No one can now do without the web, email, and other services we use daily, both in the office and at home. According to recent research, the average Internet user, at the European level, spends around eleven and a half hours a week online. Forums, blogs, instant messaging software, and social networking are the principal architects of the growing Internet interest on the user’s part. 

However, criminals and objects expressly designed to steal personal information are increasing exponentially on the Net, often causing substantial economic damage. By now, many attacks  are launched to extort or extort money and are therefore not limited to “programming exercises” as happened, in many cases, in the past. 

Attackers are now accustomed to carefully studying the various services available on the Net, increasingly implementing social engineering techniques to encourage the most inexperienced user to carry out potentially risky actions (for example, opening a harmful attachment or a website containing harmful elements).

Furthermore, vulnerabilities of the browser, the operating system, and all the other software used to communicate on the Net are exploited more often if the user still needs to suitably resolve them through the application of the security patches released by the various producers.

Some malware also continuously sheds its skin by targeting specific behaviors. 

The recent case of the “Storm” worm is emblematic: a variant of it, once established on the user’s system, installed itself in the form of an LSP (” Layered Service Provider “). Like a parasite, the malware thus became able to intercept and analyze all network traffic by actively intervening in outgoing packets. Whenever the user sends a message on a vBulletin or phpBB discussion forum, the malware – acting at a low level – automatically adds links to dangerous objects.

The Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 security suite integrates a series of tools for all-around protection of the personal computer: antivirus, antispyware/antimalware, personal firewall, antispam, and “parental control” are some of the features offered. The suite the Russian Eugene Kaspersky designed confirms the modest impact on system performance even in its seventh version.

The product, equipped with a more pleasant user interface, does not negatively affect performance, giving its best even on somewhat “dated” personal computers. While appearing simple at first glance, Kaspersky Internet Security’s interface contains dozens of adjustments to benefit more experienced users.

With Panda Security, Avira, and G DATA, Kaspersky Internet Security is one of the most efficient antivirus engines in detecting and removing viruses and malware.

Kaspersky’s antivirus module scans files on your system as Windows tries to access them (real-time scan) at your request or runs a scan on a schedule.

Regarding email testing, Kaspersky supports POP3 and SMTP protocols (as most competing suites do) and offers protection for IMAP accounts and access to newsgroups (NNTP protocol).

There are four manual scan modes available: critical areas of the system or the first ones usually targeted by viruses and malware, computer resources, the elements that are responsible for starting up the system, rootkit scan (in this case, an examination of the whole system is carried out, focused on the search for elements that use masking techniques).

To drastically speed up the time it takes to complete various antivirus scans, Kaspersky avoids rescanning files that have not changed since the last scan. Using Alternate Data Streams (ADS) technology for this purpose means that some “false positives” will occur if scanned with third-party anti-rootkit tools – keep this in mind.

By accessing the advanced options ( Settings button ), it is then possible to adjust in depth all the aspects related to the configuration of the antivirus module, for example, the severity level of the heuristic scan (activated by default at a low level to avoid any false positives). Like most of the new generation suites, Kaspersky also carries out a behavioral analysis of the various programs, alerting the user to potentially dangerous actions that may be implemented. 

The mechanism’s settings that monitor the behavior of the installed applications (called Proactive Defense ) can be customized by constantly referring to the Settings button or accessing the Protection pane, Proactive Defense, then clicking on Configure. The firewall module is one of the flagships of Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0. The Russian suite has succeeded in the difficult task of positioning itself in the correct way both towards the novice user and towards the more experienced user.

By default, the firewall is set to a low level of protection: all network activities are allowed except those expressly prohibited by setting appropriate rules. By opting for “learning mode,” Kaspersky’s firewall displays a warning message when an application tries to access the Internet or act as a server. At this point, if the program is known, Kaspersky offers to create a rule automatically.

By clicking on the Custom option, the more expert user can create stricter rules by operating on ports, protocols, and hosts. The firewall was excellent, not showing processes “attackable” directly by malware in the Task Manager and rejecting multiple attempts to disable it.  

The personal firewall identifies, right from the moment of installation, the various known and trusted applications that usually request access to the Internet: the most appropriate rules are instantly created for each of them (possibly customizable by the user by clicking on the Settings button then on the Application Rules tab ).

The antispam filter can be improved (the antispam module integrates directly with Outlook, Outlook Express, and The Bat! while supporting all mail clients): while using a hybrid solution based on blocklists, deletion of messages containing recurring words in junk mail, checking the characteristics of the incoming mail (wrong HTML tags, presence of links to images saved on remote servers, message body without text and consisting only of images,…), Bayesian filters, the module to combat junk mail requires of a rather long “training” period.

The content control module is disabled by default. Once enabled, it integrates with Windows user account management. Kaspersky Internet Security assigns all users the “child” setting by default. This means that the Kaspersky suite will automatically block the display of all categories of websites with obscene, unsuitable, or inappropriate content.

By accessing the settings window and then clicking on the appropriate button, it will be possible to associate – to each user – a specific profile. Of course, choose a password so unauthorized persons can use accounts with higher user rights. The “Child” and “Adolescent” profiles are entirely customizable: it is possible to decide which categories of websites can be viewed and whether access to chat and webmail should be granted or denied.

The Time limit option offers the possibility to set web browsing restrictions allowing the user to “surf” only within specific times. The “Adult” profile, on the other hand, does not have any limitations. The filtering action exercised by Content Control is based both on an archive of known Internet addresses and on real-time analysis of the web pages to be consulted. 

Whichever browser you use, the message Access denied – The requested URL could not be retrieved – The request object is forbidden displayed instead of blocked pages. Every attempt to visit unsuitable websites is logged in a log file. The filter has proven to be very effective. While not being able to add more profiles in addition to those already present (“Child,” “Teenager,” and “Adult”), Kaspersky was able to block navigation within all types of obscene websites or websites unsuitable.

Pros:

1. a fast suite that does not “weigh” too much on the system
2. effective and widely customizable antivirus and antispyware protection
3. excellent firewall module
4. revised user interface, enjoyable to use

Cons:

1. – the antispam module that can be improved

Kaspersky also provides only the antivirus module ( Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0 ). It is a product that integrates system, email, and web content scanning mechanisms. Kaspersky Anti-Virus also includes “Proactive Defense,” which allows you to block the activity of potentially harmful components based on their behavior.

The trial version, fully operational for 30 days from the installation, can be downloaded by referring to this address (about 30 MB).

ALSO READ: Information Security On Mobile Devices: How To Keep Your Company Risk-Free?

What is it for, and under what conditions to initiate a confidential server or resort to outsiders? Information encryption conventions and start-to-finish encryption are apparatuses that assist with safeguarding your data when you move information utilizing an intrinsically shaky medium like the Web.

A VPN ( Virtual Confidential Organization or virtual confidential organization ) is a media communications network which, albeit in light of a public and shared transmission convention, permits you to safeguard the information traded between two hashes (the client and the VPN server) found even at the huge number of kilometers away.

In the wake of laying out a VPN association, information courses through a scrambled passage: waiter and client “concur” on the conventions to use to avoid man-in-the-center (MITM) assaults, making all the data traded neither interceptable nor editable from outsiders.

A VPN is a virtual confidential organization because, by utilizing it, the gadget being used turns out to be important for a LAN inside which the devices associated with it can or can’t speak with one another, relying upon the design set by the organization director VPNs.

VPNs For Business And Professional Use

VPNs are born in the business environment, and until recently, they were used almost exclusively in these environments. Regardless of the Internet connection, company personnel can remotely connect to the company’s local network and access all shared resources on the LAN in total security.

Even if the client device uses a public WiFi network that is therefore insecure, establishing a secure connection to the company’s VPN server will protect all the data transferred, preventing third parties from monitoring and possibly altering it.

The VPN server assigns a private IP address (what it is and how to find it ) to the remotely 

connected device so that the user can “ping” all systems on the corporate LAN and access shared resources.

However, using a VPN is not only the prerogative of businesses: professionals and home users can easily install and configure a server in the office or at home. We have discussed it in many of our articles, presenting the various solutions that can be used for this purpose.

VPN For Everyone: Not Only To Connect With The Office But Also To Secure The Connection And Overcome Geographical Limitations

In addition to the possibility of installing your VPN server to protect data traffic when connected remotely, remotely accessing shared resources on the local network, and navigating with the public IP assigned to the router installed in the company, office, or home, it is possible to choose from many third-party services that use the VPN system to protect the information transferred over the network (for example when using public WiFi) but also to overcome geographical limitations and censorship.

What is a VPN: everything you need to know to choose the right one and make the most of it

Below we summarize what we believe are the most important aspects to know about VPNs, networks that today find their raison d’être not only in companies but also among private 

Which Devices Can Be Used To Set Up A VPN Server VPN

networks can be created using various devices installed in the company, in the office, or at home: you can use routers capable of offering VPN functions, NAS servers, appliances of various kinds, or simple servers/workstations.

In the articles VPN server, how to create it using a NAS and Making the VPN on Synology NAS servers more secure we have seen how to use a NAS server to configure the VPN server, while in the article VPN connection in Windows with OpenVPN, we have explained how to set up a 

VPN server with Windows.

In the article OpenVPN server with the graphical interface: how to install it, we saw how to take advantage of a particular ISO that allows you to install and configure the OpenVPN server via a convenient web interface. The software will be installable on a physical or virtual machine.

In pfSense, firewall, and VPN all in one: how to try them with Virtualbox, we have seen that the pfSense package directly supports OpenVPN and allows you to create a server with just a few steps.

Still, on the Linux platform, it is possible to use WireGuard to set up a fast and secure VPN server: WireGuard, how to create a VPN server at home or in the company. We’ll discuss the main differences between the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols later.

Without turning to this software, you can also use the features built into Windows: VPN Server in Windows 10 and Windows Server: How to create it without installing other software. However, greater guarantees in terms of security can only be obtained using IPSec on Windows Server.

Why It Is Useful To Create A VPN Server In Your Company, Office, Or Home

Setting up and using a VPN server in your company, office, or home is very useful because it allows you to connect remotely (from networks managed by other parties, even public or even open WiFi), in complete safety, to your LAN network.

By reaching the public IP address on which the VPN server responds from the remote VPN client, you can establish a secure connection and access, for example, shared resources on the local network as if you were physically present in front of the various devices on the LAN.

All data exchanged through the VPN will be automatically encrypted, making it unreadable to third parties. What better way to access a document stored on one of your PCs while on the other side of the world? By correctly setting up and configuring a VPN server, it will be possible to avoid exposing other ports on the public IP, with the possibility – for example – of connecting to your video surveillance system in complete safety, exactly as if you were related to the local network.

Using a VPN connection and connecting with the server’s public IP installed in the company, office, or home, the latter will assign the client a private, local IP address. Typing, for example, ping 192.168.1.1 or ping 192.168.0.1, will send requests to the router of your LAN despite being physically on the other side of the globe (see also what Ping is, how it works, and what it is for ).

By typing in the browser bar, for example, the local IP of a video camera, a NAS, or a server inside the LAN, the connection can be made without any problems.

By activating the Remote Desktop server on the individual Windows systems connected to the local network, it will be possible to administer them remotely, as if you were sitting at your office desk: Remote Desktop with Windows 10 Pro or later and VPN. By appropriately configuring your VPN server, you can browse the Internet in complete security from the public IP assigned to the router installed in your company, office, or home.

What Data Is Protected While Using The VPN

When you start the VPN client on your device (be it a PC, tablet, convertible, or smartphone), all sent and received data will automatically be protected thanks to encryption. Whatever application you run, the data it transfers will pass through the VPN connection.

When And Why To Use Third-Party VPN Services

While it is true that you can install your VPN server in your company, office, or home, the market offers countless VPN services, some free, some paid. Among the free ones, we mention ProtonVPN, which offers excellent guarantees in terms of anonymity and does not keep logs of users’ browsing sessions.

However, the free profile needs some limitations: the servers made free by users are few, located in a limited number of countries, and often quite congested.

The best third-party VPNs are useful when you want to protect all the data exchanged while using any application on a WiFi network managed by third parties, therefore potentially unreliable or even dangerous. The VPN services provided by specialized providers also allow you to change your geographical location (and therefore also your public IP address) in such a way as to appear connected from other countries.

In the article ” How, when, and why to use a VPN connection, ” we focused on the choice of third-party VPN services. In the VPN study, what it is, and how to choose the best ones, we have seen when it is useful to set up a private VPN server and when you can choose third-party VPN services.

Is It Legal To Use A VPN Service?

In most countries, it is legal to use any VPN service. Exceptions are countries such as Russia, Turkey, Iran, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Here, those wishing to use a VPN service must equip themselves with one of the solutions expressly approved by the government.

These products track user connections and keep logs of online activities (thus moving away from the intrinsic nature of true VPN services).

Is It Possible To Overcome The Geographical Limitations Of The Main Online Streaming Platforms?

We have said that VPN services allow you to appear connected from countries other than your own. Many users use the most reliable VPNs to access content offered by the main online streaming platforms that cannot be accessed from Italy. The platforms generally use a single authentication system: users authorized to access the service can connect from any country.

However, depending on the country where the connection is established, the online streaming platform can offer a different catalog. Subscribers to various platforms have started using VPNs to access content that is not normally available in Italy. Just check what content is being presented to subscribers in which country, then change your public IP using a VPN service.

Is all of this legal? 

It depends on what is stated in the contractual conditions and the terms of use of the service. Some online streaming services tolerate VPNs, while others are more “hard-fisted” oriented.

Some providers, such as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN, publish basic guides for accessing streaming platforms from any country.

It must be said that platforms explicitly block some VPNs. However, around 30% of them can  guarantee access today: see Cross-border portability: what it means and why providers are fighting VPNs. We suggest reading the article VPN connection: how it helps to access otherwise unusable content.

Do VPN Service Providers Log User Activity?

When choosing a VPN service, it is good to analyze the content of the privacy policy published by the provider. Here you will find all the information on data processing, and you will find out if a VPN, for example, keeps a log of user connections and the activities they carry out on the net.

When Edward Snowden published the secrets of the US National Security Agency (NSA).

He learned of the mass surveillance programs put in place by the US and British governments to exchange intelligence information, including the browsing history of any user residing in their respective national territories. An agreement to this effect would have been stipulated between the governments of 14 countries ( Fourteen Eyes ). Using VPNs based in countries outside the Fourteen Eyes allows you to count on an even greater level of confidentiality.

Have All Network Traffic Go Through The VPN

By appropriately configuring some routers, it is possible to ensure that the data traffic generated by all devices (notebooks, desktop PCs, tablets, smartphones, convertibles, consoles, smart TVs, IoT devices,…) and by all applications used in the local network transits through the VPN service.

In the article Configuring a VPN client on the router and overcoming the DNS leak problem, we saw that it is possible to use updated routers with DD-WRT, OpenWRT, Tomato firmware, or devices that support this feature.

The Type Of VPN Matters: Which Protocols Are The Most Reliable

When setting up your VPN, it is essential to use the OpenVPN, WireGuard protocols, or sufficiently secure alternatives such as IPSec, as indicated at the beginning. VPN services provided by third parties may also use more “agile” protocols to guarantee high performance: VPN networks: differences between PPTP, L2TP IPSec, and OpenVPN. 

Using them, however, you cannot have maximum guarantees regarding the security and confidentiality of personal data. The successor of OpenVPN will almost certainly be WireGuard ( free VPN: what it is and how WireGuard works with AzireVPN ) which is based on only 4,000 lines of code (instead of 120,000) and therefore on an overall very lean and more performing architecture.

ExpressVPN recently launched Lightway, a lightweight and secure protocol with a lot in common with WireGuard: ExpressVPN launches its Lightway protocol: differences from WireGuard and OpenVPN. As mentioned in Windows, you can use the built-in support offered by the operating system to start a VPN server: VPN server in Windows 10 and Windows Server: how to create it without installing other software. However, the advice is to focus on using the IPSec protocol with Windows Server.

When using a VPN service at the software level, it is also a good idea to check that the WebRTC protocol, possibly activated on the browser side, does not detect your real IP address: Secure VPN services: how to prevent them from leaking your real public IP.Furthermore, it is good to ensure that the VPN does not expose the DNS leak problem and, in this case, does not lead to the exposure of the public IP address: Configure a VPN client on the router and overcome the DNS leak problem.

The Best Third-Party VPN Services

Comparing the many VPN services available today, some stand out for their performance (download and upload data transfer speeds), security and privacy protection features, timely distribution of updates, no logs, support for networks like Netflix and Torrent, usability, technical support, and cost.

Among the absolute best are NordVPN, SurfShark (among other things, very cheap; we talk about it in the VPN article, which features are the most useful: Surfshark example ), ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN (see CyberGhost VPN unblocks new content and protects privacy ) and IPVanish.

None of the services mentioned keeps a log of the connections, and the performances are excellent: in many cases, there will be no differences – or they will be very small – between the bandwidth made available by your connection and the bandwidth available on the VPN network.

Finally, one last note: services such as the one made available by Opera on desktop systems and mobile devices are not VPNs but operate as a proxy ( Opera VPN is also in the Android browser: however, it is only a proxy ). 

Similarly, Cloudflare WARP is also not a VPN: Cloudflare WARP from today for everyone: what it is and how it works. But it’s not a VPN. So be careful not to fall into the trap of considering what is not a VPN at all.

ALSO READ: All Ways To Login Into Windows 10

The techniques presented by Windows 10 for getting to the framework with your record. Multiple ways of getting to Windows 10 can be designed by composing Access Choices in the working framework’s hunt box. Whether you utilize a Microsoft client or a neighborhood account, the remote critical remaining parts are possibly the most “well-known” login techniques in Windows 10.

As we featured at the time in the article Microsoft record and neighborhood accounts in Windows: when the previous stoppage of your work, signing into Windows 10 utilizing a Microsoft account implies – like clockwork – composing the long and complex secret phrase related to that record.

Indeed, it would be insane to consider improving your Microsoft client account secret key to get to your Windows work area quicker. The passwords used to safeguard client accounts, including Microsoft ones, should be long and complex enough to forestall access by unapproved parties. Moreover, if the record stores individual information and delicate data, actuating two-factor verification: Which has been dynamic since July 7 on all Google accounts, is fundamental.

ALSO READ: Virus Protection Windows 10 – How To Protect Your PC Correctly!

Numerous other elective ways of signing in to Windows 10 are quicker than composing a secret word and consistently protected. On gadgets incorporating a camera viable with Windows Hi, you can access Windows 10 by empowering facial acknowledgment or verifying yourself with the unique finger impression peruser.

Many utilize the Windows Hi PIN: tapping on this thing in the Oversee access mode to your gadget screen can characterize a variable length code (just numeric or likewise composed of letters and images). This PIN will supplant signing in utilizing passwords or other validation systems.

Remembering that Windows 10 has assurance against animal power goes after that attempt to 

“surmise” the entrance PIN, it is in every case great not to pick too simple codes, for example, your date of birth or natural groupings, for example, 0000, 1111, 1234, etc.: we discuss it in the article Is the Windows 10 PIN secure?

Tapping on the Realistic secret phrase, choosing a picture, and tapping on three focuses inside the photograph as expected. Whenever you pick the real private key to get to Windows 10, you should click unequivocally on similar principles in the first characterized arrangement.

At long last, there is the security key. For quite a while, Windows 10 has become viable with unique keys sticking to the FIDO2 determinations: Windows Hi gets FIDO2 confirmation: this is the very thing it implies.

Exclusively, possessing the actual gadget and embedding it into a USB port will get to the Windows 10 work area: Record security and how to further develop it with FIDO2 keys within the realm of possibilities. Yubico, one of the most popular and respected all-around makers of FIDO2 security dongles, permits you to sign in to your Windows work area with two-factor validation. As well as entering the username and secret phrase, the FIDO2 key can be mentioned, connected to basic client accounts, or utilized with Sky blue Dynamic Registry (AAD) or Dynamic Catalog (Promotion); see this page.

Albeit in the article Eliminate Windows 10 secret key: this is the way to do it we perceived how to actuate programmed admittance with the chosen account in Windows 10, this activity is, for the most part, not suggested. On the off chance that you choose to apply it, the framework being used should be wholly safeguarded with BitLocker by requesting a PIN to be placed before the genuine boot stage: BitLocker how to protect information on hard drives and SSDs, and request a secret phrase at boot.

Utilizing BitLocker to encode the items in the drives, including that of the working framework, is presently fundamental: the article Failed to remember secret key Windows 10: elite, how to get to the framework we have exhibited how basic it is for an aggressor to claim another person’s plan when the PC ought to be left unattended by its original owner.

Utilizing encryption keeps outsiders from getting to data put away on your Windows gadget. On the Windows 10 login screen, by choosing a record at the base left and tapping on Access choices, all the entrance techniques designed in the Deal with how you access your gadget window seen above will show up in little squares for the particular client account.

The image shows two potential login techniques: PIN and standard secret key. In a similar segment, notwithstanding, you will find references to some other access technique that might have been designed. The capacity to sign in utilizing your secret word – on account of Microsoft accounts – will only be offered if the Require Windows Hi to sign-in choice for Microsoft accounts is enacted in the Oversee how you sign in to your gadget window.

How do you create targeted advertisements for users who have already visited or purchased a product on your website? Or do you want to reach those users who still need to complete their purchase by leaving a product in your e-commerce cart? Nothing could be simpler. Use Facebook Pixels.

We have already seen what they are in the article “Facebook pixels: what are they?” How they work is simple: the Facebook pixel records user actions such as visiting the company’s website or purchasing a product. Furthermore, it is possible to see if the user has bought after seeing the sponsor. It is possible to reach the same user by creating a personalized audience. 

The Benefits Of The Facebook Pixel

The advantages of using it are many. It allows you to:

1. Improve publicizing efforts, showing promotions to individuals keen on your items.
2. Gather information to gauge Facebook Advertisements transformations.
3. Make new crowds intrigued by your image. In this way, growing the circle of expected clients with people with tastes, interests, and ages, like clients who have proactively communicate with the site. This is a central component in characterizing the right objective for Facebook crusades.
4. Retarget clients who have previously communicated with the site or with promotions
5. show a supported client a particular item recently left in the online business truck or added to his list of things to get yet to be bought.

An Effective Tool

The Facebook Pixel ends up being an exceptionally effective instrument for making fruitful missions on Facebook. Trust our web showcasing specialists in Turin if you also need to acquire the most from your tasks through Facebook pixels. We will assist you with developing your business by tracking down the right crowd for your supported posts.

Facebook Pixel Conversions

Standard events are measured as conversions from Facebook, so if you’re reading this part but are not interested in anything other than classic events, you can ignore this paragraph. See you later on. You have a few more steps if you plan to use URL-based rules, use custom events, or want to define a conversion as a specific subset of standard events: 

1. Go to the Fb Pixel in Ads Manager. 
2. Click Create Conversion > Track Custom Conversions

In the Rule section, click the dropdown menu and change the containing URL to Event. Is nothing happening? This is normal: events may take a few seconds to display. Select the standard event in the field below the dropdown menu. If the event has sent parameters, you can select its value. If you don’t see it, but it should be there, check the parameters: is the event set in the correct parameters? In the Category section, click on the dropdown menu. Here it’s up to you: choose a category and select the most appropriate. Please assign a name to the new custom conversion (note: the terminology is not to be left at random, always keep an eye on it).

ALSO READ: TikTok, The Request For Record Labels

Quick Summary On Facebook Pixel

You want to introduce the Facebook pixel if you’re going to involve the mission highlights and choices in Facebook Promotions Administrator. The primary advantages of utilizing the Facebook Promotions pixel are:

1. following changes that occur from the Facebook stage;
2. extra data on the return for money invested in your Facebook crusade;
3. making cutting-edge crowds for remarketing and clone crowds.