Spamming is a problem, which most people encounter when it comes to the use of computers. This is the unwelcome receipt of e-mails and the automatic pop up of unwanted windows. As such, actions that combat these technological hazards arise. This is where the technical term, antispamming comes in.

Anti spam defines various actions, which are done to combat these kinds of cyber hazards. They may manifest as antispam software or antispyware. One common version of this antispam stuff would be the Microsoft antispyware. However, no all encompassing anti spam law has been passed yet. Although some countries have already acted on such issues, anti spamming is still a problem experienced by the cyber world. This is because no worldwide cyber law has been passed yet.

Common antispam software, or even the Microsoft anti spam, functions in a very generic way. First off, it allows the user to set the definitions for spam. Once the perimeters have been set, the antispyware will now commence in its antispam reviews. Once the antispam review is over and done with, you can now start cleaning up your system. Thus, your cyber systems will be free from the net clogging caused by spamming. Without the spamming, you will be able to enjoy the net without the interruptions. It will help you maximize your electronic mail space, web pages, personal URL and others. Furthermore, you won’t be at risk of accidentally deleting your personal mails together with the spam. It’s good isn’t it?

Sadly, this peace of mind is not meant to last. Just like viruses and other pop up mechanisms, spamming also elevates to harsher levels as time passes by. More advanced spamming techniques are created every day. As such, the new ones become undetectable to the earlier versions of Microsoft antispyware, anti spam software, and other anti spam review materials. You may find this as sick but it is the truth. Unless you don’t want to use the net, you will have to bear with these anti spamming measures at all time. Don’t worry about these though. If you just choose the right program, then you won’t have to worry about paying so much for your updates. Since it’s net based, it won’t even take as much time.

To combat the advanced spamming techniques, any user will have to connect to the Internet. This will give the necessary updates, which will elevate the status of your antispyware to the next level. Doing so will empower your computer systems against the latest spamming versions. Most of these antispamming software techniques are free of charge so you don’t have to worry about a thing. As long as you are within the terms and conditions of your service provider, then everything will be A- OK!

With all these protective measures against spamming, your cyber experiences will be as enjoyable as ever. You must try this now and experience surfing without the spamming. We guarantee that it’s an experience worth fighting for? What are you waiting for? Start anti spamming now!

Now that the kids are back to school and life is starting to get back to normal, it’s time to start thinking about direct marketing for the holidays. Too early? It certainly feels like it, but November and December will be here before you know it. You don’t want to miss out on the most profitable time of the year because you started planning your direct marketing campaigns too late. Whether you have a brick-and-mortar store or have an online business, the holiday season is the perfect time to plan a direct marketing campaign and a great opportunity to generate sales.

Customers are beginning their holiday preparations earlier and earlier every year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have only encouraged that trend. They have become so mainstream, that what started as 2 days of savings has morphed into a 4-day Cyber Weekend, which in turn, has transformed into a whole Cyber Week. It starts a few days before Black Friday and ending a few days after Cyber Monday.

Even though shoppers are now getting a whole week of savings, Black Friday is still the king of the castle when it comes to pre-holiday shopping. Whether you are planning an email blast or a direct mail campaign, make sure your Black Friday campaigns contain the biggest and best promotions you can offer this holiday season.

Don’t stop at Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They are just the precursor for the main round. After the dust settles from Cyber Week, you can really focus your direct marketing efforts on Christmas.

Many businesses stop their marketing efforts so they can focus on the holidays, deciding to pick things up in the New Year. If you start planning now, you can keep the marketing machine running. Christmas is the perfect time to reach out to current clients and new prospects with a holiday themed mail piece.

A simple card is the perfect way to show your appreciation to your clients, as well as your vendors. Everyone enjoys receiving a traditional holiday card and your small token of thanks will be repaid by having that card displayed for all to see.

It is also the perfect time to introduce yourself to prospective clients. Make a powerful and personal impact this year, with a simple Season Greetings and a business card.

Many print companies provide holiday cards with small company logos printed on them. These are perfect and pretty cost effective. You get the jolliness of the card, so it will be put on display and your logo, so you will be remembered.

Do not make the holiday card a full-on advertisement for your business or services. Then it becomes nothing more than a promotional piece and will go unnoticed amongst the rest of holiday mail. If you have marketing material you want to present, stuff it inside the card. You can include a pamphlet advertising your business or even include a New Year’s promotion. You can take it one step further and include a small gift, like a branded pen or something similar. You may be surprised how far a small gift can go!

After Christmas, start the New Year off with a bang.

The New Year is the perfect time to start thinking about testing new mailing lists. Changing or simply updating your target market will breathe life into your stagnant direct marketing campaign. Try using the intelligence within your current client list to create a description your best customers which you can use to help to identify your ideal prospects. This process will not only provide you with a highly-targeted group of prospects, but also will help you glean valuable insight into the demographic make-up of your current clientele, which is always helpful to know.

Whether it’s an email campaign or a direct mail campaign you plan on sending, remember, colossal amounts of emails and mail get sent out over the holiday season. You don’t want to risk your email or mail piece getting lost in the chaos. The earlier you get it out the more chance you have of it being opened. If possible, try a combination of both direct mail and email. Repetition is so important in direct marketing. The more you can get your offer in front of your prospects, the more successful your direct marketing campaign is going to be.

The holiday season is the perfect opportunity to give one last boost to your annual sales before year end. Though the holidays are still ways away, having a solid direct marketing plan will help you benefit from the entire holiday season.

It isn’t just computers but the integral components that thieves will focus upon. Computer crime is on of the UK’s fastest growing crimes, according to the Association of British Insurers; in 1995 a third of all commercial claims were computer crime related. It isn’t just the loss of a computer or related equipment that represents the biggest loss; it is the costs of business interruption and important or sensitive data loss.

There is a simple solution; prevent thieves from having access!

When budgeting for IT security we need to ensure the expenditure is appropriate to the value of the IT assets at risk, not just the replacement value but also other losses incurred.

A simple risk analysis can be deployed by calculating the harm to your business as a result of theft or damage to such assets. Create a ‘what if’ scenario and ensure you calculate every aspect from loss of business, interruption to services and compensation to clients including farming out work or bringing in other contractors for damage limitation.

Then take this figure and consider the real likelihood of it happening; taking on board prevailing threats and current climate.

This information shouldn’t be taken lightly and should be used to build an IT Security Policy Document. So in the event of such an incident, there is a chain of command from top managers down the ranks, a contact list of 24 hour telephone numbers and individual responsibilities so that there is no room for ‘I thought he was doing that!’ Each individual on the IT Security Policy Team should have his or her own copy and a signed as read and understood copy filed.

There should be a list of suppliers and back up systems including all identification markings and asset control numbers. This can only be achieved through formal training.

This could be a good time to call in your local CPO (Crime Prevention Officer).

Commercial premises that maintain large numbers of computers clearly face a disproportionate risk from crime. If IT equipment is spread out or scattered throughout the premises, it is more difficult to establish a secure perimeter, than if the ‘IT’ area was concentrated in secure pockets.

Let’s take a look at the physical security of the actual building.

No matter how good the locks are on Entry/Exit Doors, if the door and frame cannot withstand a violent attack, your premises are vulnerable.

Often Health & Safety and security don’t mix, for example; Regulations state that when the building is occupied, fire exit doors must be able to be opened quickly in the direction of escape without the use of keys. A perfect escape rout for thieves too!

· Fire exit doors must not be overlooked. Regulations state that when the building is occupied, these doors must be able to be opened quickly in the direction of escape without the use of keys. Look at alarming these doors so they comply with regulations but notify the appropriate individuals that access has been made. Perhaps CCTV cameras could be fitted too. When the premises are empty, however, these doors can be secured like any other.

· If you occupy offices of multiple tenancies then the landlord and appropriate tenants should address the security of communal doors No one benefits if this area is deemed the responsibility of the other.

· Look out windows, check either side for potential access points, and look for flat roofs. Internal grilles should be considered for all accessible windows, don’t overlook skylights.

· If there is no reason for goods lifts to be used after working hours they should be disabled at the end of the day. Perhaps taking them to the top and switching them off.

· Talk to your Crime Prevention Officer about installing an intruder alarm system linked to a central monitoring station. This should be fitted in accordance with Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) policy and Association of British Insurers (ABI) guidelines.

· Be mindful that nominated key holders must be able to get to the building within 20 minutes of being notified of alarm activation. This allows police to check the premise if a forced entry is not apparent. Consider using a reputable key-holding company if you cannot meet this requirement.

· Keep the number of people able to arm and disarm the alarm system to an absolute minimum and make sure that they are issued with individual ‘pin’ numbers that can be monitored and their activity is logged. This will facilitate better management of the system and minimise in-house mischief or activity from disgruntled ex-employees.

· If employees work during periods of reduced occupation, for example, overnight or weekends then personal attack buttons will need to be incorporated into the alarm system. In these circumstances, staff should never work alone always insure there is more than one person on the premises in order that someone can raise an alarm.

· Consider revising name signs that might advertise the presence of computers and never leave computer related boxes in public view. Empty or otherwise, these cartons inform all passers-by that you have new IT equipment on the premises..

Thieves rarely rely on guesswork when selecting a commercial building to break into. This isn’t about ‘walk-in’ crime. Companies have had new computers stolen the very same day as they have been delivered, it not not pure coincidence or extreme bad luck! It is obvious that intelligence is gained before the event inside information or poor security measures. It cannot be over-stressed how important it is to control access during office hours as well as when closed.

If possible, restrict access to the building to one entrance/exit, with all other access points being controlled.

Is your front of house staff, whether it be security or receptionist, fully aware of staff that have left – voluntary or otherwise? All personnel should be identifiable. This begins at the reception point where a visitor should be registered and supervised by an authorised member of staff. It extends to the active vigilance of employees – fully aware of the defined procedure for challenging strangers.

If visitors sign in or are issued with security tags, does anyone check to see that they actually leave the premises? Is anyone tasked with an end of the day procedure for checking the building to ensure that no one is hiding in it?

We mentioned at the beginning about creating a perimeter for access control. If that perimeter is breached, look at the measures below will help to reduce your losses.

· House your IT equipment carefully, away from the perimeter and behind obstacles that slow and frustrate the intruder, in locked rooms for example.

· Mark property with your full postcode in a permanent and prominent way. Heat branding or chemical etching can do this.

· Anchor equipment to solid furniture and building fixtures with an enclosure unit designed to resist dismantling. Choose a product that has been certified to Loss Prevention Standard 1214.

· If an enclosure unit is not in use, special security screws are available that replace the standard back cover screws and help, to some extent, to prevent quick entry to the computer’s interior.

· Safes and security cabinets can be obtained which allow the computers to be used during the day and locked away at night.

· Smoke generating devices, activated by the intruder alarm system, work to create conditions where intruder penetration is severely hampered.

· Computer alarms that detect tampering can be fitted to units. These are suitable for buildings either during office hours or when an on-site response can be generated at night.

· Lap-top computers need to be locked away when they are not being used. Security instructions should be issued to personnel for care of equipment when used away from the office.

· Key security – keys to security devices should be kept in the custody of authorised personnel only and either removed from the premises when they are left unattended or put in a locked safe.

· Asset control – make sure that an up-to-date inventory is in existence so that full details of any equipment that is stolen can be given to the police and insurance companies.

Many parental units are not “techies” and openly admit they

are not. They seem to use that as an excuse to not be

informed and “trust” their children to do what is right in

an environment that is clearly risky. When it comes to

You hear stories in the news all the time about police

stings, pedophiles making contact with children or wacky

teenagers running away to hook up with their newly

discovered online love. We all know that as teenagers we

didn’t know squat in regard to communicating with strangers

or what “love” is. Heck, I thought I was in love with Bobby

Sherman! Just dated myself didn’t I?

Your child’s life experience simply is not in place yet to make

mature decisions. That’s part of life and your children need

you to be their guide as they use technology. Watching over

your children’s online sessions is not an invasion of

privacy. In my not so humble opinion, off-spring do not have

privacy until they are 18 and move out! (Or is that around 30

now-a-days?) 😉

Online monitoring is a sign of a caring parent who is

involved in the activities and information their children

will be exposed to online. Yes, it may be frustrating and

require parents to learn some new things along the way. A

computer with an online connection is not a babysitter or

because we didn’t have computers as children an excuse to

not be involved.

Learn, get involved and be part of your children’s online

experiences. Look at it as another activity you can share

together!

This is an authentic gaming machine used in international casinos. The machine is brought form international casinos in Japan when they are in good condition and factory refurbished.

The machines a re brought from K Japan n before they are two years old, as they have to be taken out of the casinos before they have been used for two years. There are spinning reels, flashing lights and ringing bells. There ate lights and electronic sounds. These recreate the casino experience.

The Cyber Dragon Skill Stop Machines have outstanding functions and controls. The user can use these controls to control the machine when he is playing. The machines are of a very high quality and are backlit. When the player hits a winning combination, the lights behind the console are illuminated to show the player the combination won.

The different machines have their own quality lighting design and wonderful sound effects. The sound effects vary with each machine. The same is the case with the Cyber Dragon Skill Stop Machine.

When the player hits the winning combination, the lights carry on flashing and the music plays continuously. When the player hits the big Jackpot, the machine has lights flashing and music playing for a full 5 to 8 minutes. This is total casino excitement.

There is the provision of five lines of play. There is the provision of three coins or tokens per spin. But these machine use tokens and tokens are not easily accepted. Unlike the traditional slot machine, the player controls the game and the action. Unlike traditional slot machine, there is also no handles on the sides to stop reels.

There are three buttons underneath each of the three wheels. These buttons enable you to control the game and thus the machines called the skill stop machine. There is the provision of changing between 6 skill levels for higher or lower chances of winning a game. There are also three digital LED screens showing the credits tokens won and the hit count.

The Cyber Dragon Skill Stop Machine plugs into any household outlet. There is no hassle of installation and the machine is 110 volt ready. When a machine is sold included in the package is a door key, a reset key and a user’s manual. There is a one-year guarantee period on the machine.

The n machines are only 1 to 5 years old. The machine is factory reconditioned. The machine has a chrome finish. The coats of paint newly applied to the machine protect it from any external damage. The machine is also hardy and is made to last a lifetime.

The Cyber Dragon Skill Stop Machine can be played in the credit mode and the non-credit mode. I ht credit mode all the winnings credit the machine until the player operates the red button to put out all un-played credits.

IN the non-credit mode, the Winnings are summarily put out at the bottom. The weight of the machine is 85 lbs and the dimensions are 32″ tall, 18″ wide, and 12″ deep.

[The Crisis]

“We think that someone calling himself ‘Mr. Zilterio’ may have accessed our customer records, to include credit card numbers. He’s threatening to reveal that information to our customers and the press if we don’t pay him a large amount of money.”

That was the initial call I received from Marc Benzakein, one of the founders of linkLINE Communications, an expanding, relatively small (15,000 subscriber) but profitable Internet service provider based in Mira Loma, California (note: in their business, “profitable” is rare).

In that phone call, and a subsequent meeting with linkLINE’s management/crisis response team, I learned that:

* According to federal authorities and information available to anyone who does a search for “Zilterio” on the Internet, the same individual may have extorted as much as $4 billion from other organizations who wanted to sweep the situation under the rug for fear of losing business.

* linkLINE, with law enforcement direction, had been stringing Zilterio along for a little while identifying how he got past their security. In the process, they traced the bank account to which Zilterio wanted money wired through Russia (where he said he was from) to Yemen, a known hotbed of terrorism.

* The ISP felt strongly that it was ethically and morally wrong to give in to what could clearly be construed as “cyber-terrorism.”

* linkLINE had taken the steps necessary to ensure that the security hole which Zilterio may have exploited was plugged.

* A significant loss of customers could be devastating to linkLINE because of its still-small size.

[Crisis Response Team Meets]

As a crisis response team, we agreed that:

* linkLINE’s customers needed to be notified of the threat before Zilterio communicated with them. This meant that the entire “response package” needed to be in place between our Thursday afternoon meeting and the following Monday evening. We all wanted to move even more quickly, but double-checking some security preparations precluded any more haste. The team member in touch with Zilterio felt he could stall him as long as necessary.

* The best approach, very much in keeping with linkLINE’s operating philosophy, was to express compassion for the concern this might cause customers, provide them with information they would need as a consequence of the situation, while also calling for them to unite with linkLINE in combating cyber-terrorism.

* Close coordination would need to be made with the security offices for the four major credit card companies so that (a) linkLINE customers would have the least-possible work to do regarding the possible exposure of their credit card numbers and (b) that linkLINE’s relationships with the credit card companies remained sound.

Pre-Announcement Activities

During three intense days of preparation:

* linkLINE management contacted the four credit card companies, who were very appreciative of linkLINE’s proactive response, agreed to put a special watch on linkLINE customer credit card numbers to see if they were fraudulently abused, and assured linkLINE that customers would not be held liable for any such fraud.

* A Customer Alert letter was drafted for distribution on Day 1

* A press release was drafted for distribution in the early morning of Day 2

* A Customer Q&A was drafted in preparation for posting on linkLINE’s website on Day 2

* A special Customer Service Response Guide was created and customer service reps trained on its use.

* linkLINE’s crisis response team identified other key stakeholders, besides customers, who might need to be called or contacted when the news was released, and prepared to make those communications.

* Marc Benzakein was trained to be the primary spokesperson on the situation, with another member of the team as backup spokesperson.

The Announcement and Results

Zilterio did not act during the preparation period, and linkLINE was able to launch its crisis communications campaign.

* In the late evening of Day 1 and early morning of Day 2, respectively, the Customer Alert went out by email and the press release by PR Newswire (California circuit only, as 95% of their customers were in-state, and knowing that even the California circuit also goes to Internet news sites and certain other key media).

* While customer call volume did go up, it was not overwhelming; linkLINE had contingency plans for what to do if it backed up, but the Customer Alert, combined with the Customer Q&A, apparently satisfied the vast majority of customers.

* Most of the calls and emails that DID come in were highly complimentary of linkLINE’s response. Some examples:

* “In today’s world of competition and LOVE of money very few companies are up front when they have a problem that could affect their business. YOU GUYS ARE THE EXCEPTION. Thanks for letting us all know the truth. Because of people like you I feel much safer on the NET. THANKS AGAIN.”

* “I would like to commend you on your handling of the Zilterio blackmail incident. Prompt and full disclosure through email and your website is the exact way to go. This kind of professionalism makes me happy to continue with linkLINE as my ISP. Nothing is 100% secure; what separates the pros from the rest is the response to a security breach. Your response measured up in every respect.”

* There were some people who were initially very disgruntled, but linkLINE execs did a great job of communicating in a caring and informative manner that made customers more comfortable.

* A few credit cards were voluntarily (by customers) or involuntarily (by banks, when they were also ATM cards) suspended, but even those customers were understanding. And as part of their preparation, linkLINE had made it easy to switch to another credit card (securely) or use another method of payment.

Two weeks later, linkLINE had no net loss in customers and thereafter continued to enjoy its usual level of growth.

Cyber Crime is replacing drug trafficking. Recent government findings indicate that cyber crime has pushed aside the illicit drug trade as one of the top sources for hundreds of millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains the world over. In its infancy, the Internet seemed like something that could develop into a useable tool for scientific research. If we had only known back then what potential it held, perhaps more thought would have gone into its protection.

Today the newswires are filled with reports of massive thefts of personal information as well as depleted bank accounts-all due to the criminal element that, for a small investment in a computer and an Internet connection, is changing the landscape of criminal investigation. One highly regarded research survey stated that 8.1 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2010. Losses were in the hundreds of millions.

The Locard Exchange Principle (LEP)

Dr. Edmond Locard (1877-1966), known to many as the French “Sherlock Holmes,” was a pioneer in forensic evidence investigation. Locard formulated the basic principle of forensic science, “Every contact leaves a trace,” Of course Locard’s theory dealt with the physical contact made by the perpetrator to items in the crime scene. But today’s crime scene may not involve a physical structure-more than likely the crime scene is located out there in cyberspace.

So the question evolves, “Does Locard’s Exchange Principle apply to an electromagnet passing over a spinning disk?” Some digital detectives believe that it does. For example, a hacker gains access to a computer system that may or may not be secure. Is any computer completely secure? Granted, security software is effective against many such invasions, but a secure system will only take the hacker a little longer to get into it. Now, the question is, does the exchange principle apply?

Cyber crimes leave no physical evidence

On the surface, the infiltrator would leave no physical trace of his having been there. But other electronic trace evidence may be present. If the computer’s file access logs were accessible, it’s possible that a record will be available showing that the file was, in fact, accessed, and even that a network transmission followed. Also a possibility is that a side-channel analysis of any activity on the hard drive will uncover network operations. As a last resort, the examiner may check the access logs of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to uncover surreptitious entry. This step will not necessarily divulge what specific data was removed, but it will indicate that data was, in fact, lifted from the line.

Industrial espionage is becoming commonplace

Personal information and cash are not the only targets of this spreading menace. Online industrial espionage is a growing threat to the U.S. economy as well as our national security. U.S. intelligence agencies recently warned elected officials that China and Russia are engaged in cyber-espionage. “Trade secrets developed over thousands of working hours by our brightest minds are stolen in a split second and transferred to our competitors,” said one counterintelligence executive. These foreign governments deny this claim.

The Cyber Exchange Principle

Perhaps when relating to cyber crime, the “Cyber Exchange Principle” applies. Forensic examination of a computer or server will uncover artifacts of invasion. The investigator is then, faced with a situation that the crime scene is not limited to a single computer and may involve another computer half the world away.

The hacker will not be leaving latent fingerprints, foot prints, or traces of physiological fluids in the wake of his intrusion. But electronic activity in this case can be far more valuable in the bits and bytes this activity leaves behind. The principle that Locard espoused so long ago must be forefront in the minds of our digital detectives as they seek what clues an invaded computer holds as well as what traces are awaiting discovery out there in cyberspace.

Cyber Monday is down the pike. The occasion can be named as the ‘day of online retailers’ where they are more likely to top their online sales in the global market. Being more enthusiastic and excited, the online business vendors make special preparations to welcome this special day. All the preparations on retailers’ side are meant to make the most of this money spinning event. From web designs to online services, everything is refreshed and designed in a way that can better maintain festivity of the event.

The occasion is the most suitable time of the year when retailers can upgrade their online business, can launch new products and can earn new and lifelong customers for their online businesses. Where there ‘Cyber Monday’ brings uncountable sales opportunities for retailers, it does bring some challenges because the customers are choosier now and the online market is more crowded with tough competitors than before.

Implementation of live chat software on e-commerce websites is one reliable solution that can help retailers to increase their online sales by delivering a quality customer experience.

Here is how this chat application helps you increase your online sales.

Provide a Quick Contact Point to Your Online Customers

Making an online purchase, a customer is more likely to seek a human help or immediate assistance because purchasing in virtual world has its own benefits and limitations. Customers come across many instants during their online purchase process where they have to contact to real sales persons. If you fail to provide an immediate contact point to your customers, you are losing billions because the lucrative event comes once in a year. However, by integrating support chat software, you provide an instant touch point to your customers through which they can establish immediate contact with your sales persons to get quick assistance.

Proactively Approach Visitors on Your Website

You do not need to wait for your customers to approach you on their own; rather, you should take a step ahead in reaching them out. Doing this, will help you engage as many online customers as you can. Moreover, it also helps you to gather your customers’ attention by making them feel more valued. Proactive approach should not be limited to just initial chat greetings; rather, you can proactively greet a visitor wherever you find them stuck on your website.

Multitasking Helps You Serve Maximum Customers

You do not need to be afraid of traffic load on your website because the multitasking feature of online chat solution allows your single rep to handle multiple chats simultaneously. This way, way you can serve as many online customers as you can.

Live Chat Mobile App keeps Customers Connected with You

Mobile Shopping has become a vogue as well as a need of this hyper-connected world. Multitasking has also become a popular trend on customers’ side. Now customers want to shop while on the way to home or office, during a holiday tour, or even sitting in the home. This is what compels them to rely on their handy widgets like smart phones. Therefore, to facilitate their customers to the fullest, the retailers are bound to provide live chat software mobile apps so that the customers could make maximum online sales without disturbing their chores.

Maximized Service Hours Let’s You Balance the Traffic Load

The purpose of getting increased traffic on your website dies away when you fail to handle them efficiently. On Cyber Monday, you are more likely to get a traffic load that is surely not as easy to handle. However, maximizing your service hours round the clock, with the help of live chat, you can balance traffic load on your website.

It is justified to say that live chat being a reliable online business tool, helps retailers to fully reap the sales benefits of Cyber Monday.

Ever since the beginning of the internet, cyber crime has been an issue. What is cyber crime? Have you ever gotten a virus, or even gotten hacked? These are very common cyber crimes. Cyber criminals hack into networks, create virus, and can even steal your financial information. Though we are all aware that this is a possibility when housing our information on computers, we often think that it will never happen to us.

Though cyber crime could potentially be financially devastating to the average person, it is possible to cause catastrophic repercussions by political extremists that could misuse the Internet for acts of cyber terrorism. What exactly is Cyber Terrorism? It is when a person or persons use the anonymity and global reach of the internet for their own personal gain, such as, terrorist attacks on U.S. information infrastructure in attempts to seal money, identities and classified data. They can also use the internet as a tool to find like-minded extremists to help them attempt to hack their way into corporate and/or government networks.

Michael Alcorn, Branch Chief in the State Department’s Office of Anti-Terrorism Assistance had this to say about cyber terrorism, “The problem we’re all facing is a global borderless problem, where attacks can occur anywhere in the world and originate from anywhere else in the world.”

Though he said this in 2005, it still rings true today. Attacks could happen at any time, in any location, against any person or institution. The only way to combat this is to have individuals that have cyber security education which are specialized in fighting against cyber terrorism and cyber criminals. These people are known as cyber security professionals.

What does a cyber security professional do? They coordinate an organization’s information security preparedness, educate users on computer security, respond to sophisticated cyber attacks, gather data and evidence to be used when prosecuting cybercrimes such as credit card fraud, auction fraud, intellectual property theft, pedophilia, terrorism, hacking and they monitor the network for any security breaches. Normally they are employed by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. At times cyber security professionals may be called on to engage in computer crime investigations this is known as Cyber Forensics. This is an emerging field, and because of technology advances, this filed will ways be changing along with technology. Cyber security professionals must keep up to date with changes and technology and be lifelong learners within their field.

It seems like you can’t watch the news without finding out about a new major security bug or corporate hacking scandal. Heartbleed and Shellshock scared a lot of internet users, and soon articles on enhancing cyber security started popping up everywhere. Small business owners need to be especially savvy about cyber security, since so much of their business is based on the web. Here are some things you need to know about keeping your business safe online, as well as what to do in the event of a security breach.

· No business is too small to be vulnerable to hackers. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 71% of cyber attacks target small business, and almost half of small businesses reported having been attacked. Even more alarmingly, Experian has found that 60% of small businesses who are victims of a cyber attack go out of business within six months. The NCSA reported three reasons that small businesses are so often targeted: they don’t have the resources to respond to an attack, information like credit card numbers is often less heavily guarded, and small businesses may be partnered with larger corporations and give hackers access to those companies.

· Be sure that all devices dealing with the company network or any company data have reliable anti-virus and anti-malware software. This is a basic, but easily overlooked, precaution against malicious files and other attacks. Your network should also have a firewall to protect the network as a whole.

· Educate your employees. In addition to making sure that everyone in your company is familiar with your security system, it may be useful to train employees on basic Internet safety and security. There are lots of online resources that raise awareness about phishing scams, security certificates, and other cyber security basics.

· Create strong passwords. For any resources requiring passwords on your system, create (and have employees create) complex passwords that aren’t subject to social engineering or easy guessing. There are a number of guides available on the web about how to create strong passwords.

· Use encryption software if you deal with sensitive information on a regular basis. That way, even if your data is compromised, the hacker won’t be able to read it.

· Limit administrator privileges to your system. Set up the proper access boundaries for employees without administrator status, especially when using non-company devices. Limit administrator privileges to those who really need them, and limit access to sensitive information by time and location.

· Look into cyberinsurance. Cyber security breaches generally aren’t covered by liability insurance, but if you’re looking to protect sensitive data, talk to an insurance agent about your options.

· Back up your data weekly, either to a secure cloud location or to an external hard drive. That way, if your server goes down, you’ll still have access to your data. Boardroom Executive Suites’ Cloud Computing Services by SkySuite are an ideal tool in this area.

· If you’ve determined that there was a security breach, figure out the scope of the attack. This is a good time to call in a consultant who is an expert in cyber security. This will both give you a sense of what damage you need to mitigate and point to whether it was a generic mass-produced attack or a specifically targeted one.

· Once you’ve conducted this investigation, pull all of your systems offline to contain the damage.

· Repair affected systems. You can use master discs to reinstall programs on your devices. Then, with the help of your consultant, figure out where the gaps are in your security system. To prevent another attack from happening, use this as a learning experience to make your protection stronger. This likely includes educating your employees on what went wrong and what they can do in the future to stop that from happening.

· Be honest, transparent, and timely in your communication with your customers. Let them know what happened and what you’re doing to fix it.