Over 15 million PCs have reportedly been infected, and all of these suspected infections are supposed to kick in and “phone home’” on April 1st.  What happens when all these machines start phoning home?  No one knows for sure since it hasn’t happened yet, but the general consensus is that one goal may be to create a giant distributed computing environment that can be used for many different purposes; from spamming to snooping, collecting data, logins and passwords, sensitive information and so forth.  Another potential use would be a large-scale Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDOS attack).

Most of the Anti-Virus companies out there have been talking about conficker for weeks or more, and offer ways to keep your systems updated.  Make sure whatever anti-virus package you use, you keep updated.  Also install all the latest patches and/or service packs for your operating system (Mac users don’t have to worry about conficker unless you’re running Windows in a virtual machine or dual booting (i.e. bootcamp)).

Another great weapon against worms like conficker is the free DNS service called OpenDNS (www.opendns.com).  We’ve talked about OpenDNS before and how it can keep your browsing safer and more secure.  They’re an excellent service that enables you to fine tune your DNS and control what your users (or children) can and can’t get to.

OpenDNS has been actively updating their blocklist to include all the domains conficker may try to contact.  Worms like conficker, once activated, contact sites on the internet to get further instructions on what do to, where to go, etc.  Conficker.C supposedly generates some 50,000 domain names a day so trying to keep up with your own blocklist by hand would be a daunting, if not impossible task.

That’s one of the beautiful things about OpenDNS, is that they keep those blocklists updated for you.  By blocking access to those domains at the DNS level, you can effectively shut out any possibility (or most possibilities) of the worm actually being able to do anything.

So to protect yourself, some things to consider:

1. Update your anti-virus programs as soon as possible
2. Ensure real-time scanning is enabled on your Anti-Virus programs
3. Install all hotfixes, patches and updates
4. Turn on firewalls if appropriate (at the router or perimeter as well as individual machines – Again, do so where appropriate and make sure doing so doesn’t break any critical applications or connectivity)
5. Utilize a service like OpenDNS that blocks the vast majority of threats like the Conficker worm at the DNS level

Following these steps can go a long way to preventing the spread of worms, viruses and other general nuisances.

If you have a method or tool you use to keep your networks safe, please feel free to share!

Protect Against the Conficker Worm is a post from: Palaestra Training

There are a multitude of ways to connect to the internet these days, from internet-enabled cell phones, online games, gaming consoles (xbox, xbox360, Wii, PS3, etc).  Additionally, it doesn’t necessarily protect you simply because you have strict rules in your house or you monitor what your children do. 

For example, you might have strict internet usage polices at home, but that doesn’t mean the neighbor’s do as well.  That doesn’t mean your child wont be able to access the internet unrestricted at a friend’s house.  With WiFi hotspots practically everywhere, a child with a laptop can connect virtually anywhere if they exhibit a little persistence.

What does this mean as parents?  It means you have to go the extra mile to stay informed, educate your children to obvious (and not so obvious) dangers, and take the steps necessary to stay ahead of the curve.

Online services such as Family Watchdog help keep you informed about predators in your neighborhood, or surrounding areas.  These types of tools are invaluable and I highly recommend them.  However, use them for what they are:  tools in the arsenal, not the entire weapon’s chest.  Just because Family Watchdog or similar service doesn’t report a sexual predator in your area doesn’t mean they don’t exist.  It simply means they haven’t been caught, or perhaps they are passing through the area.  Always keep a watchful eye, and understand that there are dangers out there that we all need to be aware of.

A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety is a great way to get informed and stay educated with regard to the dangers children face both online and offline.  Everything from hackers to scam artists, cyber-bullies to online predators are covered and explanations on how to use tools like Family Watchdog are covered in detail.

It’s up to each of us to protect our families, so no matter where you decide to get educated about the online dangers our children face; get educated somewhere.  

Internet Safety and Family Watchdog is a post from: Palaestra Training

Called Chrome, Google’s browser is sleek, very fast, and takes a new approach at browsing the web (from the ground up).

There are a number of technical advancements under the hood, which Google describes in typical Google fashion.

This browser has a number of features that really differentiate it from the other major players (Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari), including the ability to run each tab independent of one another.

What this means basically is that if one tab hangs it doesn’t hang the whole browser.  This, coupled with a new java virtual machine, V8, combine to make the whole browsing experience very pleasant.

Even though it uses the same rendering engine as Apple’s Safari (webkit) it seems faster and has, in my opinion, a better overall interface.

Simple things like search within a document (ctrl-f) has a nice “built-in” feel that doesn’t get in the way. 

In IE, it pops up a totally separate window which has always annoyed pretty much anyone who’s ever used.  Firefox got it right with bringing a little search box up at the bottom of the screen, but Chrome’s implementation just seems much more polished.

Browsing in Stealth Mode

Another interesting feature that I’m sure will draw attention is incognito mode. 

By enabling this feature, you’re able to surf the web without having the traces of your surfing saved to the computer.  The sites you visit aren’t saved in any session or history logs, and any cookies or temporary files downloaded during the session are deleted once the browser is closed.  You can run incognito mode side-by-side with regular mode, by opening a new “incognito window”.

This allows you to “go shopping for your significant other” without them being able to see where you’ve been.  Right… 

There a few sites or applications that aren’t working quite right on Chrome, but that’s to be expected with any new player in town.  For the most part the vast majority of sites we’ve visited displayed faster, the interface is slick and almost transparent, and we’re certainly glad to see another player in the market space to further drive competition and innovation.

As for privacy concerns, Matt Cutts of Google is doing a great job answering the majority of questions around this.  If your curious, definitely check out his blog for more information.

Is it water-tight and super-secure?  No, not entirely.  No browser, especially one that is highly popular and in the cross-hairs, will be totally invulnerable.  In fact, there have already been a few chrome security holes identified.  I’m sure there will be more, and hopefully they’re fixed just as quickly.  We’ll have to wait and see.

All in all, so far so good and it seems Chrome is already making a bit of an impact on the browsing community.

Google Chrome – Browsing Just Got Stealthier is a post from: Palaestra Training

Several that we follow, and have learned a lot from over the last few years are Aaron Wall, Neil Patel and Jeremy Shoemaker, aka “ShoeMoney”

The ShoeMoney group has recently released a set of SEO tools that is sure to boost your business and make you more money if used correctly.

They have assembled a tool set that simplifies many SEO tasks and provides a way to really dig deep into areas only professional SEOs had access to before.  Their tools focus on three main areas, including SEO Tools, PPC Tools and Link Building Tools.

If you’re serious about driving your business to the next level, finding new ways to develop traffic, build backlinks and ultimately get ahead of your competition, you need these tools.

One of the most interesting tools is their expired domain checking tool, which allows you to see a real-time list of all the domains that have recently expired and are available to be registered.  Even more importantly, their tool shows you how many backlinks currently exist for the domain. 

In other words, you’re able to see how many backlinks from high authority domains like .edu, .gov and .mil currently exist for each expired domains.

This is pure gold for people looking to pick up domains that already have rank and authority in the search engines and either develop a site or business around it, or use it to drive traffic to an existing website.  This tool alone is worth the price, please check it out if your at all serious about building an online business.

ShoeMoney Tools is a definite “recommend” from us; and something everyone who runs a business online, or is thinking about developing an online business should take a serious look at.

New SEO Tool to Build your Business is a post from: Palaestra Training

Running a business online requires the obvious:

1. Dedication to developing a great product or service
2. Researching what your customers need (and even more importantly what they want)
3. Finding ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors

As a business owner what you might not realize is that you need equal dedication to ensuring your website can be found when potential customers are searching for what you sell.

The days of “build it and they will come” are over.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a continuous process that is a requirement for online success. 

In an ideal situation, hiring a professional SEO consultant is your best bet.  If you don’t have the budget for professional SEO services (or even if you do but want to gain a better understanding of what SEO is all about), here is our list of 10 SEO sites you need to follow:

SEO Book

SEOMoz

Search Engine Land

Google’s Matt Cutts Blog

Todd Malicoat’s Blog

Dave Naylor

Joost de Valk’s blog

SEO By the Sea

GrayWolf’s SEO Blog

SEO Theory

If you are serious about your online success, then SEO is something you’ll need to become familiar with.  If you’re going to be doing your own SEO, then you’ll need to become intimately familiar with the information contained on these sites. 

The 10 sites listed above represent some of the greatest talent in the SEO industry and allow you to quickly learn from their combined experience.

If you’re going to be hiring an SEO consultant or firm (or even hiring a full-time employee to do your site’s SEO work), having a working knowledge of SEO will help you ensure your SEO is doing a good job and not pulling the digital “wool over your eyes”.

10 SEO Sites You Need to Build Your Business is a post from: Palaestra Training

When you type in a web address, like http://www.palaestratraining.com, your computer actually does some work behind the scenes to translate that human readable name into an IP address. Just like if you wanted to call your friend Suzy’s house, you would translate that (in your head probably) from her name into her telephone number, and you would contact her by picking up the phone and calling her telephone number.

Let’s use the concept of directory services (think of the yellow pages for your town). Let’s say there is a directory service for each city, for each state, and one master directory service for the whole country. If I lived in New Jersey and wanted to find a pizza shop in southern California what would I do? Well, let’s pretend that I called information, or directory services, in New Jersey and asked them if they knew the number to Nick’s Pizza in Long Beach, California.

When I teach class, especially to beginners or when I’m talking with parents about Internet Safety, a question I’m often asked is “How does the Internet actually work?” Well, in reality it’s obviously a complex topic, but we can certainly break it down into familiar terms. When you type in a web address, like http://www.palaestratraining.com, your computer actually does some work behind the scenes to translate that human readable name into an IP address. Just like if you wanted to call your friend Susy’s house, you would translate that (in your head probably) from her name into her telephone number, and you’d contact her by her telephone number.

Let’s use the concept of directory services (think of the yellow pages for your town). Let’s say there is a directory service for each city, for each state, and one master directory service for the whole country.

If I lived in New Jersey and wanted to find a pizza shop in southern California what would I do? Well, let’s pretend that I called information, or directory services, in New Jersey and asked them if they knew the number to Nick’s Pizza in Long Beach, California. After they got done laughing, they would say “No, but we do have the number to the main information office (the directory service for the whole country), check there.”

So let’s continue along with this scenario and pretend there was a main directory service (yellow pages) that had all the phone numbers for all the smaller directory services (information offices) for each state in the US. I would call the big daddy of information services and ask them if they had the phone number for Nick’s Pizza in Long Beach, California. That main information office would say, “no, but the phone number for directory services in California is such and such, try there…”.

So, not being easily daunted, I would call that number and ask the same question, to which the main office for California would say, “We don’t have it either, but we do have the number for directory services in Long Beach, try there..” So I press onward. I call that information office and low and behold, since they were responsible for the numbers in that little part of the world, they would have the phone number for Nick’s Pizza. They would give me the number so I could finally get in touch with Nick’s Pizza, but since I forgot about the three hours difference in time zones, they weren’t open yet!

Seriously though, the Internet functions in very much the same way. The Internet doesn’t run of off “Directory Services” like we’re used to with the phone systems, but there is a directory services of sorts, and it is called the “Domain Name System” or DNS. DNS is made up of a top level server (the big daddy directory service in our example), and then lower level DNS servers, and so on. Each domain (i.e. PalaestraTraining.com or Microsoft.com) has a DNS server that is responsible for the addresses within that name space. Just like directory services for Anytown, USA would have all the phone numbers for that town.

So in keeping with that example, DNS servers don’t maintain phone numbers, they keep IP addresses. The to DNS servers keep the IP addresses to lower level DNS servers and so on down the line. The DNS servers for each domain, keep the IP addresses for the servers in it’s domain.

Some of the top level domains you’re probably already familiar with , such as .com, .edu, .gov, .mil and so on. Below them are even lower level servers that handle even smaller pieces of the internet’s name space.

DNS Resolution
If we look at the graphic to the left, we’ll see that a number of steps take place to ensure that when you type a web address into your favorite web browser, you don’t have to wait very long for that website to appear.

It doesn’t matter if your trying access a site across the street, or across the world; the process is the same. 

Let’s take the example of trying to access this website at: http://www.palaestratraining.com:

1. The web surfer’s machine makes a request to it’s configured DNS server, asking for the IP address of the website (i.e. http://www.palaestratraining.com)
2. The DNS checks its cache (temporary memory of recently asked questions), realizes it doesn’t have the IP address and then makes another request on behalf of the web surfer to the “root” internet server, which is “.”
3. The “.” Root server doesn’t have the IP address of http://www.palaestratraining.com, but it does have the IP address of the DNS servers that are authoritative for the COM domain, and refers the requesting DNS server there.
4. The ISP’s DNS server then contacts the COM DNS server and again asks for the IP address of http://www.palaestratraining.com.
5. The COM DNS server advises it doesn’t have the IP address, but it does have the IP address of the DNS server authoritative for the Palaestra Training domain, and refers the requester there.
6. The ISP’s DNS server then contacts the Palaestra Training DNS server and again asks for the IP of http://www.palaestratraining.com.
7. The Palaestra Training DNS server checks it’s database and provides the ISP DNS server with the IP address of http://www.palaestratraining which is 64.27.85.132.
8. The ISP’s DNS server returns the IP address of 64.27.85.132 to the web surfer’s machine.
9. The web surfer’s machine then makes a connection to http://www.palaestratraining.com, requesting web services from the server hosting the website.
10. Palaestratraining.com processes the request and sends the main page for http://www.palaestratraining.com which is then displayed in the web surfer’s browser

That seems like a lot of work just to get a web page! It’s even more impressive when you consider the fact that all of this usually takes place in a matter of seconds whether the web server is located across town or across the globe. As you might guess from the example above, DNS is not one giant database. It’s actually broken up into different parts, with the root of the Internet at the top of the hierarchy.

There are different DNS servers that handle the different portions of the Internet such as .com, .net, .edu, .mil and so forth. That is really what makes DNS so fast is that a surfer can quickly be referred to a DNS server that handles the site they are looking for, otherwise it would take substantially longer (if it were even possible) to search through the more than 300 million web sites that currently exist.

So the next time you visit a website, take a moment to think about what’s actually happening behind the scenes, and thank you computer for all that hard work!

Layman’s Guide to How the Internet Works is a post from: Palaestra Training