By Rich Eichacker
Vibrance Technology Corporation
Has the Wild West returned? If so, then it's not with stagecoaches and the Pony Express, but on the Internet with viruses and rouge hackers trying to break into even the most mundane systems.
New viruses are created almost every day. For example, the "I Love You" virus spawned the "Joke" virus. Just recently, in fact, I had been alerted to two brand new vi-ruses making their way around the net. These destructive programs come mainly as attachments and are either invoked by running a program or opening a document or spread-sheet.
Your best line of defense is to screen email messages and open attachments only when you are positive that the author sent it. You will not hurt your system by reading the message, but if you open the attachment - watch out! The "I Love You" virus spread so quickly because people let their guard down.
To prevent virus attacks, make sure you have an anti-virus program that runs at system startup and keep the virus definitions current. Most anti-virus packages let you update the definition files over the web. Updates would not have helped in the case of "I Love You", because the virus spread so fast, but it will protect from other, known infections.
Another, but more discreet security issue has developed with the introduction of "always-on" connections, like cable modems and DSL. In this attack, a hacker can exploit holes in the Windows networking software that allows access your hard drive and/or network.
Two types of software can limit these kinds of attacks: Intrusion detection software and personal firewalls. In the past these systems were fairly expensive and difficult to operate, but with the need to guard against these types of attacks increasing, some new packages are available that are both inexpensive and easy to setup.
Intrusion detectors, like BlackICE Defender, prevent access into your system from the Internet. The intrusion can allow a hacker to copy files from your system or leave so-called Trojan Horses that may do damage at a later time, like in the case of the denial-of-service attacks on many popular web sites like Yahoo. Firewall packages, like Norton Internet Security 2000, are more comprehensive, controlling both inbound and outbound traffic.
To test your vulnerability to these types of attacks, visit the web site Shields UP! (Gibson Research, http://grc.com). Running the tests may reveal some interesting information about how open you are to a hacker.
With a little due diligence, you can keep the Wild Wild Internet at bay. Remember: Backup often, update virus definitions at least once a month, open e-mail messages with caution and, if needed, secure your system from outside intrusion.
Summer 2000 - Volume 10, Number 3 - Summer 2000