J. A. Powell, Jr.
Recently I was asked by a fellow lawyer about how secure his network is from hackers. I told him that it all depends. I remember my father saying that locks keep only honest people out. I now believe that that saying is only partially true. Locks also make the crooks keep looking for easier targets. To make your network secure, you must lock it up. Then the hackers will move on to an easier target.
There are two types of security problems with computers. The one that get the most press is that caused by hackers. The other problem is not a sexy by is just as much of a danger. I am talking about physical security. A server or other computer is juicy target for a thief. Likewise, a fire or other disaster can just as easily steal your information.
The solution to physical danger is simple. First, lock the door. Thieves as well as fire are discouraged by a shut and locked door. Second, do not leave your server logged on. If a server is left logged on, anyone strolling by can cause all kinds of damage in just a few minutes. Finally, backup, backup, backup. A computer file has a major advantage over a paper file. It can be easily backed up onto tape and restored after the original is destroyed.
The solution to the hacker danger is a little harder nut to crack. However, if you do not connect to the Internet, you can move on to Charlie's review of cases on the next page. Without some connection to the outside world, you have the ultimate security. There is no danger from a hacker.
If you connect to the Internet, the amount of your risk depends on your connection. Most of us have a dial up connection as opposed to a full-time connection. A dial up connection is one that connects to the Internet only when you need to connect. A full-time connection is like the telephone. It is always there when you need it without the delay of making the connection. If you don't know which connection you have, just listen for the screeching and caterwauling that the modem makes when it is connecting. If you hear it them you have a dial up connection. (Those of you with a ISDN connection, have the exception to the rule. It is a dial up without the noise.)
A dial up connect is somewhat safer than a full time connection because of the temporal nature of the connection. When a dial up connection is made, the answering computer at the Internet Service Provider assigns a temporary address to your computer. A hacker needs to know this address in order to break into your computer but because it is a temporary address, the hacker has a harder time finding it. The longer your computer is connected, though, the longer the hacker has to find your address. Once he finds it, he then can access your computer and any other computer on your network including your server. Those of you clutching your heart can relax. First, as soon as you hang up, the hacker loses his connection to you and loses your address. And the next time you connect you get a new address making the hacker start his search all over again. This is too much trouble for the hacker when he can easily attack full time connections.
Those of you with a full time connection had better call Houston because you have a problem. When you got your full time connection, your ISP assigned you a permanent address. This address, being permanent, is always out there for the hacker to find and, well, hack. If you have a full time connection, then you have the money for firewall hardware. A firewall is a device that will isolate your network from hackers on the internet. These devices are expensive but are very effective.
If you don't have a full time connection but want to have the security of a firewall, go to and download their firewall software. I have been running this software for about a month and the software has detected several attempts to find my temporary Internet address. There have not been any attacks ...yet. I'll keep you informed.
In the last issue, I told you about a new way to print postage with your computer. I have been using this system since then and I believe that it is going to be a success. At first my staff was a little reluctant to use the system but after getting use to it, they are using it more and more.
They have told me of a couple of benefits that I had not thought about. If you will remember, when the postage is printed, the software checks the Postal Service to see if the address is correct. My staff tells me that the software will tell if the person has moved from that address. If the Postal Service has a new address, the new address is used instead. This is a great saving of time and money.
The second benefit is one that I knew about but I did not know how good it was. Last week, we were sending out a large amount of mail for my civic club but ran low on postage. If we were using the postage machine, we would have to send a check to the postage meter vendor and wait several days before we could download the postage. With Stamps.com, my secretary clicked on the button to add more postage. Within seconds, the postage was put in our account and my secretary continued with her mailing.
The two main companies providing Internet postage are www.estamp.com and www.stamps.com I use stamps.com.