Essay preview
Understanding Internet Security
What you need to protect yourself online.
Understanding Internet Security
What you need to protect yourself online.
Table of Contents
SECTION ONE—Internet Security: What it is and why you need it • You and your family are at risk of virtual attacks .....................................................................1 • Understanding how the Internet works and the security threats you face....................................1 • What’s a nuisance, what’s a threat ........................................................................................2 • Spyware: It’s the new threat your anti-virus software won’t find ................................................2
SECTION TWO—Protecting yourself from Internet threats
How to know if you have been a victim of an Internet attack .......................................................3 Step One: Find out what’s already on your computer ..................................................................4 Step Two: Get rid of the threats ................................................................................................4 Step Three: Build a protective wall around your computer ...........................................................4 Step Four: Filter out the Internet junk........................................................................................5
SECTION THREE—Advanced Protection. Simple Solution.
Identifying the right Internet security solution for you ..................................................................6 Evaluating your risks with the BP Security Analyzer™ .................................................................6 Eliminating the threats with BP Internet Security™Spy Sweeper™ ................................................6 Protecting your identity and personal data with the BP Internet Security™ firewall.......................................................................................7 Controlling Web content with BP Internet Security™ Web-filtering ....................................................................................................................7 Bringing it all together with the BP Internet Security™ control panel ....................................................................................................................7 Making security your top priority with BP Internet Security™…………...…… ................................7
SECTION FOUR—Glossary of Internet Security Terms ...............................................8 SECTION FIVE—Frequently Asked Questions about BP Internet Security™ .........10
Internet Security 101—Table of Contents
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SECTION ONE—Internet Security: What it is, and why you need it. You and your family are at risk of virtual attacks.
A decade ago, the Internet was something only “techies” talked about. It was a new limitless source of information, with very few users. Today, the Internet has already become an essential part of our lives. It’s where we access our banking records, credit card statements, tax returns and other highly sensitive personal information. By the end of this decade, over 2 billion people will be connected to the Internet—that’s about half the world’s current population. But with all the good things the Internet offers us, it also opens the door to serious, potentially devastating threats. Unlike corporate and government computer systems, few personal computers have any safeguards beyond basic virus protection. That means anytime you’re online, you are a potential target for online criminals and hackers. And if you have high-speed Internet access, your computer is online most of the time, making Internet criminals and hackers a 24-hour-a-day, year-round threat to you, your personal information, and your family.
The numbers: Internet threats to your security are real.
• In 2002, more than 10 million people were victims of identity theft, costing the average victim more than $1,000 and a year’s time to repair their credit.1 • More than 95% of Internet users have inadequate protection from online threats.2 • Over 90% of computer users have dangerous “spyware” lurking on their computers without their knowledge.3 • In 2002, nearly 20 million people had the skills to hack a computer.4 • In 2003, Internet-related identity theft more than tripled.5 • Today, a typical online PC is “scanned” by outside intruders twelve times every day.6 1 – Federal Trade Commission Report 09/03/03 2 – SummitWatch 11/03 3 – TechNewsWorld 3/19/04 4 – Information Warfare Task Force 5 – USA Today 10/23/03 6 – National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace 9/02
Understanding how the Internet works and the security threats you face. When you access the Internet, your computer sends a message over the Web that uniquely identifies your computer and where it is located. This allows the information you’ve requested to be returned to you. Often, this requested information carries with it unwanted hidden software created by hackers and online criminals. This software installs itself on your computer and can either be just a nuisance or pose a more serious threat to you, your identity and sensitive financial information. Usually the nuisances are visible and easy to identify, while the more dangerous threats are typically invisible, silent, and difficult to detect until it’s too late. The key to a safe, enjoyable Internet experience is understanding the difference between what’s a threat and what isn’t.
1 Internet Security 101—Section One
What’s a nuisance, what’s a threat.
Cookies, pop-ups, and adware are tools that track your online behavior, and are u...