| |
| |
|
Software Information |
|
|
|
Separate Anti-Keylogging Protection: Who Needs it Most?
If there still are few unprotected computers left, I haven't seen any. Every emerging threat causes means of defense to appear. Anti-viruses and firewalls were the first. Now most computers have also an anti-spy program installed. More and more often experts say that some computers need autonomous anti-keylogging protection as well. Or do they? Isn't a separate anti-keylogger on a PC a little too much? Can a user do without it--why so much attention to a particular type of what is usually called spyware? Well, the threat is extremely serious, that's why. Information is not a liquid, but, unfortunately, it tends to leak quite the same way. First something trickles out, then?Whole businesses may be washed away in no time; and the damage which data leak cause to state and government institutions can be terrifying. Data leakage is in a way comparable with a break of a dam, with one clear-cut distinction that makes all the difference. There is also another factor- information value. A tiny drop of information, if lost, is likely to cause irretrievable damage. Money losses due to online fraud are only the tip of an iceberg. There may be irremediable mischief that can never be repaid. It happens when confidential information people have to consign to authorities is stolen. Information having to do with people's health, work, education, families, can be pinched, not out of simple curiosity, of course. Addresses and phone numbers, school and university records, tests results, police records, health records, insurances, tax records, voters lists and so long and so forth--all these contain bits of information that if made public can probably do harm to people mentioned there. How simple and cheap it is now to get hold of spy software! Scores of various spy programs are available online, and many of them are free. Just imagine that they are within a mouse click from anyone - and do thank God if it is only some suspicious spouse. Of course, there are means of defense. Loads of programs are specially created to counteract spy software, and they are also available online. Why data stealing is flourishing then? The problem is that the "means of defense" are, as it often happens, half a step behind "means of offense". Signature bases which all the anti-spy software depend on, are made up using clips of spy programs' codes; if a base doesn't contain the "autograph" of some spy program or virus, users are helpless against it. And what if the spy software is brand-new? What if it is tailor-made for one particular computer or network (not yours, if you are lucky enough) to be used only once? What if a respectable program for monitoring is used for spy purposes? So, even if your PC does have some anti-monitoring or anti-spy software with a signature base, your PC may be being scanned right now anyway. One useful tip: When reading an article where some term (for example, "spyware") is used often, make sure the author and you mean the same. There is quite a mess in definitions when it comes to types of software. Not surprisingly for those who still remember English lessons at school, every noun ending with "ware" is a mixture of objects having something in common--usually used for similar purposes. So it tends to be when "ware" is short for "software". Sometimes it's pretty tricky to define exactly what software it includes. If software collects information without users' knowledge and transmits it, such a program is usually automatically labeled "spyware" no matter how valuable this information is. Well, let's use common sense. If spyware is a mixture of different software products based on different principles, it's unlikely that there can be one solution that could work against all of them. Absolute protection is a pie in the sky. What kind of spyware is the most dangerous? Not just annoying, like most adware, but really dangerous? There is particular kind of software specially created for stealing information. One of the most effective ways of stealing information from a PC is capturing keystrokes. It would not be out of place to know the enemy better. Well, here they are: Keylogging Programs (keyloggers, key loggers, keystroke loggers, key recorders, key trappers, key capture programs, etc.) belong to the group of tools that monitor PC activity. A small, fairly simple program (a programmer can write a plain one in a couple of days) captures everything the user is doing - keystrokes, mouse clicks, files opened and closed, sites visited. A little more sophisticated programs of this kind also capture text from windows and make screenshots (record everything displayed on the screen) - so the information is captured even if the user doesn't type anything, just opens the views the file. Software products of this type were initially designed solely for recording keystroke information including the system keys, to the special log file to be analyzed by the person who installed this program. Log files can be sent within the network to the shared place, to the ftp server in the Internet, by e-mail etc. These new software products have many additional functions - they intercept information from windows, capture mouse clicks, make snapshots of the screen and active windows, record all received and sent emails, monitor file activity, monitor system register, monitor the printer queue, intercept sound from the microphone and video pictures from the web-camera connected to the computer, etc. Keyloggers can be included into freeware, shareware, and even into commercial programs. Trojan programs, viruses and Internet worms pretty often contain keyloggers, too. That is why it is so important to apply special anti-keylogging protection. Who needs separate anti-keylogging protection? We can easily deduce the answer: Everybody whose data are really valuable and who will suffer great losses if they are stolen. Everybody who deals with other people's confidential information. Everybody whose work requires keeping information in secrecy. And anybody else, who simply doesn't like the idea of his or her information (even if it isn't a top secret) leaking anywhere. Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at the Raytown Corporation, LLC -- an independent software developing company. visit its website at: http://www.anti-keyloggers.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Software - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Make Good Use of Spreadsheets Most computer users use spreadsheets software such as Microsoft Excel in their daily home and office. However very few are aware of the potential of spreadsheets in helping them in financial accounting and statistical analysis. Spyware Statistics -- Whats New in May 2005? Although statistics often is blamed for various deadly sins -- from being biased to being inaccurate -- there is nothing left to those who are anyhow connected with IT but to keep up with fresh data. Since spyware is literally ubiquitous, nobody who owns or uses a PC can say that it is none of his business. Separate Anti-Keylogging Protection: Who Needs it Most? If there still are few unprotected computers left, I haven't seen any. Every emerging threat causes means of defense to appear. Microsoft Great Plains FA: Fixed Assets - Overview For Consultant Great Plains Fixed Assets Management module is a robust tool that can help you manage your assets effectively. It integrates perfectly with other Great Plains modules like General Ledger, Purchase Order Processing, and Payables Management ensuring accuracy while reducing redundant data entry. Think Of This Think of this, first we had the HAM Radio, then the bbs and now the Internet. Linux and the various other x systems are the next evolutionary step toward enhancing Global 2-way communications. How to Get The Best Accounting Software For Your Small Business Buying accounting software is a major investment. It's an important decision and you need to be sure of all the facts before you buy. Where to Find Free Fleet Maintenance Software Costs of fleet maintenance software can vary widely. It is generally expected that the fleet manager will look at the needs of the company to determine what software package is best suited for their particular needs. Reloading Windows XP If you have been running Windows XP for a couple of years or more you may find that it is not running quite as quickly and smoothly as it was when you did your first install. I am constantly 'evaluating' software and uninstalling and reinstalling beta software on my computer and have always gradually become more and more disappointed after nine months to a year with the performance of my PC. Groupware: Avoid the Ad Hoc Shuffle GroupwareEfforts are continually made to manage the unavoidable ad hoc business process, but ad hoc processes do not necessarily mean a pile of messy, shuffled documents, at least not anymore. Groupware is software which tracks and manages the ad hoc business collaboration. SpyBot - Search and Destroy versus Microsoft AntiSpyware (Beta).... My personal experiences... Ok.. Microsoft Great Plains: If You are Orphan Client - What to Do and FAQ Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software eEnterprise, Dynamics and Dynamics C/S+ is very popular ERP and since 1994 has been successfully implemented for mid-size and mid-size to large companies in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Middle East. During the economic recession time 2001-2004 the majority of businesses cut to virtually zero their IT/computer support expenses and stayed with hardware and software. Microsoft Great Plains Security Setup - Overview For Consultant Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is very good fit for mid-size company and probably good budget solutions for large corporation. Former product name was Great Plains Dynamics / eEnterprise. Tripwire for Linux File Integrity What is Tripwire?Tripwire is a form intrusion detection system (IDS) that helps you keep tabs on the integrity of the files on your computer. Quite simply it will help identify files or modifications made to your system in the event someone compromised your system. Linux Dual Boot-How To Format Just the thought of a duel-boot scares many people away, but over the years it's developed into an easier process. Most people are running Windows, so I'm assuming it's your choice of preference:1. Cross-Platform Custom Software Development & Integration - IT Strategy for Large Corporation Microsoft Business Solutions products: Great Plains, MS CRM, Navision, Axapta, MS RMS integration with UNIX/Java based platforms & non-Microsoft applications: Oracle, Lotus Notes/Domino, DBII, PeopleSoft, SAPThe history of software application development indicates that global trends to unification might be reversed in the future. If you take a look at C programming language, intended as cross platform solution (which resolves graphical interface cross platform migration). Microsoft Great Plains Subcontracting - Overview for Microsoft Business Solutions Partner Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is very popular ERP/MRP applications in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, South Africa, Latin America. Considering high number of new Microsoft Great Plains partners and the desire to subcontract occasional customization, integration and reporting projects, we would like to advise you on Microsoft Great Plains subcontracting guidelines, based on our experience in dealing with Great Plains VARs Candidates for subcontracting:? Great Plains Dexterity customizations - Dexterity was and still is the IDE and programming language of Great Plains, especially workstation thick interface. Microsoft Great Plains Oil & Gas - Implementation & Customization Highlights Microsoft Great Plains serves the wide spectrum of horizontal markets. Great Plains could be considered as ERP platform, which you could expand with third party modules or advance with your own in-house custom functionality. Business Plan Software Review: Ultimate Business Planner? One of the main reasons business owners and entrepreneurs use business plan software is to simplify building their financial models. Even with an explosion in business plan software packages on the market today, "doing the financial projections" is still often cited as the most difficult part of completing a business plan. Do You Want Your Own Fully Programmable ERP? - Part 1 We are in a transition phase in the Managerial Administration models of any company or Government, because three factors are summing for that:The new powerful business Information Technologies and its more and more smaller costs, like ERP, CRM, BI, etc.,The creativity of the new MBA to generate value and its corresponding engineering - for example, Feedback Control System - in the administrative and managerial fields,Several different layers in the companies in what refers to its managerial and administrative automation levels. CRM and Customer Life Cycle Customer Relationship Management or CRM is a combination of enterprise strategies, business processes and information technologies used to learn more about customers' needs and behaviors in order to develop stronger relationships with them. CRM software systems automate many customer-related business tasks.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
