Network Scanning - An Important Security Measure

When we think of network and port scanning, we tend to think of hackers breaking into third party systems with a view of doing some damage or at the very least viewing data that they shouldn’t, but, network and port scanning is just as important for security / systems admins who are looking to secure their own networks. Using a good network scanner, systems administrators can scan for all open ports and services in use on their network with a view of patching up holes / open ports that could later pose a vulnerability. Open ports and services running that the systems administrators isn’t aware of is the primary cause of most network hacks. By scanning all open ports on your network, you can easily detect services that might allow an intruder to gain access and you can also secure ports for services to only allow access from designated IP’s or users on your own, internal network. Most good network scanners do not just detect running services and open ports, they also come with a whole host of usage information such as memory / processor usage which is just as important to monitor and maintain as the ports themselves. There are too many exploits out there that make use of memory crashes, it’s always best to be safe!

Norton Anti Virus 2008

Since Symantec significantly improved their 2007 edition of Norton Antivirus, it was highly expected that they would only make slight modifications and additions to the 2008 release of the well known software program. Although Norton Antivirus 2008 often does quite well when compared to competent benchmark tests, the program seems to have lost a fair amount of usability within the interface, hurting the overall experience.

First of all, something that cannot be overlooked is the sheer size of the program. Weighing in at a robust 300 MB, users really start to wonder exactly why it takes up so much room in your computer. Not only is the space requirement a bit extreme, but the software is dumbed down and doesn’t give users the ability to turn on anything remotely advanced.

As far as the using Norton Antivirus 2008 to protect your computer, buyers should refer to analysis and tests recently published by two independent antivirus testing organizations. AV-Comparatives.org and CheckVir.com both tested the program through their own benchmarks and while it received the highest rating possible in some areas, there were a significant number of areas where it was only rated as being standard.

Symantec’s Norton Antivirus 2008 is the latest in a long line of supposedly corporate-ready antivirus programs however, it seems as though the software could benefit by becoming more user friendly, or at the very least, accessible. There are many options that cannot be changed simply because Symantec doesn’t think that the user can handle the responsibility.