Wired Networks

Wired networks are seen as the most stable and reliable form of networking by people as this technology has been around for a long time.

Wired networks are great to use when you have the space and ability to run network cables through your house. In return for this effort you get a secure and reliable network with good data transfer speeds. This means that you will be able to send information from one computer to another one quickly.

A wired network is seen as more secure as any malicious users will only be able to get into your systems through your external internet connection or by connecting a wire directly to your router, switch or hub. Even then this problem can be contained through the use of firewalls, sophisticated routers or in the later case by not letting strangers into your house who are trying to run a network cable to their machine.

A wired network is seen as more reliable as the signal is sent over wires and not broadcast over a relatively uncontrollable area. Your network speeds and quality are not affected by weather conditions, thickness of walls etc.

With a wired network you can expect speeds from between 10Mbps with older technology up to 1000Mbps with newer hardware. This allows for excellent data transfer speeds between machines allowing for fast sharing of data and files over your network.

The price for wired home networking hardware is extremely cheap as the technology has been around for a long time and there is a lot of competition from manufacturers keeping the prices down. You can get a basic router or network hub from £10 – £40 pounds that will allow you to share your internet connection and files across multiple machines. A basic network card should cost between £5-10 with the faster 1000Mbps cards costing from £5-£15 each.

Replacing faulty wiring can be tricky and expensive if you have hidden it away behind your walls. Another bad aspect of having wires is that each machine must have a wire running from it to the router or hub. This may be ok when you can have the wires hidden away in the bedroom or the office but what if you want to use your laptop in the middle of your kitchen or living room. Do you really want wires running across the floor causing potential trip hazards amongst other things?

Wireless

Wireless networking offers many great advantages. The biggest advantage is portability. You can take your wireless laptop from your living room to your kitchen to your bedroom and still have access to all of your files and internet. This is great for using recipies from the internet right down to doing a little work in front of the TV.

Another advantage of going wireless is that you do not have to hide lots of wires going between your machines and router. This makes everything look tidier and more clutter free whilst also removing potential trip hazards from lots of loose cabling.

A wireless connection can be affected by many outside factors that you must take into consideration. A wireless signal can be seriously affected by the thickness of your walls, floors and also how many other wireless connections are in your area. With thick floors and walls your signals can become distorted or even wiped out causing problems transmitting and receiving information.

There are solutions on the market to increase the power of your wireless transmitters and receivers which would increase connectivity issues in the event that they occur.

Security is not a problem as such for wireless as long as you properly secure your network. The simplest form of protection is to use something called a WEP key. A WEP key is used on both the computer and wireless router and acts as a code between the two machines to keep data encrypted. If someone does not have the key they should not be able to access your network. There are further options available depending on your chosen wireless router to increase the level of security.

By not securing your wireless network you are essentially leaving the front door of your network and internet connection open to anyone who wishes to connect using their own wireless equipped computers.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, both technologies serve the same purpose but with different pro’s and con’s. If you are looking for an easy clutter free solution with increase mobility then I would recommend attempting a wireless network setup as long as you ensure that you set at least WEP encryption to protect your computers and internet connection from unauthorised access.

If you are looking for a slightly more secure and reliable connection then go with a wired setup. A wired setup should bring you faster networking speeds with the disadvantage of having to have wires running between devices.

The threat level for computer networks is high. That’s why Cyber Security professionals are in high demand.

What is Cyber Security?

You could say that modern cyber security was born on December 31, 1999.

Remember the Y2K bug? Before New Year’s Eve 1999, there was a fear that a software glitch would cause programs and networks everywhere to crash when the year changed to 2000. The worst-case scenarios included ATM and banking systems going down, air traffic control systems being disabled, and the flow of goods and services being disrupted.

Of course, in this case, the worst case didn’t come true.

This was certainly not the first time that cyber security was an issue. But the widespread media attention and publicity brought the issue of the vulnerability of computer networks to the attention of many people who had never thought about the issue before. People began to worry: What if computer networks go down? What will happen?

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Cyber Security Threats

When contemplating the issue of cyber security, or network security as it could also be called, there is one inherent problem. Computer networks and tech infrastructure are never 100% secure. The power of the Internet and other networks is their open structure. They can be accessed at many points, built and expanded upon, and used by many people. But this also makes them vulnerable.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were another unfortunate milestone in the history of cyber security. People began contemplating what an individual or a group trying to harm to the United States economy might go after. One of the obvious answers was: the computer networks that drive so much of the country’s economy.

On top of large-scale events such as the Y2K bug and 9/11, there are, of course, the everyday security concerns that almost anyone with a PC faces. Worms, viruses, and other agents that attack personal computers have been a threat since the beginning of network computing and have only become more so as the size and scope of computer networks has grown.

The growing field of cyber security is about managing the risk inherent in vulnerable computer systems.

Training and Education

In the beginning of the computer industry, many people specializing in cyber security or network security were self-taught. But now that these issues have come to the attention of a wider public ? including business and government ? academic degree and training programs in cyber security and network security are available from many colleges, universities, and other academic institutions.

Degree and training programs in cyber security vary widely in their length and scope. Some certificate programs and associate’s degree programs might last a matter of months or up to two years. Whereas, bachelor’s degree programs or master’s degree programs can last up to four years. In the case of a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college, a focus in cyber security or network security might be combined or come under the umbrella of another degree program such as a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information science.

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In almost any academic program in cyber security, basic classes would cover topics such as how to build and maintain a network, training in Linux and Windows networks, basic computer programming, network protocols, network intrusion detection, and local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). Courses in criminal justice, ethics, political science, history, and business are also sometimes included in network security and cyber security curricula.

Certifications

Specific certifications in the Internet security and cyber security fields abound. Some are brand specific and qualify the individual to work on hardware or software made by a particular company. Others, known as ?vendor neutral? certifications, show a general proficiency in the field.

One of the best known certification groups is the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, (ISC²). This group sponsors several certifications that are well respected in the industry including the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP). Other organizations offering certification include the SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security (SANS) organization and CompTIA. While no certification is required for employment in any job, certification can be a good indicator for an employer of a candidate’s experience and focus in the field. Many academic programs incorporate certification preparation into their curricula.

Careers

Virtually every company of any size that operates a computer network (such as for company e-mail or a company intranet) has a designated network or cyber security expert. Titles may vary, but look for names like network security specialist, network administrator, information security technician, and so on. At larger companies, network or cyber security experts might work on a project by project basis and take a specific role in the development of new products, services, and systems.

The role of the cyber security expert can take many forms, but it essentially boils down to protecting sensitive data and managing access to resources and networks. This might include protecting customer data, such as credit card numbers, or protecting employee data, such as health care records. It also might include preventing intrusions and criminal activity over the company’s networks.

While cyber security has played a large role in the banking industry and other large corporate transactional businesses for some time, even small companies are facing cyber security issues today. With the advent of e-commerce, network security has taken on an even larger role as financial transactions and personal information such as credit card numbers are passed along computer networks with even greater frequency. Cyber security is also an important function inside companies, as employee data must be kept private and confidential according to the law.

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As mentioned above, the September 11 attacks gave a new urgency to the problem of cyber security, and the federal government has stepped up its efforts at directing cyber security research and monitoring. In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security created its own cyber security division, US CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team). This agency is responsible for coordinating the government response to cyber attacks and also serves as a national clearinghouse of cyber security information. The Department of Homeland Security is now one of the government’s largest employers, and many career opportunities have opened up in cyber security and related fields as a result.

One of the more exciting segments of the cyber security field is cyber forensics and investigation. Experts in this field investigate cyber crime and attacks after they happen and attempt to track down the perpetrators. Local law enforcement agencies and Federal agencies such as the FBI all employ cyber security professionals in this capacity.

Sometimes, as in many tech businesses, cyber security professionals might work as independent contractors, hired by companies when they are designing a new system or have had some kind of cyber crime committed against them. This system, while giving flexibility, also requires business savvy on the part of the employee to manage clients and continually look for work.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that job growth for system administrators (a loose term including cyber security experts) will see some of the fastest growth among all professions, growing at a rate of approximately 25% until 2014.

Ongoing Growth

The awareness of the cyber security threat continues to grow and the importance of cyber security to corporations, government, and private individuals continues to increase. Privacy is an important concern in American life and the protection of data has become a key issue. With concerns over identity theft and other similar cyber crimes, public focus remains intense on the cyber security field.

The ongoing struggle against terrorism and the quest for emergency preparedness and disaster preparedness puts a continued urgency into the cyber security field as well. Corporations are also facing new scrutiny in how they handle their data in the wake of corporate scandals. In short, the cyber security field is growing, and those with the proper training and experience will find plenty of opportunities.