrypting the entire contents of a hard drive, organizations can complement the operating system’s own mechanisms and safeguard the computer’s operating system along with its data, ensuring that no changes or unauthorized access can be made.

Is application whitelisting the magic bullet?

Application whitelisting – allowing only known “good” applications to run has both strengths and weaknesses as a solution to the problem of today’s threats.

Encryption software can also help avoid statutory public disclosure requirements and limit the liability associated with a data leakage incident as many data protection laws have been updated to accept appropriate encryption as an acceptable safeguard.

Strengths

A strategy which allows only good code to run is a very appealing concept.

Whitelisting is a valuable approach for locked-down parts of organizations, where there are already strong restrictions on what applications can be used and where those applications rarely change, for example Point of Sale (POS) terminals in retail outlets, or servers performing a limited, core set of functions.

Weaknesses

Application whitelisting does not deal with types of malware protection needs that depend on subverting known good applications, including script malware running in browsers, macro viruses in Office, buffer overflows.

If malware evades detection by a whitelisting solution, cleaning up the infection is a major task.

The whitelisting vendor has to keep up with every release of a good application, as well as custom applications.

Administrators need to know exactly what they want to allow in order to define policy and have to maintain at least some of the whitelist themselves.

When the policy is defined, there is still a major challenge in identifying and maintaining the list of authorized applications, without impacting user or IT staff productivity.

Strategy support through vendor expertise

Underpinning the technology of any security software solution is the vendor’s expertise, experience and understanding of the threat environment. The beginning of this paper demonstrated the complexity and blended nature of today’s threats. A vendor with truly integrated visibility of spam, virus and web-based threats will be able to ensure the rapid response needed to combat new threats. In addition, just as analysis needs to reach across all threat types and technologies, so does the support offered by help teams.

Conclusion

Although traditional antivirus protection remains the cornerstone of reliable security, modern threats require solutions that go beyond this, providing proactive protection against fast-moving, zero-day malware. The wider issues of controlling network access, web browsing and applications need to be addressed by organizations as a matter of urgency, and the importance of encryption in securing corporate data needs to be understood and acted upon. Finally, organizations need to ensure that their vendor has the cross-threat expertise both in its labs and in its support teams, to make the solution cost-effective and successful.

Network security requires constant care and monitoring. With Nsauditor Network Security Auditor, Systems Administrators are able to gather a wide range of information from all the computers in the network without installing server-side applications on these computers. It is a multi-purpose tool designed to scan networks and hosts for vulnerabilities, and to provide security alerts.

Nsauditor Network Security Auditor significantly reduces the total cost of network management in enterprise environments by enabling IT personnel to audit and monitor remote network computers for possible vulnerabilities. The software network auditor module checks network for all potential methods that a hacker might use to attack it, discovers network services and checks them for vulnerabilities.

Nsauditor is a complete networking utilities package ( more than 45 network tools in one ) that includes a wide range of tools for network auditing, scanning and monitoring. The product contains a built-in database of known network security vulnerabilities, which allows you to select the items for scanning and add custom entries. Nsauditor can discover NetBios names, audit MS SQL servers, scan for common Adware traces, discover services, devices, processes, installed applications, disks, shared resources, hardware resources, users, local groups and much more. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor has a centralized network monitoring interface, which allows to monitor the entire network from a single computer.

Nsauditor Network Monitoring module shows you detailed listings of all TCP and UDP endpoints on your system, including the owning process name, remote address and state of TCP connections, country of origin and service name/description. When you start Nsauditor it will enumerate all active TCP and UDP endpoints, resolving all IP addresses to their domain name versions. You can close established TCP/IP connections by right-clicking on a connection and/or request IP address whois information or trace route.

Nsauditor “Adware Scanner” tool scans network computers for common Adware traces. Adware Scanner searches system registry and gives you a quick look at the Adware, malware and spyware installed on your computer or in the range of network computers. Using colored icons Adware Scanner shows harmful objects.

Removable devices create additional challenges for network security protection. Portable storage devices can be used both to download confidential data as well as to introduce a virus into the company network. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor “Removable Explorer” tool gives IT staff more control over unauthorized and dangerous removable devices ( USB device, CD-Rom and DVD ) by allowing them to scan the network for all removable devices that are connected to any one of the network computers. Removable Explorer displays remote network computer USB devices, CD-Rom, DVD drive or other removable storage device information and state, drive type, first and last plug in time, serial number, revision, device name, device vendor and more.

Nsauditor performs event log based intrusion detection, monitors the security event logs of Windows 2000/XP/2003 servers or workstations and notifies of the possible intrusions/attacks by using E-mail, Net Send, Speech Recognition method or by playing user selected voice file.

In summary, Nsauditor Network Security Auditor is a very complete network tools package for a surprisingly low price.

Application Info: http://www.nsauditor.com/downloads/index.html

Application Screenshot: http://www.nsauditor.com/images/screens/nm1.jpg

Download URL: http://www.nsauditor.com/downloads/nsauditor_setup.exe

About Nsasoft

Nsasoft is a provider of Network Information and Security Utilities. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor, BlueAuditor, ShareAlarmPro and SpotAuditor are used at thousands of companies and organizations. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor is one of the most widely used Network Security Audit and Information Utilities. Nsasoft offers Network security software for remote network monitoring and management, network status and performance monitoring, computer protection and internet security systems. For more information about Nsasoft, visit http://www.nsauditor.com

July 29, 2006 (Nsasoft) — Major new features of Nsauditor Version 1.3.7 include firewall system that allows to stop internet threats and block unwanted network connections. With Nsauditor Network Security Auditor, Systems Administrators are able to gather a wide range of information from all the computers in the network without installing server-side applications on these computers. It is a multi-purpose tool designed to scan networks and hosts for vulnerabilities, and to provide security alerts. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor significantly reduces the total cost of network management in enterprise environments by enabling IT personnel to audit and monitor remote network computers for possible vulnerabilities. The software network auditor module checks network for all potential methods that a hacker might use to attack it, discovers network services and checks them for vulnerabilities. Nsauditor is a complete networking utilities package ( more than 45 network tools in one ) that includes a wide range of tools for network auditing, scanning and monitoring. The product contains a built-in database of known network security vulnerabilities, which allows you to select the items for scanning and add custom entries. Nsauditor can discover NetBios names, audit MS SQL servers, scan for common Adware traces, discover services, devices, processes, installed applications, disks, shared resources, hardware resources, users, local groups and much more. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor has a centralized network monitoring interface, which allows to monitor the entire network from a single computer. Nsauditor Network Monitoring module shows you detailed listings of all TCP and UDP endpoints on your system, including the owning process name, remote address and state of TCP connections, country of origin and service name/description. When you start Nsauditor it will enumerate all active TCP and UDP endpoints, resolving all IP addresses to their domain name versions. You can close established TCP/IP connections by right-clicking on a connection and/or request IP address whois information or trace route. Nsauditor “Adware Scanner” tool scans network computers for common Adware traces. Adware Scanner searches system registry and gives you a quick look at the Adware, malware and spyware installed on your computer or in the range of network computers. Using colored icons Adware Scanner shows harmful objects.

Removable devices create additional challenges for network security protection. Portable storage devices can be used both to download confidential data as well as to introduce a virus into the company network. Nsauditor Network Security Auditor “Removable Explorer” tool gives IT staff more control over unauthorized and dangerous removable devices ( USB device, CD-Rom and DVD ) by allowing them to scan the network for all removable devices that are connected to any one of the network computers. Removable Explorer displays remote network computer USB devices, CD-Rom, DVD drive or other removable storage device information and state, drive type, first and last plug in time, serial number, revision, device name, device vendor and more. Nsauditor performs event log based intrusion detection, monitors the security event logs of Windows 2000/XP/2003 servers or workstations and notifies of the possible intrusions/attacks by using E-mail, Net Send, Speech Recognition method or by playing user selected voice file. In summary, Nsauditor Network Security Auditor is a very complete network tools package for a surprisingly low price.

Earning a degree in homeland security can open more doors than you might think. While homeland security likely inspires images of government work, the budding industry spans a wide range of private sector careers.

“I’d say there’s not an industry or business out there today that’s not impacted by homeland security,” Rich Cooper, business liaison director at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, told Occupational Outlook Quarterly. Whether you want to work on the front lines of the war on terror or in the background infrastructure, careers in homeland security offer you the challenge you seek.

Average Federal Homeland Security Salaries
Government jobs within the Department of Homeland Security vary, from Coast Guard engineers to customs agents, law enforcement specialists to immigration officers. Here are a few average annual salaries for full-time workers in Federal government homeland security positions:

• Border patrol agent: $63,550
• Air traffic controller: $72,049
• Criminal investigating: $88,174
• Customs agent: $59,248

In addition to base pay, Federal employees may receive cash awards up to $25,000 for sustained high job performance or a special act of service. No career training program can guarantee a particular career or salary, of course, but hiring managers for competitive Federal jobs may prefer or require the formal training provided by a degree in homeland security.

Homeland Security Careers Outside the Federal Government
Private companies often partner with the government to provide goods and services under the heading of homeland security. Training in the field may qualify you for jobs in the private sector, which encompasses non-profit and for-profit groups. Here are just a few popular careers for trained homeland security professionals:

• Security consultants
• Private security
• Teachers/researchers
• Emergency management professionals

Training for Homeland Security Careers
Since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was created in 2001, training programs have evolved to meet the specialized needs of workers in the field. Required training varies widely by career–border patrol agents, for example, typically need a bachelor’s degree, one year of qualifying experience, or a combination of education and experience.

More technical careers may require a bachelor’s degree, while careers focusing more on physical security duties may only require coursework or an associate degree level of training. Typical coursework in a homeland security training program may include the following topics:

• Disaster response
• Psychology & crisis negotiation
• Conflict resolution
• Hazardous materials & weaponry

Research individual careers in the field to learn more about suggested training and coursework. Many degree programs cover a broad spectrum of homeland security issues, but some careers may require specific technical training.

Benefits of a Career in Homeland Security
Careers in homeland security may be hazardous, stressful, and difficult, and workers often take note of the unpredictable schedule, though many appreciate the variety. “It’s the diversity of each day that’s the best part of the job,” says State Emergency Management Director and Homeland Security Director Art Cleaves.

If you can rise to the challenge presented by a homeland security career, you’ll derive real job satisfaction from the knowledge that your actions make the nation safer every day.

For all your corporate security services, Golden Shield can provide an exceptional service at very reasonable rates, and have been doing just that by providing security services in the UK for many years. Since 1989 when our doors first opened into the world of security, Golden Shield have strived to become the best. Providing a large range of security services, our high level of repeat business and glowing testimonials all show that we have been able to become a leader in the field of all security systems services, and leave all our competition trailing behind. Out of all the security services in the UK we offer in particular our corporate security is second to none, and ranges from static security guards, mobile patrols and CCTV monitoring to outline just a few.

We only employ the best personnel to carry out our security projects, and our team here at Golden Shield are all SIA licensed and fully trained so you can feel secure knowing that all of your security needs are being met. We provide various security systems services to both large public organizations such as hospitals, banks and universities, as well as to smaller private businesses, companies and even individuals. The corporate security services include static guards, patrolling guards, retails guards and CCTV which can provide invaluable reassurance that all your security needs are being met.

Here at Golden Shield we believe that central to our success over the years has been our commitment to placing you the customer at the centre of all our projects. By ensuring that our customer is 100% happy and satisfied that the security method being implemented is both value for money and at an appropriate level, we have been able to build successful and long term business relationships with a wide variety of customers. For security services in the UK you will not find a company with more emphasis on customer satisfaction. If you would like an initial discussion of what corporate security services would be most suitable without any obligation, that is fine by us and look forward to your call. With no job ever being too large nor too small, our security systems services are designed to offer the perfect level of security and protection with minimum difficulty and most value for money possible.

Live security monitoring can give you the benefit of constant security over your home and business by way of your mobile phone. State of the art security technology has made it easier for you to view what is going on at your business or home using your mobile phone, saving you worry, money and even benefiting your employees.

And importantly, these new security monitoring systems alert you directly when they are triggered by an alarm event. You log-in to the system through your mobile phone and view live what is happening. You can even speak directly through the camera to an intruder using this new security technology! No more false alarms! No need for security patrols! You never have to be in the dark again when you are away from your business or home.

Every business owner knows that it is difficult to monitor what is happening at the business on a twenty four hour basis. Sooner or later, you have to take a break and entrust the business to others. But, can you be sure the people who you trust your business to are trustworthy?

If you install a traditional security camera, you might not be able to catch the culprits in action or it might be too late when you return from your break. With your live video security over your mobile phone, you can log-in and see what is going on in your business whenever you want 24/7 and wherever you are. This will potentially save you a lot of money and give you great peace of mind.

Live security monitoring not only protects you and your business from dishonest employees, it can also help your employees as well. If you see something happening that is endangering one of your employees, you can seek the appropriate remedy right away, even if your employee cannot see it or cannot get to a phone. Security monitoring keeps your employees safe. Data is easily downloaded on your computer for admissible evidence to assist authorities in prosecutions.

Live security monitoring can be used just about anywhere and is not just for business owners. Homeowners can have an added sense of security monitoring what is going on at home when they are away simply by using their live security video via their mobile phone. Because this type of security is easy to use, you are never truly away from home.

As well as providing security against home break-ins, parents can use this type of security monitoring in several other ways. For example, you can keep an eye on the babysitter when you go out, check on elderly family members at home when you are at work, or see how things are at home when you are away on holidays. Simply dial in on your mobile phone and view things directly yourself.

Although this type of security is used by homeowners and parents, business owners are finding it is something they cannot do without. Any business owner will tell you that they tend to lose money when they are not supervising the business on a constant basis. But, we all know this is impossible to do. By using security monitoring cameras linked for live mobile phone video access, business owners can watch the business easily whenever they want and even manage the business remotely. The security camera is installed in the business at appropriate locations to monitor specific risks. You simply need to log-in on your mobile phone and see what’s happening. It is very easy to use, even for a computer novice.

Both business owners and home owners no longer need to have security concerns about their property at any time. Security monitoring using video via the mobile phone can give confidence in all sorts of situations for home and business owners.

It’s strange how the network security policies in place at a company can actually damage, rather than enhance their security. Security measures which are too stringent can lead to employees going around security for convenience’s sake. Employees can actually create security vulnerabilities which your IT department may not be able to protect against; because they may be unaware that they exist!

Not long ago, I spoke with the business director of a large company (I’ll call her Susan). Her company’s IT department requires employee passwords for their network be at least eight characters in length and be comprised of a random mix of letters, symbols and numbers. She also must change her passwords every sixty days. While Susan goes along with the security policies put in place by her IT department, if you were to walk into her office, she has her logon password written right there on her desk – “Password: 1jy^hndT”.

The work environment in many companies these days involves understaffing, tight deadlines and long workdays. When you add yet another complication into the lives of already overworked employees, it is only natural that they choose convenience over security. You see everyone doing this; from the CEO on down to the temps. While it sounds like a good idea to have employees remember complex passwords, what happens in practice is that it slows things down and leads to security being circumvented.

The real problem isn’t the security policy; it’s actually a very sound one – it’s the way that it is implemented which makes it a problem. IT departments are prone to ignoring the human factor when they design security policies. Most people can’t remember two complex passwords; and many can’t even remember one! By making employees change their passwords every two to three months, they further complicate the situation and practically force employees to engage in insecure practices in order to get their work done while still complying with corporate security policies.

This gives management a false sense of security when it comes to network security, since they don’t even know where to look for potential problems. Let’s say that someone copies down Susan’s password and logs in as her – the network monitoring software simply accepts as fact that she is working at 3 am. These security systems will not be able to prevent these attacks until the damage has already been done.

Password security which does not offer convenient implementation is not something which comes without a cost. Resetting passwords can take anywhere from 20% to 50 % of an IT departments time – this translates into about $70/incident. This time and money could be better used by your IT department. There are other costs; lost productivity when employees are unable to access the network.

A rule of thumb to keep in mind is that the greater the level of password security without a convenient management system in place, the more often you’ll need to do password resets. Smartcard security tokens offer a solution which balances productivity, security and technical support.

Smartcard based security tokens allow employees to manage network and computer security themselves without compromising the security of your corporate network. They do this by:

1. Offering double, two factor authentication – the user has the card (something they have) and the PIN (something they know). The computer has the card (something it has) and stored complex passwords (something it knows).

2. Being portable to other machines.

3. Having no information is stored on the computer for prying eyes to find and use.

4. Convenience – the user only needs one password.

5. Employees always have possession of their passwords.

6. Token data is securely stored and protected in the event that the token is stolen or lost.

7. The token can store passwords for many accounts.

Smartcard based security tokens prevent data thieves from merely looking over someone’s shoulder to learn passwords or look for notes taped to desks or inside drawers bearing this information. If each account is set with its own unique password, even if a data thief somehow gets one password, all other accounts are still protected. Smartcard based security tokens allow employees to stay within IT security policies and keep corporate networks better protected while offering the convenience employees want and need. This can make even the most careless employee a security conscious one.

Vacation home security is now more important than ever. With rising unemployment, vandalism due to high scrap prices for copper, metals and aluminum, and longer times between visits due to high gas prices or airline fees.

While foreclosure rates remain high, even for vacation homes or second homes, criminals will be seeking crimes of opportunity.

Some of us turn to time-share properties as a more affordable alternative. Each of these two forms of vacation home ownership present unique home security issues.

If you own your own vacation home and live there either seasonally or on a weekend basis, you’re leaving your second home unoccupied for significant periods of time. You’re also establishing a pattern of occupancy that any savvy intruder can soon learn and use to his advantage. If you own a time-share property, you own a percentage of a vacation home. You’re sharing it with complete strangers who may or may not adhere to the same standards of security that you do. And, of course, you trust your time-share company to properly maintain and secure the property during those periods when nobody is staying there.

You may believe that merely applying the same safety practices you follow in your primary residence should be enough to protect your vacation home. But in fact, you need to go above and beyond the rituals of safety you’d observe in a home you live in on a more frequent basis. Homes that look unoccupied are easy targets. You’ve seen those homes with newspapers piled up outside or that appears pitch black at night when the rest of the neighborhood is lit. Consider the following guidelines for protecting your vacation home year-round:

Consider a GE Home Security System from your local Fortune Hi Tech Marketing representative. With FHTM and GE Home Security, it is now easier than ever to protect what means most to you. With customizable systems to meet your specific needs, keep your family, possessions and investments safe. GE is continually advancing new technologies that help homeowners monitor their properties, make schools safer, improve airline security, and more. Plus GE can integrate new security technologies with existing equipment and IT systems. Whether you need an entire system, or individual products, GE has the right technology to keep you safe.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors – particularly those who reside in your neighborhood year-round. Tell them what your schedule is, and ask them to keep an eye on things while you’re away. That doesn’t mean handing them a key, although you may wish to do so if you know and trust your neighbors well enough. And watching over your home doesn’t have to be a job to which you burden your neighbors; simply ask them to remain alert to your home’s appearance. Leave with your neighbors all of your contact numbers at your primary residence, so that they may contact you immediately in the event they spot suspicious activity. Give them verbal approval to contact the local police department in your absence, particularly if they spot suspicious activity and can’t reach you by phone.

Consider the personal items you’re leaving in your vacation home when it’s unoccupied. Anything expensive – including cars, computers, televisions, DVD players and stereo equipment – should be stored under lock and key while you’re away. Take photographs of all of your possessions in your second home, and store them in a safe at your primary residence for insurance purposes. Engrave your name on the back of your expensive electronic equipment.

If you own a timeshare property, find out from the management company exactly what kinds of security measures they have in place. This includes the policies to which maintenance staff are required to adhere. Find out if the management company replaces the locks on doors in the event that tenants lose a key.

For most homeowners, the acquisition of a vacation home is the culmination of years of hard work. That’s why you owe it to yourself and your family to obtain for your vacation home the most stringent standards of safety within your means.

With the GE Home Security lifetime replacement of parts warranty and state of the art UL listed technology, you can rest easy. The highest quality products, competitive pricing and up to 20% off of homeowner and vacation home insurance makes GE Home Security the leader in the industry. One button arming, pager features, door chimes and a 24 hour emergency button make around the clock peace of mind a reality. Let FHTM and GE Home Security give you the power to protect your family and your home.

Here are just a few of the reasons to trust your security with a GE Wireless Home Security System:

One Button Arming: You arm your wireless home security system by pushing a single button.

The Peacekeeper® wireless home security system comes with entry/exit delays at the doors you select, and you can also put these same doors and windows on instant alert with the push of a single button.

Pager Feature: The wireless home security system has a pager feature. Should your child not return from school at the proper time and turn off the system, the system can be programmed to page you.

24-hour Emergency Button: You have access to an emergency panic button that allows you to summon help 24 hours a day.

Battery Back-up: In the event of a power failure, your Command Station will automatically convert from AC to DC.

Door Chime: The wireless home security system will, at your request, act as a door chime. Should your child try to slip out a door unattended, the system will notify you?

Your security and the security of your guests is the most important concern, if you are considering a home or vacation home monitoring system, please contact your local Fortune Hi Tech Marketing Representative, a GE authorized dealer or visit this link to get a Free GE Home Security System  http://fhtmus.com/monaview.

Your Travel Buddy uses and recommends GE Home Security by Fortune HI Tech Marketing. Your Travel Buddy (http://www.ytbvacationrentals.com) is a free vacation rental listing services and publishes vacation rental marketing and cost savings articles for the vacation home or vacation rental owner.

Security cameras are one of the most important devices for surveillance. Security cameras are the best way to protect your home or office. They offer complete security against vandalism of property, trespassing, and more. With a wide range of cameras, ApexCCTV provides the perfect solution to meet all your security concerns. Security camera systems not only monitor but record incidents for future reference. They have a wide range of applications in places, like schools, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, and more.

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