Lecture 5 (BCM)

Benefits of Using Proxy Servers

1. Your IP Address Is Hidden

One of the best proxy server advantages – by using a proxy, the website you access will not be able to log your real IP address, as it will log the proxy server’s IP address instead. Yes, that means you’re somewhat anonymous when you browse online.

Don’t forget – your IP address can tell someone a lot about yourself, like what country and city you are from. Crafty cyber criminals can even go the extra mile and use your IP address to find out things like who your ISP is, what your zip code is, and even what street you live on.

 

How would a hacker get access to your IP address, you ask? Sadly, a data breach or leak on a website you visit could be enough for them to get their hands on this info.

So, something like this is definitely useful nowadays.

2. You Can Access Geo-Blocked or Restricted Content

Unfortunately, a lot of online content is actually hidden behind geo-restrictions – mostly because of network and copyright regulations.

But since a proxy server hides your IP address, websites can’t stop you from accessing them based on your geo-location.

A good example of that is using a proxy to access NOW TV outside the UK.

On top of that, you can also use a proxy server to bypass network restrictions at work or school – restrictions that would prevent you from accessing certain types of online content.

3. Load Times Might Be Reduced

This is tied to the fact that proxy servers can cache data. Basically, once they access certain web pages, they store them for later. When a cached page is requested, they can display it faster to the user.

But please keep in mind that this will only happen if the proxy server already has the web page you request in its local cache. If it doesn’t, it will have to request it from the Internet, and you might not experience faster load times in that case.

4. Malicious Websites Can Be Filtered Out

Another handy proxy server benefit is the fact that the admin can block users from accessing websites that might be dangerous.

It might sound counterintuitive at first, but consider this: If the admin knows a certain website contains malware or phishing links, he/she can prevent proxy users from accidentally or unknowingly accessing it.

There could also be a chance that if you were to land on a malicious website, any malware it might contain would infect the proxy instead of your device. Though, keep in mind that’s not a guarantee.

 

Identifying the Main Characteristics of VLANs.

Virtual local area networks (VLANs) are logical subnets that are formed using switches. One of the advantages of VLANs is that they do not have to conform to the physical characteristics of a building but instead can be set up in any manner that the administrator chooses. Another advantage is that VLANs can be formed without the use of routers. For example, suppose you have a four-story building that has sales personnel on all four floors of the building mixed in with other departments. Now, suppose you have a switch located on each of the floors. Without VLANs, your sales people's computers would have to be attached to the switch that eventually connects to the router that created the subnet.

 

What is Antivirus ?

Antivirus software helps protect your computer against malware and cybercriminals. Antivirus software looks at data — web pages, files, software, applications — traveling over the network to your devices. It searches for known threats and monitors the behavior of all programs, flagging suspicious behavior. It seeks to block or remove malware as quickly as possible.

Antivirus protection is essential, given the array of constantly-emerging cyberthreats. If you don’t have protective software installed, you could be at risk of picking up a virus or being targeted by other malicious software that can remain undetected and wreak havoc on your computer and mobile devices.

If you already have antivirus software, you may believe you’re all set. But it might not be that simple. With new and savvier cyberthreats and viruses surfacing, it’s important to stay current with the latest in antivirus protection.

What are the different types of antivirus protection?

Several types of antivirus programs have evolved over the years. When setting up your umbrella of protection, it’s important to understand the more common antivirus programs available.

Malware signature antivirus

Malware, or malicious software, installs viruses and spyware on your computer or device without your knowledge. Malware can steal your login information, use your computer to send spam, crash your computer system, and essentially give cybercriminals access to your devices and the information stored on them, and even the ability to monitor and control your online activity.

Malware signature antivirus software detects malware signatures, which are digital fingerprints of malicious software. Antivirus protection can scan for specific malicious codes, identify specific viruses, and disable these programs.

While malware signature antivirus protection is key for detecting and eradicating known viruses, one limitation is its inability to address new viruses. The antivirus product simply doesn’t contain these new virus signatures.

System monitoring antivirus

This is where system monitoring antivirus software comes into play. This antivirus protection can monitor software and computer systems for behavior that is suspect or atypical of the user.

For instance, alerts are created when a user connects to unfamiliar sites or attempts to access a large number of files, or when there’s a significant increase in data usage.

Machine learning antivirus

Another form of protection can be machine learning techniques, which monitor “normal” computer or network behaviors. The machine learning antivirus software is able to limit activities by programs or computers if they look suspicious.

More specifically, machine learning detection implements algorithms to facilitate malware detection that is broader in scope. This type of antivirus protection is beneficial because it works in tandem with other antivirus applications to provide multiple layers of protection.

One example of machine learning is the design of Microsoft’s latest antivirus software, which can gather data from more than 400 million computers running on Windows 10 to discover new malware. (Note: To be clear, this is diagnostic data that a consumer can opt out of reporting.) This, in turn, takes us back to the importance of signatures, as this intelligence will allow for the development of new signatures for the latest malware discovered. This automation is key in its ability to stay on top of the latest viruses

 

 

What is fault tolerance ? 

Fault tolerance refers to the ability of a system (computer, network, cloud cluster, etc.) to continue operating without interruption when one or more of its components fail.

The objective of creating a fault-tolerant system is to prevent disruptions arising from a single point of failure, ensuring the high availability and business continuity of mission-critical applications or systems.

Fault-tolerant systems use backup components that automatically take the place of failed components, ensuring no loss of service. These include:

·         Hardware systems that are backed up by identical or equivalent systems. For example, a server can be made fault tolerant by using an identical server running in parallel, with all operations mirrored to the backup server.

·         Software systems that are backed up by other software instances. For example, a database with customer information can be continuously replicated to another machine. If the primary database goes down, operations can be automatically redirected to the second database.

·         Power sources that are made fault tolerant using alternative sources. For example, many organizations have power generators that can take over in case main line electricity fails.

 

Characteristics of fault tolerance ?

No Single Point of Failure.

No Single Point Repair Takes the System Down. ...

Fault isolation or identification.

Fault containment.

Robustness or Variability Control