You Need a Vulnerability Scanner for Your Online Business

In an attempt to help online business owners protect themselves from the threats of the internet, I would like to make you conscious of vulnerability scanners.  A vulnerability scanner is a program used by an authorized scanning vendor (ASV) to search out threats in your computer system. It checks for well-known vulnerabilities and then reports them to you so that you can make sure you have the accurate information you need to fix these vulnerabilities.

I would like to explain some dangerous things that are hanging about on the internet that can ultimately cause some major issues to your computer and website.   Malware (spyware, adware), viruses and worms, and internet phishing, just to name a few.  Some of these threats were things I had heard about but didn’t quite understand.

Malware (short for “malicious software”) is software that can break into a computer system without permission.  The category of malware includes spyware, which can infect computers without the users knowledge and gather information about the user.  Sometimes spyware is hidden within types of adware.  Adware, short for “advertising supported software”, is not illegal and so this is where a lot of problems come in.   Vulnerability scanners are an extra step to make sure you know that you are not being infected by malware.

Computer viruses are a huge threat to online businesses.  They attach themselves to programs or files so they can spread from one computer to another, just like a human virus spreads from person to person.  Worms are related to viruses because they spread from computer to computer, but unlike a virus, they can move without any human action.  Worms take advantage of file or information transport on your system so that it can travel unaided.  Be sure to have anti-virus software on your computer always and vulnerability scanners to help you avoid these problems.

Phishing is the illegal process of trying to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card information from unknown users by disguising itself as a trustworthy business or person in electronic communication. It is usually carried out by email and often directs users to fake websites that look just like legitimate ones the user has been on before.  

These are only a few of the dangers on the internet.  Please be sure to use a legitimate vulnerability scanner to protect your computer system and website.