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Before authentication methods can be discussed, authentication should be defined. So basically we are deciding whether someone or something is, who or what it is declared to be.

In both private situations and in public Internet usage, authentication is commonly done through the use of logon passwords. Recognition and remembrance of the password is assumed to guarantee that the user is authentic. The Achilles’ heel in this system is that transaction passwords can often be stolen, accidentally revealed, or forgotten.

For this reason, Internet business and many other transactions require a sturdier authentication approach. The use of digital certificates issued and verified by a Certificate Authority (CA) as part of a public key infrastructure may become the norm in processing authentication on the Internet.

There are three methods by which a human can authenticate themselves:

1. Something about the user is recognized as unique

2. Something the user possesses is unique

3. Something the user knows (a password or PIN) is unique

Also, a combination of methods is used, e.g., a bank card and a PIN, in which case the term “two-factor authentication” can be used.

In the law enforcement world, fingerprints have been used as the most authoritative method of authentication, but recent ourt cases have doubted their reliability (as have retinal and fingerprint scans).

In the computer environment, cryptographic methods have been developed which are currently very reliable if the user’s key has not been compromised.

There are two ways of restricting access to online documents: either by the browser hostname, or by asking for a username and password. Using the browser hostname can restrict the use of documents within a company or group of individuals. However if the people who are allowed to access the documents are in different locations, or the server administrator needs to be able to control access on an individual basis, it is possible to require a username and password before being allowed access to a document. This is called user authentication.

Configuring user authentication requires creating a file containing the usernames and passwords and then telling the server what sectors are to be protected and which users are allowed (after entering a valid password) to access them.

The directives to create the protected area can be placed in an .htaccess file in the directory concerned, or in a section in the access.conf file.

To allow a directory to be restricted within an .htaccess file, one must verify that the access.conf file allows user authentication to be set up in an .htaccess file. This is controlled by the AuthConfig override. The access.conf file should include AllowOverride AuthConfig to allow the authentication directives to be used in an .htaccess file.

To restrict a directory to any user listed in the users file just created, one can create an .htaccess file containing:

AuthName “restricted stuff”

AuthType Basic

AuthUserFile /usr/local/etc/httpd/users

require valid-user

These are but a few online authentication methods because, unfortunately, people still do not trust the Worldwide Web for the safety of their money transactions. With increased trust in the safety of online processing comes benefits for the business owner which include greater profitability and improved business/customer relationships. And benefits for the consumer with more convenient bill payment processing and account access.

Reggie Andersen is a home business office advocate. He recommends persistence and a healthy work environment including a strict schedule, good ethics, fast bandwidth Bandwidth Resources and verifiable authentication methods (For more authentication resources, see: Authentication Methods)

Business on the internet is getting down right shameless. This week, my email box was literally filled with hype, overly inflated promises, phish mail, scams, ezines I did not order, and about 14 viagra gimmicks. This makes you wonder what your going to get if you click in the wrong place. What’s worse is you may get the same thing several times from different people.

Did you know that there is software on the internet that can find duplicates of your personal work? If you didn’t, then believe me, eventually you will own it. Plagiarism is becoming quite popular on the internet these days. You would think that people have used up all the original ideals.

Every once in a while I’ll stumble onto a site that I’ve seen before. The names are changed and the scenery may have changed a little. What is bad is some of the sites don’t even do a good job at covering up the fact that they copied another persons work.

At the bottom of most web sites you may see copy right information. This is becoming quite popular. However, it only slows people down. It doesn’t appear to stop them. That should not be your only worry.

It was once stated to me that if it’s on the web, it’s yours for the taking. This is the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard. The simple fact that someone can copy and paste doesn’t make it right. Another problem is people steeling from you. That may be a hard word but it’s the truth.

Have you seen affiliate sites before? Most all the affiliates have a unique “url” that is suppose to identify them as being the one whom gets the commission. The problem is, most people that has any experience what so ever can change the “url” and steel your commission.

It doesn’t stop there. Ebooks used to have value. Well some do. I’ve actually witnessed several ebooks selling on Ebay for 99 cents that have copy rights. Is it illegal for me to buy them? I would say not. I did not break the law. Should I turn in the seller? I have done this before.

You may be wondering if everything on the internet is a scam. I assure you that there are legitimate companies out there in cyberspace that have the my up most respect. I have also wondered if Bill Gates was behind some of these viruses. You know you are running a great risk if you don’t buy software to take care of these.

Well, lets evaluate. If you want to start a business, the first thing you should do is forget about the word “FREE”. Just to get online, you’ll definitely need virus detector software. You’ll also need some kind of spy ware killing software. Let’s not stop there. If you plan on stopping people from stealing from you, you’ll need that software that will catch plagiarizers. You’ll also want to spend the money to copy right your stuff. Just putting the words on the bottom of a page doesn’t mean it’s copy right does it?

If you plan on trading links, you want to get some software that will do a check to see if the your link partner didn’t sucker you. It does the partner a bit more justice to have links to him and not away from him.

It doesn’t stop there though. You still need your site “Secure”. If you don’t know what that is, chances are, you’ll eventually figure out why some people are not doing business with you. I witnessed some site telling you that you are on a secure site, but when you look at the “http” there is a missing “S” on the end which assures you that it’s secure.

Don’t forget to encrypt your web site. Whoops, did I mention this also costs money? It may not if you are a programmer. However, if your not careful, there are other programmers that love a challenge of figuring out how to unscramble web sites?

Have you heard of “scanners” before? I’m not talking about those “scanners” at the drug store, super mart of police station. I talking about those scanners that act like spiders on the web. Those scanners are looking for security leaks or holes in your personal computer. You do have a firewall don’t you?

People still insist on telling others that it doesn’t take any money on the internet to start a business. All of this is just for your own protection. You haven’t even started your business yet.

There is some good news. I am sure you can find a “host” that will give you a secure site with all the bells and whistles. I have not been that lucky.

Add it all up and tell me what it’ll cost to start a business on the internet. You are paying for an Independent Service Provider per month aren’t you?

Okay, you can get virus software that will take care of the spy ware, the worms, the security leaks and the viruses. You can get a host real reasonable that will take care of your encryption needs and security. You can also get link checkers, payment processors, plagiarize finders, and copy cat software. You can even get some Free email services. The bottom line is it’ll cost you some money.

Don’t forget to get an email blocker. Spam will never stop in my opinion.

This is just my opinion. Anything I’ve said here is for your own entertainment. I know people getting their identities stolen because they did not protect themselves. I get phish email all the time trying to trick me into giving my passwords. If you are a complete newbie, it may be best to hire a guru. At least when they rip you off, you’ll have someone other than yourself to blame.

Did you know that most Gurus don’t tell you about these dangers?

Randall Stafford
http://www.randallsquare.com

Copyright 2005 RS Marketing News

Randall Stafford usually writes about health issues, fitness, and things that deal with people. After hearing so many times that doing business on the internet costs virtually nothing, he decided to give his opinion. Are the best things in life FREE?

You are welcome to reprint this is you leave this resource box and leave all contents the same.
http://www.randallsquare.com

The number of burglaries and property violations are continuously increasing so an alarm monitoring system may be a perfect solution to prevent thefts. Recent research has proven that owning a home security system makes you 3 or 4 times less likely to be burglarized. Who knows, maybe acquiring a home alarm system may even save your life! Many times thieves and burglars prefer robbing a house without a home alarm system than a house that has one installed.

What can a home security system do? Well it can monitor a house 24 hours a day, and if something unusual occurs, it sends an alarm signal through the phone line. After the signal is received, a phone call is made to your house to see if everything is all right, and if no one answers or the incorrect password is provided then the local police is alarmed.
Setting a home alarm system up takes only one hour, and then it will work for months. It should be tested periodically however in order to make sure everything works just fine. In case a power failure occurs, the home security systems are equipped with a battery that can keep them running for 24 hours.

If you decide to purchase a home alarm system you should also follow some simple security rules. If you do so you can be sure that the chances that your house becomes the ‘victim’ of a burglary will be greatly reduced.

First of all you should always secure your windows and doors, because these are the places through which burglars enter the house. Their locks must be strong.
Also, you should try not to keep things that may attract burglars outside, in order not to turn your house into a target.
It would be advised to try to let people know that you own a home alarm system.

Furthermore, there are some other small things that can keep burglars away - always have outside lights turned on, so that burglars can’t use darkness to hide, get a guard dog to watch over your yard, and talk to a neighbor to watch over your house while you are away.

But the home security system remains the best method to keep burglars away. It is a small investment that protects all the investments inside the house.

When Jimmy discovered plans for a row of executive townhouses on his street, he wondered if his new neighbors would attract burglars to the neighborhood.

So Jimmy installed a surveillance camera that calls the police department during break-ins. Staring at the sensors and the controls, he wondered if it was enough.

He mounted his surveillance camera facing his front door and his bay window and set it to capture an image every fifteen seconds.

Months later, Jimmy took his family to the movies. They drove right past the construction site, where a backhoe had severed a fiber optic cable. Jimmy didn’t know it then, but his entire neighborhood had lost their phone service!

Meanwhile, a plain white van parked in front of Jimmy’s house.

Three men wearing hooded sweatshirts sauntered up the lawn. One produced a crow bar from his sleeve and smashed right through that beautiful bay window.

Before Jimmy’s neighbors heard the alarm bells, those felons had vanished. With no landlines, the alarm system could not contact ANYONE.

Giggles turned to gasps inside Jimmy’s station wagon when they pulled up to their home behind two police cars. Never losing his cool, Jimmy led the detectives to his television, it had been too heavy for the thieves to snatch’and activated the remote control
for his surveillance camera.

Even with no lights on, the infrared lens captured everything: the broken window, the first thief climbing in and opening the front door for his companions… everything.

It even captured all three of them, taking off their hoods, staring DIRECTLY into that lens.

Not only did the cops know exactly who they were dealing with, but the surveillance camera Jimmy was using put a time stamp on each frame. Now the investigators knew exactly WHEN the crooks made off with Jimmy’s things.

That date stamp came in handy the next day, when Jimmy’s insurance adjuster looked at the tape Jimmy made by connecting the surveillance device to a VCR. The agent always hated tracking down receipts and evidence for homeowners’ insurance cases. This time, he could see who was aking what items and when.

Jimmy got even more good news that week. One of the ringleader’s so-called friends saw his picture on the evening news. That friend wanted the small reward from the neighborhood watch association, and he told police where to find the burglars.

Even the fanciest lawyer could not talk his way around that powerful image of the crooks, with their hands on Jimmy’s things, stamped with a time and a date for everyone to see.

Jimmy’s insurance company fixed the window and replaced all of the stolen goods.

This all goes to prove that having an effective surveillance camera can be usefull in recovering stolen personal property.

Glenn Freiboth is a writer for Self Defense news and lives in Illinois.
Self Defense and Surveillance products can be found at http://www.selfdefensegearco.com