Analysis of Internet Filters, Internet Censorship - Case Study Example

INFS 5053: Managing Networks and Telecommunications M Assignment 1 – Research Essay Topic: Internet Filtering Name Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1- Executive Summary 3 2- Overview 3 3- Internet Censorship 5 5- Internet Filters 6 6- Australian situation for Internet Censorship 8 6.1- Australian initiatives for the web based safety 9 7- Implementing Internet Filtering 11 7.1- Purpose of internet filtering 11 7.2- Internet filters main structure 12 7.3- Internet filters implementation 12 8- Network Management in the age of Internet Censorship 13 9- Conclusion 13 10- References 14 1- Executive Summary The present age can be acknowledged as age of modern information technology. After the emergence of the internet this technology has attained a new shape. Now we have better ways of communication, data transfer, and interaction. This technology advancement has totally transformed our society, way of living, and interaction to other people. We presentably have access to the huge and unlimited information resources. This technology based structures have also influence our lives and penetrated to our lives. In this way we have some security concerns for these technology based interaction. Now this technology based interaction has created a huge problem regarding the personal privacy and computer based operational process. This research will provide a detailed analysis of the Internet Filters, Internet Censorship, and other web based preventions aspects. This discussion will mainly spotlight the web based contents filtration for the enhanced security and user privacy implementation. 2- Overview The Internet is a wide-reaching collection of networks that connects the millions of organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals (Shelly, Cashman, & Vermaat, 2005). More than one-half billion people all over the world make use of the Internet every day for an assortment of reasons, few reasons are given below: (Shelly, Cashman, & Vermaat, 2005, pp. 11-12) and (Laudon & Laudon, 1999, p. 25): Talk with and meet other people around the globe Make use of a wealth of information, news, and research results Online shopping for goods and services of their choice Bank and investment Participating in online classes Utilizing ways of entertainment and free time, for instance online games, music, videos, books, and magazines. Through the enhancements in the internet technology the issues regarding the web based technology have also emerged. These issues are concerned with social, cultural, and even personal aspects. By viewing from the business and organizational viewpoints, presently enterprises face serious financial damage because of the entry of malware, viruses, worms, spyware, Trojans and more through malicious websites. Pharming, Phishing, and spyware can direct to theft of identity, passwords, and loss of additional secret/confidential information. Unsystematic Internet surfing through internal users leaves organizational vulnerable to legal problems, as well loss of efficiency. Open utilization of web based file sharing applications similar to P2P and IM and internet multimedia downloads reason danger of leakage, data loss as well as bandwidth choking, demanding the corporate resources (Cyberoam, 2009). Internet filters are the software application or tools that provide help in monitoring web content that can be inspected on a certain network or computer. Internet filters also facilitate in the case of family safety settings, and capable to aid parents regarding management of kids activities on Internet and their use of computer. For the organizational aspect internet filters help in minimizing the danger to business data and information through blocking and illegal and suspected contents from downloading (Cyberoam, 2009). 3- Internet Censorship Internet Censorship is common phenomena nowadays. Though its implementation stated after the huge emergence of web based illegal activities. These activities have extensively damaged the business, media, and at personal level. The research of (Sussman, 2000) shows that, internet censorship emergence is linked with the press and media censorship. The paper highlighted that nowadays, in almost two-thirds of the world's nations, rules inherited as of print press censorship as well as modernized to restrict television, radio and also regulate domestic messages. To control the Internet globally would involve the hard task of structuring a treaty signed through each nation. A number of domestic controls, nation by nation, consequently, are previously in place. Through a French monitoring organization's approximation, 45 nations at the present confined Internet access on the cause of defending the public from violation of national security and subversive ideas (Sussman, 2000). Sussman (2000) urged that any democratic governments do not have the alternative of ignoring the Internet. A number of systematization and regulation will be essential if only to keep the viable forces flowing moderately as well as smoothly and the economy emergence. The new electronic structure should be examined to avoid monopolization of the keys to accessing data and information and to make sure utmost volume as well as diversity of content. Although as in the past and present, a number of governments have utilized apparently constructive guideline to cover censorship. Sussman (2000) has outlined the main implementation areas of the internet censorship. The implementation of the internet censorship is for the following aspects (Sussman, 2000): Internet censorship for implementing the Internet-explicit licensing as well as regulation Internet censorship for implementing existing broadcast laws to the Web Internet censorship for filtering the Internet content through control of the servers Internet censorship for electronic content considered offensive after dissemination Different from the early phases of older communication technologies, though, in order to enlarge its utilization as well as influence, the Internet does not require either corporate or governmental monopolies. Indeed, mutually should be disheartened (Sussman, 2000). 5- Internet Filters The research of Burke & Christiansen (2004) has outlined the main idea and signifcance of the internet filters. It outlined that the value of Internet filtering, is different from a lot of conventional security products. Safety and security from legal action, augmented efficiency, as well as augment of IT assets are demonstrable advantages. Though, one has to be responsive that Internet filtering requires change as of customer to customer relying on the kind of business in which the results are to be deployed (Burke & Christiansen, 2004). Fiocco (2009) outlined requirements of internet filters for the organzationas and businesss. Internet filters for organizations are used to control and monitor Internet practice in the workplace should be an acknowledged fact of performing business in a cyber linked world. Statistics represented that 30-40 % of web utilization in the place of work is unrelated to work problems should appear as no surprise. Neither should the informed that 90% of worker computers harbor as a lot of as 30 spyware programs. Actually, studies showed that businesses can be gaining average costs of $5,000 for each year per worker in lost productivity because of Internet misuse. Other data outlined that as a great deal as 72 percent of workers are downloading video clips and music, eroding bandwidth as well as leaving corporate networks open to malicious agents and spyware programs (Fiocco, 2009). Fiocco (2009) has suggested that for the ehnaced managemmt of organizational bussiness, secuity adminstration, and smooth opertions requires the implimetataion of internet filters. This reaserch shown dramatic statistics and he suggested requirements of businesses to control their Internet access and usage through some effective internet filter. However, how do businesses decide as of the broad variety of internet filters obtainable at the present? Possibly one of the initial choices they need to formulate is among a dedicated filtering appliance and software-based filtering solution (Fiocco, 2009). Together appliance as well as software-based alternatives presents standard functionality; these both systems control and monitor Internet activity, automatically implement business suitable usage strategy guidelines, block site access as well as report unsuitable behavior. Though, upon closer assessment, there are a number of significant plus forceful causes to decide an appliance-based solution (Fiocco, 2009). The implementation of the internet filters is intended for the following tasks (Cyberoam, 2009): Accuracy & Reliability Security Stability Total Cost of Ownership Maintenance 6- Australian situation for Internet Censorship This section provides a detailed analysis of initiatives taken by the Australian-Government for the better establsihment of the internet facility and filtering of the bad website contents. All through 2004 there was a considerable increment in the quantity of spyware circulating on the web/Internet. The capability of spyware to gather sensitive data and information intended for malicious functions has the possible to weaken the confidence as well as trust that computer clients have in the online environment (Australian-Government, 2005). In reaction to this rising problem, in August 2004 the Australian Government started a legislative review in respect of spyware and other online crimes. Though the term ‘spyware’ has been employed to cover a difficult variety of technologies, it was established that there are good as well as bad utilization of the software. The evaluation focused on the abuse of spyware tools as well as not the technology itself. The appraisal addressed the subsequent malicious behaviors linked by (Australian-Government, 2005): Content modification Invasion of privacy Spyware Browser hijacking Cyber-stalking Anti competitive conduct Deceptive conduct Internet banking fraud Unauthorized access Computer hijacking Denial of service attacks Theft of computer hardware and software Cyber-harassment The above given list is address for the festive handling of the main threats for the business are and organizational structure. There the rules and regulations established on these areas and scenarios (Australian-Government, 2005). 6.1- Australian initiatives for the web based safety Australian initiatives for the web based safety have taken a lot of initiatives regarding the protections of individual, organizational data and information, and establishment of the protection for the enhanced business and web based commerce management. Cyber-safety plan The Australian Government has announced a complete plan intended for cyber safety as division of the 2008-2009 Federal Budgets (DBCDE-GOV, 2009). E-security The Australian Government has announced to improve e-security as well as information on the E-security National Agenda (DBCDE-GOV, 2009). Fraud awareness The Australian Government has taken strict measures for the protection and augmenting the awareness on protecting beside electronic fraud as well as ordered for the establishment of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (DBCDE-GOV, 2009). Spam Australian Government has approved the legislation regarding unwanted commercial electronic spam or messages (DBCDE-GOV, 2009). Critical Infrastructure Security Australian Government has established programs to defend critical infrastructure, exacting roles comprise the defense of the postal and broadcasting sectors, communications as well as the provision of IT security recommendation (DBCDE-GOV, 2009). Spyware Australian Government has established policy for the assessment and protection against spyware. In this way the software that takes information devoid of the permission or knowledge of the user, will be regarded as spyware and will be considered and penalized as criminal activity (DBCDE-GOV, 2009). 7- Implementing Internet Filtering This section will outline the Internet Filtering implementation. Here I will elaborate the Internet Filters main tasks, operations, and technical overview. 7.1- Purpose of internet filtering Schrader, (1999) outlined the main purpose of the internt filters implimentataion. The implimentataion of internet filters is intended to filter and protect against lot of diverse areas that are probolomatic for bussiness or personal level. These main areas that need protection are (Schrader, 1999): Bad word: The internet filters are intended to protect against the bad phrase and even against bad syllable stop-lists. Especially for children we need to apply intent filters for protection against bad words. Bad site: The main implementation of the internet filters to protect against the bad websites. Bad websites are the biggest problem nowadays. We need to protect against bad website at personal, organizational, and workplace level. For protecting against bad websites we need to identify the main keyword that can appear in address bar. Then we need to establish blocking at domain or host level, file level, directory level, or the Internet Protocol address level. Bad topic: the blocking of bad topic is also main area for the internet blocking. The blocking of the bad topic facilitates the comprehensive blocking against the bad sites or ideas those are against the religion, social, cultural and personal aspects. 7.2- Internet filters main structure The Internet filters offer comprehensive security for the website contents filtering and also control Internet access in the course of its broad database of millions of websites isolated into diverse categories. Internet filters automated web classification engine need to have broad URL database to defend business/enterprises besides rising threats. Enterprises are able to produce custom classes intended for groups that are exclusive to their business to customize the safety cover carried through web filtering solution (Vmware, 2009).   7.3- Internet filters implementation Internet filters operations on the application layer filter and permits enterprises control over P2P and IM applications similar to Skype, Yahoo, MSN and more. File moves over these applications can be stopped or blocked by means of Internet filters Intrusion Prevention System. Corporations are able to produce custom messages for stopped/blocked classes or websites, educating web site user regarding protected security application. Zittrain & Edelman (2003) presnted the two main types/techniques for the implimentataion of the internet filters. IP based Internet filters confirm that filtering was performed on the foundation of IP (internet protocol) address through viewing that when blocked access to one website on a known physical server. The entire websites on that physical server those are blocked through the IP address were typically blocked. In this process we develop a list of main IP address and provide it to the internet filters. These applications block them as anyone tries to open them (Zittrain & Edelman, 2003). Domain name based Internet filters block the websites that are already provided to the Internet filters main directory. Domain name based Internet filtering works on the same basis of web server IP address, this technique possibly depends on block lists loaded into border routers. The list of website that we need to block is provided and Domain name based Internet filters blockes the the entire listes websites, when anyone tries to open them (Zittrain & Edelman, 2003). 8- Network Management in the age of Internet Censorship As a network manager in this age of Internet censorship this is really hard to manage the network and linked resources. Now we are facing lot of dangers for the web based criminal activities. In this situation a network manager needs to have better and highly skills regarding the handling of these difficulties. Now we also have really advanced technology. All these facilities help us in better handling and protection of the network. 9- Conclusion In this research I have presented a detailed analysis of the emerging web based crimes and their new defense criteria. The web based or internet filters are new emerging tools that offer an enhanced capability regarding the protecting business, personal data and information, and valuable intellectual property. This research has also outlined the Australian government’s initiatives for the better defense against these emerging dangers of the Internet crimes. This research will offer a deep insight into internet crimes, protection, and internet filters. 10- References Australian-Government. (2005). Spyware discussion paper for public consultation from May 2005 to 17 June 2005. Australian Government Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts . Burke, B. E., & Christiansen, C. A. (2004). Thinking Inside the Box: Benefits of an Internet Filtering Appliance . Sponsored by: St. Bernard Software . Cyberoam. (2009). Content & APPLICATION Filtering . Retrieved 10 06, 2009, from http://www.cyberoam.com/contentfiltering.html DBCDE-GOV. (2009). Online safety and security. Retrieved 10 06, 2009, from http://www.dbcde.gov.au/online_safety_and_security Fiocco, J. (2009). Top 5 Reasons to Choose An Internet Filtering Appliance Over Software. Retrieved 10 06, 2009, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-5-Reasons-to-Choose-An-Internet-Filtering-Appliance-Over-Software&id=164874 Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (1999). Management Information Systems, Sixth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall . Schrader, A. M. (1999). Internet Filters: Library Access Issues in a Cyberspace World. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions . Shelly, Cashman, & Vermaat. (2005). Discovering Computers 2005. Boston: Thomson Course Technology. Sussman, L. R. (2000). Censor dot gov: the Internet and press freedom 2000. Journal of Government Information , 537-545 . Vmware. (2009). Internet Content Filter. Retrieved 10 06, 2009, from http://www.vmware.com/appliances/directory/246 Zittrain, J., & Edelman, B. (2003). Internet Filtering in China. Published by the IEEE Computer Society--Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard Law School . Read More