Protection by Cybersecurity

Dante X. Harris

Everyone wants to have the knowledge that they are safe and secured as they perform their everyday tasks. However, individual security is not enough to stop assailants because they only have to defeat the defenses of one person. An entire nation must have some type of security system to protect the civilians from possible threats. Apart from the most physical security system, the military, there is also another essential security system that is often overlooked, cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is a “technique” or “protocol” which allows the users of computer or network systems to maintain security by protecting the internet or network users from online threats such as hacks, spyware, Trojans, etc. Cybersecurity helps to establish secured computer systems. It has become common today to dismiss the increase usage of the internet. The human population uses internet almost every day, whether it’s for business, gaming, or networking services, and we humans look towards the internet as something we cannot live without. Unfortunately, with the increase of internet usage results in the increase of networking security. The internet can lead to many different threats and viruses that need to be protected from. This issue of increasing network security can lead to major issues in its process. This article will describe the purpose, importance, mechanics, and trends in cybersecurity and cybersecurity software.  

The government plays an important role in security, cyber or otherwise.  Congress’s role is to provide the legislation that will help our nation be safe and prosperous. It is important to look at network security as if it is any other type of security. Although cybersecurity may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over overall security and privacy. Unfortunately the government has yet to finalize any type of legislation on cybersecurity despite the numerous meetings. The problem with legislating cybersecurity is that the government needs to have some data-sharing policy that does not violate our privacy laws. Politico, an American journalism organization, states that “The members of the Senate Intelligence Committee (SIC) are still debating over if and how the bill will grant immunity protection to companies that share cyber-threat data with the government” (GSNS, 2013). In the Senate Bill Boosting article, congress states that the new cybersecurity legislation would aimed towards helping and encouraging critical infrastructure providers to share more cyber-threat data with each other and the government” (GSNS, 2013).

The major issue with creating a cybersecurity bill involves the total cost for all of the security and the providers, the executive orders role in the legislation, and a deep concern that there is no guarantee cybersecurity legislation will boost security in the nation (J. Smith, et al. 2012). The executive branch would like to have the authority to enforce even greater security on important private networks to protect them from any terrorist threats. Unfortunately by doing this, there is a limitation on privacy rights. This is very important to the legislation, how to provide the most security while protecting human rights. Conclusively congress agrees that privacy laws need to be revised in order to allow business and corporations to share information with the government (J. Smith, 2012). Apart from the liberal or conservative point of view of many other organizations, they are still participating in cybersecurity. Some organizations like the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Homeland Security Department (HSD). Although there isn’t any success on finalizing legislation for the cybersecurity bill, congress now knows all of the issues and problems that needs to be resolved for it.

Cybersecurity network sharing, unlike many other computer protection apps, is an actual computer system. This means cybersecurity software performs the tasks of a security system as if it were built into the computer hard drive by itself. Cybersecurity controls the utility and communication of the computer. It can be considered an input-output system because it contains the packaging and storage services (A. Maria, et al. 2009). The rundown mechanics of the cybersecurity system can be difficult because there are so many different types of security systems that one person can have. One system in particular is the ‘IPCop’.

The IPCop is an example of an open source firewall distribution created by the Linux Company. Open source software is an alternative from the commercially available products which include: operating systems, word processors, graphic tools, etc. (AIS, et al. 2013). Open source networks has a long range of firewall distributions to offer, some of which include: endian, ipfire, and IPCop (AIS, 2013). There are two types of firewalls. The IPCop has Host-based and Network firewalls which can provide network security for small and medium businesses. Host-based firewalls are software programs that are installed on the operating system and they control which programs can access the internet. Network firewalls are used to control multiple network access between the internets. The IPCop is simple to install and runs on any old computer system. The IPCop firewall consists of the operations, installation and configuration process.

The operating process of a firewall software controls the trafficking of information. Information sent over networks like a message, there is a sender and a receiver. Trafficking, how the firewall controls whether what is being sent or received, isn’t harmful to the system.  “A typical network firewall is installed between the internal network and the Internet. All traffic between them passes through the firewall” (AIS, et al. 2013). All the information passing through the networks is analyzed by the firewall and only the ‘safe’ traffic, not harmful, is allowed though by the configured policy. Firewalls can use two traffic protocols to assure safe delivery of data; Transmission Control and User Datagram Protocol. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is reliable and can guarantee the delivery of the data being trafficked. Unfortunately the TCP has large headers because of the signals and flags required of delivery. The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) may not guarantee delivery, but contains smaller headers. Since there are multiple computer systems requesting data from servers simultaneously, the firewall uses port numbers to identify and differentiate the traffic. Computers requesting data from a specific server uses the destination port number of that corresponding service (AIS, 2013). The UDP and TCP have multiple ports for different servers, for example, HTTP, and HTTPS. Along with many other procedures, the installation and configuration procedures of a firewall can be difficult.

Throughout the year there has been many updates and upgrades to the IPCop. The installation process for the IPCop is considerably easy. The newest version, IPCop 2.0.6 can be installed by downloading the ISO image of the latest release from http://ipcop.org/download.php. You can easily burn it onto a CD. The computer system is required to have 20 GB hard disk or a 1 GB flash drive, at least 2 Ethernet ports and a CD-ROM drive for installation (AIS, 2013). Afterwards, you can start the installation by booting from the IPCop CD. After you boot the CD follow the instructions on the installation. Make sure you select the correct date, time, and hard disk for the installation. Note: All of the data on the disk will be erased. Before completion of the installation there will be a swap in disk space and the installer will ask if you have an older backup to be restored. After the installation reboot the system to continue to the configuration of the box.

In the configuration there are interface colors that represents the internal network. Green- trusted, Blue- wireless and second trusted, Red- untrusted, and Orange- midway. After installation, identify yourself with a domain name and password. As the client of the software, you are able to distinguish the IP addresses from different servers and determine whether one is safe or not secured by following the interface colors. Use only the green and blue interface IP (Internet Protocol) address as the default gateway and DNS (Domain Name Server).

This is basically the installation, operation, and configuration for one of many different firewalls. These firewalls are the schematics of cybersecurity.

In conclusion there is much more research and understanding that needs to be done in order for cybersecurity to be more effective. Congress agreed that the nation needs better networking security for their computers and data because of the constant dependency on the internet. Some security is better than no security.  The actual systematics of cybersecurity involves many different processes and computer applications.  Unfortunately, the government will continue to debate over cybersecurity and what actions to take to secure our nation’s computer networks.

Works Cited

Smith, Josh. “GOP Senators Assail White House for Pushing Executive Order on Cybersecurity.” Nationaljournal.com 14 Sept. 2012. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA302411359&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=233ee5ddde1f6f7b7c9669644e27b105

“Senate Bill Boosting Cybersecurity for Infrastructure Providers Expected Soon.” Nationaljournal.com 9 Oct. 2013. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA345175709&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=f487f06c18b84fe21a7b84f06932f6ea

Maria, Art. “Cyber security is one area where help is available.” POWERGRID International Oct. 2009: 8. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA223658976&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=d5d3b882123e54d824f07a189e90a29c

“IPCop: A Nostalgic Look.” LINUX For You 30 Apr. 2012. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA288424532&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=168707a9adfb0a8e9c503bd69cd546e4

“IPCop 2.0.6: The New Watchdog!” Open Source FOR You 1 Aug. 2013. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA339007633&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=50b8a8fc45b211ef93c251f3273e7049

 “Combat Virtual Threats with IPCop Firewall.” Open Source FOR You 1 Feb. 2013. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA317896920&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=805ef5e9fbea0e36e7039432e5ff24a8

Gold, Shawn. “Cybersecurity for pipeline, gas companies.” Pipeline & Gas Journal July 2013: 42+. General OneFile. Web. 27 Jan. 2014 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA338416549&v=2.1&u=unc_main&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=f618789be6a925ba7774db0ecdbb986b