The computer was originally created as a harmless aid to do complex processes. Over the years, however, the harmless machine, which is charged with almost limitless potential, has become the ground work for cyber crimes. These crimes, which affect individuals, organizations, and even governments, call for tight cyber security to cut short the possibilities of inflicting further harm. But what is cyber security exactly? And how does this protect the whole cyber community?

The proliferation of cyber crimes

In 2007, a report identified 500,000 computers as "zombies" after being hijacked by hackers. "Zombie" computers respond to the prompting of the hackers and allow them to freely break into the systems and gain access to important files and personal information through backdoors. This can inflict danger?from making unauthorized purchases through someone else's credit card to imposing threats to the national security.

There is no solid figure just how many affected computers there are now today, but reports said the numbers are higher. In fact, there was not a point of dwindling down; hacking has been projecting an upward trend. Proof to that is the unbelievably high cyber crime rate in 2008.

The current crisis in cyber insecurity puts many banks, airports, hospitals, and governments in the danger zone. It opens more opportunities to identity theft, virus dissemination, system breakdown, and other similar cyber crimes. In a much larger scale, it makes launching highly sophisticated terrorist attacks much easier.

Here comes the rescuer

To avoid such threats, computer users are advised to take cyber security measures. Cyber security is a set of techniques or guides that aim at protecting systems from any form of cyber attacks, which may creep into the system in the form of malware (virus and spyware), intruders, and hackers. Cyber security also lessens the risk of falling prey to Internet frauds, scams, and bogus transactions.

Individual users and organizations are liable to keep their computers updated, loaded with the latest security technologies, and regularly checked by a security technician. The goal here is for every computer owner to be individually responsible for his system's security. And education plays a major part. Authorities recommend every computer owner to be informed about the latest trends in cyber crimes as well as the latest security technologies to abort any threat of attacks.

There are also efforts from the government, computer companies, digital experts, and other parties to come up with a more secure, stricter, and restructured cyber environment that is regulated by enforced laws and technological systems. With the existing setup, hackers and other cyber criminals' reign free in the Internet, but further security and system developments in the cyber community will allow for more fluid Internet usage and transactions with lesser risk for frauds and cyber attacks.

Globally, however, much should be done. Currently, law enforcement faces limitations in many countries for many reasons. In some instances, local concerns and issues overshadow the need for implementing efficient cyber security measures. But cyber security can't be employed by only two to three governments alone. Cyber crimes affect all nations where the Internet holds a primary place in running the government, military, economy, business, and other vital sectors. And if one nation is heavily compromised, it is not impossible for the world as a whole to become a cyber crime victim.

So, what is cyber security? It is the world's counterattack to the damaging threats of the virtual world called the Internet. And it calls everyone to action.

Today's biggest cyber security concern is Identity Theft. Cyber thieves use all kinds of methods (hacking, use of spyware for intercepting information, etc.) in stealing personal or financial information from their victims, mostly from the computers.

The latest of these nefarious activities even sports a name: phishing (pronounced like ??fishing"). The thief sends a simple e-mail that looks like it came from a genuine site (mostly from financial institutions as Citibank, eBay, PayPal, Best Buy and others), telling you there is a problem with your account.

They would then ask you to click on a certain link in the e-mail, and you are taken to a site that looks exactly like that of your bank.  Here, they will ask you to fill out again your Social Security or credit card numbers, and/or other confidential numbers.

The following are some ways to minimize the risk of your identity being stolen:

Do business with reputable companies

Some attackers may try to trick you by creating web sites that appear to be legitimate.

Don't visit any site that is using third party links. Open a new browser and type the address yourself if you want to visit a site.

You can also check privacy policies to see how the company in question use and distribute information. Many companies allow customers to request that their information not be shared with other companies.

Maintain a security mindset - always be skeptical of unfamiliar sites and links, suspicious e-mails and IM messages.

Anti-virus software and firewall

As standard practice, use and maintenance of an anti-virus software and firewall will protect your computer from attacks that may steal or modify data in your computer.

Make sure to keep your anti-virus program and firewall up to date.

Fighting identity robbery

As precautionary steps, regularly check your credit reports for strange transactions or transactions you don't recall, unusual charges on your bills, bills for products and services you don't have, or worse, unexpected denial of your credit card.

Once the identity robbery has been confirmed, calls to appropriate companies and agencies have to be done immediately. Have your credit card accounts closed right away so future charges will be denied.

Contact the Social Security Administration if your SSS card number has been accessed or the DMV if your driver's license or car registration papers were stolen. This is to warn these agencies for possible unauthorized use of your personal ID information. Of course, you need to file a criminal report with the local police.

For U.S. citizens, you need to contact the main credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to see if there had been any unexpected or unauthorized activity.  Have fraud alerts placed on your credit reports to prevent new accounts from being opened without verification. File a complaint with the FTC and IFCC.

A website, IdentityTheftActionPlan.com, had been created to help citizens prevent, detect, and respond to identity theft and fraud. Within the site is information on how identity theft occurs, the latest prevention tips, what to do in case you are victimized and pertinent information of law enforcement agencies that investigate these crimes. Two other sites to learn more about phishing and ID theft are the following: consumer.gov/idtheft/ and

idtheftcenter.org

Vigilance, information and action

Cyber security dictates that every cyber citizen (those using computers and the Internet in most of their activities) needs to be vigilant at all times.

Everyone is enjoined to keep up with the latest information, so that they can do the appropriate action by themselves.

With the popularity of online shopping today, the importance of cyber security becomes essential to everyone. Shopping, even in the real world, involves money and where there is money, there go the criminals. And since much shopping is now happening in cyber space, these criminals lost no time in following the money trail targeting online shoppers.

Online shopping became fashionable when people discovered one is free from stress and fatigue caused by crowds and traffic. There is also the convenience of searching whatever it is you want from your home, at your most convenient time, and paying for it without waiting in line. All of these with just a few click of a mouse.

However, the Internet is also a convenient place for cyber criminals as well. They target the online shoppers, fraudulently obtaining information they can use for their own financial gains. These criminals use the three most common ways in attacking the online shoppers.

Unprotected computers

Unprotected computers are easy target for viruses and other malicious codes used by cyber criminals to gain access to the information inside it. On the other end, online vendors have to protect their computers, too, against attackers who may access their customer databases.

Fake sites and email messages

In the virtual online world, a site (or an online store) can be faked by these criminals, with no one the wiser. These fake sites mimic the legitimate ones and inherit the business, at least until they are caught or noticed.

Charities had been misrepresented before, especially during natural disasters or holiday seasons where people pour in donation money and aid. Most often, though, these attackers collect information for their own illegal use.

Cyber safety measures

Maintaining an up-to-date anti-virus program, a firewall and anti-spyware is always the three-pronged first line of defense in cyber security. They protect you against viruses and Trojan horses that may steal or modify your data and make your computer vulnerable. Spyware may also give the attackers access to your data.

Updated browser

Browsers are the gateway between your computer and the Internet. They must be updated first. Also, open the option of automatic updates to your computer so that the operating programs and utilities are up to date.

It is likewise important to check the default settings of your computer and apply the highest level of security. This will preempt the attackers to use default setting of the programs. This applies primarily to browsers, email clients, etc. because these are the connectors to the Internet.

Reputable vendors

This is where care should be taken because cyber criminals are very good at mimicking the sites of legitimate vendors and make it appear genuine. You need to verify their legitimacy before supplying any information. Keep the phone numbers and the physical addresses of these vendors which you can use in case of problems.

Security features and private policies

As always, passwords and other security features add protection, if correctly used. Check the site's privacy policy before giving out personal or financial information. You have to understand how your information are stored and used.

Encrypted information

Make sure the information you give out are encrypted. To check if it is, see if it includes a URL that begins with "https:" instead of "http:" and a padlock icon. If the padlock is closed, the information is encrypted. Know where the padlock icon is located in your favorite browser because some attackers use fake padlock icons to trick users.

Use your credit card

Credit card charges have laws that limit your liability in case of fraud. This may not be the case for your debit card. Because debit cards draw money directly from your bank account, unauthorized withdrawals could leave you penniless. Needless to say, a record of your purchases should be kept aside. Report immediately any discrepancy.

Shopping online is truly a time-saving, hassle-free, and fun way of buying whatever you want on the Internet. The presence of the ubiquitous cyber criminals stalking at every cyber corner necessitates the need of cyber security as well.

It is everyone's responsibility.

You turn on your computer and you're prompt with a username and password. The same thing happens when you open your email account. I know it is quite obvious to you right now but allow me to stress the importance of cyber security by having password protected files, networks, and software applications. It is important to protect your personal information. Sure, it seems unimportant if people hacked into your email account.

You have a bunch of personal emails from friends and occasionally send some your self but the whole lot of your mails in your inbox are spam and other promotional garbage, so why do you have to care that much. But the thing is, those who are able to gain access to your email accounts are often not truly satisfied with that level of attach and are in reality just preparing for a much bigger intrusion.

Before you know it, they can get information about your social security number of even bank accounts. Your personal emails contain heaps of information which can be used by hackers for their own personal gain.

Having a good password installed is therefore a good deterrent for hackers or attackers. It ensures that proper authentication is verified first before you gain access to personal information. It is therefore important that you make up a good password. A poorly made one will just be ineffective and totally useless against hackers.

For instance, using part of your name as a password would be just too easy to crack. It will not be a deterrent at all. To add to this, there are applications like virus and worms that can actually penetrate a secure or confidential system just because it has a weak password installed.

Example of weak passwords, aside from a derivative from your name, would be using numbers that coincides with birthdays, phone numbers, addresses and information about your family or stuff. Sure, these are easy to remember but that thinking will also cause you problems later on. These kinds of numeric passwords are just easy to solve. The same thing goes with dictionary based passwords which are those words that you picked up from a dictionary.

Now in making up your password, it would be a lot better if you use combinations of letter, numbers and other techniques. You could intentionally misspell the words so you won't fall for dictionary attackers. You can add numbers and a combination of upper and lower cases. Or you could assign a code.

You can abbreviate something that if you love "watching soap shows on TV" you can take the first letters of the word "WsSoT" and combine it with a relevant numbers. Not only would the acronym easy to remember but it would be difficult for hackers to crack. However, avoid using famous quotes, catch phrases, lyrics, and poem and even pick up lines. Go for something you invented.

Also, remember that having a longer password is better. The more characters you have the harder it is to guess or the more difficult to decipher the combinations. Also, don't use the same password twice for your other accounts. Although this is quite tempting since you don't have to create a new one and remember it every time, when an attacker does get a password from one of your accounts, the first thing he will do is to try the same password for all your other accounts.

Cyber security begins with you. Keeping your personal information safe lies first on password protected access to your files, systems and networks. Having a right and strong password will help fight off attackers.

How many times have we heard about cyber security problems? Credit card information and identify stolen, viruses spreading, everybody is falling victims of cyber security crimes.  The more that we depend on computers and internet, the higher possibility that we are putting ourselves at risk.

Cyber security is very much needed to be improved and reinforced, most especially since most of activities are moved by technology nowadays.  Email, cell phones and instant messengers are big parts of our communications.  While, technologies like mp3s, mp4s, and digitized entertainment are very much in demand.  Transportation would use GPS and you can even do online shopping and pay for your internet.

Cyberspace is utilized for our needs. But how safe is our information stored in computers?  Cyber security's function is to prevent, detect and fight off any attacks to our systems that could put our personal and working information in jeopardy.

The risks of storing too much information in our computers are increasing over the years.  These are bad news especially if you're managing your finances online, storing personal data or any work-related activities.  Viruses and hacking is so common, that we should take necessary precautions to prevent it from happening to us.

According to Consumer Reports, published in 2006, there are about 1 out of 3 computer users who have fallen victims of viruses, spyware or phishing.  These cyber security attacks costs consumers to spent $7.8 billion in years 2005 and 2006 for computer repairs, parts and replacements. 

How do you defend yourself from these cyber security breaches?  How do you protect your data?  To protect your personal and work-related data, here are some easy steps that you could do. 

* Use and regularly update your anti-virus software.  Viruses are among the major problems; they could slow down computers, send data to other units and completely make your system unusable.  If you already have anti-virus software installed in your computer, then you would have to keep in updated. 

* Spyware alert. Another huge problem is the spyware or the adware.  These are computer software that could partially control or intercept your computer functions.  This software is secretly installed on computer, especially if you are frequently downloading something from the internet.  The good thing is that anti-virus software is also offering spyware detection. 

* Any computer program that is being unused can be deleted or uninstalled.  Too many unnecessary programs can even make your computer vulnerable to security attacks.  Since you are not using them anyway, then it is better to uninstall them.

* If you are not the only person using your computer, then it would be best to separate your documents from the other users of the computer.  This would prevent anybody from accessing, changing, deleting your files.  Some would have two computers, one for personal and the other one for work-related data and information.

* Use passwords, but avoid writing passwords in pieces of paper for easy reference.  When choosing passwords, choose those that are easy to remember and personalized.  If you have sensitive files, there are encryption programs that would enable to protect your data.

* When deleting documents, make sure that you have completely removed it from the system.  There are times when hackers can still restore the information.  So make sure that it is totally removed.

These cyber security measures should be taken seriously and are actually very easy to do.  These would help you protect data and information that tool you for a long time and effort to finish. 

Cyber security is not at all that difficult. Once you have incorporated it into your system then it is just like riding a bicycle or can be as normal as walking. All you need is to learn how you can make it work well and build a good habit to make cyber security consistent.

By doing this you can have a better chance of keeping your confidential information protected from attacks from virus or similar applications or from hackers. This way you can keep your personal information safe from other persons who would like to access them and use them for personal gain or protect them from applications that can erase or corrupt your files.

Part of building a good habit would be to identify how your information can be accessed and who would be the most likely people who can gain from accessing your confidential files. It's like identifying the usual suspects in a criminal line-up. I'm not saying that the people you know cannot be trusted but it helps to be extra cautious. You brother might not do something untrustworthy by his friends might and if they have physical access to your computer then your files are at a risk of being hacked.

Lock your computer with a good password. Use combinations of letters and numbers, upper case and lower case, and even use codes. Avoid using the usual birthdays, social security numbers, bank PINs, account numbers, favorite superheroes, favorite food, etc. Use unique passwords and make one up for every system that requires authentication. Do not use the same password in all your confidential files.

To protect your computer from outside hackers, the best thing would be to disconnect your computer from the network when you're not using it. No anti-virus application or firewall systems provide 100 per cent protection. The best way would be to remove yourself from the network when you're not using your computer to reduce the risk of being attacked.

When you do go online, make sure that you have your firewall on and your anti-virus application active. Also look into your security settings. Your emails, web browsers and even other applications have specific settings which increase the security allowing them to block attacks from virus, malware and spyware. Study the security settings and select one which permits you to maximize the use of the application but at the same time offer you a good deal of security to keep your files protected.

Also, do not forget about power surges and other technological problems. Even though, the virus and hacker threats are real and sometimes the priority, people also forget that sometimes power surges or breakdown of computer hardware can cause loss of data or have files corrupted and rendered unusable.

To have added protection therefore, it would be wise to install some uninterrupted power supply that protects your from power surges and allows you to back up or shut down your computer properly preventing possible corruption of files and applications.

And speaking of backing up, it would be great if you would regularly back up your files just in case the unthinkable happens. May these be personal files or files you need for work, having a good back up is always a good thing to have.

You see, once you have a system you will develop a good habit in cyber security which can help reduce the risks of losing files or your confidential information being hacked.

If you think your kids now just need to be protected from strangers offering them candy or from cars while crossing the streets, then you have another thing coming. Your children need a whole new level of protection especially in this age of computers and the internet. More and more kids are having easier access to the internet. According to some studies, more than 80% of teenagers in the US have access to the internet at home. The parents should take an active role in teaching their children proper cyber security measures.

Most of the time these kids who access the net are not careful enough when giving out personal information online. They don't realize yet the risks of not having confidential and personal information protected online. From virus, to hackers, to identity thieves, these people are lurking in cyberspace waiting for that opportunity. I can only stress the importance of cyber security for kids.

Now there are several ways where you can help instill to your children the proper ways of accessing, behaving and protecting themselves online. One of the more common venues where your children go on the web is the social network sites where they have online profiles, photos and keep blogs or online journals. Remind your kids that not to accept all those you invite them to be their online friend especially if they don't know that person.

The problem with these social network sites is that once you add someone as a friend, you can be viewed by friends included in his own network which most of time you don't even know. These are venues where scrupulous individuals can gain access to your personals.

To monitor their browsing activities or encourage them to ask questions, place your computer in an area of the house where there's heavy foot traffic. This will make it easy for them to call your attention to their monitor if they want to ask questions or show you something. This also discourages them from visiting lewd and pornographic websites.

These websites are not only inappropriate but are also a repository of malware, spyware and virus applications that can destroy files and even your whole computer system. In this regard, it would be best to use controlling mechanisms like content blockers which prohibits them to access certain websites and also monitoring application so you can take a look later what they actually look for in the net.

It is always good to engage your children in a healthy conversation about the things that did or things they can do online. This way you can teach them proper ways or help develop good habits that will ensure their safety online. You can also teach them the pros and cons of social networking, online file sharing, and even the issues of software piracy and illegal downloads. These are part of increasing their knowledge and understanding about the technology of computers and the net as well as cyber security.

You should always remember that children's predisposition of being still curious, innocent, and sometimes their desire to be independent can cause them to be careless. That is why ordinary safeguards are not enough when it comes to protection your kids on cyberspace. The previously mentioned cyber security measures for kids are not just an introduction.

You will have to know for a fact your kids computer habits and then learn how you can better protect them.

Cyber security is meant to protect personal and work-related data and information stored in our computer and personal websites.  With the increase of individuals, organizations, and members of the community falling prey to cyber crimes and security attacks, there is an increase in demands for more measures to be taken. 

Alarmingly, the number of people getting affected cyber security attacks is increasing.  According to a research by Panda Software in 2006, 1 out of 5 e-mail messages that corporate servers receive are spam and 1 out of 20 is infected with malware.  Consumer Reports released a report in 2006 showing that United States consumers would spend $7.8 billion over the last two years for computer repairs and replacements because security attacks like malware and viruses.

Security attacks like these do not only cost individual repairs, businesses, organizations and the national economy could suffer losses.  In 2005, cyber crime led to a loss of whopping $130.1 million, all because of viruses, unauthorized access to computer systems and personal and financial information theft.

There are numerous measures that should be taken by the government to help resolve cyber crimes and attacks.  In the United States, there are different legislations in the executive and Congress level that are meant to protect computer systems and other medium of information technology.  This is called cyber-security regulations.

Cyber -security regulations is to make sure that companies and private institutions would be using or protecting their systems from any cyber attacks like viruses, worms, phishing, denial of service and unauthorized access. 

The United States Chamber of Commerce said that there are about 64 % of small businesses that are getting protection for their systems to protect their customer's financial information.  While there are about 72 % of businesses expressed concern about security of the company's assets and information.

In the United States, there are cyber-security regulations, for both federal and estate governments.  For federal government cyber security regulations, they focus mainly on specific industries and fields, healthcare, organizations, financial institutions and agencies that work with systems and information.   Unfortunately, this regulation does not reach and cover computer related industries like Internet Service Providers (ISP).

Additional to this, the federal government is also trying to resolve issues of cyber security breach by allocating more funds in research and programs directed to research better solutions and recommendations for improving cyber security.  The government is collaborating with members of the private sector. 

Meanwhile, states are forming their own methods of dealing with security attacks.  An example is the regulation passed by the California State in 2003 called Notice of Security Breach Act.  Different states have followed the example of California and created their own anti-breach regulations and standard procedure. 

There has been an ongoing debate about cyber security regulation.  There are people who comments that creating a regulation is not the answer and not enough, what is needed is better defenses against hackers, viruses and similar threats.   The regulation is said to restrict industries to develop programs and software that would boost cyber security.  Aside form this, businesses also fears that having the regulation will cut back their healthy profits since they would meet more limitations and would cost them more.

But in spite of regulations and software that could protect your computer and systems, still the best way to boost cyber security is preventing any attacks from happening in the first place. There are easy tips that could be followed to avoid cyber attacks from happening.