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For network administrators:

  • Block unnecessary programs from being used on the corporate network. The most dangerous of them are IM, P2P, and IRC (chat programs). These allow infected computers to communicate with their infectors, thus increasing the likelihood for a fast, widespread invasion.
  • Do not give administrator privileges to all users. The most dangerous of all privileges is “load and unload device drivers”. This is the most highly recommended security measure to prevent many of the threats floating around. Limiting privileges also adds a bonus: aggressive malware will not be able to kill antivirus processes in the system.
  • Deploy corporate anti-spyware scanning. As spyware becomes the most prevalent threat for corporate businesses, administrators need to deploy specific software to detect and stop them.
  • Educate users. User awareness is the key to a clean network, and administrators should conduct ongoing education initiatives to keep users informed and updated on malware technology.
     
    Enforce a strict security policy within the network. Most of the time, the user needs to take some kind of action to infect the machine, so to the extent possible, do not give them the rights to do so. This must be balanced, of course, with business needs.

Advice for users:

  • Be constantly up-to-date on threats and scams – knowledge IS power. Know what threats lurk on the Internet, but also keep your antivirus and anti-spyware programs up-to-date. Always have an antivirus real-time scan service. Monitor that it is being updated regularly and that the service is running.
  • Beware of pages that require software installation. Do not allow new software installation from your browser unless you absolutely trust both the Web page and the provider of the software.
  • Scan with an updated antivirus and anti-spyware software any program downloaded through the Internet. This includes any downloads from P2P networks, through the Web and any FTP server regardless of the source.
  • Beware of unexpected or strange-looking emails, regardless of their sender. Never open attachments or click on links contained in these email messages.
We increasing rely on the Internet to handle all sorts of matters, both personal and professional. Knowing the dangers that lurk among all that is useful on the Internet, as well as learning how to identify and avoid them, is the only effective way to protect ourselves as the Internet becomes more integral to our work, relationships, and daily life in general.

Tony Buffkin is an Application Specialist at SAGE's who sits on the frontline with users. He knows their concerns and helps them make technology useful in their work. Any questions or comments on this article, please contact Tony at tbuffkin@sagesol.com or call 202.478.7600.