Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 6 i Home Networking The Complete Manual

Consider the average user: they contact an Internet Service Provider (ISP), sign up for a broadband deal, and in a day or two they receive their router through the post. This they hook up to their existing telephone line, power up, then wait as the lights on the router turn a certain colour indicating that a connection is made. They can then turn on their computer or device, locate the Service Set Identifier (SSID, the router’s name), enter the wireless password and connect to the Internet. After that, they tend to forget all about the router and what’s going on. Unless there’s a problem, then usually a quick reboot of the router will solve the issue. There is a lot more going on in the background though, and if you…

We take Wi-Fi and wireless connectivity for granted these days. The phone that most of us carry around, with its ability to connect to a network, or Bluetooth pair to another device, is simply an amazing piece of technology. As we said in the intro, it wasn’t all that long ago when connecting to a network over a wireless setup was simply out of the question. While it has existed since the early seventies, as UHF wireless packet networking, it wasn’t worth the exorbitant cost of installation, setup and maintenance. But Wi-Fi, which stands for Wireless Fidelity, has come a long way in a short time. In essence, as you already suspect, Wi-Fi is wireless connectivity; the ability to connect to a network and therefore the Internet wirelessly. It’s a…

Wi-Fi is much like electricity, you don’t think much about it until it’s not available. There’s a lot you can do with a good wireless network, so this chapter will look at how you can get the maximum potential from your Wi-Fi, from creating a wireless network plan, to surveying your home to find Wi-Fi dead zones. Want to discover how to secure your wireless network, while also extending it to the outer reaches of your home and property? Then this chapter will help you become more Wi-Fi knowledgeable.…

There are times when you’re not going to be able to get all your network equipment using wireless technologies. A desktop computer, for example, doesn’t always come with Wi-Fi built in, so you’ll need to purchase a Wi-Fi dongle in order for it to get on to the wireless network. If you use some older equipment, such as an older laser printer, it may only have an Ethernet or USB port available. The same goes for Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives, most of these only come with Ethernet support due to the high bandwidth they tend to use over time. In such cases, you have no choice but to go wired. Best of both worlds There’s nothing wrong with having wired elements on your wireless network. Essentially, the backbone of…

BENEFIT 1 RELIABILITY AND STABILITY – When configured and setup properly, a wired network is incredibly dependable. Although wireless technologies are always improving, you’ll probably find a wired network more stable and reliable over time. BENEFIT 2 NO INTERFERENCE – Wireless networks always have to contend with other elements in its environment, such as walls, other wireless networks, mirrors and even water in a fish tank. A wired network doesn’t have those issues. True, you wouldn’t run the cable through a body of water – but it’s possible with the right cabling. BENEFIT 3 SPEED – Overall, wired networks are faster than wireless. Wireless components on a network may be advertised at speeds faster than 1Gb/s, but other factors have a negative affect on those speeds. Wired Ethernet can operate…

STEP 1 PLAN AHEAD – Take a moment to get a plan together. Where are you going to start, what is the route you’re going to take, check the house for potential obstacles you’re likely to come across when you’re cabling. Have you got powerline adapters and extenders ready? STEP 2 CABLE ENDS – If you’re plan is looking good, and you’ve got a route ready, then lay out your cable and start making up the ends. If you’re using trunking, make sure it’s all cut to size and ready to stick/drill on to the wall. STEP 3 SWITCHES – With the cables all planned out, and the ends being made, make sure that the switches are in the right place, and that there’s enough ports to feed the number…

Google Home Max Key Features: Meet Google Home Max, he helps you to hear every note as the artist intended and feel every beat with heart pounding bass. It’s the ultimate speaker, made for your music. The advanced hardware delivers deep bass and crisp treble in stunning stereo sound. It analyses, tunes and updates itself automatically, so all you need to do is listen. The far-field voice control allows Max to hear you across the room, even while the music’s playing. Final Thoughts: The best audio-only based product in the Google Home range. Dimensions • Width: 13.2” (336.6 mm) • Height: 7.4” (190.0 mm) • Depth: 154.4 mm • Power cable: 2 m Weight • 11.7 lbs (5,300 g) Colours • Chalk, Charcoal Materials • Acoustically transparent fabric • Rigid…

.: Telnet This is a command that can be used to connect to another computer, or manage a router or switch. You can send and receive files, send commands and much more. With Telnet you’re also able to connect to active Bulletin Board Systems. For example, enter: telnet bbs.balcos.net .: NbtStat The nbtstat command is a diagnostic tool for NetBIOS over TCP/IP. Its primary design is to help troubleshoot NetBIOS name resolution problems. It will display the human-friendly names of devices on the network along with their IP addresses. .: Hostname :. If you dicover that you are struggling to find the name of a Windows computer you’ve got on your network, simply enter the hostname command and it’ll display the computer’s local name. .: Arp Stands for Address Resolution…

TIP 1 NO CONNECTION (ONE PC) – If your computer is reporting no connection, it’s time to get behind the machine and double-check the Ethernet port. Check that the cable is fully inserted, as they can get caught by feet and pulled slightly. Check the cable end isn’t damaged. If there’s still no connection, check other machines (a router reboot may be needed). TIP 2 NO CONNECTION (ALL PCS) – If all your computers and other devices aren’t connecting, check any switches that they’re connected to. Switch plugs, and even powerline adapters, can blow a fuse. Check your router’s switch connection LED is lit up, if not try a different port. If all else fails, try direct connection to the router, as it could be faulty. TIP 3 CONNECTION KEEPS…

Being on the end of a successful hack has been likened to having your house robbed. There’s a feeling of invasion, that someone has rifled through your personal belongings and stolen what’s yours. “You’ve been hacked!” WARNING Monetary Motivation As with most hacks the world over, money is the driving force behind an attack. A hacker will want to enter your system through various means and obtain your bank or credit card details in order to get access to your money. It’s plain and simple theft. Personal Information Personal information can be extremely valuable to a hacker. Those who manage to obtain information about you, from date of birth, address, social security number and countless other trivial details, can then use your identity to open bank accounts, start a loan…

Are You Secure? Remarkably, despite having an antivirus client installed, some users aren’t even aware of the default Windows security features. Here’s a quick ten step process to check everything is working as it should. STEP 1 Start by clicking on the Windows Start Button or pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. Enter security into the search bar and click the first option that appears in the results, Security and Maintenance. STEP 2 This will open the Security and Maintenance section of the Control Panel. There are two main sections within this page, click on the Security section to expand it. Ideally all the options within the Security section should be displaying On, with the exception of Internet Security Settings which will display OK. STEP 3 Should any of…

Safer Surfing Securing your web browser isn’t too difficult. There are plenty of options available, including some third-party add-ons you can use to improve security. For this tutorial, we’re using Chrome. STEP 1 Start by opening Chrome and clicking on the three vertical dots in the top right of the browser window. This is the link to the available options; from the list choose Settings. STEP 2 It’s generally recommended that you sign into Chrome using a Google account, as this can greatly improve the overall security of the browser. For example, when you sign in, under the Sign In section in Settings, click on the Advanced Sync Settings button, the first option available. STEP 3 With the Advanced Sync Settings box open, select the option for Encrypt all synced…

Wi-Fi, Lock and Key A lot of the standard tips on protecting your Wi-Fi merge with those of protecting your wired network. It’s common sense mostly and keeping an eye on what’s going on in your own network. ADMIN PASSWORD All routers come with a generic username and password. Depending on the model and manufacturer of the router, it’s surprisingly easy to get hold of the username and password. For example, view www.routerpasswords.com and choose your router. With that being the case, change the administrator username and its password. ISP PASSWORD ISP supplied routers tend to have their own set of usernames and passwords. Although these are more secure than that of the default set, they are still obtainable from the more dubious quarter of the Internet. A potential hacker…

Encryption Galore Here are ten different encryption tools for you to consider that work well with Windows, and some previous versions too. Some are free, others cost but they’re all good in their own right. BITLOCKER Available only for users of Windows Pro, Windows.1 Pro and Enterprise and Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate versions. If you’re running the Home versions, you’ll need to upgrade via the Microsoft site, or from the Windows Store. In short, BitLocker offers full disk encryption with 128-bit or 256-bit AES standards. VERACRYPT This is a free disk encryption program that’s based on the popular TrueCrypt. It offers enhanced security, lots of levels of encryption and support for UEFI drives. It’s available for Windows version 7 onwards as well as Mac OS X, Linux and even…

VPN Services Listed below are a number of popular VPN services. The services on offer are subscription-based and they all ensure that your privacy is maintained. For a relatively small monthly outlay, you can be anonymous and even unlock access to sites previously blocked by your ISP. CYBERGHOST CyberGhost is our favourite VPN. It offers 256-bit AES military grade encryption, no logging, access to 27 countries and hundreds of servers, protected browsing, ad blocking, access to fast servers, unlimited traffic and bandwidth and an anti-fingerprint system for up to five devices. HMA Despite its colourful name, Hide My Ass VPN is considered to be one of the best services available. Along with the usual secure 256-bit encryption connection you get blistering speeds, access to over 300 locations, anonymous email use,…

Information Superhighway The Internet is a huge, complex network of computers and is widely credited as humanity’s greatest achievement. It’s estimated that the Internet houses something in the region of 1024 bytes of information, which is quite a lot. That estimated 1024 bytes equates to an exabyte of potential information held by every single connected device that makes up the Internet, some of which is your information. It’s an impossible number to visualise, since we’re only using gigabytes or terabytes of storage in most of our devices. More to the point though, how on earth does all that connect together, and how does it work? To be able to transmit all that information, the data that travels around the Internet is in packets. Each of these packets contains a header and…

Ten Tips for Safer Mobiles Your personal information is worth quite a bit to the right group of people. It’s not just Windows security you need to keep in mind, you need to consider your mobile security too. SECURITY LOCK Locking your device is one of the most basic of security tips for mobile devices. Either use a number code, pattern lock or finger print to lock your device when not in use. Should someone steal it, it becomes a little more difficult for them to gain access. That won’t stop a professional digital criminal, but it will deter the rest. REMOTE WIPE If possible set up some form of remote wipe. Should your phone or tablet be stolen or lost, you’ll be able to use another Internet connected computer…

WhatsApp Security Tips With this popularity comes a darker side to messaging. Accounts of terrorists using WhatsApp, along with hackers, scammers and all manner of nefarious individuals and groups are ever in the popular media. Protecting your WhatsApp account can be done mainly through the Settings > Account > Privacy option. In here you’re able to secure your personal details, profile, status, messaging and who can see your account. Thankfully, WhatsApp already encrypts and secures messages sent from one device to another. This means that your data can’t be intercepted and read. However, you can opt to view security notifications if a contact’s security setting has been altered. This is in the Settings > Account > Security menu. For added security you can opt for two-step authentication, which will require…

Manage Those Passwords Password managers differ in what they offer, how they work and what optional extras they provide. Therefore it can be tricky to find one that fits the bill. Some are free, others cost a monthly or annual fee; here are ten to consider. LASTPASS LastPass, which also offer a free password generator, is regarded as one of the finest managers available. There’s a free version that offers unlimited password storage, cross-platform access, two-factor authentication and elevated levels of encryption. There’s also a Premium version that offers a lot more, including 1GB of encrypted file storage and higher levels of encryption. ZOHO VAULT Zoho Vault is another excellent password management application. With a free version on offer, moving up to Enterprise levels for just €7 per month, Zoho…

If you want to improve your Windows security further, then this section will look at more advanced ways and means in which you can achieve that goal. We cover firewalls, sandboxing and virtual environments, and how to tell which programs are communicating beyond your home network. Our easy to follow tutorials will help you create a reliable backup of Windows and all your data, so should something unfortunate happen, you’ll be able to restore your files with confidence.…

Great Walls of Fire The term firewall comes from fire prevention, where a physical wall is constructed in order to halt the spread of a fire. In digital terms, the physical wall stops malware and other threats from spreading into the system. Some form of digital protection against unwanted entry into a system has existed for many years but the more recent software side of a firewall, one that we’re reasonably familiar with, has only been around since the ‘80s. Prior to the modern firewall, system administrators blocked unwanted access through various stages of hardware layers. Long lists of allowed computer addresses were painstakingly entered into mainframes and routers, where programmable chips filtered the white list and simply stopped all access to addresses that weren’t on the list; think of…

Naturally, this is just our example and will probably be different to your own setup and depending on the equipment you have available to you. For the sake of this publication we’ve taken a more generic approach but it’s worth using it as a foundation from which you build your own, personal and unique checklist. Your checklist can be as intricate as you like, detailing specific hardware or software on one or all your computers, devices and so on, that needs to be updated regularly. Just remember though, there is a point where you can become a little too security conscious. Whilst it’s great to be prepared for anything, and run your home network like a veritable digital Fort Knox, it can take up a substantial amount of your time…

Going Virtual Using a Virtual Machine (VM), will take resources from your computer: memory, hard drive space, processor usage and so on. So make sure you’ve got enough of each before commencing. STEP 1 The first step is to get hold of the latest version of VirtualBox. Enter www.virtualbox.org, and click on ‘Download VirtualBox’. This will take you to the main download page. Locate the correct host for your system: Windows or Mac – the host is the current, installed operating system – and click the link to begin the download. STEP 2 Next, while still on the VirtualBox download page, locate the VirtualBox Extension Pack link. The Extension Pack supports USB devices, as well as numerous other extras that can help make the VM environment a more accurate emulation…

Time to Recover You need an 8GB USB drive minimum, in order to successfully create a recovery drive. It wipes the contents off the drive and you won’t be able to use it for anything else, so make sure it’s labelled and stored in a safe place. STEP 1 Insert the USB drive into your PC and close the Explorer window that opens upon insertion. Click the Windows Start button and type recovery, then click on the Recovery Control Panel. In here you can see several options available; you want the first, Create a recovery drive. STEP 2 Click the Create a recovery drive link and accept the UAC authentication message that pops up. First, there’s the option to backup any important system files to the recovery drive, alongside the…

Windows Security: The Paranoid’s Guide If you’re fanatical about securing Windows and locking it down to the point where the NSA would be impressed, then follow these top ten extreme lockdown tips. TIP 1 Let’s begin with the easiest tip, unplug the computer from the Internet. Naturally there are disadvantages to this and you won’t get updates for Windows or programs. However, you certainly won’t get any Internet-borne malware infecting your machine. TIP 2 Click the Windows Start button and type privacy into the search box. Open the Privacy Settings link and turn off every option within the eighteen available Privacy sub-categories to the left of the console window. TIP 3 When online use a VPN and where possible, also use the Tor browser. Both of these combined will greatly…

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Your home network is constantly under pressure to serve volumes of data to your computers, smart TVs, games consoles and more. While most of the time they work without too much hassle and interference, there are times when the router will drop its connection to the Internet, or your Wi-Fi stops working altogether. These are the times when knowing a little bit more about how it all works will help save you a lot of headaches - mostly from other members of the family! This book will help you get to grips with the technology involved in creating your network. What equipment is needed, and what it does, and how you can get the best from every piece of the networking puzzle. Inside you’ll discover how best to setup a…

A router is simply a piece of hardware that’s designed to interconnect one network to another. They can be used to connect two individual office networks together, so the teams in each can share resources, but more specifically, in terms of the home user, they’re used to connect all your devices to each other and ultimately the Internet. Routers come in various shapes and sizes, offering many features; with some of the higher-end models offering more. Typically, a router, the one you’ll receive from your ISP when you sign up to a broadband deal, will be able to do the following: Connect to the Internet Your router will function as a bridge between your computer and the Internet via the ISP’s network. What this means is, your ISP has sent…

There are many reasons why your home Wi-Fi network doesn’t reach into every part of your house. The router’s wireless signal might not have the range to get to the furthest rooms, or the walls might be very thick and heavy, which makes it difficult for Wi-Fi to penetrate. So maybe you need to make a cabled connection to one of the router’s Ethernet ports, but don’t want to trail Ethernet cables through the house. Powerline adapters are a potential solution for extending both your wireless and cabled network, using your home’s electrical cabling as data cables. A powerline adapter kit comes with at least two plug adapters, which are small devices that plug into your electrical sockets. They usually have at least one Ethernet port, and they might also…

TIP 1 CHANGE ROUTER PASSWORD – The default password from the ISP to the administrative layer of the router can be quite good, depending on the ISP. Some though are terrible and use the likes of admin/admin as the username and password. If yours isn’t up to scratch, create your own strong password using numbers, letters and special characters. TIP 2 LIMIT ACCESS – Although you might find it awkward to do, you should consider saying ‘no’ when someone asks you for your password. Passing friends of the kids, the neighbour who needs to check something, anyone in who’s doing work on the house… the list goes on. Don’t give out your password, and it’ll remain secure. TIP 3 KEEP CHANGING PASSWORDS – If you want to remain secure, then…

TOOL 1 CABLE – You’re best off purchasing Cat6 (Category 6), Ethernet cable instead of Cat5 or Cat7. Cat5 is fine, but Cat6 offers better shielding against electromagnetic disturbances. Cat7 is unnecessary at the home networking level. Around 100 metres of Cat6 can be purchased for around £35, depending on where you shop. TOOL 2 CAT6/RJ45 CABLE ENDS – Cable ends are certainly necessary, since you can’t plug anything into the Ethernet ports without an Ethernet end on the cable. The prices do vary from place to place, so have a shop around, but expect to pay somewhere in the region of £5 for a bag of ten RJ45/Ethernet cable ends. TOOL 3 RJ45 CRIMP TOOL – In order to clasp the cable end to the cable, to make a…

Most of our home network setup is geared towards creating an amazing entertainment system. From 4K smart TVs, with Netflix and other streaming services, to the latest games consoles; and let’s not forget the new addition to our homes: AI assistants, such as Google Home. The home network can be under a lot of strain, so you’ll discover how to get the most from them in these coming pages. From the best advice on setting up your home network for entertainment, and what equipment to use, through to setting up and using Google Home, it’s all here……

Setting Up Google Home All of the setup for your Google Home speaker is done through the Google Home app for Android. Use this app for future access and changes to the settings. STEP 1 Plug in your Google Home device and wait for the audio cue to show it is ready to be set up. Make sure that the switch that controls the microphone is set to “On”. If you accidentally turn the microphone off on your speaker, the device will inform you accordingly. STEP 2 Currently, Google Home is only available for Android devices, and most have it pre-installed. If you don’t already have it, find the app on the Google Play store, download and install it on your mobile device (phone or tablet). Once installed, open the…

.: HTTPie This is a single HTTP command that’s designed for debugging and interaction with HTTP servers and other web services. There’s lots of support, and it features a great looking UI. .: Ping One of the most used networking commands for troubleshooting and testing network connectivity. Ping works by sending Echo Request packets to a user-specified IP destination, and waits for a reply. .: Wget :. This is a handy command that combines the best elements of Ping and Tracert. It will display the latency and packet loss between one computer and another (either locally or on the Internet), and after 300 seconds display a detailed report. .: cURL :. cURLStands for Client URL, and transfers data to or from a network server using one of many supported protocols.…

Being able to recognise a scam or virus is one thing, but you’ll need to be able to protect yourself against possible attacks. We’ll look at the top Internet security packages, from Bitdefender, Kaspersky and McAfee, as well as what encryption is and how to make it work for you. Using a Virtual Private Network is an excellent way to improve your Windows security. We’ll look at how a VPN works, what the best VPNs are and how to install and use one on your PC.…

Just to give you an idea of what the future could hold for the computing world, here are the top ten most destructive viruses unleashed over the last decade into the digital domain. “Digital Destruction” 1 Storm Worm Storm Worm was released in 2007 and was rumoured to have hailed from Russia. It came in the form of an email link, usually with an important headline to grab the victim’s attention. When the victim clicks the link the code is inserted and payload with a backdoor into the system is opened. It infected over 10 million computers worldwide. 2 Conficker Conficker was a 2008 worm that infected an estimated 15 million Windows computers worldwide. The French Navy, UK Ministry of Defence, hospitals and local police forces were affected. It was…

Update, reboot, update, reboot Updates may well be the bane of the modern computer user but they are there for a reason. It’s not the 8-bit era anymore, we need those updates to help protect our security. Here are 10 reasons why they’re important. PATCH VULNERABILITIES Windows updates patch recognised security holes in the core system. Many of the viruses around today exploit a vulnerability in the Windows code that hasn’t been fixed yet. So when an update comes along, that potential flaw will be ironed out. EXTRA SECURITY In addition to potential security glitches in the code, often an update can contain an extra level of security that’s been programmed in by the developers. For example, the code that handles remote desktop requests has had a security patch but…

Network Protection Without being too paranoid, it’s remarkably easy to get into a neighbour’s home network. If you live in a block of flats or you use powerline adapters, you may need to consider these ten steps for better network protection. ROUTER PASSWORD The most common entry point to gain access to your network is via the router. The router from your ISP may well be offering the latest forms of encryption but it doesn’t take a genius to trawl the less reputable sections of the Internet to obtain a list of passwords. Therefore, change the default username and password to access it. MAC ADDRESSING Most routers these days come with a form of authentication called MAC (Media Access Code) address filtering. Every networkable device, computers, tablets, games consoles, come…

Kryptos Communications To better understand encryption it’s worth taking a moment to learn about its origins, how it’s been developed over the years and how it applies to our modern communications. The word encryption comes from the ancient Greek word Kryptos, which means hidden or secret. Interestingly, the use of hiding messages from others can be traced back to early Egyptian scribes who inserted non-standard hieroglyphs within other communications in order to hide the message from casual viewers. According to historians the Spartans used strips of leather with messages engraved. When the strips were read they were meaningless but when wrapped around a staff of a certain diameter the characters would be decipherable. Of course, the modern forms of encryption are far more advanced but the overall core concept has…

Virtual Private Network Using a VPN can help hide your online presence. Whilst this may seem like an ideal way to get to illegal content, it’s actually designed to help fight for your basic right to Internet and digital privacy. Essentially, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a server or group of servers in a remote location that you can connect to through a client. The VPN servers then hide your Internet-bound IP address with their own, so if you connected to a VPN that’s located in Australia then your IP address would be as if you were actually sat at a desktop down under. The benefits of this are many but mainly a VPN will allow you to access region restricted websites, protect you from tracking and shield your…

CyberGhost We’re going to use CyberGhost as the example VPN for this tutorial. You’ll need to purchase one of the available packages to begin with. You can choose from a rolling monthly subscription of £9.99/mo or up to a three year plan billed £68 every three years. STEP 1 We won’t use the free option in this instance, as the paid for services offer a better set of features with which to display the VPN in action. Start by navigating to www.cyberghostvpn.com and clicking on the Pricing link in the upper portion of the main CyberGhost site for your regional and latest pricing. STEP 2 Assuming you’ve purchased one of the options, click the yellow Free Download button located in the top right of the main page. This will, after…

The data packets that make up a message, or a string containing a username and password, are sent to and from yours and other computers without most of us ever really knowing what’s going on in the background. It’s this lack of knowledge that’s the hacker’s greatest tool. Well, that and some clever software that’s freely downloadable from the Internet. Let’s look at how data can be intercepted by a hacker. Let’s use the scenario that you’re on a business trip, or just out and about, and you’re using a café’s free, public Wi-Fi. There are numerous, and quite ingenious, ways in which data can be intercepted by a hacker. Normally you need to be using an unsecure network, such as a public Wi-Fi but there are other ways and…

Tips for Better Facebook Profiles The dangers of social media aren’t just for young people, many adults have been duped into befriending someone they don’t know and exposing their personal information. Facebook’s policy forbids the use of fake names but it does allow nick names to be used. Where possible, use your nickname instead of your real name. This will effectively hide your real name details from those who would wish to exploit it. Set up two-factor authentication, alerts about unrecognised logins and make sure that emails from Facebook are encrypted. These can all be found in the Settings > Security and Login section. Go to Settings > Privacy, and make sure that the Who can see my stuff section is set for just friends, as opposed to friends of…

PA55W0RD1234 To help you create the perfect password, and secure it further, here are ten tips for happier password management. There’s always password pitfalls but stick to these general tips and you should be okay. OBVIOUS DATES Never use your date of birth, partner’s date of birth, children’s date of birth, pet’s names, family names or even the town where you grew up in. This is all information that can easily be collected from social media sites or even a clever Internet search. SAME PASSWORDS Never use the same password for multiple sites. It’s tempting and easy to have a single password for everything but should that password ever become compromised you will lose access to every site you visit, including any banking sites. VISIBLE PASSWORD Never write your password…

The length of breadth of online shopping is far too vast to cover every conceivable angle here. So rather than focus on particular elements, here are ten online shopping security tips to apply across the board. “10 Online Shopping Security Tips” FAKE SITES Ensure that you’re buying from a real website. Fake sites are remarkably easy to create by the clever hacker and are designed to steal your transactions. Be wary of sites other than the big names. While smaller online shops are fine, just look into the type of security it’s using and do some research before purchasing. RUSH BUYING Don’t be fooled into rush buying something that’s at a ridiculously low price. If a site is selling an iPhone for £20, then it’s more than likely to be…

Windows is said to be the last true Windows desktop release, with the Redmond company now opting for a rolling release cycle, that will add or remove features over time through regular updates. “Going Private” There are many advantages to this particular setup. A Windows user will always be up to date with regards to security, options and support. Any new hardware that’s released will be added to the vast driver database that Windows already uses and it will operate at its maximum potential. Microsoft can gradually roll out features that would require a brand new operating system, thus maximising the capabilities of the OS. Of course, the company can charge for certain additional features that would ordinarily be a part of the OS, such as a media centre for…

Getting to Know Your Firewall Generally, there’s little need to ever configure the Windows firewall. However, getting to know how it works and improving it is part of being more security-conscious. Here’s some tips on how to manage it better. STEP 1 You can open the main Windows firewall console window by clicking on the Windows Start button and entering firewall into the search box. Click the returned link, Windows Firewall Control Panel, to launch it. STEP 2 The Windows firewall console window starts by detailing the basic status of the firewall. It should be On by default, unless you’ve installed a third-party security suite which contains its own firewall. There are two kinds of network listed, Private and Public. Private is for home or work, whereas Public is for…

Playing in the Sand Everyone from software developers and security experts to the hackers themselves will use a sandbox environment to help build and test their products; so what exactly is a sandbox? Just as the name suggests, a sandbox is a place where you can do something without it affecting the surrounding area: visualise a sandbox in the middle of a garden. In digital security terms, this means a sandbox is a tightly controlled environment that’s isolated from the main operating system where a person can test or analyse software and its impact on a virtual system. The sandbox can be one of a number of implementations: web based, operating system based, program based, network based or even emulating interaction with the Internet. There are countless more examples, each…

Window Installations Naturally you might own a spare Windows license to use for the VM but for this tutorial we’re going for the 90 day Windows Enterprise Evaluation model. To begin with, browse to https://microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-Windows-10-enterprise. STEP 1 You need to register with Microsoft prior to being able to download the Windows image; simply click the Register button and fill in the required fields. When done, click Continue and choose the ISO Enterprise option, then your language choice and 64-bit, followed by the Continue button once more to begin the download. STEP 2 The ISO you’re downloading is around 4GB in size, so it may take some time, depending on the speed of your connection. Open VirtualBox and click on the New icon located in the top right of the main…

Backing Up Computers are unpredictable beasts, so you need to make sure that all your files and important data are securely backed up and more importantly, you’re able to restore them easily. Thankfully, it’s a straightforward process. STEP 1 Windows has, since its early days, featured some form of backup tool. Windows was launched with the File History backup tool, which is a simple to use tool to ensure stable and regular backups of important files are made. Start by clicking on the Windows Start button and selecting Settings from the menu. STEP 2 Once in the Settings console, click on the Update & Security icon, followed by the Backup option from the menu on the left. You can see a number of possible options before you: Add a Drive,…

Answer These Questions Ten questions on cyber security and Windows security. They’re not too difficult but enough to make you think and consider the whole aspect of digital security and privacy. Question: 01 Who is it okay to share your passwords with? Question: 02 True or False: when on public Wi-Fi is it safe to send confidential or personal information data? Question: 03 What does the ‘S’ stand for in HTTPS? Question: 04 What is two-factor (or two-step) authentication? Question: 05 Which of these is a Phishing attack? ▶ Sending someone an email that contains a malicious link disguised as a valid email.▶ Creating a fake website that looks identical to a real one, in order to trick users into logging in.▶ Sending someone a text message that contains a…

Switches come in many sizes. Some are quite small, offering just a few ports to connect to, while others, used mainly by companies, can have tens of ports. In the simplest terms, a switch enables multiple computers to connect to a network using a physical cable, called an Ethernet cable (or RJ45 cable). Each computer is connected to the switch, and multiple switches can be connected to each other. This allows hundreds of computers, let’s say on the floor of an office building, to be connected to the floors above and below, as well as to the company’s servers and routers. Switches also come with different backbone speeds, which is the physical limit the data can travel to and from each of the ports. These speeds range from 10Mb/s, to…

Network extenders fall under different names, depending on who you talk to or what company is selling them. They can be called wireless extenders, signal boosters, Wi-Fi range extenders and so on, but effectively, they all do the same thing: extend the signal of your available Wi-Fi network. Most houses will have one or more dead zones, where the Wi-Fi signal from the router drops to the point of being virtually useless. As we’ve mentioned previously, the Wi-Fi signal is a slave to its environment and can be affected by walls, furniture, microwave ovens and all other manner of objects we regularly use throughout the home. If you have your router in the front room of your house, for example, then the upstairs back bedroom may prove to be one…

Let’s assume you’re building your Wi-Fi home network from scratch. You’ve received the router from your ISP, and you’re ready to begin the setup process. It’s best not to dive in and set everything up, without first planning what you’re going to do. You may reach a point in the setup process where you need to alter something, sending you back to square one. Making a plan saves a lot of problems later on, and once you have your network setup and ready, and operating to its maximum, you can easily extend it when you need to, without having to pull equipment apart or rearrange devices. Planning The first item you should put on your plan is router position. At this point in time you’re not able to effectively conduct…

While Wi-Fi is great, it’s not as dependable or as stable as a good wired network setup. A wired network is on the whole faster, more durable and not subject to range or obstacles. However, it does come with a few caveats. Wires can be messy, so you’ll need to plan out your wired setup, and you might need to learn how to make your own Ethernet cables, using specialised tools. However, with this chapter you’ll learn how to deal with all these elements, and more. From planning, to cabling, we’ll help you get the most from your wired network setup.…

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a qualified electrician to be able to wire up an Ethernet cable, but you will need some tools at hand before you start. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of wiring, we need to take a look at the types of Ethernet cable available. Cats There are two types of Ethernet cable that you’ll come across when you’re cabling: Cat5 and Cat6. These are Category standard cables types, specifically standard 5 and standard 6. They are both used for networking and feature the same wiring inside the cable. Cat5 is an older standard, but can still transfer speeds to and from switches and routers up to 1Gb/s – although it does have a bit of an issue with holding those speeds over time. Cat6,…

Someone’s home entertainment system is a very personal setup. While most will have a smart TV, some form of Blu-Ray or DVD setup, and perhaps a games console, others will opt for more exotic components such as Wi-Fi speakers, Google Home automation integration (or some other AI assistant), multiple consoles, a retro games setup via emulation on a Raspberry Pi and much more. It’s impossible to target just one specific setup, but we can make some educated guesses and suggest the best possible way forward for those wanting to get all their entertainment equipment online and talking to each other. Main Setup Before we go into depth regarding the individual components, it’s worth looking at the base installation first. By this we mean the main networking component that will feed…

There’s a lot that can be done in the background to keep your network in order, and in this chapter you’ll learn some of the best tools to help you combat network issues and performance lag. We look at some of the most used, and not so well known, commands for both Windows and Linux users, that can trace packets across the Internet, or just connect to an old school Bulletin Board Service. There’s also great troubleshooting tips, tricks and advice. Keep these pages handy, as they’ll come in useful for those times when something on your network stops communicating with everything else.…

TIP 1 SLOW OR NO ACCESS IN SOME ROOMS – There’s a good chance that the room in question has become a bit of Wi-Fi dead zone. Load up a network analyser and check the signal output in the room in question. If needs be, reboot any network extenders and the router. TIP 2 SLOW INTERNET – This could be one of two things: a problem with the router and your network, or a problem with the ISP. Test the connection by directly plugging a device into the router’s Ethernet ports. If the problem persists, then call your ISP. If it’s okay, then turn off all your networking equipment and one-by-one power them up, while testing to find the culprit. TIP 3 REFUSAL TO CONNECT – Occasionally, there’s a device…

Here Be Dragons This isn’t a definitive list of the possible threats available for the Windows user but here are ten modern risks that you face every time you power up your PC. 01 Viruses Viruses have been around for as long as computers. They’ve moved on from simply displaying the name of the coder on the monitor, a kind of virtual vandalism, and now can disable and wipe the data off a hard drive in mere seconds. 02 Ransomware Earlier in the year the UK was gripped in the clutches of the WannaCry ransomware infection. This particular infection exploited a vulnerability in Windows, and quickly spread throughout the NHS and other organisations, locking and encrypting the data on a computer until money was sent to those who unleashed it to the…

Weakest Links In terms of digital security, you’re only as strong as the weakest link in your security chain. You can tick all the security boxes but if you don’t know what to look for in the first place you’re still vulnerable. PASSWORD CHANGE A good sign of a breach in your digital security is the sudden changing of a password. It can be for a random site, webmail or just something small to begin with. Sometimes a hacker with a keylogger in place will test the water before accessing your bank, in which case you need to virus scan your PC immediately. PERSONAL SPAM We all receive spam emails of some form or another. However, if you suddenly start getting emails of a more personal nature, then you need…

Keeping Up To Date Whilst it’s easy to update Windows, there are elements that can be missed. We’ve already mentioned that it’s not only Windows that needs updating but also software and drivers. STEP 1 The first port of call is undoubtedly Windows Update. Click on the Windows Start button followed by Settings, the cog icon just above the power icon on the strip to the side. This will open the Windows Settings interface, locate the last entry, Update & Security and click it. STEP 2 By default Windows Update will automatically check for, download and install updates for the core Windows files. You can check for any on the spot by clicking the Check for updates button; and you can see what’s already been updated by clicking the Update…

Wireless security has adhered to a number of standards since 1999, each improving over the last due to the ability for a then-modern computer to hack the security levels behind them. Tighter controls are needed as computers and the way they connect have become increasingly more complex. WEP, WPA, WPA2, IEEE… Amid the confusing acronyms lies a logical progression of wireless encryption and security protocols. Whilst at first they seem bewildering, it’s quite interesting to learn of their history. The technology behind delivering a wireless network has evolved over the last couple of decades and so has the ways and means in which to secure it all. It’s not just simply down to choosing a password that no one is likely to guess, you need to make sure that data…

Windows, Under Lock and Key We’re going to encrypt a 2GB USB flash in this example, purely for ease of use and to demonstrate how you can encrypt your entire laptop hard drive(s). STEP 1 Encryption doesn’t affect the core data, other than making it impossible to read without the decryption key but it’s always worth making sure you have a backup of all your data prior to any system related changes. If you store your work or data in the Documents folder, then start by opening it in Windows Explorer. STEP 2 Press Ctrl+A to highlight all the files, then press Ctrl+C to copy them to the clipboard. Next, choose a suitable backup location such as an external or network drive and when ready, press Ctrl+V to paste the…

Security Beyond Anonymity It’s a good question: how can a VPN improve Windows security? Whilst the privacy side is well catered for, there are some good security enhancements and features a VPN brings to the table. BROWSING ACTIVITY This doesn’t happen often but an ISP can become compromised and details of user activities leaked or stolen. Using a VPN can hide your browsing activity from trackers and even your ISP, enabling you to browse with freedom of fear of having your details leaked or accessed by others. ANTIMALWARE Many VPN providers utilise a level of antimalware into their security layers. This enhances your security by filtering any downloads through the VPN first. Should there be a virus present, then it can be removed or stopped at the VPN before it…

While you can successfully protect yourself and your own computer offline, as soon as you make a connection to the outside world, you’re under the influence of many external factors. We’ll look at how data is transmitted from your computer to the Internet, and how a canny hacker can intercept that data for their own means. Over the coming pages you’ll discover how best to protect yourself, and what strategies you can use to become more secure when online, and when you’re out and about with your Windows laptop and other devices.…

Public Safety Despite the different and varied ways a hacker can gain access to your inbound and outbound data, there are means in which you can defend yourself. Here are ten tips to help you protect your data from being intercepted. TIP 1 Not all public Wi-Fi access points are havens for nefarious hackers but that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Every security software and firewall in the world can’t help you if you’re not savvy when it comes to information security. If you’re going to use public Wi-Fi, don’t use it for banking or other highly personal detail transactions. TIP 2 It may not always be possible to spot an Evil Twin fake Wi-Fi access point. It’s often best to double-check with members of staff, if…

Securing the Xverse Sadly, due to its popularity, X is a hotbed of scammers, spammers, hackers and social engineers scouting out the next potential victim for monetary gain, or simply behaving abusively. Here are ten tips to help secure your X account. If you click on your profile picture and choose Settings and Privacy from the menu, you’re able to set up a form of two-factor authentication called Verify Login Requests. This will enable X to use your phone number to send texts for any login requests. So even if your password is compromised, the hacker can’t get in without the text code. Just like most other social media platforms, phishing scams are rife on X. Be wary of anyone sending you posts claiming to be someone you know, offering…

Top Ten Password Generators We live in an age where you don’t have to sit with a dictionary and cryptic decoder to come up with an excellent password. There are many generators freely available to help you out. Here’s our top ten. NORTON IDENTITY SAFE PASSWORD GENERATOR Norton by Symantec, offers a handy free password online generator. You can set the password length, include letters, mixed case, numbers, punctuation and no identical characters. You can find it at: https://identitysafe.norton.com/password-generator/. STRONG PASSWORD GENERATOR Another great online resource that will create an incredibly strong password based on the options you choose. You can choose the length, punctuation and avoid similar characters but also display phonetic words to make it easier to remember. Try it out at: https://strongpasswordgenerator.com/. WIGHT HAT PASSWORD GENERATOR This…

Malware Busters For this tutorial we’ll use a pre-configured rescue disk from Kaspersky. We’ll need to transfer, or burn, the disk contents to a CD or a USB stick and boot into the safe environment through one of those mediums. STEP 1 Make sure you have a blank CD or a USB stick that’s at least 1GB in size. The Kaspersky Rescue Disk is downloaded as an ISO (which is an image file containing all the disk information), and can be downloaded from https://www.kaspersky.com.au/downloads/thank-you/free-rescue-disk. STEP 2 To transfer the ISO to USB download Rufus; which is an executable that doesn’t require any installation, and can be downloaded from: https://rufus.ie/. Insert your USB stick and double-click Rufus. Check that the Device label is pointing to your inserted USB stick, if not…

Look Who’s Talking There are a number of ways in which you’re able to view which programs and apps are sending data to Internet and external sources. Some methods are better than others, so it’s worth trying them all to see which works best for you. STEP 1 The first port of call to help monitor what apps are accessing the Internet is Task Manager. Click the Windows Start button and type task, then click the Task Manager result in the search box. You can also right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager from the available option in the menu. STEP 2 With Task Manager displayed, click the More Details arrow (if it’s available). This will expand the Task Manager options. From here, click the App History tab and then…

Plan for the Worst, Hope for the Best There’s a lot to consider when coming up with a good security plan. It’s not just a case of occasionally checking for an OS update on your own computer, you have to take into account other computers and the entire network. An effective security plan should encompass the whole of your network, which includes Windows computers, Android and iOS devices, your router, any powerline adapters, Wi-Fi coverage, access passwords and even where the Ethernet cable runs through. may sound a little extreme but like most checklist-type scenarios it can be as in-depth as you like. However, it’s worth at least considering some aspects of the home network and overall security before starting a plan. Users More than likely the ‘user’ is the…

Sand Between Your Toes If you’re still convinced that a sandbox environment can help you out, then read on. We’ve compiled a list of ten reasons why creating your own Windows sandbox is beneficial to the average user. OLD PROGRAMS Within the Windows virtual sandbox environment you may be able to run older programs that would normally fail, even in compatibility mode, under more modern hardware drivers. Often an older program will look for a specific driver set, if it’s too modern then it can fail. Virtual environments use older type drivers by default. HOST PROTECTION If you think that a download link or email attachment may contain a virus, then opening it in a safe, virtual environment is the safest bet. Of course, you shouldn’t open any unknown email…

Take a Snapshot Setting up Windows, installing the drivers, updates and programs takes a fair amount of time. If you take a VirtualBox snapshot, you can return to where you left off in an instant. STEP 1 To begin with open VirtualBox. If it’s already open, shutdown the Windows VirtualBox image you created. It’s not necessary but it’s often easier, to ensure the VM is closed prior to creating a snapshot. STEP 2 A Snapshot in VirtualBox is simply an image of what the virtual machine ‘looked’ like at the time the Snapshot was taken. You can make multiple Snapshots and revert to any whenever you wish. Snapshots taken are labelled next to the name of the VM. STEP 3 You can see that the state of all the virtual…

System Imaging A system image works in much the same way as the VirtualBox Snapshots. You’re essentially taking a snapshot of your entire system, which can then be restored quickly. Saving you having to reinstall Windows, all your programs and data. STEP 1 To begin, click on the Windows Start button and once more navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Backup. From within the Backup console window, where you were in the previous tutorial, click on the Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7) link under the Looking for an older backup section. STEP 2 This will launch a new window, the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) console. Microsoft has kept this feature intact through Windows.1 and 10 purely due to compatibility support for backups done under older…

“Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds” “If you spend more on coffee than on IT security, you will be hacked. What’s more, you deserve to be hacked.”White House Cybersecurity Advisor, Richard Clarke. “Computer security can simply be protecting your equipment and files from disgruntled employees, spies and anything that goes bumb in the night, but there is much more Computer security makes sure no damage is done to your data and that no one is able to read it unless you want them to”Bruce Schneier, Protect Your Macintosh, 1994. “The only truly secure system is one that is powered off cast in a block of concrete and sealed in a lead-lined room with armed guards”Gene Spafford. “No…