Dial-up and router connection posses excellent security feature actually. But not many people aware of this magnificent detail. So how does it work? Instead of using static IPs, they use dynamic ones. It means that every time you connect to internet, you will get a new IP. For your security, this is sweet!
This works by preventing internet attackers of tracking your IP. For example: you have some online banking transactions, and a hacker tracks your activity (as he doesn’t have enough time to decrypt your information, edit it, and resend it as an interception), then he remembers your IP, planning to send his specialized info-stealing tool to get information about you (such as bank account information). But before he is done sending, you finish your internet session. The next day, the hacker tries to send his newly improved stealing-tool to your IP, but oops! The IP is not yours anymore; it might be used by a 10 years old boy playing an internet solitaire. So instead of getting a bank account, he only gets an internet solitaire account, which won’t do much good to him. Then, after banging his head to his desk, he plays internet solitaire as he has no idea how to find you (and your bank account). Sweet isn’t?
Yet secure it is my friend, but not flawless. Some drawbacks are commonly recognized, such as if you use dial-up connection, mostly you will not get a fast connection (however router can acquire faster speed, especially broadband routers). Both connection are also not the most favored to play online gaming, as the setting might get a little tricky sometimes. And also, You will be invulnerable to internet attack only after you end your session (disconnect), meaning that if an attacker get his hands on you before you end your session, you're dead.
However, if you don’t have both type of connections, but you have a fast connection (with static IP), may be you don’t want to bother yourself rushing to get them, as you can also secure your connection (and yourself) with other ways. Many free tools are at your disposal, such as IP hider, proxies, etc. But be careful, bad proxies might steal information you send pass them, as well as hiding your IP. Choose only among the trusted ones. Google provides many trusted anonymity and security links on the upper right of this page. Feel free to check them out.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Anonymity Tips: Remove Cookies
HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies, tracking cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a Web client (usually a browser) and then sent back unchanged by the client each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for authenticating, session tracking (state maintenance), and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The term "cookie" is derived from "magic cookie," a well-known concept in UNIX computing which inspired both the idea and the name of HTTP cookies. (www.wikipedia.com)
Cookies have expiration period, which means they will remove themselves from your computer after passing certain limit of time. This is for the sake of your security in case you forget to logout from your internet account. You can further edit your browsers’ expiration of cookies setting. You can choose to let them expire by themselves or after the end of your current session. Also, you can manually delete them at any moment you want to.
Browsers commonly have the setting to accept or reject cookies. Rejecting cookies will make some certain websites unable to provide service properly, for example shopping websites, websites which requires login, etc. For the rest there’s no problem. Rejecting third party cookies (which are used to track multiple website visits, usually for ads) commonly cause no problem and increase your security.
Many internet attack use cookies as the device, such as cookie hijacking, cookie poisoning, cross site cooking, etc. Cookies theft is highly dangerous toward your security, as it contain potential harm of internet attack. Cookies can be used to track your IP’s activity during your internet session. If you forget to logout from your web account, it won’t be good.
In summary, despite of their use, cookies posses some drawbacks which can threat your security, so if you want to increase your protection, you might want to reject cookies when you don’t need them, and use them only when you must, thus, saving you from unnecessary threat.
If you look for another ways to secure your internet sessions, Google provides many trusted links toward them on the upper right of this page. Fell free to check them out.
Cookies have expiration period, which means they will remove themselves from your computer after passing certain limit of time. This is for the sake of your security in case you forget to logout from your internet account. You can further edit your browsers’ expiration of cookies setting. You can choose to let them expire by themselves or after the end of your current session. Also, you can manually delete them at any moment you want to.
Browsers commonly have the setting to accept or reject cookies. Rejecting cookies will make some certain websites unable to provide service properly, for example shopping websites, websites which requires login, etc. For the rest there’s no problem. Rejecting third party cookies (which are used to track multiple website visits, usually for ads) commonly cause no problem and increase your security.
Many internet attack use cookies as the device, such as cookie hijacking, cookie poisoning, cross site cooking, etc. Cookies theft is highly dangerous toward your security, as it contain potential harm of internet attack. Cookies can be used to track your IP’s activity during your internet session. If you forget to logout from your web account, it won’t be good.
In summary, despite of their use, cookies posses some drawbacks which can threat your security, so if you want to increase your protection, you might want to reject cookies when you don’t need them, and use them only when you must, thus, saving you from unnecessary threat.
If you look for another ways to secure your internet sessions, Google provides many trusted links toward them on the upper right of this page. Fell free to check them out.
