Internet Security - Steven Andiloro| Security

Large-scale corporations are prone to hackers. Because of their large size and massive amount of money, they are just large targets for hackers. It’s nothing new. In fact, it’s so common that I’ve written a few blogs on some of the largest online hacks on large corporations. Just recently, HBO, the massively popular premium cable television network, was hacked, and a large amount of data was stolen from the company.

According to reports, last week saw a major hack of HBO’s servers that resulted in over 1terabyte of data being stolen. This data, which included several scripts for unaired episodes of the popular Game of Thrones television show, as well as full, unaired episodes of Ballers and Room 104, has been leaked online. So far, the amount of content that has been leaked to the public has only amounted to 3.5 gigabytes of data. To put that into perspective, there are 1,000 gigabytes in a terabyte. At the moment, no one is entirely sure of what other data the hackers have a hold of, but there is speculation that they have several episodes of Game of Thrones.

And while pirated episodes of Game of Thrones is nothing new, the hackers claim to have accessed much more important information as well. According to a report from The Verge, the hackers have gained access to the phone numbers and addresses of all of the actors from Game of Thrones’ season 7, as well as internal HBO passwords. This makes the situation much more serious, as that information could bring harm upon the actors of the show. While HBO claims that there is little evidence of such personal information being leaked, the threat should still be taken seriously.

The network is conducting an investigation and hopes to avoid a repeat of a similar disaster from 2014 when Sony Pictures’ email servers were hacked. Multiple emails were stolen that damaged the reputation of some executive members of the film studio.

Although large-scale hacks such as these are not necessarily shocking, they are still an unnecessary headache. It is incredibly important that all businesses, large and small, focus a large amount of attention on their security and IT departments. By strengthening their malware and virus protection, they decrease the risk of incidents such as these from potentially ruining the company or the careers of those involved.

We live in a technologically driven age. Our smartphones are attached to our hands, the Internet is no longer an option, and we are constantly connected to each other through social media. Technology is everywhere. And with that technology comes risk. Billions of people around the world access the Internet through a variety of devices, but typically, they connect to the World Wide Web through their computers. Regardless of whether it is a laptop or desktop, that computer is at risk. The digital age has given birth to the hacker. These hackers find ways to virtually enter your computer and steal information, money or both. This is most commonly done through the Internet; this rising trend in Internet hacks gave way to Internet security software.

Sometimes when purchasing a new computer, you aren’t exactly sure which software to purchase, or if you even need it. Firstly, you do need it. And secondly, it can be difficult making that choice. So I’ve decided to round up three of the best Internet security programs to help make the choice a bit less daunting.

Kaspersky

Kaspersky Internet Security is one of the more popular suites on the market. Offering a comprehensive list of features, through a variety of tiers, Kaspersky could be the way to go. For the average user who will likely only use the Internet for reading articles or viewing entertainment, the Anti-Virus package may be the best fit for you. However, for those who will be doing a bit more, you might want to look into the Internet Security package—which features multiple platform use, better protection for online transactions, and parental controls—or the Total Security Package—which includes everything from the previous two packages, as well as secure storage of passwords and the ability to backup and encrypt files. With so many features at an affordable price, the Total Security package is the more common choice.

Norton

Another high-profile brand, Norton Internet Security has been around since the early 2000s. Much like Kaspersky, Norton Security offers multiple different software packages—Basic, Standard, Deluxe and Premium—with varying features. Again, average users could probably get by with the Basic package, which protects against spyware, malware and other online viruses. The Deluxe package, however, protects from viruses, offers the Norton 100% guarantee, is optimized to protect your computer while maintaining its speed, and grants the ability to use the software on 5 PCs, Macs, smartphones or tablets. And although these are all great packages, the Premium package—which includes all of the previously mentioned features, the ability to use the software on 10 devices, child friendly Internet surfing and 25GB of cloud storage—is by far the best choice. Did I mention that it’s also cheaper than the competition?

BitDefender

One of the more admittedly obscure brands, BitDefender is nonetheless deserving of its place on this list. While it does offer multiple different Internet security suites, with all of the expected features like antivirus protection, the ability to backup files and child protection, what makes BitDefender stand out is its BitDefender Box. The BitDefender Box takes the Internet security software idea and expands upon it. The box protects not only your laptop or desktop, but anything that is connected to the Internet. That includes smartphones and smart TVs. The box even allows for remote management of your devices. It’s an incredibly useful and intelligent feature that has earned several accolades from acclaimed publications like TIME and Digital Trends.

Steven Andiloro is the owner of Professional Security Solutions, a security company in North Carolina servicing customers nationwide!

Tag: Internet Security

HBO’s Hacking Headache

3 Best Internet Security Apps