To adequately address security issues, it is necessary to identify and evaluate all possible avenues of entry. Also, the security of that entry point must be consistent with the stated policy of acceptable risk levels.

Practices to Prevent Security Disasters

Here are some practices that will help prevent intruders and control damages in the case that preventive measures fall short in blocking an attack:

• Secure backups – helps recover data when a break-in happens.
• Don’t put data where it doesn’t need to be – by not putting data in a location accessible from the outside world, you will prevent the increase of network damage.
• Avoid systems with single points of failure – redundancy is good, especially when handling very important data and information. A system that can be broken through any one component is not very strong.
• Stay current with relevant operating system patches – exploiting an old system is still one of the most common and effective means of breaking into systems.
• Monitor relevant security advisories – make sure that at least one person in your group is subscribed to the mailing list of advisories to keep up on what security vendors are saying about their products.
• Have someone familiar with security practices – it is important to have someone who understands network security advisories to keep abreast with security developments. This way, proper responses to security issues can be applied

Networking – particularly social networking – is becoming hugely popular. Sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, DropShots, etc. make long distance relationships easier to maintain, and friends can update each other by posting messages and photos. Essentially, these sites were created for two simple reasons – to keep in touch with friends/loved ones and to gain new friends. There are, however, various reasons to take extra care when joining such networking sites. For example, there are people who may access personal photos/videos posted in networking sites for self pleasure, or use the sites to deceit people for monetary gains.

On the contrary, it is good to note that there are some sites that take security measures to minimize, if not eliminate, such unrespectable acts. Some photo sharing sites have restricted access and only let their users identify people who may view their pictures.

Here are some tips to avoid being a victim:

1. Be Skeptical – social networking is intended for sharing of interests and establishing network of friends. However, always bare in mind these new “friends” are virtual and faceless, and you can’t completely trust that they are who they say they are.
2. Be Diligent – keep an eye on your profile and be diligent about the people who want to connect with you.
3. Report Suspicious Behavior – if something is suspicious, report it immediately. There is nothing wrong with being cautious.
4. Communicate – children should be properly guided especially when using the internet. Parents must educate them on possible threats to help keep them safe.
5. Monitor – for peace of mind, install monitoring software to keep an eye on the online behavior all users. Use network security features to block malware and threats that are not commonly known and to avoid intruders hoping to meddle in your private information.