By Colby Horton
Shop Site of the Month
Morgan Motors - Issaquah, Wash.
www.expertautocare.com
This site provides its visitors with an array of interactive features, including an appointment scheduler, customer feedback mechanism and online coupons. In addition, potential employees can submit an employment application directly from the Web site. Easy navigation and innovative graphics make information on this site easy to find.
Web Wise
Using Personal Firewalls to Protect Your Shop's Computers
In recent years, large corporations began installing firewalls to protect their computers from malicious cyber attacks. However, in an age where home computers can fall victim to hackers as well, many people and small businesses are installing personal firewalls to protect their computerized personal information.
A personal firewall is a technology that helps prevent intruders from accessing personal data on your computer via the Internet. Firewalls for personal computers really didn't come into play until the use of digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem connections became widely used. These lines allow a constant, always-on Internet connection.
When you're connected to the Internet, you are sending and receiving information in units called packets. These packets contain pieces of data, a specific request and a command. A firewall examines each data packet sent to or from your computer to see if it meets a certain set of criteria. The firewall then passes or blocks the incoming or outgoing packet.
Did you know your customers' information, including phone numbers, addresses or credit card information, can be extracted from your shop's PC by intruders? It may be a good idea to look into a firewall for your shop's computer. There are basically three types of personal firewalls available on the market: stand-alone, appliance-based and agent-based. For all practical purposes, stand-alone firewalls are the most common. They are software-based and work on most operating systems, including Windows 95/98/NT and Windows 2000. Stand-alone firewalls protect a single computer and allow the owner of the computer to manage them.
Firewalls can also protect your computer from an invasive Trojan Horse. Trojan Horses can be sent to your computer via an Internet connection and allow the perpetrator to take full control of your computer, sending personal passwords and selected files back to the hacker.
Companies such as McAffee and Norton produce personal firewalls for your computer that usually cost $40 to $60. In the future, personal firewalls should come standard with DSL or cable modem lines. Until then, if your shop or home computer is constantly connected to the Internet, you should look into firewall protection.
Net Numbers
In a recent survey, 85 percent of respondents (mostly large corporations and government agencies) detected computer security breaches within the last 12 months.
Computer Security Institute
ASA Web Ways
NACE Online Daily News
For the sixth year in a row, the NACE Online Daily News will be reporting from the convention center floor, giving the best insight into the show's events. AutoInc. reporters will be located around the Las Vegas Convention Center, providing highlights of the show - including keynote addresses, educational courses and nightly events. Coverage begins Thursday, Nov. 29, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 2. The reports can be accessed through the ASA Web site (www.asashop.org) or the AutoInc. Web site (www.autoinc.org).
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Net Worth is written by Colby Horton, ASA's electronic communications manager. He can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 234, or by e-mail at colbyh@asashop.org.
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