Security Index

Security News
Vanish.org has the latest security and hacker related news stories.

Microsoft : Updates
This is one of your most important security links. Windows Update is an online extension of Windows. It is the Product Updates section which is of vital interest to all Windows users. Go there to download and install the latest updates [security patches] for your computer.

Personal Firewalls
Start at home. If you think that your home PC is in danger of being accessed then install a firewall.

Malware
Malware - literally - is any software with malicious intent.

Viruses
Many virus threats exist today. With most people having 24/7 connections, this is a very important line of defense.

Spyware
Spyware has been around for many years, yet today it remains one of the most unresolved and pervasive problems for computer users. Essentially, spyware can be classified into seven separate groups based on the underlying technology that it employs.

Trojans
The security risks associated with Trojan Horses are becoming more serious and widespread each day.

Worms
Computer worms are not ordinary viruses. Their ability to spread quickly across the Internet has made worms the weapon of choice for malicious vandals to spread their latest creations.

Rootkits
Rootkits can cause serious damage to a system and, if allowed to take hold, can force you to completely reformat your computer. However, sensible security precautions, properly patched operating systems and applications, and up-to-date security software will go a long way towards preventing rootkits from gaining access to your system. There are a couple of dedicated programs that can detect whether a rootkit is present on a system.

Desk Top Security
Security is also an important issue from the "physical" aspect. Not all dangers to your information will be from "cyberspace".

Secure Email Provider
HushMail is the world's premier Web-based secure email system.

Encryption: PGP - Pretty Good Privacy
PGP is a file encryption programme which is generally considered unbreakable. It is used extensively on the Internet, available for almost every platform. It can also create digital signatures, which makes it easy to detect forgeries. PGP is required for nearly all anonymous remailers.

Encryption: Disk Encryption
While a programme such as PGP is good to encrypt e-mail or individual files, it is less useful to protect the contents of your entire hard disk. Even if you never forget to re-encrypt and wipe every file after use, editors and other programmes may leave temporary files behind.

File Wiping
A normal "delete" does not actually erase files. The data itself remains on the disk, it's just not part of a file anymore. By using a wiper, the data is replaced with random junk first. This prevents undelete utilities from restoring your erased files.

File Wiping - Overview
Why a normal delete is not sufficient. It pays to be a little paranoid sometimes. Often the reason for paranoia, is a deeper anxiety over not having absolute information about a thing.

GreenBorder Pro
GreenBorder Pro uses virtualisation-like technologies to separate IE from the rest of the system, so that if malicious software does execute, it doesn't actually touch the computer.

Security Protocols
Covers topics such as IP security, SSL, S-HTTP, public key cryptography and more. The analysis of protocols is often difficult because the applications that implement such protocols may lead to further problems. Thus a good protocol is not enough, you must also have a good and robust implementation.

Cryptography
In today's information society, cryptography has become one of the main tools for privacy, trust, access control, electronic payments, corporate security, and countless other fields. The use of cryptography is no longer a privilege reserved for governments and highly skilled specialists, but is becoming available for everyone.

Nmap - Free Scanner For Network & Security Audits.
A popular tool to examine networks and services for potential security problems. It has a large database of known security holes and can try them all. This can be a great help to see if your network is secure.