Cable and Internet Networks Essay -- AOL DSL Internet Connection Essay

Cable and Internet Networks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In most cases cable or DSL companies such as Comcast or DirectPC are just a single type of Internet connection company. But sometimes companies acquire these one-connection companies to make their companies bigger and better such as AOL buying Time Warner. As these companies get bigger and start to offer more types of connections they also start to have more security conflicts. AOL’s software for its dial up connection has a firewall built in to it, the firewall protects it users from hackers and unwanted programs from running. And the software works almost perfectly for keeping unwanted people or programs out, but the only catch is you have use their software. Road Runner, which is now part of AOL, is a cable company, which only provides high-speed Internet access, not full proof security. This problem leaves you open for hackers that are randomly barraging Internet connected PC’s with â€Å"pings† or â€Å"port scans†, probing to fin d unprotected PCs. Once found, a hacker can compromise your PC with a dangerous Internet threat such as a Trojan horse, spyware or even a malicious worm (Zone Labs).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since AOL doesn’t provide any type of firewall or hacker protection while you have a cable connection with them they do suggest certain types of firewall software to buy. For single end users they suggest you use firewall software like Norton’s Personal Firewall, which costs around $49.95, or NetBarrier 2.0 if you own a Macintosh. Both of these software packages include basic features for a single end user, for instance the ability to delete your cookies and the ability to set up filters or rules to a computer. For network users AOL suggest that you use firewall software such as ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0 which costs $49.95 for a one-user license and goes up from there. ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0 not only provides cookie control, pop-up ad control but also provides email protection and it can suspend 46 different file types. Unlike other personal firewalls, ZoneAlarm Pro includes Program Control to protect against known and unknown threats. With ZoneAlarm Pro, you can control the ability to specify which programs are trusted to access the Internet, by monitoring all outbound traffic. You can also block and make your computer invisible on the internet-â€Å"if you can’t be seen, you can’t be hacked† (Zone Labs). Another type of software that they sugge... ... cases like if you have nothing on your system now, but the only sure, secure way to know that your computer is going to be safe from hackers, when your on the network or working on your computer at home is to turn it off when your done with it. Works Cited Cable Modem and Mac Security Information. SercureMac.com 28 April 2002 Connections and Protections. SercureMac.com 28 April 2002 Current version of VisNetic Firewall is 1.03. C&C Software. 27 April 2002 How Do You Make a Open Network Trustworthy. SyGate.com 27 April 2002 Macintosh OS X Security. SercureMac.com 28 April 2002 Macintosh OS X Security 2. SercureMac.com 28 April 2002 Macintosh OS X Security 3. SercureMac.com 28 April 2002 Zone Alarm 3.0. Zone Labs 28 April 2002