Car Security Tips

 

Make sure your car is locked and your windows wound up.

This sounds ridiculously obvious but make sure you secure your car carefully wherever you are parked. Research shows loads of people leave their doors unlocked and/or their windows open a large proportion of the time.

 

Check all your entry points are secure – are all the doors locked, the trunk locked and the sunroof locked? If not a thief will be quick to take advantage of the opportunity.

 

Make sure your windows are wound all the way up. Even if you leave a small gap a thief can easily force it down to either access the door lock or break the window.

 

Keep your keys safe – even when you are at home.

Today with factory and after market alarms getting smarter it is becoming harder for a thief to quickly and easily hotwire your car. That has led to a surge in home break-ins purely so thieves can steal the car keys. Then they simply come back later and drive off with the car.

 

So, while you’re at home keep your keys safe. Don’t leave them in the car, in your handbag, or sitting on an entrance table or bench in the house. Secure them in a drawer or somewhere safe that is out of sight.

 

Don’t ever leave the keys in the car.

It sounds simple enough but is still a common mistake people make. Never leave your keys in the car, even if you’re only leaving the car for a few seconds. It takes even less than that for a thief to grab the opportunity and drive off with the car.

 

Here’s a few scenarios that catch people out:

 

Don’t leave your keys in the car while you pay for your petrol at the garage. This used to be the cause of a huge number of thefts and even with modern day alarms that immobilize your car (this was a big reason immobilization became important) if you leave the keys in there the alarm can’t do anything to protect your car.

 

Don’t leave your keys in the car when you’re not at home (or even when you’re at home.) If a thief breaks into your house and your car is nicely sitting there all open with the keys in the ignition you’ve just given them the best Christmas present – a way to take as much of your stuff as they can fit in the car AND the car itself.

 

Don’t go back into the house during winter while you let the car warm up. Yes, we understand it is freezing cold but thieves take advantage of this time of the year. And don’t leave the car running but lock it with the spare key – a thief is most certainly going to forgo the cost of replacing the window to smash it when they’ll have possession of your car. Put your coat, gloves and scarf on and stay with the car!

 

Be careful where you choose to park – even if you have an alarm

Always make the choice to park in a secured area whenever possible – it’s worth the extra money – both for your own personal safety as well as your car’s.

 

Another tip – take your parking ticket with you when you leave the car. That way, even if a thief gains entry into your car if they have to front up for a lost ticket they’ll be getting themselves noticed even if they do have the cash (which they probably won’t).

 

If you have to park on the street make sure you park in the most well lit, busy area possible.

 

Be particularly careful if you are attending an event such as a football match or concert because lines of cars outside an arena is a dead giveaway to thieves that you’re going to be away from your car for a set period of time. Never leave ticket or event information in the car that would indicate to a thief how long you’ll be gone.

 

And if you do have an alarm fitted it doesn’t mean you can park down a dark alley on a deserted street in the middle of nowhere and expect your car to still be there when you get back. All an alarm can do is make a noise if a thief attacks it – which still means someone needs to be there to hear it. And while an alarm will slow a thief down, given time and isolation they’ll either take the car, tow it, or strip all the good bits off.

 

And if you don’t have a garage make sure you park with awareness at home – whenever possible park off the road and under a porch or house light that is left on (or comes on when movement is triggered.) If you have a high risk car try and park it closer to the house than a less valuable vehicle – that way a thief will have to try and get the other cars out of the driveway first if he wants the one closest to the house.

 

Some alarms today have a programmable feature that will turn the interior light of the car on when the alarm is disarmed – that way you can check that the cabin of the car is safe before nearing the vehicle. Ask your alarm retailer about what models are available that will do this.

 

Don’t leave ANYTHING visible in the car – even with an alarm

So many more cars are broken into rather than stolen (especially with the good factory and after market immobilizer alarms available now) and that’s because people continue to leave items in the car. Simply DO NOT leave ANYTHING visible in the car.

 

If you leave your radar detector attached to the windscreen, your cellphone in the front console, or your handbag on the seat then do not expect sympathy when it gets stolen. An alarm will not, ever, protect from a smash and grab. It takes a thief 5 seconds to smash the glass, grab the item, and be around the corner. Even with your alarm sounding he’s gone.

 

And it’s not just valuable items – don’t leave empty gearbags, shoeboxes, shopping bags or anything in the vehicle. If your stereo has a removable faceplate get yourself into the habit of taking it off every time you leave the car. If a thief sees there might be something in there chances are he’ll take the risk and leave you with the cost and hassle of replacing window glass and door locks.

 

 

If you have a garage – use it and secure it. If you have a garage to park in, that’s great. But make sure you’re following all the other steps:
Lock the car and arm the alarm if you have one, even when you’re at home.
Never leave the keys in the car, even when you’re at home.
Keep the keys in a safe, hidden place, even when you’re at home.
Keep the garage locked and secure.
If you have an electric garage door it can be a good idea to remove the emergency pull handle and hide it away. Thieves will often use a coat hanger contraption to pull this and open the garage.

 

 

 

Fit an alarm with immobilizers.

Today there are so many excellent alarms on the market that will give you loads of handy features (such as central locking from the remote) as well as protecting the car. Always choose an alarm with a minimum of a single immobilizer so the car cannot be started until the alarm is disarmed via the remote.

 

If you already have an alarm and want to try fitting it yourself you can download our How to Install Your Car Alarm ebook for only $19.95 by visiting www.carsecuritytips.com.

 

Be aware of what might tempt a thief and secure it.

You can add all sorts of additional security features to alarms today including GPS tracking, pager systems and additional sensors and sirens.

 

And don’t forget the easy stuff. If you have wheels fit a tilt sensor and get a set of lock nuts. Get a steering wheel lock as well as an alarm – it gives the thief a clear visual warning that there are security measures in place.

 

Make your car look protected.

A huge part of the job an alarm does is to give a visual warning to a thief that the car has security measures. Make sure you put the alarm warning stickers on the window and the LED warning light in the dash is fitted. (And if you don’t want to get an alarm you can buy these little extras separately.)

Use a steering wheel lock. Don’t leave anything visible in the car. Take your stereo plate with you. Have your vehicle rego number or the VIN number etched onto the windows. Mark your stereo and anything else in the vehicle with the number as well.

None of these measures on their own will protect your car if a thief takes a shine to it. But if they’re just strolling along a line of cars looking for a bit of fun or something to sell if your car looks secure and empty they’re much more likely to go to the next one and leave yours alone.

 

Don’t register your car to your home address.

In many countries car registration details are easily accessed by the public. If a thief likes the look of your car all they have to do is take the registration number, find out where you live and come shopping. This I especially important if you a female living alone. Don’t make it easy for the freaks to find you!

 

Don’t leave your keys in an obvious place.

Do you walk in the front door and throw your keys on the side table? Alarms and immobilizers are so good now thieves will often break into your house to get the keys and remote rather than try to bypass the system. Don’t leave them somewhere they can be spotted from outside or where someone can open a door or window and grab them.

 

Look after spare remotes.

Rolling code remotes will get out of sequence if the button is pushed too many times while out o range of the car. Make sure spare remotes are not in a draw full of junk where the button can be held down or it may not work when you need it.

 

Lost your remote? Delete it!

If you have lost a remote of had it stolen make sure you delete it from the alarms memory otherwise anyone can use it to access your car. If you don’t know how take the car to your local installer.

 

Always have a spare remote.

Some alarm system will not let you easily learn a new remote in with a working remote. It may have to be sent back to the manufacturer to be reset and a remote learnt in which will not only be expensive but you may be without your alarm for up to a week. If you lose a remote replace it immediately.

 

Bought a used car with an alarm in it? Get it checked and serviced.

If you buy a car with an alarm already fitted there are several things to be aware of:

1.         Did you receive all keys, remotes and override keys? If not the old owner can access your car anytime they want.

2.         Book the car in with your local dealer/installer for the type of alarm in the car. Have them check everything is working, delete all old remotes (and add a spare if you don’t have one) and reset the PIN override code so you know you’ll be secure. Make sure you have override keys for the battery backup siren if fitted.

 

Factory remotes and immobiliser keys.

Most late model cars come with a transponder immobilizer built into the key. This I like an electronic pass key which confirms the key is valid before allowing the car to so start. These are great as they make it much harder to copy a key and steal the car as even a key cut the same will not start the car unless a new transponder is learned into the system. The are however some points to be aware of:

Some make have a master and slave keys for each car. If you lose the slave key, no problem just take the car and master key into your dealer and have a new key learns in for a couple of hundred bucks. If however you lose the master key you will sometimes need to replace the cars computer, think thousands of $$$$$. Read your manual or check with your dealer as it is not widely publicized.

 

Smash resistant window film.

Alarms can only do so much. These days you need to make the car more difficult to access through it’s weakest point –the side glass. Clear or tinted security film (not normal tint film) is applied to the inside of the side glass and cover right to the edge of the glass. Security film is a multi layered, up to several millimetres thick, cross laminated product specifically designed to resist impacts.

 

The film works by creating a thick shell on the inside of the glass. When an intruder smashes the glass the concaved shape of the cars side window held together by the film creates an arch shape than is very strong. The shattered pieces of glass cannot be compressed so the window retains it’s shape.

 

This type of product is great for resisting a car thief but also protects you in a road range or car jacking attempt and even reduces flying glass in the event of an accident. A great compliment to a good car alarm system.

 

Fit after market dead locks.

Much the same as the security film above, dead locks are a great compliment to a good alarm system. The idea is once activated the locks cannot be unlocked from the inside of the car or by forcing the key barrel. Some cars come standard now with deadlocking, if yours does make sure you know how to activate it.

 

After market deadlocks will usually replace the lock barrel in the door. The dead lock barrel has a high security rounded key to prevent the lock being forced and the backing plate is much stronger meaning the lock can’t be pulled out. We always recommend using epoxy to secure the backing plate to the inside of the door. That way it will not come out!

 

If a thief breaks a window they will not be able to unlock the door to gain easy access. Making by passing the alarm system or hotwiring you car even harder.

 

Tips and tricks for the more serious:

 

The more serious you get about car security and car alarms you will often be trading convenience for security. Some of these tricks can cause some inconvenience if something goes wrong (like you lose a remote or the battery goes flat) but all will help keep your car safe.

 

Fit two hood switches. –Low Risk

Fitting two hood switches makes it harder for a thief to use a credit card to hold down the hood switch or cut the switch wires. Some cars can be pretty easy to get under the hood by removing the front grill or a side light and pulling the release cable. Once they are under there they can disable the siren before entering the cabin.

 

Move hood release lever. –Low Risk

Another hood trick is to move the hood release lever from it’s normal location so if some one breaks in they can’t easily pop the hood to disable the siren.

 

Remove door lock rods. –High Risk of lock out

By removing the linkage between the key barrel on the door and the latch you take away one of the cars security weaknesses. Lock barrels are an easy access point to the car as a screw driver forced into the lock and twisted will often unlock the door.

 

As you will be relying on the car alarm to lock and unlock the door it is VERY important you take some safety precautions to avoid being locked out.

 

First, make sure you always have a spare remote for your alarm in case you lose one. If the remote starts playing up at all, replace it immediately.

 

Second, ensure there is another way into the vehicle, maybe you can open the trunk and fold the seat back from inside the trunk?  Remember a thief can also use this access method so think carefully about how obvious it is. Or run an emergency power wire from the battery to somewhere you can access it from outside. If your battery goes flat and the alarm cannot unlock the door you won’t be able to get under the hood to jump the battery. With an emergency wire you can hook another battery up to give enough juice to unlock the car.

 

A further step with this trick is to completely remove the lock barrel and have the hole welded up and repainted. Gives a super smooth look!

 

Fit latch protection plates –High risk of lock out

To remove yet another weakness in some door lock systems make up a cover to stop a "slim jim" being slipped down the inside of the door popping the latch.

 

If you take off the interior door panel you will see how easy it is to pop the lock mechanism on the door latch, unlocking the door. By making up a protection plate covering the latch from the top the car thief won’t be able to slim jim the lock. Just remember, if you lose your keys or remote or get a flat battery the AAA won’t be able to either!

 

Mike Stewart has been in the car security industry for over 12 years owning several very successful alarm companies and employing many alarm installers over the years. His web site www.carsecuritytips.com and ebook How To Install Your Own Car Alarm are designed to help the beginner learn all the tricks and secrets professional car alarm installers have known for years.

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7 Tips to Negotiate the Best Telecommunication Contracts

Negotiating telecommunication contracts can open the doors to significant savings, and so a telecom audit is inevitable in today’s business to ensure economic business functioning and profitability.  Technical knowledge and skills, which are of great advantage when it comes to determining the price to pay, are a must to negotiate a good contract. It is essential to negotiate skilfully, without compromising on the level of service, to reduce carrier margins and save money. Cost-effectiveness alone is not the keyword to negotiating telecommunication contracts; reliability of services is of prime importance while drawing contracts.  Moreover, emphasis should also be given to future flexibility to adapt to change in technology as businesses are willing to pay a bit more if it meant access to more advanced features that would accentuate and improve the way they do their business.

Before entering into the process of negotiation of contract, the requirements in terms of services and equipments should be ascertained.  There are a lot of details to decide like the number of devices to be supported, the applications to support, the procurement and maintenance of equipment and accessories, the types of voice and data services required,  etc.  Determining the indispensable services is an essential step to be completed with due diligence before starting the negotiations. Inventory and traffic patterns, as well as other pertinent information that will help a carrier price out the network effectively, should be determined. Depending upon the number of carriers used, a contract that can save a very significant percentage of the money previously set aside for telecom services can be negotiated.  Once the requirements are well defined, one should analyse the different service providers and draw the contract with a suitable service provider.

The points to be borne in mind while drawing a contract are:

First, the period of contract should not be very long.  Prices keep changing very often and it is never good to have a fixed price over a long period as competitive prices would be available in future. It is best to make use of the opportunity.

Second, carrier usage requirements will change. So it is best to make a contract which is flexible and not committed to a particular service.  There should always be possibilities to incorporate changes.

Third, analyse the situation well before an existing contract ends and determine what would be best in the interests of the business, accordingly choose you future contract.

Fourth, several extension offers can be made for the contract,  So it is essential not to make a hasty decision, but analyse the impact of the contract over the extended period.

Fifth, hidden costs in the contracts should be uncovered and if possible previous overcharges should be recouped.

Sixth, appropriate language should be used to draw up a legal contract. It will be beneficial to review the contract with and attorney or the legal advisory department if you have one.

Seventh, sufficient time should be taken to do the analysis and decide on the contract.

Some companies specialize in negotiating and maintaining contracts.  The services of such companies can also be utilized.  When skilfully negotiated, telecommunication contracts greatly help in the effective functioning of a business.

Marc Saulnier is the president of Diverse Networks LLC
Diverse Networks is a telecommunications provider and direct sales agent who work with the carriers to get the best telecom solutions for your business.
They are the single point of contact for all your telecommunication needs.
www.diversenetworksllc.com

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Network Troubleshooting Tips

In simple terms, a network is a collection of computers and other (communication) devices that are connected facilitating communication and sharing of resources. Networks are classified on various criteria including but not limited to method of connection, scale, network architecture and network topology. Some of the most popular types of networks are; personal area network (PAN), local area network (LAN), home area network (HAN), campus network, office area network (OAN), wide area network (WAN), global area network (GAN), enterprise private network (EPN), virtual private network (VPN), internetwork, and overlay network. If you are a network manager, you will have to undertake network troubleshooting at one time or another. Following are some simple tips that will assist you in this task;

• Mark Moroses, Senior Director, Technical Services and Security Officer at Maimonides Medical Center in New York terms a formal inventory of computers/workstations and servers, instrumental in identifying root cause of the problem. Two of the easiest and most popular softwares to assist you in this task are Bindview's NETinventory and Tally Systems' TS Census.

• Network diagramming software helps identify (critical) communication links between network equipment. Experts recommend using Microsoft's Visio 2003 for chalking out the physical configuration of a network.

• Device polling system is a software that periodically checks devices on the network (such as servers, laptops, printers, etc) for connectivity. It reduces lead time in identifying or reporting the problem making it easier for IT staff to correct it.

• Application logs provide a history of process errors detailing when a process was halted and why. Used in combination with network device logs, they can assist Network Managers in identifying faults.

• As mentioned, network device logs for laptops, printers, routers and switches can reduce lead time for diagnosing a problem. When configuring the network, it is a good idea to configure the system in such a way that all logs are sent to the server making it easier for the Managers to identify the problems.

• Using various softwares such as Microsoft Excel to establish trends in system and application logs will help Network Managers to identify cyclical trends in problems, if any.

• A remote control tool is an ideal solution for companies having offices and thus networks spread over a wide geographical area since it allows checking problems, patching and reconfiguring remote devices and workstations remotely. This reduces lead time for resolving problems and improves effectiveness and efficiency of both equipment and staff. Some of the most popular remote control tools recommended by experts are Symantec's PCAnywhere, Funk Software's Proxy, VNC (Virtual Network Computing) and CrossTec's NetOp Remote Control.

• A software and hardware based protocol analyzer will be your best defense against complicated problems since such issues will be hard to identify without packet level information. Experts recommend using the following software and hardware based protocol analyzers; Finisar's XGig Analyzer Suite, the Ethereal protocol analyzer and Flukes OptiView Protocol Expert.

 

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Tips: six principles of security settings switch

L2-L4 layer filter New switch now rule most of the way through the establishment of a variety of filtering needs to achieve. Rule set has two modes, one is MAC mode, the source according to user needs based on valid MAC or destination MAC for data isolation, the other is the IP model, can be the source IP, the purpose IP, protocol, source application port and Objective port filtering data packets; establish good rules must be attached to the corresponding receive or send port, then when the switch this port to receive or transmit data, according to filtering rules to filter packets, the decision is forwarded or discarded. In addition, the switch via hardware "logic and non-gate" to the filtering rules of logic operation, determined to achieve filtering rules, and not affect the data forwarding rate.



802.1X port-based access control To prevent unauthorized users access to the local area network to ensure network security, port-based access control protocol 802.1X wired LAN or WLAN in terms of both widely used. For example, a new generation of ASUS latest GigaX2024/2048 products not only support the 802.1X switch the Local, RADIUS authentication, and support the DynamicVLAN 802.1X access, that VLAN and 802.1X based on accounts held by a user users regardless of where within the network access, will go beyond the original 802.1Q Port-based VLAN, under the restrictions, has access to this account within a specified VLAN group, this feature not only for mobile users within the network application of resources provides convenience and flexibility, while applications to protect the security of network resources; addition, GigaX2024/2048 switch also supports 802.1X's GuestVLAN function, that the application of 802.1X, if the port specified GuestVLAN item, under the port access into the user if authentication fails or if not free user account, will be GuestVLAN group members can enjoy this group to the corresponding network resources, such a function can also be applied for the network open to certain groups of minimum resources, and to the network provides the most secure external access.



Flow control (trafficcontrol) Switch flow control can be prevented because the broadcast packets, multicast packets and error because the destination address unicast packet switch bandwidth of data flow anomaly caused by excessive load, and improve overall system performance, maintaining network security stable operation.



SNMPv3 and SSH SNMPv3 security network put forward a new architecture, will focus on all versions of SNMP standards together, thus enhancing network security. SNMPv3 security model proposed is based on the user's security model, that USM.USM messages on the network encryption and authentication is based on users, and specifically, what protocols and keys for encryption and authentication by user name (userNmae ) authoritative engine identifier (EngineID) to decide (recommended encryption protocol CBCDES, authentication protocol HMAC-MD5-96 and HMAC-SHA-96), through authentication, encryption and time to provide data integrity, data origin authentication, data confidentiality and message time services, so as to effectively prevent non-authorized users to manage information changes, camouflage and eavesdropping.



The remote network management via Telnet, Telnet service as a fatal weakness?? It is transmitted in clear text user name and password, so it is easy to steal passwords by people with ulterior motives, being attacked, but were using SSH communication, the user name and password are encrypted, effectively prevent eavesdropping on passwords, network management personnel to facilitate the safety of remote network management.



Syslog and Watchdog


Syslog logging can switch the system error, system configuration, status changes, state periodic report, the system set out the expectations of other users to log messaging server, network management personnel based on that information to master the operating conditions, early problems are identified, timely configuration and troubleshooting to ensure network security and stability in operation.

I am China Products writer, reports some information about kids wheelbarrows , plastic candle mold.

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Remote Control: 7 Tips For Successfully Managing "Stay-At-Home Staff"

The ability to offer flexible schedules and web/telecommuting options is becoming an increasingly important benefit option for American workers, and employers are taking notice. When corporate budgets are tight, offering these alternative work arrangements is one way to attract and retain talented employees and build a reputation as a great employer. In fact, 82 of the companies who made Fortune Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2009 allow employees to telecommute for at least 20% of their working hours. At the same time, today's employees are placing a high value on the ability to maintain a better work-life balance, and in some cases are willing to trade a higher salary for less time in the office and an end to the rush-hour commute. According to recent survey results by Citrix Systems, Inc., the ability to work flexible hours from home was rated a more important benefit than health insurance by a significant majority of respondents. Companies who've tried it are discovering that there are some significant benefits to letting employees work remotely, including:

- Cost savings on office overhead expenses
- Improved morale and work/life balance for employees
- Ability to retain valued staff who are relocating and might otherwise be forced to resign
- Ability to attract and hire from a wider pool of employees outside your office's city, state, or even country
- Reduced travel time and costs
- Reduced traffic congestion and overall environmental impact

For employers looking to improve retention on a tight budget, now may be the time to begin implementing a web commuting option. But how can companies successfully manage these programs without losing complete control of their workforce?

Seven Tips for Successfully Managing "Stay-At-Home Staff"
The following strategies can help employers successfully navigate the transition from a completely in-house workforce to one that offers flexible work hours and remote workspaces:

1. Define Responsibilities and Expectations: While web commuting can be a win-win situation for employees and supervisors alike, it's important to spend time carefully considering specific job responsibilities and determining whether these can effectively be performed in a remote working arrangement. Supervisors must clearly communicate their expectations to employees, and both parties should agree to specific terms of the commuting arrangement, including whether the employee is to work at home, on the road, or in a satellite location, what his or her typical work schedule will be, and whether he/she is allowed to work remotely for all or just part of the regular workweek. During pre-determined web commuting hours, the employee should be accessible by phone or modem within a reasonable time period.

2. Create a Plan for "Distance Management:" In situations where web commuting arrangements fail, the reason is often because companies or individual supervisors are unsuccessful at adapting their management strategies to accommodate this new way of working. Before beginning a web commuting program, both the supervisor and employee should devise a system of communication that allows them to remain connected. This may include regular conference calls, in-person meetings, weekly reports, or some other means of reporting progress made, discussing problems, or measuring goals and results.

3. Set your Telecommuter up for Success: Research shows that web commuting arrangements often result in a significant increase in employee productivity (between 10% - 40%, according to Management Technology Associates). However, if working from home results in a lack of access and connectivity to your main offices, employees will be at a strong disadvantage, and supervisors will have limited ability to manage remotely. Before beginning a web commuting arrangement, work together with your IT department and your commuting employee to ensure he/she has all the necessary supplies and equipment to perform to capacity. This may include remote access to company email, phones, networks, databases, and other systems.

4. Take Security Measures Seriously: Even though web commuting employees may be working in a casual home environment, they should be expected to adhere to your company's policies regarding confidential and/or proprietary information. Such steps may include the use of locked file cabinets and desk drawers, regular password maintenance, secure email communications, and any other steps deemed appropriate for the specific job and home work environment.

5. Track Telecommuter Time: When it's "crunch time" for special projects or impending deadlines, working remotely can be a great way for employees to put in a few additional hours of work without creating as much of a disturbance to their home life as a late night in the office would. However, those longer hours can add up quickly without supervisors realizing it - a problem if employees are tracking billable hours and earning overtime pay that may not be in the project budget. To prevent this, telecommuters should track hours worked and, in cases of overtime pay, get supervisor approval before proceeding with additional work hours.

6. Practice Workplace Safety at Home: In many cases, workers' comp. liabilities are not limited to office headquarters. As such, employees working remotely should have a clearly defined workspace in good condition, free from hazards and dangers to both the employee and any work equipment. Employers should explain to web commuters that the same safety policies that exist on company property must also be applied in the home or other remote worksite. This includes notifying the company in the event of any job-related injury or illness. You may wish to provide telecommuters with a "safety checklist" to ensure they have the necessary information to create a safe and effective workspace.

7. Create a Web Commuting Contract: In order to make the most of the remote working arrangement and ensure both supervisor and employee are on the same page regarding expectations and responsibilities, it's a good idea to put in place a contract signed by both parties. This agreement should include the starting date of the web commuting arrangement, the proposed work schedule (including paid breaks, if applicable), overtime compensation policies, workers' compensation liabilities, and any expense reimbursement policies. It should also define which work equipment and office supplies will be provided by the employer and which equipment will be provided by the employee, as well as who is responsible for maintenance and/or replacement of equipment.

By ensuring both you and your employee have a mutual understanding of the terms and conditions of this work arrangement, you can create a viable, productive remote workforce, while making your company a competitive, highly desirable place to work.

Ms. Elizabeth Rice, SPHR, is the President of Innovative Employee Solutions, a San Diego-based company specializing in payroll and HR administrative services for the contingent workforce. Ms. Rice has more than 20 years of experience in HR and executive management.

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Tips For Computer Security For Business?

Are you looking for some inside information on computer security for business? Here's an up-to-date report from computer security for business experts who should know.

Many businesses in the world today operate on networked systems that allow shared access of much information in order to streamline various processes. This is a wise decision on behalf of business owners as it saves a lot of time (and time is money in the world of business) that employees would otherwise spend waiting for various files to download onto their individual computer systems. The problem is that this also presents a logistical security nightmare for many reasons.

The first reason that often comes to mind is a computer virus. Once one computer in the network is infected it's a very slow business day, week, or month all around and in some cases an extremely expensive problem to fix. Many businesses have established policies in order to minimize these risks. If your business does not have a security protocol in place for not only preventing viruses but also handling the aftermath of viruses, it is time to talk with your IT department or contact an IT specialist from outside the company in order to establish protocols and procedures to combat the risks that viruses pose to productivity and the valuable information held within your companies computer systems.

Regular back ups of the computer systems is another issue that many people do not consider when it comes to the security of computers for their businesses. However, stuff happens. Hard drives crash and servers die horrific yet spectacular deaths. The unfortunate truth is that these things never happen at opportune times (because there is never a good time for the computers of any business to go down). The lag time however can be greatly reduced if a business creates daily backups of all computer systems. This can be done in a matter of minutes each day and can save months of work trying to retrieve the information should the unthinkable happen. It is well worth the costs and time involved to back up your computers each and every day as part of your company's security routine.

See how much you can learn about computer security for business when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

Visitors. Most businesses have venders and clients in and out all the time. Many of these visitors have laptop computers and need Internet access. Rather than allowing these visitors computers to have access to the information that your business allows to employees it is best to have an external Internet source for visiting computers that is completely separate from the network shared by employees. While it would be wonderful if we lived in a world in which we could trust visitors but the truth is we can't. Not only are visitors not above sabotaging the competition they are also not above trying to steal your secrets as well as the new products that are in the pipelines. For this reason it is wise to pay the price for having an internal network and an external network for your business.

Remote access. This is something that many companies offer employees as a way of allowing them to work from home on occasion during family emergencies and even after hours. Many employees see this is a perk and more and more businesses are allowing this sort of access. The problem is that not all employees are as security conscious, as they should be. Discuss with the IT experts in your company or those you consult how to minimize the risks involved in providing this 'perk' to employees. There are ways that can be incorporated that limit the access to information that individual employees have while working remotely that still allow them to access the files that are relevant to their specific tasks and responsibilities with a password or code. Find out what will suit the security needs of your company best and implement that system.

The information age poses new risks for businesses at every turn in order to make up for the added conveniences. Be sure that your business takes the necessary steps to insure maximum security when it comes to the computers that make life so much easier.

Is there really any information about computer security for business that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

Copyright © Le Tuan Anh

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How To Implement Online Security - Top 10 Tips!

The biggest scare and threat in today's world is that of identity theft and online/internet frauds.

If you aren't secured and protected properly, you are susceptible to various threats and risks. Most people feel very insecure to transact on the internet, despite the numerous Firewall and internet security or online security programs installed and frequently updated. We are still looking for the fool-proof methods to protect ourselves online.

Some of the well known causes of internet risks are viruses, spam, spyware, hackers. Here are ten steps towards minimizing our online security risks. These measures surely help us stay safe and secure online.

Anti-virus Software: The latest update of this type of software is essential to every computer to counter everyday online virus attacks to your system. Make sure you update the anti-virus software on a weekly basis and perform a routine check.

Emails (and attachments) are frequently the main vehicles of internet threats. They may even use an email address from your contact list. Always delete emails and attachments from unknown users, as they may be sent only to spread viruses.

Next, you need to be aware of ‘phishing' scams that work to steal personal information like credit card numbers and other vital information leading to identity theft.

One neat way to ensure online security is the use of Firewall that wards off attacks from viruses, spyware, hackers and adware. Most common browsers have a built-in Firewall program.

Most software companies provide “patches” for operating system that have online security and internet safety updates. These patches are free, easy to download and install. Make sure you download the patches from legitimate websites.

One simple way to find online security and safety is to use a computer password that has a good mix of upper and lower case letters and special characters and is at least 8 characters long.

Frequent backup of data on your computer is one way of keeping your data safe.

Make limited use of File Sharing feature to enhance online security.

When you are out of your work desk, disconnect from the internet so that no one is able to remotely access the data on your system.

When you plan to acquire new software make sure you cover the risks, such as viruses, spyware, adware, spam attacks. If you suspect identity theft, immediately report to the assigned authority.

A good way to face challenges from online risks is to be well informed and aware of the potential risks, and how to face them.

Follow the above mentioned tips to stay safe and secured.

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9 Tips for Better PBX Safety and Security

There are a variety of measures you can take to insure that your PBX is safe from hackers.

Listed below are tips you can use right now to protect your business.

1. Take steps to secure your authorization codes on a permanent basis. Remind employees of the need to keep all access codes secure and change them frequently.

2. Contact your equipment vendors and ask for any and all information on the available security systems in place to detect toll fraud. They should also provide information on monitoring services available to help you quickly detect unusual usage.

3. Work closely with your PBX administrator to ensure that all of the PBX security features available are in place and are being implemented.

4. Unless needed for routine business, block outgoing international calling, 809 and 900 calling capabilities.

5. Conduct regular and routine auditing of your telecommunication systems and bills, especially just after regular vacation months and holiday seasons. It is during these times of year that PBX toll fraud most often occurs.

6. Wherever possible, limit the number of employees who are authorized to use remote access. And if possible, change pass codes and authorization codes when an employee permanently leaves the company.

7. NEVER transfer a call outside your PBX if you are unaware of the identity of the caller. Instruct employees that phone companies will never ask customers to be part of a "test" - no matter how official the caller may sound.

8. Always be alert to possible PBX abuse signs. These could include repeated calls of short duration, sudden increase in 800 usage, or unexplained changes incoming, outgoing or especially after-hours calling patterns.

9. Consider out sourcing your telecom bills to a firm that will provide bill paying and audit services on an ongoing monthly basis. You'll save money across the board and catch toll fraud at the time it happens.

Karen Thatcher is President and CEO of TelCon Associates, Inc. a 32 year old telecom audit and bill management firm. For a 66 page report on PBX safety and security, visit http://www.telconassociates.com

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Data Security - 3 Tips to Keep Your Data Safe

Most of us who work with computers (which, these days, would include just about everyone) have built our lives around these machines. Our entire identies - confidential letters, emails, sensitive spreadsheets, documents, presentations, pictures, etc. are stored on our computers. Despite the enormous amount of personal data stored on our computers, few of us take the time to actually keep it protected and safe. Here are a few tips to help you get started on this path:

1. Backup Your FilesIdeally, you should have two backups of your data: a local backup through an external hard drive, and a remote backup online. You should keep a copy of pretty much everything on your computer on an external hard drive - a mirror image of your system. In addition, you should keep an additional copy of your most important files in an online backup service. These services, which number into dozens (though you should pick the most reputed ones, such as the ones offered by Microsoft, Box.net, etc.) not only give remote access to your files, but also protect them from loss, theft, or hacking.

2. Adequately Protect Your ComputerDo you have an anti-virus installed? If yes, do you regularly update it with the latest anti-virus definitions? How often do you scan your computer for threats? What about anti-spyware/malware? Do you have software that automatically, and actively protects you against malicious websites or software?
These are some of the questions you must answer if you want to protect your computer adequately. It is frightening to find so many people still without a proper anti-virus software on their computer. Don't make this mistake: protect your computer from external threats as much as you can.

3. Be Wary of TheftsThis may sound trivial, but make sure that you take all precautions to protect your computer from being stolen. While desktop computers are obviously much harder to steal that laptops, the latter can be easily picked up by anyone if you keep them unsupervised. Never keep your laptop unsupervised in a visible location (such as a car or coffee shop). Nowadays, you can get security software that will not only lock your data in case of theft, but also help you find it through GPS tracking. If you travel frequently, or are in a habit of using your laptop outdoors, it is recommended that you install such software on your system.

John has been writing online for several years now. You can read more of his stuff here.

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