Start up guide to become an Information security consultant
For the sake of efficiency, cost effectiveness and to focus on the core business companies world over are switching to outsourcing of IT security. It makes eminent sense too as the information security consultants are the experts of their domain and hiring them is much more economical option than maintaining a whole army of in-house IT security experts. This cost and efficiency factors combined with the ever growing threat from hackers and exploding online shopping and e-commerce market has made sure that more and more companies are looking for information security consultants to take care of their IT security concerns. All these factors have made the career of information security consultants quite promising. But before you get ready to jump on the bandwagon, wait and contemplate as to why a company would go for outside IT security experts. This would help you understand the industry better. Basically there are following three reasons which make a company go for outsourcing. 7. The required services are not available in-house and getting expensive new employees is costly and time consuming option. 8. Company is facing a tight deadline to finish a highly technical project and it is not possible to hire, train new employees and expect the project to be finished in time. 9. Companies need an independent and objective perspective which is not mired in the corporate politics and infrastructure. When you are clear about these basics you can start the process of being a successful information security consultant which is as following. Go wholeheartedly — There are no half measures when it comes to making a career. And certainly not when you are entering a field as fluid as IT security. The job outlook and growth is better than average and there are training programs and schools which offer specific curriculum, certificates and degrees in computer security. Do proper Research — Since this field is relatively new, the programs are new and not yet established. So go for a recognized and reputable institute which offers all encompassing curriculum in information technology (IT), consisting of but not limited to penetration testing, systems analysis, computer information systems, programming and networking. Steer clear of frauds — As with any growing field, IT security education field is replete with fly-by-night operators which are there just to make money and offer illegitimate courses which are not recognized and can’t get you a job after graduation. Don’t be limited to just curriculum — As extensive the curriculum might be, there is always space for more. So don’t just be limited to the courseware and keep on adding to your knowledge of vulnerability analysis, firewall management, virus protection, network and software safety, IT forensics etc. Add to you certifications — After or during your graduation you can opt for industry recognized certification such as “Cisco” Network Security certification, those offered by Microsoft etc. They will add value to your knowledge and empower your resume. Gain experience — Once you have graduated you should get industry exposure through school-sponsored IT internships and with entry-level IT jobs. They will help you understand the IT security threats in real time practical environment.Nirmalya Jain is an <a href= http://www.appinlabs.com/iso-27001.php> Information security management system </a> and specializes in <a href= http://www.appinlabs.com/ethical-hacking.php> penetration testing</a>, systems analysis etc. She is also an amateur writer and her write ups on IT security have been well received.
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How To Keep Your Computer From Spreading Viruses
There are some simple steps you must take to avoid becoming a victim of computer viruses and also stop from spreading viruses to others. Here are some things that you can and should do. Email Issues to watch Never open an E-mail with an attachment you were not expecting. The latest batch of virus programs are often spread by E-mail. Even if your anti-virus program does not warn you about the attached file and even if the eMail appears to come from someone you know, do not open it if you were not expecting it, and if you were expecting it, only open it AFTER scanning it with your up-to-date virus software. Scan ALL incoming email attachments (regardless of who sent it). Be sure to run each attachment you plan to open through the anti-virus check. Do this even if you recognize and trust the sender; malicious code, like Trojan horses, can slip into your system by appearing to be from a friendly source. Turn off the ‘automatic preview’ in your email program. Automatically previewing an email message has the exact same effect as opening and reading an email. My of the newest internet worms, trojans, and viruses simply need to have an email message read in order for them to be activated. Turning off the preview feature allows you to scan any email BEFORE you actually read it. Disk Issues to watch Don’t boot from a floppy disk. Floppies are one of the most common ways viruses are transmitted. If you are using a floppy while working on your computer, remove it when you shut the machine off or the computer will automatically try to boot from the floppy, perhaps launching any viruses on the disk. Web Based Issues Keep your web browser set to its highest security level. Its a pain to get the warning messages on every other web page you visit, but its the best way to protect yourself - especially if you use Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook. Don’t download programs from the Web. Unreliable sources such as Internet newsgroups or Web sites that you haven’t heard of may be willing providers of viruses for your computer. Avoid downloading files you can’t be sure are safe. This includes freeware, screensavers, games, and any other executable program - any files with an “.exe” or “.com” extension, such as “coolgame.exe.” Check to see if the site has anti-virus software running on their side. If you do have to download from the Internet, be sure to scan each program before running it. Save all downloads to one folder, then run virus checks on everything in the folder before using it. Regardless of where you download from, ALWAYS scan downloaded software. Routine Maintenance Make regular back ups of important data Make it a habit to back up all of your most important files at least once a month. Store the back up discs in a safe place. Clean any virus/worm/trojan off your computer (Details: http://www.antivirus-report.com/trojan-horse-removal.html ) Using your antivirus software, perform a full system scan of your PC, hopefully it will detect and remove the virus. If a virus was detected, restart your computer and run the full scan again. Sometime the virus will keep reappearing, due to the evolving nature of viruses. Symantec is particularly fast at providing removal tools should you ever get a virus or worm infesting your computer. What is a removal tool? Well simply put it is a simple software that will scan your computer for infections, and then remove them from your machine. You most often need this if your machine got infected BEFORE you installed antivirus software. Top Considerations for PC Protection And the final and most important two things to do to keep your computer clean and make sure it does not spread viruses to other computers… Install a Firewall If you use a broadband/high-speed method to access the internet, you need to get a firewall. A firewall is a program that defends your computer from hackers who attempt to gain direct access to your computer over the Internet. There is a very good firewall program called ZoneAlarm that will do the trick if you use Windows. Install and use a high-quality anti-virus program. This is the key to protecting your computer. Buy one of the major anti-virus programs - Norton Anti-Virus, PC-Cillin, or McAfee Anti-Virus. The primary benefit of the commercial packages is the frequency and ease of updating the virus definition files that these programs use to detect viruses. With new viruses popping up all the time, unless your protection software is kept updated, you start to become ever more vulnerable to infection. Get immediate protection. Configure your anti-virus software to launch automatically on start-up and run at all times. This will provide you back-up protection in case you forget to scan an attachment, or decide not to. And in case you forget to load up your anti-virus software, configuring it to start by itself will ensure you get immediate protection anyway. The top antivirus software programs all do this (but only if you have one installed on your computer). You do have current antivirus software installed right? If not, you can go to this page for more information on why you need antivirus software and how easy it is to use. <a href="http://www.antivirus-report.com/antivirus-software.html">Antivirus software</a> and general PC protection and maintenance are essential for safe and secure computing. Right now learn to easily block trojan horses, spyware, computer viruses, and other malicious software.
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