Security Tip: How to setup your Wireless Internet Security

It is important to protect yourself

Security Tip: How a IP camera works?

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Security Camera placement and technology

Today my personal camera broke. The irony is that it failed while I was considering placement of cameras for a system augmentation. Remember the phrase “Big brother is watching you!” That is literally true in more ways than you know. One of the most secure places to be is actually not an airport or even in some cases a government installation , rather it is a casino. Why, because they want to catch people trying to beat the system or the odds. Here is the challenge in that security is for honest people just like locks and contracts, a dishonest person will expend extraordinary amounts of energy to attempt to circumvent any systems and processes you put in place. Once you understand this basic fact you can start a system design.

Camera placement is important. You want to ensure the maximum amount of coverage per camera. There are some limitation – unless you have someone sign a release camera must be in a public place, that is why you never see one in a bedroom, bathroom or jail cell (baring internet peep shows).

What are your options? Many, it all depends on what you want to accomplish and how much you want to spend. With the advent and consequent advancement of IP camera you can choose between coax based systems that attach to a VCR or DVR with has a built in web router allowing connection to your computer network or an IP based camera system (either wired or wireless) which allow you the added benefit of being able to directly select from your web browser what camera you want to see and depending on the model and features control it remotely. Having a basic understanding of human behavior is helpful in this pursuit as people tend to be creature of habit and you can observe the typical traffic patterns and design a system to monitor that flow and any potential deviation from it.

Some things to consider aside from placement are frame rate, recording retention time, bandwidth, resolution, and least of all cost. Why is cost last, because first you need to determine everything you want to do and from there back into what you absolutely need. Sure there are other issues and factors – distance, light levels, power supply or POE, and of course housing, cleaning, product life, sound and environment, yet this is meant only as a high level explanation of things to consider is you are thinking about purchasing and installing (or having installed) a security system.

Computer Security and Privacy

The Microsoft® Windows® operating system has security features such as administrator passwords and user passwords that let you control access to your computer and the information stored on your computer.

Administrator Rights

An administrator can make system-wide changes to the computer, change security settings, install software, and access all files on the computer. A person with a computer administrator account has full access to other user accounts on the computer.

User Groups

As an administrator, you can restrict a user’s access to your computer by changing that user’s group to a restricted user group.

A user who is part of the restricted user group can operate the computer and save documents, but cannot install programs or change system settings.

Passwords

Anyone can log on to your computer and access your files unless it is protected by a password. If you are logged on to your computer as an administrator, you can create a password for any user account.

Passwords can be used to protect your computer in a variety of ways and levels of protection. You can apply passwords to files, as well as to your computer. Passwords with at least a 10-character combination that includes alphabetic, numeric, and special characters adds a level of security to your computer.

Using Secure Passwords

A secure password is an important way to protect your computer from unauthorized users who may install malicious software or access confidential files from your computer. The stronger your password, the more likely it will prevent your computer from attacks.

A strong password:

• Contains both uppercase and lowercase letters
• Contains a combination of numbers, words, and/or symbols
• Is changed on a regular basis

Using a Firewall to Secure Your Computer

Use a firewall to secure your computer from non-authorized users (hackers) or from malicious programs, such as viruses or worms. Firewalls also help to prevent your computer from spreading malicious programs to other computers.

Turning On Windows Firewall

For Windows Vista®

1) Click Start - Control Panel - Security - Windows Firewall.

For Windows® XP

Click Start - Control Panel - Security Center - Windows Firewall.

1) Turn the Windows Firewall on or off. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

2) Click On (recommended), and then click OK.

PCs with biometrics or other security features

Smart Cards

NOTE: The smart card feature may not be available on your computer. Smart cards are laptop credit-card shaped devices with internal integrated circuits. Using smart cards can improve system security by combining something a user has (the smart card) with something only the user should know (a PIN) to provide more secure user-authentication than passwords alone. There are two main types of Smart Cards:

• Contact Smart Cards — These cards have a contact area with many gold plated connection pads. When inserted into a card reader, the information from the chip can be read and written.
• Contactless Smart Cards — These cards do not require any physical contact with the reader. The chip communicates with the card reader through RFID induction technology. These cards require only close proximity to an antenna of a card reader to complete transaction.

Fingerprint Readers

NOTE: The fingerprint reader may not be available on your computer.

A fingerprint reader is a peripheral device for your computer with a strip sensor. When you slide your finger over the reader, the reader uses your unique fingerprint to authenticate your user identity and helps keep your Dell computer secure.

Facial Recognition Software

NOTE: The facial recognition software may not be available on your computer.

Using a digital image from the camera in your computer, the facial recognition software can identify or verify your face. This is done by comparing select facial features from the image and a facial database. On verification of your identity, the software allows you to access your computer without entering the password.

Note: Biometrics - study of methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits.

What to look for in a good security consultant

You want someone with a healthy level of dysfunction and paranoia. In normal society these character traits are not desirable, but in a person or company you are sourcing to protect your physical or intellectual property these are exactly the traits you want.

You would be better served by a person or company who wonders:

• What way are they trying to get over now
• How can I prevent this from being taken without seen
• What are the blind spots
• Can I place something here to monitor that is inconspicuous
• What area of coverage does this allow me
• How do I prevent people from tampering with either the feed or recorded information
• What about if there is a power outage
• How much is the loss of this costing in increased expenses
• How can I catch a lying or dishonest person
• What can I do to allow a dishonest person enough latitude to hang themselves

Bottom line you want a person or a company whose attitude is that of an auditor – I trust every word you say and because you are honest you do not mind if I verify and compare your words and actions to ensure alignment. Next time you retain a security professional just remember a person who trusts all people are people of their word and honest while they may do a fair job you would be better served by the personally referenced above.

That is not to saw an auditor like attitude means a person will be impersonal – far from it, just thorough.