In addition, despite being in the twenty-first century, there are still widespread myths about Internet security that Sophos has summarized in a report and to which it offers the definitive answer, "says Pablo Teijeira, Corporate Account Manager of Sophos Iberia. The 10 myths about safe Internet browsing:
Myth 1: The Internet is safe because I have never suffered a malware infection.
This idea is widespread, although what can actually happen is that the user is not aware that he is already infected. Many attacks caused by malicious programs are designed to steal personal information and passwords, or to use your computer to distribute spam, malware, or inappropriate content without the user's awareness.
Myth 2: My users don't waste time browsing inappropriate content.
More than 40% of Internet use in corporate environments is inappropriate and unchecked, which equates to an average of 1 to 2 hours per day and user. In addition, the number of cases of Internet addiction is increasing, and current estimates indicate that up to 5 to 10% of users of the Network of networks, suffer some type of dependence on the web.
Myth 3: We control Internet usage and our users cannot avoid this policy.
Thanks to anonymous proxy servers, it is very easy for employees to circumvent the web filtering policy and visit any site they want.
Myth 4: The only sites that are dangerous are pornography, gambling, and other "weird" pages.
Trusted pages that have been hijacked account for more than 83% of sites that host malicious programs. Most infected sites are web pages that the user trusts and, in fact, may visit daily and that are hijacked for malware distribution.
Myth 5: Only naïve users fall victim to infections caused by malware and viruses.
Malicious programs from unauthorized downloads are activated automatically without any action on the part of the user other than simply visiting that site.
Myth 6: You can only fall victim to infections if you download files.
Currently, most infections caused by malware occur through an unauthorized download. The malicious code can be found hidden in the content of the website and downloaded and executed automatically in the browser with the simple fact of visiting the website in question.
Myth 7: Firefox is more secure than Internet Explorer.
All browsers are exposed to the same risks because, basically, all of them are a JavaScript execution environment, which is the programming language that is used on the Internet and that, therefore, is used by malware creators. In addition, many attacks target add-ons that are used in all browsers, such as Adobe Acrobat.
Myth 8: When the lock icon appears in the browser, it's safe.
The lock icon indicates that there is an SSL-encrypted connection between the browser and the server, but does not offer any security against malware.
Myth 9: Internet security forces you to make a sacrifice between security and freedom.
Even though the Internet has become a vital tool for many business functions there is no need to sacrifice access or security. An Internet security solution offers the freedom to grant access to the sites users need while protecting the business.
Myth 10: Workstation security solutions cannot offer protection against Internet threats.
In essence, the Internet browser is its own execution environment: it downloads content, generates it and executes scripts, and all without any visibility by security products for workstations. However, this is changing, and a whole new approach to Internet security is opening up, especially for mobile workers who perform their tasks outside the traditional boundaries of corporate networks.
Five Ultimate Tips for Dealing with Modern Web Threats
User education and awareness, preventive measures, and a modern Internet security solution are integral components of a complete defense against today's web threats. From MuySeguridad.net we corroborate the advice of Sophos, which:
Source: Muy Seguridad.net
