Who do you trust?

When it comes to Internet security, the answer is...

Nobody!

The Internet has experienced extraordinary growth during the past 10 years. Indeed, it has dramatically changed the world as we know it.

With over 500 million users, chances are you are already on the Net. If not, your co-workers, vendors and customers are probably urging you to get on board.

Unfortunately, Internet use has done little to change human nature. Rather, the Internet is a tool that has made the good better and the bad even worse. The sad fact of the matter is that there are bad guys out there ready, willing and able to vandalize your content, pilfer credit card numbers or steal competitive information. The Internet gives this bad element the added convenience of geographic independence and ease of anonymity.

Here are three key areas to help keep your network secure.

Step 1: Control user access

With all of the users on the Net, who can you trust? The first key element to security is to identify who is using a system and why. Exposure to risk is minimized by providing access to only those systems as necessary. Firewalls perform a variety of functions to segment internal systems from the outside world. They may be used to validate users and provide access control. The users may remain anonymous but then are only allowed to access information permitted for anonymous access at the firewall.

Step 2: Encrypt/decrypt data

Advanced encryption algorithms exist to cipher data and keep it secure during transport over public networks. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) use encryption to create a secure link between two or more systems on the Internet. People are working very hard to break the encryption algorithms. It takes less than four hours to break 40-bit encryption. The current domestic encryption standard is 128 bit and is exponentially more secure. With exponential power, the difference between 128 bit and 40 bit equates to a cipher that is unbreakable in 10,000 years given today's computing power. VPN and encryption tunnels may be established quickly and inexpensively anywhere in the world. These are effective for communicating with customers, submitting credit card transactions or working from home.

Step 3: Content filtering 

Scrub e-mail and Web traffic to make sure they are free of viruses or vandals before permitting the information inside your network. E-mail viruses are like catching a cold. You don't ask for it and you may not even know when you are giving it away. Surfing the Web may feel safe, secure and anonymous. In fact, it's anything but. Active content embedded in Web pages is capable of tracking your every move, destroying your data or stealing information. Active content is particularly stealthy because it is used to support the enhanced features and functionality that Web users seek. Scrubbing your Web sessions and your e-mail mail prior to use is the best method to protect from virus and vandal content.

Eric Eder is with Intelligent Connections in Royal Oak.

For reprints of articles in the Detrolter's technology Issue, call [phone] or e-mail: [e-mail].

Five steps you should take now

1. Develop and adhere to a written information security policy. (A sample may be viewed at www.intelligentonnectins.net.)

2. Implement strong pass phrases -- combinations of alphanumeric characters such as StrOnglP@55wOrd.

3. Install a firewall for authentication and access control.

4. Scan e-mail and Web content for viruses before viewing.

5. Encrypt confidential information.

Glossary of Terms

Firewall - A device or application resource that controls access between private trusted networks and public untrusted networks (e.g. Internet), or between sub-networks within a private network (e.g. intranet). Firewalls track and control communications, deciding whether to pass, reject encrypt or log communications, and ensure that these communications adhere to the defined security policy.

Content Filtering - Evaluating electronic communications, such as e-mail or Web pages, to identify contained key words or phrases, as well as viruses and vandals. User-defined criteria can be set to block or allow this content into the private network. Common usage of this technology is to defend against e-mail viruses or inappropriate Web content.

Virtual Private Network - A network with some public segments in which data passing over its public segments is encrypted to achieve secure communications. A VPN is significantly less expensive and more flexible than a dedicated private network.

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) - A protocol combining RSA public key encryption and the services of a Certificate Authority to provide a secure environment for electronic and communications.