8 : HACKING?! PHISHING?! WORMS?! - Is the internet safe?

What is Internet security?


Internet security is a subdivision of computer security, as the name suggests it is specifically linked to the Internet. Its main role is to set up regulations and preventive methods to protect the Internet. Due to the openness of the internet, it is an unprotected platform for interchanging of information. Hence, it is a serious issue as there is a high risk for leaking of confidential information and phishing. Although some may not see it as important, it is still essential to protect your computer. This is especially so if you do not protect your computer, it may be a device for others (likely hackers) to make use of it and might even end up framing you as the hacker! Therefore, on normal occasions, there is a need for you to run security software.


Being quite a noob at internet security, the only one I have heard of and using now, is firewall. 


So what is the function of the Firewall?


- controls access between networks
- components: gateways and filters which is different from one firewall to another.
- screen network traffic
- has the ability to block traffic that seems dangerous.
- the intermediate server between SMTP and HTTP connections.


The Role of Firewall in Internet Security and Web Security

Firewalls act as gatekeepers for incoming and outgoing packets to and from private networks. Regardless of the directions of the traffic, all must go through the firewall, and only the authorized traffic is approved and able to pass through the firewall. In addition, firewall creates checkpoints (aka choke points) between an internal private network and the public Internet, based on IP source and TCP port number. They can also serve as the platform for IPsec. Using tunnel mode capability, firewall can be used to implement VPNs. Firewalls can also control the amount of information leaked out by the internal network system and information from the public Internet.

There are 3  different types of Firewalls (According to Wiki)

1) Packet filters

Packet filters process network traffic on a packet-by-packet basis (hence the name). Theie main objective is to sift through the internet traffic from am isolated IP host, so a router is required to link the internal network to the internet. This router is known as a screening router, which will go through the packets that is incoming and outgoing.

2) Circuit-level gateways

The circuit-level gateway is a proxy server that inactively defines what traffic will be approved and works  at the network level of an OSI model. Circuit proxies always send packets containing a given port number, provided the port number is permitted by the rules set .The main advantage of a proxy server is that it is capable of providing Network Address Translation (NAT), which can conceal the user's IP address from the Internet. This is effective in preventing the leak of internal information.

3) Application-level gateways

An application-level gateway is a proxy server working at the TCP/IP application level. Only when a linkage is made using a recognized protocol, then is a packet forwarded. Application-level gateways are well-known for evaluating the entire messages rather than individual packets of data, in regard to the direction go flow.

Enough of technical terms, take a look at this video :)

7 : My first attempt at making a video! =x

 

Pardon my lousy work .

I am really clueless as to what to do for the video, so i played around a bit with music and recorded some videos.

6 : How does e-learning help?

Take a look at this first !!!



How does a classroom with e-learning aids look like?

It will definitely be tech-savvy!

With interactive boards or screen replacing the old dusty chalkboards or whiteboards. Which is definitely cleaner. It will also be more environmentally-friendly. This is because no resources are going to be used for the traditional way of teaching through chalks or markers or dusters to clean the boards. This way it will be resource saving and cleaner than the traditional classrooms, thus making it more conducive for the students.

For the lecturer, it is definitely time saving. This is because they can conveniently type down ideas given by students in the classrooms and post them online straight away, in front of the whole class. Also, we can forgo the usual printing of notes and save TREES!

Similarly, it can better enhance learning experience. As a matter of fact, different people are of different learning styles. Therefore, with technology playing a part in teaching in a classroom, it can create visual or audio experience for the students, especially for kids who lives in the city and rarely sees some sort of anumals. For example:



This is an actual video that was being used in the childcare center that i used to volunteered in. I find this very beneficial because the young kids are able to have a clearer picture of the animals while embedding the sound that the animals make with both the visual and audio cues provided through e-learning.

Here is another example:


With e-learning, such abstract ideas are more easily convey to the students who watch these video. As studies have proven, with graphical aids, students are able to absorb better. Therefore, such e-learning aids are definitely going to be more popular as time pass, especially when used in explaining abstract ideas which will become more complicated and messy if one was to draw it to his/her student.

Interactive. Students are able to do visual tests on the spot or go to discussion forums to post questions /answers. This provide a platform for students who might be fearful of public speaking or simply just too shy to ask questions or provide answers in the usual classroom settings to get a chance to do so. Teachers can also conveniently read from such forums to discuss/gauge/highlight important points that was not mention in the lesson. Plus, usually after completely comprehend or re-read the text, students will usually have a better understanding or able to come up with more questions, thus these forums act as a delayed Q&A session for the students if they have any doubts regarding materials covered in class.

To conclude:

I prefer the introduction of  electronic tools in classes. However, being used to traditional classroom settings, I am definitely happier if more of the class is still using the traditional tools and less on the electronic tools. In addition, I also prefer teachers to google less and teach the content more of their own personal experience. This is because we are already google-ing for whatever information we want, however, if teachers are able to relate better to their own experiences with any theories they are teaching, that will be something I will not find online.

5 : Heard of iGoogle?

As the title suggest, I will be blogging about iGoogle. 

Since Google is one of the most used search engine. I bet most of you have seen this a million times before! 

But do you you can change the boring looking google search to these?

Just by owning one google account! 

So what is iGoogle?

iGoogle is a homepage that allows you to personalize. You can choose your own favorite character, color or even brand and set it as the theme of your homepage. 

Besides that, it contains the usual search box that we see and also allows you to add in any number of gadgets you below the search box. 

Without leaving your iGoogle homepage, you are able to access to the various activities and information from the web. Also, these gadgets are available in various forms.

How to add these gadgets?

There will be a box ("add gadget") on the left hand side of the iGoogle homepage. 

After selecting that box, you will come to this page.

You simply choose the gadget that you wanted and click "add it now"

These are some examples of the gadgets:

• Gmail messages
• BBC news
• Weather forecasts, stock quotes,
• Movie showtimes
• Store bookmarks for quick access to your favorite sites from any computer
• you are even able to design your own gadget!

You can also do your own layout. Simply by moving the cursor over and move it about. (Easy and convenient!)

However, if you want to delete any gadget, it can be easily done. 

Simply by choosing the gear like icon at the top right corner of the gadget box. And choose accordingly. 

Personally, I find iGoogle creates convenience to my internet use. Like what I mentioned above, it allows me to navigate around the web without leaving my homepage. All work are done by just clicking around on the same homepage. :)