Cyber-criminals are always targeting consumers online for theft of finance and personal information which can result in identity loss and untold amounts of time and finances to repair the damage caused. Here are some tips from Verizon and McAfee to keep you safe from cyber-theft:

1. Education—Educate yourself about the types of scams on the Internet so that you are better equipped to defeat them. Read up on the latest phishing scams, for example, and learn how to recognize them.

2. Use a firewall—Firewalls monitor traffic between your computer or network and the Internet and are your first and best line of defense. Most operating systems come with a firewall, but it won’t help you if you don’t activate it.

3. Click with caution—When checking e-mail or instant messaging, be careful not to click on links in messages from people you don’t know.
Such links could connect to phony websites designed to solicit personal information, or they could download Trojan horses or other malware designed to steal personal information. Even if the message is from someone you do know, it could still contain a computer virus; check with the sender if you have any concerns about the validity of the message.

4. Surf safely—When browsing the Web for financial institutions or other sites, take steps to avoid fraudulent sites that ask for personal information. Most legitimate sites don’t ask for such information, but instead require registration ahead of time. Use a search engine that corrects misspellings so that you navigate to legitimate sites and avoid landing on a fake webpage. Creating fake sites with a similarly spelled address is a fairly common scam known as “typosquatting.”

5. Practice safe shopping—Shopping online or planning vacations via the Internet can be a terrific tool for consumers, but be careful when you’re on sites you’ve never used before. When on the checkout page, look for the lock symbol or some other indication, such as the prefix “https,” that the page is encrypted or scrambled. Use a credit card instead of a debit card; if the site turns out to be fraudulent, your credit card company may reimburse you for the charges. And evaluate the site’s security and privacy policies regarding the use of your personal data.

6. Use regularly updated security software—Use security software, such as Verizon Internet Security Suite powered by McAfee, that updates
automatically and often to provide maximum protection from viruses, spyware and other cyberthreats, which also are being constantly
updated. Conduct regular malware scans of your computer, and update your operating system and browser with the manufacturer’s latest
security patches.

7. Secure wireless networks—Don’t let your home network’s wireless router be a welcome mat for hackers. Enable the firewall on your
router and regularly change the router’s administrative password. Check the support section of your ISP’s website or your router
manufacturer’s website for instructions on how to take these precautionary steps. And make sure your router has a strong
encryption, such as WPA or WPA2.

8. Strong passwords—While short, simple passwords may be easier to remember, they’re also easier for hackers to crack. When banking
online or accessing other sites that may reveal personal or financial information, use passwords with at least 10 characters and include
combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. Change passwords regularly.

9. Common sense—Cybercrime continues to accelerate and it’s being fueled by common mistakes people make when online, such as responding to spam or phishing scams or downloading attachments from people or sites they don’t know. Use common sense and caution; never post personal information online; and be careful about clicking on links or prompts to download software. If you’re concerned about your children’s online activity, use the Family Protection parental controls that come with your Verizon Internet Security Suite (VISS) and talk to your children about being safe online.

10. Be skeptical—Many victims of scams may have thought they were cybersavvy and let their guard drop long enough for a cyberthief to
strike. Back up data regularly in case a virus infects your computer, and monitor accounts and credit reports to make sure your identity has not been stolen.

IT administrators deal with security challenges such as targeted attacks, bot nets, worms, intrusions and phishing scams on a regular basis. According to IBM Managed Security Services, 2010 study enterprise IT systems are attacked 60,000 times a day. So what’s the solution to these constant threats to the infrastructure?

IBM has introduced a new security network intrusion prevention system (IPS) that consolidates intrusion prevention with data and web application security in a single appliance. The system is preloaded and fully configured IBM security software to deliver efficient
protection against attacks from cyber-criminals.

The unified platform helps administrators manage security functions such as automated virtual patching, blocking network threats, client-side application protection, data security and web application protection and application control. Security flaws can occur at anytime and can result in unscheduled system downtime and productivity inefficiencies while the system is patched. An IBM X-Force report noted that 52% of vulnerabilities had no patch from vendors of products through the end of the year.

Emergency patching of security flaws requires unscheduled system downtime and can leave enterprises vulnerable until every system, workstation and application is patched. Despite the critical nature of these vulnerabilities that open the door to attacks, the 2009 IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report reported that 52 percent of vulnerabilities had no vendor-supplied patch by year’s end.

The IBM X-Force research team had identified risks enterprises may face from the payload that the well publicized Conficker threat posed two years in advance. Enterprises that deployed this solution were provided with preemptive protection for their IT infrastructure through virutal patch protection. The virtual patch technology enables IBM to provide customers with direct access to latest updates and the ability to block threats before vendors are able to provide patches and solutions to security flaws found in their system.

“Effective threat and vulnerability management needs to focus on preventing problems, not responding to them,” said Steve Robinson, general manager, IBM Security Solutions. “Through our new intrusion prevention system, IBM is helping organizations save valuable time and money by giving them a single view of security to better thwart potential threats before their networks can be compromised.”

The solution includes the following features:

Advanced Network Protection—Enhanced security to combat “zero-day threats” to block threats before they have the chance to cause damage.

Web Application Protection—The protection of a web application firewall. Through integration with IBM Security AppScan, the updated
solution can automatically generate custom security policies to help protect Web applications based on the specific vulnerabilities
identified by AppScan.

Data Security—Updated data security protection, which monitors and identifies if any confidential information is leaving the network.

High-Performance Network Appliances—Re-engineered platform that more than doubles the performance of earlier-generation appliances. This
allows enterprises to reduce the number of appliances they use to protect their networks while protecting today’s high-speed networks
and bandwidth-intensive applications.

Enhanced User Experience—Simplified deployment and day-to-day management capabilities to help organizations more easily perform
routine security management tasks.

IPv6 Protection and Management—New support for IPv6, the Internet’s updated communication protocol. This is increasingly important as IPv6 continues to become mandated by agencies around the world as an industry standard.