| The simple answer is no. Most of the | | | | Microsoft Windows (Windows XP) will have a |
| computers today are vulnerable to some kind | | | | personal firewall integrated into the |
| of hacker or virus attack. If you don't | | | | operating system.Service providers are being |
| believe me, just pickup any newspaper or | | | | told that the motorclub Digital Dispatch will |
| listen to any news show, computer attacks | | | | not work behind a firewall. While this may be |
| happen everyday. Should you stop using the | | | | true for the web solutions from the |
| Internet? ABSOLUTELY NOT! With the proper | | | | motorclubs, it is not true for the solutions |
| precautions you can adequately secure your | | | | being provided by the towing software |
| information. In fact, I read a statistic the | | | | vendors. Furthermore, I believe with a little |
| other day that said more data is lost from | | | | investigation and testing the motorclub |
| computers being stolen than from data being | | | | browser solution should work behind a |
| accessed from the Internet.Then why should | | | | firewall too.But is it safe to use Digital |
| you use a computer connected to the Internet? | | | | Dispatch? Although Digital Dispatch uses the |
| - To stay profitable. Many of your | | | | Internet, it poses a relatively low security |
| competitors already manage their businesses | | | | risk if properly implemented. This is because |
| using a computer. Today, most of the | | | | data is expected in a certain format, if does |
| motorclubs encourage service providers to use | | | | not receive data in that format it rejects |
| the Internet to receive calls. Tomorrow this | | | | the packet. However, your towing software |
| may become a requirement. In fact, the | | | | vendor should also verify that the data |
| Internet will soon be used by car dealers, | | | | packet came from one of the motorclubs and |
| trucking companies ( car rental agencies, and | | | | the connection should not remain open for |
| insurance companies to send the majority of | | | | more than a few seconds. These precautions |
| towing requests. Therefore, it is imperative | | | | will keep your risk exposure to a |
| that you protect your information from | | | | minimum.Purchase an anti-virus program and |
| malicious Hackers.Just like we use locks on | | | | keep it up-to-date |
| our doors and windows to prevent intruders, | | | | |
| we can lock down the information on our | | | | Most anti-virus programs have a "live |
| computer. However, just as it is difficult to | | | | update" feature that will check the company's |
| absolutely prevent someone from entering your | | | | web site for virus updates and update the |
| house, it is difficult to absolutely prevent | | | | software when needed. You need to do this |
| someone (a hacker) from gaining access to | | | | about every 2 weeks to make sure you are |
| your computer. That is why backups (your | | | | protected against the latest viruses. You can |
| insurance) are so important. So, if you are | | | | order an anti-virus program online from or |
| attacked you can restore your information.The | | | | Credit Card information on a secure site |
| same way banks protect your money and | | | | onlyYou can tell you are on a secure site by |
| valuables in high security vaults, | | | | looking for "locked padlock". Netscape places |
| professional system administrators protect | | | | the padlock in the lower left corner and |
| your data by preventing nearly all attacks | | | | Internet Explorer places the padlock in lower |
| from hackers, losses from fire, storms or | | | | right corner of the program screen. Giving |
| theft with the proper hardware and software, | | | | your credit card information over the |
| but it is expensive. The average computer | | | | Internet on a secure site is more secure than |
| owner is not willing or not able to go to | | | | giving your card over the phone or even using |
| this expense. So my article is aimed at | | | | you card in a store. This is because your |
| affordable solutions that will give you | | | | credit card information is usually sent |
| adequate protection against viruses and | | | | directly to the credit card company, bank, or |
| hackers.Let's start with a few | | | | processing company without human |
| definitions:Hacker (or more correctly a | | | | intervention.Use online applications |
| Cracker): Is a programmer who breaks into a | | | | (ASPs)The next generation of applications for |
| computer system for the mere challenge of | | | | towing management, accounting (Quickbooks for |
| doing it. This may or may not be a malicious | | | | the Web), anti-virus, etc. will be online. |
| attack.Viruses and Trojan Horses: Viruses are | | | | This will give tremendous security |
| computer programs that run against your | | | | advantages. First of all, Internet |
| wishes and without your knowledge. Some cause | | | | professionals that know how to thwart the |
| damage to your system, while other are just | | | | efforts of hackers will maintain the sites. |
| annoying. A Trojan Horse, a special kind of | | | | Your data will be safer on the web than in |
| computer virus, is a malicious program that | | | | your own office. Secondly, if you were to get |
| is disguised as a useful or fun program. It | | | | a virus or your computer is lost or stolen, |
| can be installed on your computer by email or | | | | all of your data would be safe on the server |
| other means. Someone can send you an email | | | | of your application service provider. |
| with an attachment claiming that it is a | | | | Therefore, since nothing is stored on your |
| super duper screen saver or another appealing | | | | local computer, you can simply go to another |
| document. When you launch the attachment it | | | | computer, input your password and you are |
| appears as if nothing has happened, but in | | | | back in business without experiencing any |
| reality the Trojan has been installed and | | | | downtime or lost information.Use secure |
| initialized on your system. It can be a | | | | databases to store your informationIf you are |
| remote control type of program, which will | | | | using a towing management or accounting |
| allow someone to control your computer, | | | | software, your data is stored in databases. |
| access your data or delete things. Usually | | | | Think of a database like a file cabinet. Some |
| the anti-virus vendors are on top of threats | | | | people lock their file cabinets and others do |
| like this and issue a new virus definition | | | | not. Databases are locked using user IDs and |
| that detects the Trojan before it can do any | | | | passwords. Just because your program requires |
| harm. That is why it is very important to | | | | you to login with a password, this does not |
| keep your anti-virus software | | | | mean the database is protected. Certain older |
| up-to-date.Firewall: A software program or | | | | less expensive database systems allow access |
| hardware device that monitors Internet | | | | to your information from outside the software |
| activity to detect and prevent unauthorized | | | | that created it (using something like |
| access to a computer system.Are you at risk? | | | | Microsoft Excel). However, expensive |
| | | | enterprise (professional client/server) |
| There are several FREE resources that will | | | | database systems, such as SQL Server and |
| test the vulnerability of your computer | | | | Oracle maintain a very high level of |
| system to outside attacks:- programs will | | | | security. That is to say, without the proper |
| also identify other areas of concern and rate | | | | user ID and password, it is nearly impossible |
| your exposure. They will also give | | | | to view your information. This is not the |
| instructions on minimizing your risks, | | | | case with older (distributed) databases, such |
| like:Disabling File and Printer sharing for | | | | as FoxPro and dBase. These packages merely |
| Microsoft Networks | | | | store information and do not require |
| | | | authorization to view the information. They |
| This is a Windows networking setting that | | | | rely on your local network to provide the |
| should be disabled (off) unless you are | | | | security.The Internet generation of towing |
| behind a firewall. If you have this enabled | | | | software (ASPs) will likely use professional |
| (on) anyone can access the data on your | | | | client/server databases for information |
| computer hard drive. Look in the Microsoft | | | | storage. This will bring a level of security |
| Windows help file under "File and Printer | | | | to your information that has been needed for |
| Sharing for Microsoft Networks" for | | | | a long time.To review, you should do the |
| instructions on disabling it.Using better | | | | following to reduce your Internet risk:1. |
| passwordsDo not use proper names, since many | | | | Disable file and printer sharing.2. Purchase |
| of the password cracking programs assume that | | | | personal firewall and anti-virus software.3. |
| most people use the names of their spouse, | | | | Only use secure "pad locked" sites for credit |
| kids, pets, etc. You should also mix upper | | | | card transactions.4. Look to new online |
| and lower case letters with numbers. The more | | | | applications (ASPs) for towing management, |
| random you make the sequence the better. For | | | | accounting, etc. to provide the most secure, |
| example "rfghZyU23Iu" is hard to crack, but | | | | cost effective business environment.Using |
| it is also hard to remember. Think of it as | | | | computers, the Internet, and proper |
| remembering a combination to a lock or a | | | | safeguards, your business information will be |
| phone number. You can remember it with a | | | | more secure and accessible. Your competitors |
| little practice.Consider purchasing a | | | | will have a tough time catching up!Todd |
| personal firewall (Free - $40) | | | | Althouse is a Managing Partner of Beacon |
| | | | Software, LLC - an Internet Application |
| A personal firewall program will limit your | | | | development company specializing in towing |
| exposure to unwanted guests by monitoring all | | | | software and fleet management software. |
| Internet activity. The next version of | | | | |