There are only a handful of tools for checking Windows server vulnerabilities. If you are familiar with Microsoft security tools testing tools you may have noticed that their tools focus on the security configuration setting of the server. What if your server has a number of applications such as PHP, MySQL or any other database related extension. Rapid7 has a community edition(free edition) for checking Windows server vulnerabilities. Securitywing has tested this edition of Nexpose in a test environment built with a Windows 2008 r2 server. The followings are the procedures you can follow to check your windows security. [Read more…] about Steps to Check Windows Server Vulnerability with Nexpose Community Edition
Windows 2008 Server Security Hardening with Automated Tools
One of the quickest and easiest ways to hardening your windows server 2008 r2 security is using automated tools to check the current security status of your server. Once you identify the security loopholes in the server, you can fix those security issues straight away. The good thing is that most of the tools can suggest a list of recommended settings that you need to use to fix the security drawbacks. The tools that you can use for securing Windows 2008 servers are:
- SCM ( Windows security compliance manager)
- MBSA (Microsoft baseline security analyzer)
- SCW ( Security configuration wizard) [Read more…] about Windows 2008 Server Security Hardening with Automated Tools
How to Control Directory Access with Htaccess and Htpasswd in Apache
Htaccess file is used to control access to directories in the web server. Normally, website administrators write htaccess file to put appropriate access control to files and pages stored in a specific directory. This method of directory access control is useful when you have a small number of users whom you want to give permission to view your contents. [Read more…] about How to Control Directory Access with Htaccess and Htpasswd in Apache
8 Effective Ways to Improve IIS 7.5 Performance
Like any other web servers, IIS 7.5 is capable of running web applications and sites blazing fast when you fine-tune some of its important performance parameters. This post will give you a list of effective methods that can make your Internet information server optimized for serving faster web pages to your users. [Read more…] about 8 Effective Ways to Improve IIS 7.5 Performance
Active vs Passive FTP Mode: Which One is More Secure?
FTP or file transfer protocol is used to transfer files between two computers: one is FTP host or server and another is FTP client. In addition to transferring files, FTP helps to gain access to the physical location of the server to modify files such as file deleting, folder creating or even modifying file contents.
Before knowing the difference between active and passive FTP, you need to know how FTP functions. Normally, when you open FTP connectivity with a FTP server, there opens two connections between the computers: one is used to transfer data and another one is used to transfer control signals. Both the channels are TCP connections. For commands, TCP port number 21 is used and the port number 20 is used for data.
Benefit of active FTP: it increase FTP server security
Benefit of passive FTP: it requires less configuration changes on client computer.
[Read more…] about Active vs Passive FTP Mode: Which One is More Secure?
How to Build Failover Cluster in Windows Server 2008
The main objective of a failover cluster is to ensure high availability of services. A failover cluster means that only one server–which is also known as active server–in the cluster will provide the service such as a file server or webserver. When this active server will go offline or will be out of service, another server in the cluster will provide the same service, without causing any service disruption. For instance, you have configured two windows 2008 servers in cluster mode to offer web service to your users. If, for any reason, the active server goes down, then the passive server will serve the webpages to your customers. [Read more…] about How to Build Failover Cluster in Windows Server 2008
How to Pass CISA at the First Attempt?
Unlike most other vendor certification exams., CISA (certified information system auditor) is a paper-based test. Though, ISACA never publish any data about the passing rate of this exam., it is pretty easy-to-guess from available data in the Internet that  you need to prepare systematically and carefully to pass this highly respected IT auditing exam. [Read more…] about How to Pass CISA at the First Attempt?
Yahoo Mail Security Settings:How to Protect Your Account
To secure your Yahoo mail account you need to block the doors that are easy for anyone to get access to your account. This post will help you to modify your account settings to make your mailbox safer than ever. If you are a Yahoo mail user, then you are advised to use the following settings:
- Create a sign-in seal
- How to change password
- Monitor your account activity
- Recognize suspicious mail
- Dealing with SPAM mails
- Using SSL
- Reporting to Yahoo
- Change your habit of clicking links from unknown sources
Note: Never underestimate the power of choosing strong password and change it frequently [Read more…] about Yahoo Mail Security Settings:How to Protect Your Account
How Do I Know If My Computer Has Been Hacked?
If you know some simple and easy-to-use methods to check that if your computer has been hacked you can confidently work online or visit any site without much worrying about your data privacy. The good news is that there are some simple ways to check that if your system has been hacked, which works well in most of the cases.At first you need to know the ways that can be used to access your PC, from a perpetrator’s perspective. A person can enter your computer directly in your absence or he can use the Internet or network connection to connect to your system.Before reading the following tips, make sure if any of the access route to your system was vulnerable.If your answer is yes, then there is a possibility that your computer might be compromised.Take a look at the following tips to check if anyone is secretively controlling your computer. [Read more…] about How Do I Know If My Computer Has Been Hacked?
What is 128 Bit Encryption?Why the Length is Important?
The purpose of any cryptography is to ensure the confidentiality, authenticity, non-repudiation and integrity of the data. And all these goals are achieved with the use of cryptography keys. The 128 bit key is such a type of key that ensure all the intended objectives of using a crypto-system or cryptographic algorithm.it is the key which needs to be secret in order to keep information private. [Read more…] about What is 128 Bit Encryption?Why the Length is Important?
