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ICT NOTES ABOUT ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT 

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ICT NOTES ABOUT ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT 

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KEY WORDS ARE

Electronics recycling

Electronic waste

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Table of Contents

What is e-waste? And how do we dispose of it?

E-waste is electronic products that are unwanted, not working, and nearing or at the end of their "useful life." Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are everyday electronic products.

The ongoing challenge of how best to dispose of used and unwanted electronics isn't a new one and dates back at least to the 1970s. But a lot has changed since then, particularly the number of electronics being discarded today.

We also have something else today: a term for this issue. After several terms got suggested, including "Digital rubbish," a consensus formed around the simple word "e-waste."

E-waste Defined

E-waste is any electrical or electronic equipment that's been discarded. This includes working and broken items that are thrown in the garbage or donated to a charity reseller like Goodwill. Often, if the item goes unsold in the store, it will be thrown away. E-waste is particularly dangerous due to toxic chemicals that naturally leach from the metals inside when buried.

List of Common E-waste Items:

Leftover 'New' Technology

Today, though, a growing amount of e-waste is not considered to be products that have stopped working or become obsolete.

Technological advances are coming at us at such a dizzying speed that a lot of electronic devices that still work fine are the ones considered obsolete.

Think of the many VCR players that got replaced when the DVD player hit the market, and now the DVD players getting replaced by Blu-ray players. If a product is powered electronically and someone thinks they can create a better version, that contributes to e-waste.

And we care about this because, for years now, unwanted electronic devices have been filling landfills across the globe. In the U.S. alone, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that up to 60 million metric tons of e-waste end up in landfills every year.

E-waste Hides Toxic Materials

While above ground, modern electronics are safe to use and be around. However, most electronics contain some form of toxic materials, including beryllium, cadmium, mercury, and lead, which pose serious environmental risks to our soil, water, air, and wildlife.

When E-waste gets buried at a landfill, it can dissolve in microscopic traces into the gross sludge that permeates at the landfill. Eventually, these traces of toxic materials pool into the ground below the landfill. This is known as leaching.

The more E-waste and metals at the landfill, the more of these trace toxic materials show up in the groundwater.

Leeching Poisons Nearby Water

The problem is that there is so, so much E-waste that the trace amounts have ballooned over the years. That toxic water under the landfill doesn't stop below the landfill. It continues to the groundwater and the sources to all the freshwater in the surrounding area.

Not only is this bad for anyone using a natural well, but it hurts the nearby wildlife. That, in turn, causes the wildlife to get sick from lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other metal poisonings due to the high concentration of these minerals.

Mining For New Metals Causes This Too

Not only is this a problem for E-waste in landfills, but this is a side effect of mining for new sources of metal too.

Having an environmentally-friendly source of recycled metal is better for the environment than a company digging up new sources of ore. Every time you recycle your electronics, you are preventing your E-waste from leaching toxic metals into your groundwater. But you're also preventing it from happing at a mine somewhere else.

How You Can Help

Fortunately, there's a proven solution. The recycling of e-waste serves a lot of useful purposes. For instance, include protecting human and environmental health by keeping those devices out of landfills. Or recovering the parts within the devices that still have value, and providing manufacturers with recycled metals that can be used to make new products.

Virtually all electronic waste contains some form of recyclable material. That includes materials like plastic, glass, and metals, which is why they may be considered "junk" or "obsolete" to consumers but still serve an essential purpose. It's ironic, in some ways, that these devices are called "e-waste," since they're not waste at all. But in far too many instances, they are thrown away.

With electronic recyclers like GLEC, we have a solution. The challenge is getting recycling rates, still stubbornly low, to increase.

E-waste Problems

The definition of e-waste is likely to keep expanding. In an era of rapid technological advancement, more and more highly sophisticated electronic goods are being invented and manufactured. Just think of the concept of the "smart home." It's easy to recognize how many electronic devices can now do everything from offer security to turning lights on and off, to having fresh coffee ready before we wake up.

Unfortunately, a skyrocketing amount of e-waste is being written off by owners as junk. There's no more significant example of that than computers, laptops, and smartphones.

New models arrive even as the current one appears to be working just fine. Despite that, the latest version always provides additional features that make it seem too enticing to resist.

So in answer to the question, "What is e-waste?" a good response today might be, "It depends."

The technology innovators continue to create electric devices designed to make our lives easier and more convenient in every conceivable way. Still, we seem all too susceptible to quickly pitching the machines we already have. It doesn't matter how satisfied we've been with them up until now.

How Did We Get to This Point?

In 1976, Congress first addressed the issue of hazardous waste disposal with the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. This act sets standards for protecting human health and the natural environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal.

One of the goals of the law was to ensure the management of waste in an environmentally sound manner.

The next major step was the Basel Convention in March 1989, an international treaty designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations and prevent the transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less-developed countries.

One thing that's grown significantly since then has been the e-waste recycling industry. This industry has the most proven way of keeping e-waste out of landfills or from being burned in incinerators.

The recycling industry has been devoted to taking reusable parts from discarded electronic devices and recycling them for the benefit of local businesses and manufacturers.

As the amount of e-waste keeps rising, so has this industry, which today creates hundreds of thousands of jobs across the world by recycling the electronics we no longer want.

So much of what's in e-waste still has value. Circuit boards contain valuable metals like silver, tin, gold, palladium, and copper.

Hard drives can be shredded and processed into aluminum ingots for use in the automotive industry.

In 1991, the first electronic waste recycling system was implemented in Switzerland with the introduction of a system to collect refrigerators. Other electric and electronic devices got added to the system in later years.

A decade later, the European Union implemented a similar system called the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive to establish e-waste recycling requirements for member nations.

In the U.S., there are no federal laws governing e-waste, although 25 states have their own e-waste rules.

Is "e-waste" clearly defined?

The term "e-waste" usually applies to consumer and business electronic equipment that's no longer wanted, but that contains material that renders them hazardous when placed in landfills.

But we know that every year, the list of e-waste items gets longer - and longer. In January, when the Consumer Electronics Show opened in Las Vegas, there was a steady stream of new product announcements, like the one by Audio Technica. A Japanese company that unveiled two new wood-based, belt-drive turntables, the AT-LPW40TN, and AT-LPW30TK, created to deliver high-fidelity audio performances.

At the same show, TCL Communication debuted a brand new Alcatel smartphone with a Full View Display.

Other new devices on the market today include FXD, which can instantly diagnose car problems when your "Check Engine Light" comes on. Or, the KeySmart Pro, which is an organizer providing a better way to organize and carry your keys. And HeatBuddy, an energy-efficient plug-in heater for any room in the house, that's small and compact.

And new ideas keep coming. And each one likely means something else that we've relied on in the past will become "obsolete."

The Dangers of E-waste

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health risks may result from direct contact with toxic materials that leach from e-waste. These include minerals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated flame retardants, or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Danger can come from inhalation of the toxic fumes, as well as from the accumulation of chemicals in soil, water, and food.

This puts not just people in danger but land and sea animals as well. In developing countries, the risks are exceptionally high because some developed countries send their e-waste there. Studies have shown this global e-waste has detrimental effects on the people that work with the e-waste but also the people that live around it.

Because of this, a proper recycling process needs to be put in place to protect us and future generations.

E-waste Disposal

Since we know consumers will keep buying new devices, it's important to keep reinforcing that message that we need to recycle the older models, not throw them out.

There are serious environmental risks if we send our electronics to a landfill. In contrast, recycling provides considerable benefits to our environment.

The solution is to turn those devices over to an experienced firm like Great Lakes Electronics Corporation, which has years of experience performing environmentally friendly recycling of electronic products.

The process is simple: gather your old and unused electronics like you would your garbage. A trash can or bin is perfect for this. For larger appliances, you usually want to gather them along with your smaller electronics in a garage. Then, bring them into Great Lakes Electronics. For consumers, the scheduled drop off day is Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. For businesses, give us a call at (586) 759-5000 to arrange pick-up service or to schedule a delivery.

Beyond The Environment - Data Security

Other than helping the environment, businesses are starting to wake up to the dangers of throwing away electronics. In an era where phishing scams are the biggest security threat for your business, most overlook their trash, putting them at risk.

How E-waste Results in Data Theft

You may have heard before that critical documents, and serial numbers need to be shredded before you throw them out. You probably know this is to stop someone from stealing your identity or signing up for a credit card with your information. Throwing out, or donating, a smartphone or laptop isn't much different.

For both businesses and consumers, the hard drive inside your computer, or the memory stick inside your smartphone is a significant liability. All someone has to do is plug it into a new computer. There are dozens of methods of disposal, but most of them aren't perfect. Physical destruction or dismantling of your electronics is the only sure-fire way to get it done. However, it should be done by a professional-modern laptop and smartphone batteries can explode if heavily damaged or dismantled incorrectly.

So why is this important for a business?

Businesses can be held liable for the security of their clients and employee's data being misused or stolen. Throwing out or donating your old business electronics can be a legal liability because of it.
We created a guide that you can follow on how to prepare your business electronics the next time you're planning to upgrade the office computers.
Great Lakes Electronics Corporation - E-waste Recyclers

The team at Great Lakes Electronics Corporation will disassemble these items into parts, and the ones that still have value can be sold for reuse. Other parts are used for metals recovery. Everything within your devices gets recycled. To learn more, contact Great Lakes Electronics Corporation at 888-392-7831 today.

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What is E-waste? Definition and Why It's Important

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E-waste, also known as techwaste, is dangerous to the environment and needs to be recycled. Learn more about what is e-waste, and why it's so important.

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The greatest Inventions in Technology starts with me or you

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ICT NOTES ABOUT ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT 

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Electronic waste

Electronics recycling

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Recycling

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What Does Website Mean?

A website is a collection of publicly accessible, interlinked Web pages that share a single domain name. Websites can be created and maintained by an individual, group, business or organization to serve a variety of purposes.

Together, all publicly accessible websites constitute the World Wide Web.

Although it is sometimes called "web page," this definition is wrong, since a website consists of several webpages. A website is also known as a "web presence" or simply "site".

Techopedia Explains Website

Websites come in a nearly endless variety, including educational sites, news sites, porn sites, forums, social media sites, e-commerce sites, and so on. The pages within a website are usually a mix of text and other media. That said, there are no rules dictating the form of a website.

A person could create a website of nothing but black and white photos of roses, or the word "cat" linked to another Web page with the word "mouse." However, many sites follow a standard pattern of a homepage that links off to other categories and content within the website.

The homepage (or simply "home") represents the main page of the site itself. Frequently, the homepage is a sort of "hub" from which all other pages can be accessed. An internal web page to which several other pages are linked in a coherent structure (such as a specific category of topics) is instead called a "parent page."

Every page is a single HTML document, and all of them are connected through hyperlinks (or simply "link") which can be combined in a navigation bar for ease of use.

The navigation bar is displayed on every page rather than just the homepage, and allows the user to quickly move across the main website's structure.

Another important section of most websites is the footer, which is another recurring section that is found at the bottom of every page. Usually the footer contains external links pointing to similar websites and other external resources, together with other vital info such as disclaimers, links to the terms of service, privacy policy and contact pages, as well as the physical address of the company that owns the site.

Websites are hosted on servers, and require a web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer to be visited (either on a computer or mobile device).

A website can be accessed directly by entering its URL address or by searching it on a search engine such as Google or Bing.

Originally, websites were categorized by their top-level domains. Some examples include:

Government agency websites = .gov

Educational institutions' websites = .edu

Nonprofit organizations' websites = .org

Commercial websites = .com

Information sites = .info

Although these top-level domains extensions still exist, they say little about a website's actual content. In modern days' internet, the ".com" extension is by far the most popular domain, together with many other country-specific extensions (.it, .de, .co.uk, .fr, etc.).

The first website was created in 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee, a British physicist at CERN. 3 years later, in 1993, CERN announced that everyone could access and use the World Wide Web for free.

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What is a Website? - Definition from Techopedia

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A website is a collection of publicly accessible, interlinked Web pages that share a single domain name. Websites can be created and maintained by an individual, group, business or organization to serve a variety of purposes. Together, all publicly accessible websites constitute the World Wide Web.

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Web Design, UI/UX, Branding, and App Development Blog

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Learn what web design is and discover its key elements and principles. Get expert insights from Ramotion. Read now!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Why Is Good Web Design Useful?

3. Web Design vs. Web Development

4. What Do Web Designers Do?

5. History of Web Design

6. Principles of Web Design

7. Key Elements of Web Design

8. Functional Elements of Web Design

9. Finding Inspiration for Web Designers

10. Different Web Design Tools

11. Trends and Future of Web Design

12. Conclusion

Introduction

With a billion users online, it is no surprise that every brick-and-mortar store wants to establish itself online. A website is an effective way to promote yourself, sell products, and communicate with clients. Even if you do not have commercial intentions and want to share your thoughts or express your unique personality, this digital avenue can become a perfect tool.

Whether you invest in your company's future or yourself, you need a good website. It should be visually pleasing, engaging, modern, well-balanced, immersive, readable, accessible, and branded. It should provide information but not confuse; it should navigate visitors through your story but not overwhelm them. All of this could be achieved with a professional web design.

What is web design? How does it benefit you? What principles, key elements, and functionalities does it involve? We are going to answer these questions here.

Web designing is one of the most popular types of digital design. On the surface, it determines colors, fonts, graphics, icons, backgrounds, supporting visual material, etc. However, it goes much deeper into website creation.

It is responsible for layout, textual and visual content presentation, usability, user and reading experience, aesthetics, and overall impression. It is a cornerstone of a web platform that affects all its core elements, such as functionality, responsiveness, mobile-friendliness, and accessibility.

Web design becomes more complex and advanced as the sphere grows and evolves. Today, it relies on traditional design principles and knowledge from adjacent spheres like SEO optimization, web development, and usability to meet new standards, market demands, and expectations.

From the technical side, adaptive web design employs fixed layouts. It detects the screen size and chooses the appropriate layout and arrangement from pre-made solutions.

As a rule, it covers only the most popular options, including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and huge monitors. However, some companies may include unique options to meet their target audience's preferences.

Adaptive design is closely related to responsive design, a gold website creation standard. Responsive web design is a dynamic approach to adjusting the web user interface to the device on which it is viewed. It does not have a range of predefined layouts.

Instead, it uses CSS, HTML, and JavaScript features to fit the content to the screen size. It may shrink or enlarge blocks and rearrange them to react to the user's behavior and environment.

Both approaches are vital to providing users with an optimal user experience and presenting the brand coherently regardless of the device.

Why Is Good Web Design Useful?

Web design's importance lies in how it benefits businesses, users, and the overall digital arena. First of all, it underlies an optimal user experience. When well done, it provides enjoyable reading and visual experience for users on any device and environment.

Second, it impacts a brand's image, reputation, and positioning in the market. A web design perfectly tailored to a brand's mission and vision resonates with the target audience and contributes to the brand's growth and success.

Third, it generates much-needed traffic. Google has ranked responsive Web designs higher than static ones for almost ten years. With a mobile-friendly web UI, you may occupy the top position in the search, thereby overtaking competitors and seizing organic traffic.

Fourth, it builds trust and generates revenue. The first impression matters, much like the general one. Hand-crafted, regularly updated branded website design inspires trust and increases a company's credibility. It stands against competition and gives consumers a good reason to choose you over others.

Finally, it pushes the digital arena forward. As it evolves to benefit from new technical aspects and meet the target audience's demands, it establishes new digital communication and self-presentation standards, improving user experience on the Internet.

Web Design vs. Web Development

Web design and web development are two adjacent niches that perfectly co-exist together. Consider their roles and interactions in website creation.

What Do Web Designers Do?

Web designers are craftsmen of the sphere. They shape visions and bring them to life using digital graphic software. They are responsible for creating the overall layout and aesthetic. These are their main responsibilities:

Shaping client's vision;

Conceptualizing ideas;

Creating wireframes and layouts for various screen sizes and environments;

Drawing up detailed website design specifications;

Designing graphical and visual content;

Determining color schemes, typography, textures, patterns, backgrounds, and decorative details;

Establishing information and visual hierarchies;

Editing media assets;

Thinking-through navigation and usability;

Realizing responsive or adaptive design;

Creating assets for mobile-friendly behavior;

Introducing accessibility principles;

Creating supporting visual material for functionalities.

To handle these tasks, web designers have various design skills beyond drawing graphics. Whether they are pros or only just started in web, they should have basic knowledge of web standards, including accessibility, usability, SEO, and even partial web development, to understand how to deliver visually appealing and performance-optimized websites.

History of Web Design

From the pristine text-only interfaces of the '80s to the mind-blowing fully gamified websites of 2024, web design has come a long way. The last thirty years were a true ride for it with many exciting iterations.

The term "World Wide Web" dates back to the 1940s. However, only in 1989 did Tim Berner-Lee, the widely acknowledged forefather of the Web, invent the first web page using hypertext markup.

It was launched on August 6, 1991. Devoid of visual elements, it contained only text. That was one small step for man but one giant leap for mankind in the Internet.

Some call this era the "Dark Ages of the Internet" because web developers mostly worked on black screens with pixels. Nevertheless, from then on, the web design sphere started to shape itself with the help of digital inventors, nomads, and pioneers.

The key events in the history of web design are:

1990 - Adobe released the first version of Photoshop.

1992 - The first image appeared on the Internet.

1994 - The first banner ad was introduced on a web page.

1994 - Geocities, the first web hosting service, was invented, allowing users to create homepages.

1994 - W3C was established.

1995 - Invention of JavaScript.

1995 - The term "user experience" first appeared in public.

1995 - Adobe PageMill 1.0 was introduced.

1996 - Rise of Adobe Flash and partially animated web pages that encourage every professional web design agency to create interactive experiences.

1997 - Launch of Dreamweaver 1.0.

1998 - Invention of CSS.

2000 - Designers started creating multiple website versions to accommodate different browsers.

2003 - The year WordPress blogging started on the Web.

2007 - The beginning of the mobile era and highly realistic web designs with shadows, textures, color gradients, flashy animated gifs, and imitation of 3D effects.

2009 - The first mention of the "Mobile First" approach.

2010 - Rise of responsive design.

2010 - Shift to flat design instead of skeuomorphic.

2017 - Comprehensive browser support for WebGL and web-based 3D visualizations.

2020-2024 - Modern design with exceptional web experiences and high-end technologies.

Principles of Web Design

With a 30-year history, web design has a range of principles for creating a professional website. From balancing content and visuals to ensuring an optimal contrast for a great reading experience, there is much to consider during the process. However, with user-centric designs coming to the fore, some are highly prioritized now. Let's consider eight fundamental principles.

Balance

Balance describes the distribution and visual weight of elements in a composition. It determines how elements are weighted against each other to create visual harmony and avoid confusion, intimidation, and visual overload.

Balance considers elements in various dimensions and directions, including vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. It stabilizes the background and foreground and is measured symmetrically, asymmetrically, and radially.

Creating a sense of balance is crucial to achieving cohesiveness, completion, and satisfaction in user experience, overall aesthetics, and general impression.

Contrast

Contrast differentiates elements from each other. It refers to the juxtaposition of two visually different elements. It is established by manipulating the basic properties of the element, such as color, size, position, alignment, texture, borders, and others. It can also be achieved through typography, repetition, and other aspects.

The main goal of contrast is to create information and visual hierarchy, thereby making it easy for visitors to locate crucial information.

Contrast has many applications: it may get the message across, lay a reading path, draw the eye to key details, and create an eye-pleasing environment. It also plays a vital role in introducing accessibility to web projects.

Emphasis

Emphasis directs the viewer's attention to a particular area or object. It usually highlights a link, call-to-action button, image, offer, or key brand message.

Emphasis is crucial because online visitors prefer to scan pages rather than read. It provides them with focal points so they can move around the website comfortably and get the project's message.

Using lines, shapes, colors, textures, size, and other graphical means, a web designer creates emphasis and uses it in reading flow and marketing and advertising campaigns.

Animations

Animations refer to a dynamic form of visual storytelling. They come in all shapes and sizes, from cinemographs to small clips. Web designers use motion and even sound to bring objects to life and enrich interaction with static elements.

Animations have become fundamental after Google developed the Material Design language in 2014 and encouraged web designers to add meaningfulness to websites through dynamics and transition effects.

Rhythms

Rhythm describes the repetition of visual elements in web design. It determines the pattern and relationships between elements to create a sense of close harmony. It guides the eye from one point to another, creating a smooth path for exploration.

There are five standard types of rhythm: regular, alternating, progressive, flowing, and random. They use shape, color, tone, texture, accents, and direction to unite, direct, highlight, or organize elements and structures of web design.

They may affect any set of elements. You might often see the rhythm of tints and hues, the rhythm of shapes, the rhythm of lines, and even the rhythm of scaling in a web design.

Structure and Hierarchy

Hierarchy describes the arrangement of elements to show their order of importance. Based on Gestalt psychology, it influences how the human eye perceives what it sees in website design.

Hierarchy comes in two general types: information and visual. A web designer creates it using color, size, typography, scale, contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity, texture, style, or white space.

The structure came to web design from the engineering field. It characterizes the foundation of the website design. In a nutshell, it is a raw wireframe on which visual elements are applied. It is also considered an organizational order of sections, blocks, and components. It describes the page and connects all pages of the project.

Space

Space or whitespace is any blank or empty area in website design. It may surround elements, be between or inside blocks, or even be a negative element. It can also be active when highlighting certain elements or passive when supporting hierarchy or balance.

The importance of whitespace is hard to underestimate. It structures and organizes content, increases text legibility, improves readability, amplifies user interactions, establishes hierarchy, and creates the organizational order necessary for a harmonious experience.

Unity

Unity is a sense of agreement, conformity, and cooperation when different elements and visual aspects are combined. Web designers use various tools to achieve it, from establishing visual hierarchy to exercising simplicity to promoting proximity and continuation.

Unity is crucial for creating a pleasant visual experience. It removes discordant elements and avoids confusion caused by poor contrast. It also aids comprehension, highlights key messages, creates balance, and promotes the brand's identity.

Key Elements of Web Design

Key elements of web design

Effective, impressive, and high-converting website design combines meticulously created key elements for every vital aspect, from readability to visual aesthetics. Let's consider these fundamental blocks.

Typography

Typography is a collection of fonts used to display text to users. It refers not only to the selection of letterforms but also to placement, sizing, weight, line spacing, styling, alignment, and whitespace.

Every project uses a combination of typefaces to demonstrate headlines, basic content areas, inscriptions, navigation elements, buttons, and other elements. They are well-matched to create harmony in aesthetics.

The main roles of the fonts are to establish an information hierarchy, deliver the message, and provide an optimal reading experience across devices. They directly affect how users perceive the content on a website and contribute to the marketing side of the project by highlighting key details.

Colors

Color is so important in website design that it can easily ruin everything or, on the contrary, take the project to the next level due to its ability to generate emotions and influence customers' decisions.

In commercial web projects, the brand's visual identity lies at the core of coloring, whereas personal web platforms like blogs have coloring aligned with the owner's personality or niche. Whatever the case, coloring in website design consists of several tones perfectly matched together using color theory.

Color plays a huge role in a website, from creating a pleasant user experience to setting accents and generating emotions that influence decision-making.

Shapes

Shapes in website design are geometric, organic, and abstract. They could be traditional squares, circles, triangles, or modern options like hearts, leaves, and stars.

These small yet vital graphical elements support design and content. They accompany navigating elements and enrich the visual experience, making it more understandable.

Mockups

Originally, mockups visualized and finalized the key design aspects of a website. However, most recently, they have become integral to the website's aesthetics and user experience by improving overall appearance and functionality.

For instance, web designers use cell phone and tablet mockups to demonstrate product features or promote applications in a native environment. They simplify tricky or complex concepts and make web services intuitive and relatable.

Icons

Icons add visual cues to the reading flow and clarify vital processes. They are of huge importance in website design. Despite being incredibly small, they support an optimal user experience and underlie navigation. From menus to play buttons in sliders, they can be seen everywhere.

Icons fall into different categories and play different roles. They are simple and small yet meaningful, unobtrusive, functional, and helpful. They grab the user's attention and allow the targeted action without much effort.

Logos

Logos are an integral part of brand identity. They have unique public identification and recognition on a commercial website or a personal blog.

Logos have their place. As a rule, they are positioned right at the top of the page to be the first one to greet visitors. Some web designers duplicate and place them at the bottom of the page to leave a lasting impression and make the project even more brand-related.

Images

Images represent multimedia material. They could be static and dynamic and come in all shapes and sizes. They could even be AI-generated today.

In website design, images perform several crucial roles apart from making your website attractive. First of all, they are powerful forms of communicating information. Second, they underlie a comfortable user experience. Third, they elicit an emotional response. Finally, they amplify marketing efforts.

Video

Videos have a unique power to drive engagement, naturally grab attention, and, most importantly, keep users on a website for longer. They add personality to the website and amplify the value of the content. Therefore, they quite often occupy the hero area.

Unlike images that overpopulate websites, videos are used carefully and scarcely because they may drastically overload the project and slow the loading time.

Functional Elements of Web Design

Web designers are no longer regular artists who create pictures; they are design engineers. They work closely with web developers to create complex and advanced designs that pleasantly bring inner functionality to the surface and assist the back end in all its endeavors. Let's consider four functional elements of modern web design.

UX

UX stands for user experience. It permeates all parts of web design, from the wireframe to slider transition effects. It relies on usability, usefulness, and desirability principles to harmoniously and systematically present all website components and functionalities. It aims to provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users across touchpoints and interactions.

UX is important because it helps to meet the target audience's needs, requirements, and expectations. It adds value to the website that can be used for successful branding, marketing, and advertising.

Speed

While speed may seem like a technical aspect of a website that should not concern an artist, it is directly related to the mastery process. All modern websites should meet speed standards because the faster a web page loads, the better it is for visitor engagement and search engine rankings.

That means web designers should not overload websites with multimedia and decorations. They should prioritize lightweight solutions and avoid content-heavy elements.

SEO

Search engine optimization is the foundation for a site's good ranking on the Web. It generates targeted organic traffic, increases exposure, and improves user experience.

SEO affects differently. For instance, SEO specialists may dictate what content should be prioritized and revealed first, influencing the main structure and hierarchy. They may also ask to limit images, animations, or decorative elements to improve the loading time.

Whatever the case is, web designers should be able to adjust their creations according to these recommendations without ruining everything.

Navigation

Navigation is an umbrella term that combines different elements of web design created to guide users across web interfaces and help them find what they need quickly and efficiently. These elements include an interactive menu, list, links, buttons, and copies.

Navigation underlies optimal user experience and contributes to critical design aspects like hierarchy, structure, balance, and SEO.

Finding Inspiration for Web Designers

With billions of websites, developing something unique is a true challenge. Web designers need inspiration to generate ideas, take fresh views, and develop new solutions and approaches. Where can you find one? Well, many platforms boost a web designer's creativity.

For instance, any web designer may explore the regularly updated collection of websites in Awwwards or dive headlong into Behance and Dribbble, which teem with user interface concepts. Online graphic and vector marketplaces and social media platforms like Pinterest can also be good places to get ideas.

Different Web Design Tools

Web designers have a lot on their plate, from planning a wireframe to creating information and visual hierarchy to implementing SEO and accessibility principles. It is impossible to do everything manually. Therefore, the web design sphere is regularly replenished with tools that assist digital artists in their tasks. The most essential, popular, and reliable tools and platforms are:

Trends and Future of Web Design

The future of web design is pretty exciting. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms are gaining momentum. We have already seen designs generated by DALL·E 3 and Midjourney and content created by ChatGPT.

So, expect web designers to embrace emerging technologies, bring sophisticated visual material to projects, and create customized content and layouts.

In addition, responsive design 2.0, WebAssembly, sustainability, WebGL, and user-centric approaches are here to stay. They open new opportunities for web designers to drive innovation and transformation and create a more interactive, engaging, and accessible web.

Conclusion

Web design shapes the vision of a client's online presence and offers a reliable, branded, and engaging way to speak to the audience through content and visual cues. Its duty is broad.

From tiny icons that assist navigation to huge hero banners that make the first impression to information hierarchy and structure, it covers every detail necessary to pull off a harmonious front end with optimal readability, impressive visibility, and comfortable user experience.

Web designers always stay on top of their niche, trends, and mainstreams. They collaborate tightly with web developers, SEO specialists, UX experts, marketing teams, and branding agencies. They push forward the digital arena and make it a better place by creating modern, standard-compliant web interfaces.

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computer security, also called cybersecurity, the protection of computer systems and information from harm, theft, and unauthorized use. Computer hardware is typically protected by the same means used to protect other valuable or sensitive equipment-namely, serial numbers, doors and locks, and alarms. The protection of information and system access, on the other hand, is achieved through other tactics, some of them quite complex.

The security precautions related to computer information and access address four major threats: (1) theft of data, such as that of military secrets from government computers; (2) vandalism, including the destruction of data by a computer virus; (3) fraud, such as employees at a bank channeling funds into their own accounts; and (4) invasion of privacy, such as the illegal accessing of protected personal financial or medical data from a large database. The most basic means of protecting a computer system against theft, vandalism, invasion of privacy, and other irresponsible behaviours is to electronically track and record the access to, and activities of, the various users of a computer system. This is commonly done by assigning an individual password to each person who has access to a system. The computer system itself can then automatically track the use of these passwords, recording such data as which files were accessed under particular passwords and so on. Another security measure is to store a system's data on a separate device or medium that is normally inaccessible through the computer system. Finally, data is often encrypted so that it can be deciphered only by holders of a singular encryption key. ( See data encryption.)

Computer security has become increasingly important since the late 1960s, when modems (devices that allow computers to communicate over telephone lines) were introduced. The proliferation of personal computers in the 1980s compounded the problem because they enabled hackers (irresponsible computerphiles) to illegally access major computer systems from the privacy of their homes. With the tremendous growth of the Internet in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, computer security became a widespread concern. The development of advanced security techniques aims to diminish such threats, though concurrent refinements in the methods of computer crime pose ongoing hazards.

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Computer security, the protection of computer systems and information from harm, theft, and unauthorized use. Computer hardware is typically protected by serial numbers, doors and locks, and alarms. The protection of information and system access is achieved through other tactics, some of them quite complex.

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The Different Types of Cybersecurity

Cyber security is a wide field covering several disciplines. It can be divided into seven main pillars:
1. Network Security
Most attacks occur over the network, and network security solutions are designed to identify and block these attacks. These solutions include data and access controls such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), IAM (Identity Access Management), NAC (Network Access Control), and NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall) application controls to enforce safe web use policies.

Advanced and multi-layered network threat prevention technologies include IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), NGAV (Next-Gen Antivirus), Sandboxing, and CDR (Content Disarm and Reconstruction). Also important are network analytics, threat hunting, and automated SOAR (Security Orchestration and Response) technologies.
2. Cloud Security
As organizations increasingly adopt cloud computing, securing the cloud becomes a major priority. A cloud security strategy includes cyber security solutions, controls, policies, and services that help to protect an organization's entire cloud deployment (applications, data, infrastructure, etc.) against attack.

While many cloud providers offer security solutions, these are often inadequate to the task of achieving enterprise-grade security in the cloud. Supplementary third-party solutions are necessary to protect against data breaches and targeted attacks in cloud environments.
3. Endpoint Security
The zero-trust security model prescribes creating micro-segments around data wherever it may be. One way to do that with a mobile workforce is using endpoint security. With endpoint security, companies can secure end-user devices such as desktops and laptops with data and network security controls, advanced threat prevention such as anti-phishing and anti-ransomware, and technologies that provide forensics such as endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.
4. Mobile Security
Often overlooked, mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones have access to corporate data, exposing businesses to threats from malicious apps, zero-day, phishing, and IM (Instant Messaging) attacks. Mobile security prevents these attacks and secures the operating systems and devices from rooting and jailbreaking. When included with an MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution, this enables enterprises to ensure only compliant mobile devices have access to corporate assets.
5. IoT Security
While using Internet of Things (IoT) devices certainly delivers productivity benefits, it also exposes organizations to new cyber threats. Threat actors seek out vulnerable devices inadvertently connected to the Internet for nefarious uses such as a pathway into a corporate network or for another bot in a global bot network.

IoT security protects these devices with discovery and classification of the connected devices, auto-segmentation to control network activities, and using IPS as a virtual patch to prevent exploits against vulnerable IoT devices. In some cases, the firmware of the device can also be augmented with small agents to prevent exploits and runtime attacks.
6. Application Security
Web applications, like anything else directly connected to the Internet, are targets for threat actors. Since 2007, OWASP has tracked the top 10 threats to critical web application security flaws such as injection, broken authentication, misconfiguration, and cross-site scripting to name a few.

With application security, the OWASP Top 10 attacks can be stopped. Application security also prevents bot attacks and stops any malicious interaction with applications and APIs. With continuous learning, apps will remain protected even as DevOps releases new content.
7. Zero Trust
The traditional security model is perimeter-focused, building walls around an organization's valuable assets like a castle. However, this approach has several issues, such as the potential for insider threats and the rapid dissolution of the network perimeter.

As corporate assets move off-premises as part of cloud adoption and remote work, a new approach to security is needed. Zero trust takes a more granular approach to security, protecting individual resources through a combination of micro-segmentation, monitoring, and enforcement of role-based access controls.

The Evolution of the Cyber Security Threat Landscape

The cyber threats of today are not the same as even a few years ago. As the cyber threat landscape changes, organizations need protection against cybercriminals' current and future tools and techniques.

Gen V Attacks

The cyber security threat landscape is continually evolving, and, occasionally, these advancements represent a new generation of cyber threats. To date, we have experienced five generations of cyber threats and solutions designed to mitigate them, including:

Gen I (Virus): In the late 1980s, virus attacks against standalone computers inspired the creation of the first antivirus solutions.

Gen II (Network): As cyberattacks began to come over the Internet, the firewall was developed to identify and block them.

Gen III (Applications): Exploitation of vulnerabilities within applications caused the mass adoption of intrusion prevention systems (IPS)

Gen IV (Payload): As malware became more targeted and able to evade signature-based defenses, anti-bot and sandboxing solutions were necessary to detect novel threats.

Gen V (Mega): The latest generation of cyber threats uses large-scale, multi-vectors attacks, making advanced threat prevention solutions a priority.

Each generation of cyber threats made previous cyber security solutions less effective or essentially obsolete. Protecting against the modern cyber threat landscape requires Gen V cyber security solutions.

Supply Chain Attacks

Historically, many organizations' security efforts have been focused on their own applications and systems. By hardening the perimeter and only permitting access to authorized users and applications, they try to prevent cyber threat actors from breaching their networks.

Recently, a surge in supply chain attacks has demonstrated the limitations of this approach and cybercriminals' willingness and ability to exploit them. Incidents like the SolarWinds, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Kaseya hacks demonstrated that trust relationships with other organizations can be a weakness in a corporate cyber security strategy. By exploiting one organization and leveraging these trust relationships, a cyber threat actor can gain access to the networks of all of their customers.

Protecting against supply chain attacks requires a zero trust approach to security. While partnerships and vendor relationships are good for business, third-party users and software should have access limited to the minimum necessary to do their jobs and should be continually monitored.

Ransomware

While ransomware has been around for decades, it only became the dominant form of malware within the last few years. The WannaCry ransomware outbreak demonstrated the viability and profitability of ransomware attacks, driving a sudden surge in ransomware campaigns.

Since then, the ransomware model has evolved drastically. While ransomware used to only encrypt files, it now will steal data to extort the victim and their customers in double and triple extortion attacks. Some ransomware groups also threaten or employ Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to incentivize victims to meet ransom demands.

The growth of ransomware has also been made possible by the emergence of the Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) model, where ransomware developers will provide their malware to "affiliates" to distribute in exchange for a piece of the ransom. With RaaS, many cybercrime groups have access to advanced malware, making sophisticated attacks more common. As a result, ransomware protection has become an essential component of the enterprise cyber security strategy.

Phishing

Phishing attacks have long been the most common and effective means by which cybercriminals gain access to corporate environments. It is often much easier to trick a user into clicking a link or opening an attachment than it is to identify and exploit a vulnerability within an organization's defenses.

In recent years, phishing attacks have only grown more sophisticated. While the original phishing scams were relatively easy to detect, modern attacks are convincing and sophisticated to the point where they can be virtually indistinguishable from legitimate emails.

Employee cyber security awareness training is not enough to protect against the modern phishing threat. Managing the risk of phishing requires cyber security solutions that identify and block malicious emails before they even reach a user's inbox.

Malware

The different generations of cyberattacks have been defined mainly by the evolution of malware. Malware authors and cyber defenders are playing a continual cat and mouse game, where attackers try to develop techniques that overcome or bypass the latest in security technology. Often, when they succeed, a new generation of cyberattacks is created.

Modern malware is swift, stealthy, and sophisticated. The detection techniques used by legacy security solutions (such as signature-based detection) are no longer effective, and, often, by the time security analysts have detected and responded to a threat, the damage is already done.

Detection is no longer "good enough" to protect against malware attacks. Mitigating the threat of Gen V malware requires cyber security solutions focused on prevention, stopping the attack before it begins and before any damage is done.

The Need for a Consolidated Cyber Security Architecture

In the past, organizations could get by with an array of standalone security solutions designed to address specific threats and use cases. Malware attacks were less common and less sophisticated, and corporate infrastructures were less complex.

Today, cyber security teams are often overwhelmed while trying to manage these complex cyber security architectures. This is caused by a number of factors, including:

Sophisticated Attacks: Modern cyberattacks can no longer be detected with legacy approaches to cyber security. More in-depth visibility and investigation is necessary to identify campaigns by advanced persistent threats (APTs) and other sophisticated cyber threat actors.

Complex Environments: The modern corporate network sprawls over on-prem infrastructure and multiple cloud environments. This makes consistent security monitoring and policy enforcement across an organization's entire IT infrastructure much more difficult.

Heterogeneous Endpoints: IT is no longer limited to traditional desktop and laptop computers. Technological evolution and bring your own device (BYOD) policies make it necessary to secure a range of devices, some of which the company does not even own.

Rise of Remote Work: The response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that remote and hybrid work models were viable for many companies. Now, organizations need solutions that allow them to effectively protect the remote workforce as well as on-site employees.

Trying to solve all of these challenges with an array of disconnected solutions is unscalable and unsustainable. Only by consolidating and streamlining their security architectures can companies effectively manage their cyber security risk.

Achieving Comprehensive Cybersecurity with Check Point

A modern cybersecurity infrastructure is one that is consolidated and built from solutions that are designed to work together. This requires partnering with a security provider with experience in protecting all of an organization's assets against a range of cyber threats.

Check Point offers solutions for all of an organization's security needs, including:

Network Security: Check Point Quantum

IoT Security: Check Point Quantum IoT Protect

Cloud Security: Check Point CloudGuard

Application Security: Check Point CloudGuard AppSec

Endpoint Security: Check Point Harmony Endpoint

Mobile Security: Check Point Harmony Mobile

To learn more about the threats that Check Point solutions can help to protect against, check out the Check Point 2022 cyber security and Mobile Security Reports. You're also welcome to see Check Point's solutions in action for yourself with a demo and try them in your own environment with a free trial.

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What is Cyber Security? The Different Types of Cybersecurity - Check Point Software

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Cyber security is a wide field covering several disciplines. It can be divided into seven main pillars: 1. Network Security Most attacks occur over the network, and network security solutions are designed to identify and block these attacks.

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What is Antivirus software and anti-malware 

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What is Antivirus software and anti-malware 

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What is Antivirus software and anti-malware 

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Firewall - meaning and definition

A firewall is a computer network security system that restricts internet traffic in to, out of, or within a private network.

This software or dedicated hardware-software unit functions by selectively blocking or allowing data packets. It is typically intended to help prevent malicious activity and to prevent anyone-inside or outside a private network-from engaging in unauthorized web activities.

What is a firewall?

Firewalls can be viewed as gated borders or gateways that manage the travel of permitted and prohibited web activity in a private network. The term comes from the concept of physical walls being barriers to slow the spread of fire until emergency services can extinguish it. By comparison, network security firewalls are for web traffic management - typically intended to slow the spread of web threats.

Firewalls create 'choke points' to funnel web traffic, at which they are then reviewed on a set of programmed parameters and acted upon accordingly. Some firewalls also track the traffic and connections in audit logs to reference what has been allowed or blocked.

Firewalls are typically used to gate the borders of a private network or its host devices. As such, firewalls are one security tool in the broader category of user access control. These barriers are typically set up in two locations - on dedicated computers on the network or the user computers and other endpoints themselves (hosts).

How do firewalls work?

A firewall decides which network traffic is allowed to pass through and which traffic is deemed dangerous. Essentially, it works by filtering out the good from the bad, or the trusted from the untrusted. However, before we go into detail, it helps to understand the structure of web-based networks.

Firewalls are intended to secure private networks and the endpoint devices within them, known as network hosts. Network hosts are devices that 'talk' with other hosts on the network. They send and receive between internal networks, as well as outbound and inbound between external networks.

Computers and other endpoint devices use networks to access the internet and each other. However, the internet is segmented into sub-networks or 'subnets' for security and privacy. The basic subnet segments are as follows:

1. External public networks typically refer to the public/global internet or various extranets.

2. Internal private network defines a home network, corporate intranets, and other 'closed' networks.

3. Perimeter networks detail border networks made of bastion hosts - computer hosts dedicated with hardened security that are ready to endure an external attack. As a secured buffer between internal and external networks, these can also be used to house any external-facing services provided by the internal network (i.e., servers for web, mail, FTP, VoIP, etc.). These are more secure than external networks but less secure than internal. These are not always present in simpler networks like home networks but may often be used in organizational or national intranets.

Screening routers are specialized gateway computers placed on a network to segment it. They are known as house firewalls on the network-level. The two most common segment models are the screened host firewall and the screened subnet firewall:

Screened host firewalls use a single screening router between the external and internal networks. These networks are the two subnets of this model.

Screened subnet firewalls use two screening routers- one known as an access router between the external and perimeter network, and another known as the choke router between the perimeter and internal network. This creates three subnets, respectively.

Both the network perimeter and host machines themselves can house a firewall. To do this, it is placed between a single computer and its connection to a private network.

Network firewalls involve the application of one or more firewalls between external networks and internal private networks. These regulate inbound and outbound network traffic, separating external public networks-like the global internet-from internal networks like home Wi-Fi networks, enterprise intranets, or national intranets. Network firewalls may come in the form of any of the following appliance types: dedicated hardware, software, and virtual.

Host firewalls or 'software firewalls' involve the use of firewalls on individual user devices and other private network endpoints as a barrier between devices within the network. These devices, or hosts, receive customized regulation of traffic to and from specific computer applications. Host firewalls may run on local devices as an operating system service or an endpoint security application. Host firewalls can also dive deeper into web traffic, filtering based on HTTP and other networking protocols, allowing the management of what content arrives at your machine, rather than just where it comes from.

A network firewall requires configuration against a broad scope of connections, whereas a host firewall can be tailored to fit each machine's needs. However, host firewalls require more effort to customize, meaning that network-based are ideal for a sweeping control solution. But the use of both firewalls in both locations simultaneously is ideal for a multi-layer security system.

Filtering traffic via a firewall makes use of pre-set or dynamically learned rules for allowing and denying attempted connections. These rules are how a firewall regulates the flow of web traffic through your private network and private computer devices. Regardless of type, all firewalls may filter by some combination of the following:

Source: Where an attempted connection is being made from.

Destination: Where an attempted connection is intended to go.

Contents: What an attempted connection is trying to send.

Packet protocols: What 'language' an attempted connection is speaking to carry its message. Among the networking protocols that hosts use to 'talk' with each other, TCP/IP protocols are primarily used to communicate across the internet and within intranet/sub-networks.

Application protocols: Common protocols include HTTP, Telnet, FTP, DNS, and SSH.

Source and destination are communicated by internet protocol (IP) addresses and ports. IP addressesare unique device names for each host. Ports are a sub-level of any given source and destination host device, similar to office rooms within a larger building. Ports are typically assigned specific purposes, so certain protocols and IP addresses using uncommon ports or disabled ports can be a concern.

By using these identifiers, a firewall can decide if a data packet attempting a connection is to be discarded-silently or with an error reply to the sender-or forwarded.

Types of firewall

Different types of firewalls incorporate varied methods of filtering. While each type was developed to surpass previous generations of firewalls, much of the core technology has passed between generations.

Firewall types are distinguished by their approach to:

1. Connection tracking

2. Filtering rules

3. Audit logs

Each type operates at a different level of the standardized communications model, the Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI). This model gives a better visual of how each firewall interacts with connections.

Static Packet-Filtering Firewall

Static packet-filtering firewalls, also known as stateless inspection firewalls, operate at the OSI network layer (layer 3). These offer basic filtering by checking all individual data packets sent across a network, based on where they're from and where they're attempting to go. Notably, previously accepted connections are not tracked. This means each connection must be re-approved with every data packet sent.

Filtering is based on IP addresses, ports, and packet protocols. These firewalls, at the bare minimum, prevent two networks from directly connecting without permission.

Rules for filtering are set based on a manually created access control list. These are very rigid and it is difficult to cover unwanted traffic appropriately without compromising network usability. Static filtering requires ongoing manual revision to be used effectively. This can be manageable on small networks but can quickly become difficult on larger ones.

Inability to read application protocols means the contents of a message delivered within a packet cannot be read. Without reading the content, packet-filtering firewalls have a limited quality of protection.

Circuit-Level Gateway Firewall

Circuit-level gateways operate on the session level (layer 5). These firewalls check for functional packets in an attempted connection, and-if operating well-will permit a persistent open connection between the two networks. The firewall stops supervising the connection after this occurs.

Aside from its approach to connections, the circuit-level gateway can be similar to proxy firewalls.

The ongoing unmonitored connection is dangerous, as legitimate means could open the connection and later permit a malicious actor to enter uninterrupted.

Stateful Inspection Firewall

Stateful inspection firewalls, also called dynamic packet-filtering firewalls, are unique from static filtering in their ability to monitor ongoing connections and remember past ones. These began by operating on the transport layer (layer 4) but nowadays, these firewalls can monitor many layers, including the application layer (layer 7).

Like the static filtering firewall, stateful inspection firewalls allow or block traffic based on technical properties, such as specific packet protocols, IP addresses, or ports. However, these firewalls also uniquely track, and filter based on the state of connections using a state table.

This firewall updates filtering rules based on past connection events logged in the state table by the screening router.

Generally, filtering decisions are often based on the administrator's rules when setting up the computer and firewall. However, the state table allows these dynamic firewalls to make their own decisions based on previous interactions it has 'learned' from. For example, traffic types that caused disruptions in the past would be filtered out in the future. Stateful inspection's flexibility has cemented it as one of the most ubiquitous types of shields available.

Proxy Firewall

Proxy Firewalls, also known as application-level firewalls (layer 7), are unique in reading and filtering application protocols. These combine application-level inspection, or 'deep packet inspection (DPI),' and stateful inspection.

A proxy firewall is as close to an actual physical barrier as it's possible to get. Unlike other types of firewalls, it acts as an additional two hosts between external networks and internal host computers, with one as a representative (or 'proxy') for each network.

Filtering is based on application-level data rather than just IP addresses, ports, and basic packet protocols (UDP, ICMP) like in packet-based firewalls. Reading and understanding FTP, HTTP, DNS, and other protocols allow for more in-depth investigation and cross-filtering for many different data traits.

Similar to a guard at a doorway, it essentially looks at and evaluates incoming data. If no problem is detected, the data is allowed to pass through to the user.

The downside to this kind of heavy security is that it sometimes interferes with incoming data that isn't a threat, leading to functionality delays.

Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW)

Evolving threats continue to demand more intense solutions, and next-generation firewalls stay on top of this issue by combining the features of a traditional firewall with network intrusion prevention systems.

Threat-specific next-generation firewalls are designed to examine and identify specific threats, such as advanced malware, at a more granular level. More frequently used by businesses and sophisticated networks, they provide a holistic solution to filtering out threats.

Hybrid Firewall

As implied by the name, hybrid firewalls use two or more firewall types in a single private network.

Who invented firewalls?

The invention of the firewall should be viewed as ongoing. This is because it's constantly evolving, and there have been multiple creators involved in its development and evolution.

From the late 1980s to the mid-90s, each creator expanded on various firewall-related components and versions before it became the product used as the basis for all modern firewalls.
Brian Reid, Paul Vixie, and Jeff Mogul
In the late 1980s, Mogul, Reid, and Vixie each had roles at Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) in developing packet-filtering technology that would become valuable in future firewalls. This led to the concept of vetting external connections before they contact computers on an internal network. While some may consider this packet filter as the first firewall, it was more of a component technology that supported the true firewall systems to come.
David Presotto, Janardan Sharma, Kshitiji Nigam, William Cheswick, and Steven Bellovin
In the late 80s to early 90s, various staff at AT&T Bell Labs researched and developed the early concept of the circuit-level gateway firewall. This was the first firewall to vet and permit ongoing connections versus repeatedly reauthorizing after each data packet. Presotto, Sharma, and Nigam developed the circuit-level gateway from 1989 to 1990 and were followed by Cheswick and Bellovin's work with firewall technology in 1991.
Marcus Ranum
From 1991 to 1992, Ranum invented the security proxies at DEC that became a vital component of the first application-layer firewall product -1991's proxy-based Secure External Access Link (SEAL) product. This was an expansion on Reid, Vixie, and Mogul's work at DEC, and was the first commercially released firewall.
Gil Shwed and Nir Zuk
From 1993 to 1994 at Check Point, the company's founder Gil Shwed and a prolific developer Nir Zuk played significant roles in developing the first widely-adopted, user-friendly firewall product-Firewall-1. Gil Shwed invented and filed the U.S. patent for stateful inspection in 1993. This was followed by Nir Zuk's work on an easy-to-use graphical interface for 1994's Firewall-1, which was vital in the wider adoption of firewalls into businesses and homes for the foreseeable future.

These developments were essential in shaping the firewall product we know today, with each being used in some capacity in many cybersecurity solutions.

Importance of firewalls

So, what is the purpose of a firewall and why are they important? Networks without protection are vulnerable to any traffic that is trying to access your systems. Harmful or not, network traffic should always be vetted.

Connecting personal computers to other IT systems or the internet opens up a range of benefits, including easy collaboration with others, combining resources, and enhanced creativity. However, this can come at the cost of complete network and device protection. Hacking, identity theft, malware, and online fraud are common threats users could face when they expose themselves by linking their computers to a network or the internet.

Once discovered by a malicious actor, your network and devices can easily be found, rapidly accessed, and exposed to repeated threats. Around-the-clock internet connections increase the risk of this (since your network can be accessed at any time).

Proactive protection is critical when using any sort of network. Users can protect their network from the worst dangers by using a firewall.

What does firewall security do?

What does a firewall do, and what can a firewall protect against? The concept of a network security firewall is meant to narrow the attack surface of a network to a single point of contact. Instead of every host on a network being directly exposed to the greater internet, all traffic must first contact the firewall. Since this also works in reverse, the firewall can filter and block non-permitted traffic, in or out. Also, firewalls are used to create an audit trail of attempted network connections for better security awareness.

Since traffic filtering can be a rule set established by owners of a private network, this creates custom use cases for firewalls. Popular use cases involve managing the following:

Infiltration from malicious actors: Undesired connections from an oddly behaving source can be blocked. This can prevent eavesdropping and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

Parental controls: Parents can block their children from viewing explicit web content.

Workplace web browsing restrictions: Employers can prevent employees from using company networks to access certain services and content, such as social media.

Nationally controlled intranet: National governments can block internal residents' access to web content and services that are potentially dissident to a nation's leadership or its values.

However, firewalls are less effective at the following:

1. Identifying exploits of legitimate networking processes: Firewalls do not anticipate human intent, so they cannot determine if a 'legitimate' connection is intended for malicious purposes. For example, IP address fraud (IP spoofing) occurs because firewalls don't validate the source and destination IPs.

2. Prevent connections that do not pass through the firewall: Network-level firewalls alone will not stop malicious internal activity. Internal firewalls such as host-based ones will need to be present in addition to the perimeter firewall, to partition your network and slow the movement of internal 'fires.'

3. Provide adequate protection against malware: While connections carrying malicious code can be halted if not allowed, a connection deemed acceptable can still deliver these threats into your network. If a firewall overlooks a connection as a result of being misconfigured or exploited, an antivirus protection suite will still be needed to clean up any malware that enter.

Firewall examples

In practice, the real-world applications of firewalls have attracted both praise and controversy. While there is a long history of firewall achievements, this security type must be implemented correctly to avoid exploits. Additionally, firewalls have been known to be used in ethically questionable ways.

Great Firewall of China, internet censorship

Since around 2000, China has had internal firewall frameworks in place to create its carefully monitored intranet. By nature, firewalls allow for the creation of a customized version of the global internet within a nation. They accomplish this by preventing select services and information from being used or accessed within this national intranet.

National surveillance and censorship allow for the ongoing suppression of free speech while maintaining its government's image. Furthermore, China's firewall allows its government to limit internet services to local companies. This makes control over things like search engines and email services much easier to regulate in favor of the government's goals.

China has seen an ongoing internal protest against this censorship. The use of virtual private networks and proxies to get past the national firewall has allowed many to voice their dissatisfaction.

Covid-19 U.S. federal agency compromised due to remote work weaknesses

In 2020, a misconfigured firewall was just one of many security weaknesses that led to an anonymous United States federal agency's breach.

It is believed that a nation-state actor exploited a series of vulnerabilities in the U.S. agency's cybersecurity. Among the many cited issues with their security, the firewall in-use had many outbound ports that were inappropriately open to traffic. Alongside being maintained poorly, the agency's network likely had new challenges with remote work. Once in the network, the attacker behaved in ways that show clear intent to move through any other open pathways to other agencies. This type of effort puts not only the infiltrated agency at risk of a security breach but many others as well.

U.S. power grid operator's unpatched firewall exploited

In 2019, a United States power grid operations provider was impacted by a Denial-of-Service (DoS) vulnerability that hackers exploited. Firewalls on the perimeter network were stuck in a reboot exploit loop for roughly ten hours.

It was later deemed to be the result of a known-but-unpatched firmware vulnerability in the firewalls. A standard operating procedure for checking updates before implementation had not yet been implemented causing delays in updates and an inevitable security issue. Fortunately, the security issue did not lead to any significant network penetration.

These events underline the importance of regular software updates. Without them, firewalls are yet another network security system that can be exploited.

How to use firewall protection

Proper setup and maintenance of your firewall are essential to keep your network and devices protected. Here are some tips to guide your firewall network security practices:

1. Always update your firewalls as soon as possible: Firmware and software patches keep your firewall updated against any newly discovered vulnerabilities. Personal and home firewall users can usually safely update immediately. Larger organizations may need to check configuration and compatibility across their network first. However, everyone should have processes in place to update promptly.

2. Use antivirus protection: Firewalls alone are not designed to stop malware and other infections. These may get past firewall protections, and you'll need a security solution that's designed to disable and remove them. Kaspersky Total Security can protect you across your personal devices, and our many business security solutions can safeguard any network hosts you'll seek to keep clean.

3. Limit accessible ports and hosts with an allow list: Default to connection denial for inbound traffic. Limit inbound and outbound connections to a strict whitelist of trusted IP addresses. Reduce user access privileges to necessities. It is easier to stay secure by enabling access when needed than to revoke and mitigate damage after an incident.

4. Segmented network: Lateral movement by malicious actors is a clear danger that can be slowed by limiting cross-communication internally.

5. Have active network redundancies to avoid downtime: Data backups for network hosts and other essential systems can prevent data loss and productivity during an incident.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security received three AV-TEST awards for the best performance, protection, and usability for a corporate endpoint security product in 2021. In all tests Kaspersky Endpoint Security showed outstanding performance, protection, and usability for businesses.
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A firewall is a computer network security system that restricts internet traffic in to, out of, or within a private network. This software or dedicated hardware-software unit functions by selectively blocking or allowing data packets. It is typically intended to help prevent malicious activity and to prevent anyone-inside or outside a private network-from engaging in unauthorized web activities.

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What is hardware security?

Hardware security is vulnerability protection that comes in the form of a physical device rather than software that's installed on the hardware of a computer system.

Hardware security can pertain to a device used to scan a system or monitor network traffic. Common examples include hardware firewalls and proxy servers. Less common examples include hardware security modules that provision cryptographic keys for critical functions such as encryption, decryption and authentication for various systems. Hardware systems can provide stronger security than software and can also include an additional layer of security for mission-critical systems.

The term hardware security also refers to the protection of physical systems from harm. Equipment destruction attacks, for example, focus on computing devices and networked noncomputing devices, such as those found in machine-to-machine or internet of things (IoT) environments. These environments provide connectivity and communications to large numbers of hardware devices that must be protected through either hardware- or software-based security.

How to assess the security of a hardware device

Hardware security is just as important as software security. To assess the security of a hardware device, it's necessary to consider vulnerabilities existing from its manufacture as well as other potential sources, such as running code and the device's data input/output, or I/O, on a network. Although any device should be protected if it connects even indirectly to the internet, the stringency of that protection should match the need. For example, a system controlling the color and intensity of lights in Wi-Fi LED for a dwelling might not require much security.

In the case of more significant hardware and more critical functions, the added reliability and lower number of vulnerabilities associated with hardware-based security might make it advisable. Critical infrastructure includes systems, networks and assets whose continuous function is deemed necessary to ensure the security of a given nation, its economy, and the public's health and safety. Critical infrastructure security is a growing area of concern around the world.

Types of hardware attacks

Gaining access to physical devices isn't as easy as conducting software-based attacks -- such as malware, phishing or hacking attacks -- but over time, cybercriminals have found ways to target hardware. While the use of a default password across multiple devices, outdated firmware and a lack of encryption are the biggest threats to hardware security, other tailored attacks are equally as dangerous.

The following are common types of hardware attacks and what they entail:

Side-channel attack. This attack is notorious for stealing information indirectly, or via side channels. By taking advantage of patterns of information, these attacks analyze the electric emissions from a computer's monitor or hard drive to check for discrepancies in normal emissions. These discrepancies can include the type of information displayed on the monitor or the varying amounts of power that different hardware components use to carry out processes. Typically, the attack will try to exfiltrate sensitive information, such as cryptographic keys, by measuring coincidental hardware emissions. A side-channel attack is also known as a sidebar or an implementation attack.

Rowhammer attack. This cyber attack exploits a bug inside dynamic RAM (DRAM) modules manufactured in 2010 and later. Repeated accessing or hammering of the memory cells inside the DRAM releases an electrical charge that flips the neighboring bits from zeros to ones and vice versa. This enables untrusted applications to gain full system security privileges and even bypass security sandboxes that are used to mitigate malicious code from entering and infecting the operating system resources.

Timing attack. This side-channel cybersecurity attack targets cryptosystems. Cybercriminals attempt to compromise a cryptosystem by analyzing the time it takes to respond to different inputs and execute cryptographic functions and algorithms.

Evil maid attack. The term evil maid was coined by computer researcher Joanna Rutkowska in 2009 to signify the concept of a malicious maid trying to get her hands on electronic devices left behind in a hotel room. This attack entails physical access to unattended hardware devices, which the criminals can alter in a stealthy way to gain access to the victim's sensitive data. For example, a criminal might insert a USB device installed with device modification software into a powered-down computer or install a keylogger to record every keystroke the victim types.

In a man-in-the-middle attack, a cybercriminal intercepts and relays messages between the user and the web application.

Modification attack. Cybercriminals invade the normal operations of a hardware device by overriding the restrictions on that device to carry out a man-in-the-middle attack. By either injecting the hardware component with malicious software or exploiting existing vulnerabilities, criminals are able to receive and modify the data packets before sending them to the intended recipients.

Eavesdropping attack. This subtle data interception attack occurs when sensitive information, such as credit card details and passwords, is transferred from one device to another. Eavesdropping attacks can be successful as no alerts are generated during transactions over unsecured networks. There are many types of eavesdropping attacks; one common type includes a card skimmer inserted into an automated teller machine or a point-of-sale terminal where the attacker accesses the device occasionally to get a copy of its information.

Triggering fault attack. This attack is normally carried out by attackers who induce faults in the hardware to modify the normal behavior of the device. The main premise behind this attack is to target system-level security.

Counterfeit hardware attack. This is a type of supply chain attack where unauthorized or fake devices are sold to organizations, creating opportunities for cybercriminals to infiltrate these devices through the backdoor. For example, Cisco issued a field notice advising customers to upgrade the software on its Catalyst 2960-X and 2960-XR switches to make sure the devices aren't counterfeit.

Hardware security best practices

Any type of hardware -- from outdated computers to modern IoT devices -- can pose grave concerns if organizations don't follow security best practices.

The following are some mitigation techniques and countermeasures to keep in mind when setting up and installing hardware:

1. Investigate vendors and suppliers. The risk to hardware security starts from its inception. The production of faulty hardware components can expose vulnerable devices to outside threats. To minimize the risk of counterfeit devices, it's important to thoroughly investigate hardware suppliers before selecting them. This can include checking out the vendor's suppliers and examining the parties responsible for the manufacturing and integration of individual parts. Carrying out detailed inspections regarding the types of security measures being practiced by vendors during all stages of hardware development is also crucial.

2. Encrypt all devices. It's important to encrypt all hardware devices, including external flash storage and DRAM interfaces. Hardware encryption is especially important for portable devices -- laptops or USB flash drives -- when protecting sensitive data stored on them. Most modern processors come with built-in components to facilitate hardware encryption and decryption with little overhead on the central processing unit, but it's always best to verify. Since encryption offers multiple layers of security, even if attackers get their hands on encrypted hardware, such as a hard drive, they won't be able to gain access to it without having the credentials.

3. Minimize the attack surface. Safe and proper decommissioning of unused hardware can help prevent unwanted hardware attacks. All decommissioned hardware and components, such as debug ports, should be disabled and disposed of properly. This can include disabling any universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters not used in the final hardware design process, unused Ethernet ports, programming and debugging interfaces such as JTAG ports, and unused wireless interfaces; JTAG is an industry standard that was developed by Joint Test Action Group engineers to verify designs and test printed circuit boards after they are manufactured. For those components that can't be removed, companies should consider enforcing restrictions based on media access control, or MAC, address or other challenges to mitigate attacks.

4. Enforce strong physical security. Companies should enforce strong access control policies in areas where hardware and physical equipment are housed. Hardware devices and peripherals shouldn't be left unattended in open areas, and employees should take measures to secure their devices. To physically secure movable hardware components, such as laptops, security cables with combination locks can be used, as these cables attach the device to an immovable object. Computers can also be secured through their security cable slots, which enable the attachment of a commercially available anti-theft device. Anti-tamper housing designs that make the device difficult to open without any damage should also be considered.

5. Use electronic security. A comprehensive hardware security plan is incomplete without proper electronic security in place. This can include using a secure area for storing the master key to avoid tampering and key extraction. Connected devices should also be protected using authenticator devices that only authorize mutual authentication based on strong cryptography to reduce the risk of counterfeit hardware. Companies should also consider using tamper and trigger switches and environmental monitoring for hardware that's prone to tampering. For example, a master key uploaded to a battery-powered static RAM unit will be wiped if a tamper switch is triggered. Trigger switches can also detect light inside dark units. This helps lock up the device whenever an attempt is made to open it.

6. Provide real-time monitoring. Security teams should consider setting up real-time monitoring for hardware and operating systems. This can be conducted using cloud-based real-time monitoring tools that notify the security teams in response to an event almost immediately, thus minimizing the incident response time. Integrated platforms and IoT automation can also help provide an extensive overview of where a company stands in terms of hardware security.

7. Update firmware and upgrade old hardware. Hardware devices should be upgraded to the latest firmware so that they can receive the newest security patches. Companies should also invest in new hardware, as older hardware doesn't always have the ability to run modern software optimally and can run into compatibility issues, leaving a door open for security intrusions.

8. Audit regularly. Regular hardware inspections can monitor any new changes across the network and spot operational risks. Companies should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and system monitoring. For example, if a company observes a suspicious module, it should conduct an electrical analysis of the inputs and outputs after consulting with the manufacturer and in-house security experts.

IoT hardware security should be taken just as seriously as other threats in the network. Learn about various security measures to bolster IoT hardware.

Continue Reading About hardware security

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Protecting physical assets from outside threats is known as hardware security. Explore the various types of hardware attacks and ways to mitigate them.

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What Is Computer Hardware Security? - SecurityFirstCorp.com

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Today's businesses rely on an increasing number of software programs to perform critical tasks. As companies continue to adopt digital solutions, software security threats are also growing in strength and frequency. Viruses, malware and other threats can put sensitive data at risk.

As a business, you want to ensure you have the strongest software security possible to protect your organization. Here's a quick breakdown of what software security means, why it's important, and how to implement, ensure and improve your protocols.

Software Security Definition

Software security refers to a set of practices that help protect software applications and digital solutions from attackers. Developers incorporate these techniques into the software development life cycle and testing processes. As a result, companies can ensure their digital solutions remain secure and are able to function in the event of a malicious attack.

Why Is Software Security Important?

Secure software development is incredibly important because there are always people out there who seek to exploit business data. As businesses become more reliant on software, these programs must remain safe and secure. With strong software security protocols in place, you can prevent attackers from stealing potentially sensitive information such as credit card numbers and trade secrets, and build trust among users.

The theft of critical data can be catastrophic for customers and businesses alike. Malicious actors can abuse sensitive information and even steal users' identities. Additionally, companies can face legal penalties in the event of a data breach and suffer reputational harm.

Businesses can work to protect critical data by implementing software security techniques into their development life cycles. Applying security techniques enables organizations to proactively identify system vulnerabilities and better protect their software.

What Is the Difference Between Software Security and Cybersecurity?

While the terms "software security" and "cybersecurity" may sound interchangeable, they actually refer to two different concepts. Software security protects or secures software programs from malicious threats, such as viruses or malware.

Cybersecurity is much broader. Also known as computer security or information security, cybersecurity protects networks, systems and programs. Cybersecurity threats may include trojan horse and ransomware attacks.

Software Security Issues

In today's complex information technology (IT) landscape, software is an integral tool and more widespread than ever. However, security issues are just as prevalent, making it necessary to prioritize software security.

Why Security Is a Software Issue

Businesses constantly use software to manage finances, sell products, track customer data, collaborate on projects and communicate with teammates. With so much business activity happening via digital channels, it is critical to protect them.

System vulnerabilities are security flaws or weaknesses that appear in a software's code. Hackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to access software programs, steal valuable data and destroy important systems.

To prevent a software threat, security must be a critical part of software development and testing. By integrating security best practices with these processes, developers can identify and fix vulnerabilities before hackers have a chance to find them.

Major Concerns with Software Security

A security vulnerability can have major implications for healthcare organizations, financial institutions, homeland security agencies and more. It is important to identify these concerns quickly and proactively to avoid malicious attacks.

Below are some of the top software security issues businesses are facing:

Phishing: Phishing happens when an attacker poses as someone else in an attempt to gain personal information, such as software credentials.

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) Attacks: A DDoS attack happens when an attacker overloads servers with packets, causing the software to crash.

Cloud service attacks: Companies are increasingly relying on cloud-based services to support remote workers. Some cloud infrastructure has vulnerabilities hackers can exploit.

Software supply chain attacks: Some pieces of software are critical in the business supply chain, especially for e-commerce. A software supply chain attack happens when hackers exploit a third-party service to access data about a business.

Software Security Tools and Responsibilities

Building secure software is a group effort. All stakeholders in software development, from developers to executives, need to understand how software security practices benefit them. They must also understand the risks of not implementing them and allocate proper resources to security tasks.

There are several tools that an organization can leverage for software security:

Static application security testing: This tool examines source code at rest and flags vulnerabilities for developers to fix.

Dynamic application security testing: This tool examines an application's code while it is running and detects weaknesses in the software.

Software composition analysis: This tool checks for vulnerabilities against a software's governance guidelines. Software composition analysis is especially valuable for open-source software.

Mobile application security testing: This tool analyzes mobile code to identify specific vulnerabilities that could lead to unique security risks, such as improper platform usage and insecure data storage.

Software Security Best Practices

Malicious users often target vulnerable areas of software in order to access, use or destroy different programs. However, secure software development can help prevent these events from occurring. Here are a few key best practices for implementing, ensuring and improving software security.

Implementing Software Security

From the beginning of development, it is important to implement foundational security best practices. Here are a few examples:

Implement least privilege: Least privilege refers to the practice of giving software users limited access to a program. A hacker will not be able to access features, rights and controls that a user does not have, helping minimize the impact of an attack.

Encrypt software data: Data encryption transforms readable data into an unreadable, protected format. If a hacker is able to access this information, they would not be able to use it unless they have the encryption key. Make sure to encrypt all software data at rest and in transit.

Automate software security tasks: It can be difficult to monitor your entire infrastructure for vulnerabilities. Consider investing in security software that performs these tasks for you. With automation, you can reduce human error and increase the scope of your security protocol.

Implement two-factor authentication: This security protocol requires a user to provide two pieces of information in order to log into their account, such as sending a text to their phone. A hacker won't be able to access the system even if they have one set of credentials.

Perform employee training: All employees need to be aware of the importance of software security and know how to protect themselves and their data. Software security teams can host regular training sessions to keep everyone up to date.

Ensuring and Improving Software Security

Secure software development is an ongoing process. All new features, tools and software should adhere to security protocol and be free of vulnerabilities. To ensure and improve software security, it is important to:

Embed security improvements in the development life cycle.

Implement security best practices into the design and development of new features.

Perform regular application testing to identify potential weaknesses.

Patch or fix a vulnerability as soon as someone detects it.

Regularly update security protocol to stay ahead of evolving software security threats.

Learn More About Software Security

Software security is essential to make programs free of vulnerabilities and avoid attacks that could leak sensitive data. If your company is engaging in software development, it is critical to perform regular testing and follow application security best practices.

However, these processes can be time-consuming and complex. Investing in security software can help your business maintain strong protocols and reduce vulnerability.

The CrowdStrike Falcon ® platform can help you secure the most critical areas of software risk. Using this unified cloud-native platform, you can protect your business against security threats while gaining complete visibility into your infrastructure, applications and more. Learn more about the Falcon platform and its powerful features here.

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What is Software Security? | CrowdStrike

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Software security refers to a set of practices that help protect software applications and digital solutions from attackers.

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What is Software Security? | Let's Talk Software Security #52

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Introduction to Software Security | Vulnerabilities and Mitigation

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HOW YOU ACCESS AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH OTHERS

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WEBSITE

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Web Developer (2024 Guide)

BrainStation's Web Developer career guide is intended to help you take the first steps toward a lucrative career in web development. Learn more about what the web development field covers.

Become a Web Developer

Speak to a Learning Advisor to learn more about the Web Development Bootcamp and how you can become a Web Developer in just 12 weeks.

Web development, also known as website development, refers to the tasks associated with creating, building, and maintaining websites and web applications that run online on a browser. It may, however, also include web design, web programming, and database management.

Web development is closely related to the job of designing the features and functionality of apps (web design). The term development is usually reserved for the actual construction of these things (that is to say, the programming of sites).

The basic tools involved in web development are programming languages called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript. There are, however, a number of other programs used to "manage" or facilitate the construction of sites that would otherwise have to be done "from scratch" by writing code. A number of content management systems (CMS) fall into this category, including WordPress, Joomla!, Drupal, TYPO3, and Adobe Experience Manager, among others.

What Exactly is Web Development?

Web development is closely related to the job of designing the features and functionality of websites and apps (often called "web design"), but the "web development" term is usually reserved for the actual construction and programming of websites and apps.

Think of all the web pages you have used over the years - Web Developers built those sites, making sure they functioned properly and performed in ways that allowed for a great user experience. Web Developers do this by writing lines of code, using a variety of programming languages, which vary depending on the tasks they are performing and the platforms they are working on.

Web Development vs. Web Design

Though there is overlap, there are also key differences between web development and web design. Let's take a closer look:

Web Designers:

Create everything a user sees on a website or software product, including all visual, color, typography, and usability elements

Work directly with a client to create designs or work as part of a team to develop client vision

May need knowledge of a programming language or some coding skills, or at least some level of familiarity with widely used languages such as HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript

Create wireframes and prototypes to test design ideas, offer input on design logos, branding, company style guides

Web Developers:

Write the code that makes a website function, whether they work on the front end or back end (server-side)

Create or implement designs demanded by a client or created by a design team

Need expert-level knowledge of a variety of programming languages, including HTML (HyperText Markup Language), CSS, PHP, and JavaScript but also extending to other languages (Ruby, C/C++, Python), frameworks, and libraries

Rarely create mockups, select typography, or pick color palettes

The most common programming languages involved in web development are:

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

JavaScript

Types of Web Development

There are three main types of web development: front-end development, back-end development, and full-stack development.

What Is Front-End Development?

Front-end development involves the "client-facing" side of web development. That is to say usually, front-end web development refers to the portion of the site, app, or digital product that users will see and interact with. A Front-End Developer, therefore, is responsible for the way a digital product looks and "feels," which is why they are often also referred to as Web Designers.

Front-End Web Developers focus on translating website design and visual ideas into code. A front-end Software Developer takes the design ideas created by others on web development teams and programs them into reality, acting as a bridge between design and technology.

Front-End Developers will usually need to possess a solid understanding of programming languages, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as frameworks like React, Bootstrap, Backbone, AngularJS, and EmberJS. Responsibilities of a Front-End Developer would include creating responsive websites (that look and function well on any device), conducting website testing and fixing any bugs detected along the web development process, and ensuring site structure follows SEO best practices.

Front-End Development Jobs

Unlike back-end development, there are a number of job titles that cover different skill sets and experience levels within front-end development, including:

Front-End Developer

Front-End Engineer

CSS/HTML Web Developer

Front-End Web Designer (this usually denotes a role that involves more visual and interaction design requirements)

Front-End User Interface Developer (covering interaction design skills)

Mobile Front-End Web Developer

Front-End SEO Expert (usually denoting a Developer with experience incorporating SEO strategy)

Front-End Accessibility Expert

Front-End Dev Ops

Front-End QA (involving unit testing, functional testing, user testing, and A/B testing)

What Is Back-End Development?

If Front-End Developers are responsible for how a digital product looks, Back-End Developers are focused on how it works. A Back-End Developer creates the basic framework of a website before maintaining it and ensuring it performs the way it should, including database interactions, user authentication, server, network and hosting configuration, and business logic. Working behind the scenes - or server-side - Back End Developers are concerned with the systems and structures that allow computer applications to perform as desired.

The primary responsibility of Back-End Developers is to ensure the functionality of the site, including its responsiveness and speed. To do that, Back-End Developers have to know how to build servers with modern frameworks (while developing custom APIs and serving static websites and files), and how to manage databases and data on a web server.

Typically, Back-End Developers use server-side programming languages, including PHP, Ruby, and Python, as well as tools including MySQL, Oracle, and Git.

What Is a Full-Stack Developer?

A Full-Stack Developer is someone familiar with both front- and back-end development. Full Stack Developers usually understand a wide variety of programming languages and because of their versatility, they might be given more of a leadership role on projects than developers who specialize. They are generalists, adept at wearing both hats, and familiar with every layer of development. Obviously, employers want to hire Full-Stack Developers - according to an Indeed study, they are the fourth-most in-demand job in tech.

If the title is contentious, it's in the generalist nature of the position. Developers who specialize in the front-end or back-end often bristle at the notion that someone could be equally adept at both - the expression "jack-of-all-trades, master of none" comes to mind.

"My defensive tendencies are normally put on high alert when I hear that magic phrase ('full-stack')," wrote Front-End Developer Andy Shora. "Stacks are a lot bigger than what they used to be, and being able to claim one has acquired refined skills at every layer of web development is certainly not a small claim. Does this mean you have a broad range of skills or you specialize in everything?"

While that perception persists, there still is an increasing number of tech professionals who consider themselves Full-Stack Developers. According to a recent Stack Overflow survey of Developers, 48.2 percent consider themselves Full-Stack Developers.

What's unclear is whether Developers are now expected to possess a broader skillset, or if Developers are taking it upon themselves to understand functions at both the front-end and back-end. Either way, it's becoming increasingly important for aspiring Developers to have a foundation in both.

"For most people hoping to break into web improvement, you should center around working up an establishment in both front-end and back-end advancement first," recommended Software Engineer and Tech Writer Muhammad Anser. "At that point, you can float towards a claim to fame later on."

And with demand for Developers expected to grow 15 percent by 2026 (for 24,400 new jobs), much faster than the U.S. average rate of job growth, there may not be a better time to dive in and learn more about all the layers of Web Development.

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Web development is the building and maintenance of websites and applications. But that's just the beginning in this growing field.

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Uses of anti-glare protectore and other ways of caring

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Uses of anti-glare protectore and other ways of caring

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Why you need an anti-glare screen protector #shorts

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Hardware security

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What Is Computer Hardware Security? - SecurityFirstCorp.com

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ACCESSING INFORMATION

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Where you com up with a real development of your idea

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How To Build A Website From Start To Finish (FULL PROCESS)

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www.researchgate.net needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding.

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HOW LEARNERS USE COMPUTERS AND INTERNET TO ACCESS INFORMATION

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HOW LEARNERS USE COMPUTERS AND INTERNET TO ACCESS INFORMATION

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EXAMPLES OF OFFLINE  PLATFORM TO SEARCH INFORMATION

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EXAMPLES OF OFFLINE  PLATFORM TO SEARCH INFORMATION

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The Ultimate List of Offline Apps for Every Need

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Discover the ultimate list of offline apps tailored for every need. Enhance your productivity and leisure with our guide to offline tools.

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In this Section

In this section you will learn about the following types of information sources:

Video Tutorial: What is a Library Database?

Video Source: RMIT University

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LibGuides: Information Literacy Guide: Types of Information Sources

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Skip to main content It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEARCH ENGINES AND OFFLINE DATABASES

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEARCH ENGINES AND OFFLINE DATABASES

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Difference between Database and Search Engine - GeeksforGeeks

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Your All-in-One Learning Portal: GeeksforGeeks is a comprehensive educational platform that empowers learners across domains-spanning computer science and programming, school education, upskilling, commerce, software tools, competitive exams, and more.

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EVALUATION OF RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION SOURCES

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EVALUATION OF RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION SOURCES

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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Summary:
Evaluating sources of information is an important step in any research activity. This section provides information on evaluating bibliographic citations, aspects of evaluation, reading evaluation, print vs. online sources, and evaluating Internet sources.

Evaluating sources means recognizing whether the information you read and include in your research is credible. Despite the large amount of information available, both in print and online, not all of it is valid, useful, or accurate. Evaluating sources of information that you might include in your writing is an important step in any research process.

When writing research papers, not only will you be searching for information, but you will be evaluating the sources for credibility. You have to decide where to look, how to recognize credible sources, and how to cross-check your information. Learning how to evaluate effectively is a skill you need both for your course papers and for your life.

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Introduction - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

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IDENTIFY ETHICAL ISSUES IN ACCESSING INFORMATION

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IDENTIFY ETHICAL ISSUES IN ACCESSING INFORMATION

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In today's rapidly advancing digital world, information technology (IT) has become essential to our personal and professional lives, transforming how we access information - communicate and work. However, as technology advances, it presents ethical dilemmas that require careful consideration. These challenges have gained significant attention due to privacy breaches and biased algorithms. We must address and navigate these ethical concerns in IT carefully.

In this blog post, we explore ethical issues in IT and emphasize the importance of balancing innovation with accountability. Responsible decision-making, ethical considerations, and responsibility for the impact of technological innovations are crucial in the IT industry.

The importance of ethics in technology

Ethics plays a vital role in technology for several reasons. Firstly, ethical behavior fosters trust and confidence among users, crucial for successful technological advancements and user adoption.

Secondly, ethical considerations protect individuals' privacy and ensure responsible handling of personal data. Fairness and equity are also essential, as technology should benefit everyone regardless of their background. Ethical decision-making is the definition of accountable use of technology while considering societal impacts, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. It also involves considering moral principles and values when making decisions and taking action. It is crucial in the IT sector as it promotes responsible data handling, privacy protection, fairness, inclusivity, transparency, and accountability. Organizations can build trust, prevent bias and discrimination by prioritizing ethical practices, and shape a sustainable and trustworthy digital landscape.

Embracing ethics helps the tech industry maintain legal compliance, build positive relationships with stakeholders, and establish a culture of accountability and integrity.

Ethical issues in information technology

Ethical issues in information technology encompass various concerns and considerations related to technology use, development, and impact. Some of the prominent ethical issues in information technology include:

1. Privacy and data protection: Collecting, storing, and using personal data raises significant ethical concerns. Protecting individuals' privacy rights through data privacy measures, informed consent, and robust security is essential.

The European Union implemented a comprehensive data protection law known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to enhance privacy and data protection. It gives individuals more control over their data, establishes strict consent requirements, grants rights to individuals, sets data protection principles, mandates data breach notification, and regulates cross-border data transfers. It aims to safeguard individuals' rights and promote responsible data handling.

2. Access rights: Unequal access to technology and the digital divide raise ethical concerns about equal opportunities and limited access to essential services. Bridging the digital divide and ensuring fair access to technology is crucial for creating an inclusive society.

3. Harmful actions: Ethical conduct in IT prohibits intentional damage or alteration of IT systems, including actions that harm users, employees, employers, or the general public.

4. Intellectual property: Issues related to patents, copyright, and trade secrets arise in information technology. Protecting intellectual property rights while encouraging innovation and fair use of technology is a complex ethical challenge.

5. Liability and accountability: Determining liability and responsibility for software or hardware defects that can cause data breaches or other negative consequences is an ethical concern. It is crucial to address this issue in a way to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions.

6. Cybersecurity and ethical hacking: The ever-growing threat of cyber attacks raises ethical questions about cybersecurity practices, particularly in the context of ethical hacking (white-hat hacking). Ethical hacking is the authorized practice of finding and exploiting security weaknesses in computer systems to improve their security. It involves hacking techniques to identify vulnerabilities and assists organizations in enhancing their defenses against cyber threats, making it a crucial ethical consideration.

7. Algorithmic bias and fairness: Algorithms can be biased, perpetuating discrimination and social inequalities. Ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in algorithmic decision-making is an ethical imperative.

8. Artificial intelligence and automation: Ethical considerations arise with the increasing use of AI and business processes' automation, including concerns about job displacement, privacy, and biased or unethical decisions by autonomous systems.

9. Digital manipulation and misinformation: The spread of misinformation and digital manipulation raises ethical concerns about the impact on public trust, democratic processes, and individual well-being. Addressing these issues involves promoting media literacy and the responsible use of technology.

10. Social impact and responsibility: The broader social impact of technology, such as its effect on communities, the environment, and society at large, requires ethical reflection. Ensuring that technology contributes positively to society and respects human rights and environmental sustainability is a moral imperative.

These are just a few examples of ethical issues in IT. As technology advances, new ethical challenges will arise, necessitating ongoing reflection, discussion, and ethical decision-making to navigate the complex intersection of technology and ethics.

Balancing innovation and responsibility

Achieving a harmonious balance between innovation and responsibility is a multifaceted task crucial for the success of organizations in today's fast-paced world. The following strategies highlight how innovation and commitment can work hand in hand, ensuring ethical and sustainable progress.

By implementing these strategies, organizations can cultivate a harmonious relationship between innovation and responsibility, driving sustainable progress while upholding ethical standards.

Here are some strategies to help strike that balance effectively:

1. Establish ethical frameworks: Organizations should develop explicit ethical frameworks and guidelines that address the ethical considerations associated with innovation. These frameworks serve as a compass for responsible decision-making and provide employees with clear guidelines.

For example, creating an ethical framework document can help guide the development of artificial intelligence algorithms to ensure fairness and prevent bias.

2. Foster cross-functional collaboration: Encouraging collaboration among diverse teams and departments allows for integrating various ethical perspectives in innovation. Organizations can identify and address ethical concerns more comprehensively by bringing together professionals from different backgrounds. For instance, involving legal experts and engineers in developing autonomous vehicles can ensure responsible decision-making regarding safety and liability.

3. Conduct impact assessments: Before implementing new technologies or innovations, impact assessments are crucial. They evaluate potential positive and negative consequences for stakeholders, helping organizations proactively address ethical concerns. For example, in a non-IT industry, a wind farm construction project in a coastal area would undergo an impact assessment to identify potential environmental risks and take necessary measures for responsible implementation. Conducting such assessments ensures a harmonious balance between innovation and responsibility.

4. Embrace user-centric design: Prioritizing user-centered design approaches ensures that innovation aligns with users' needs, values, and well-being. Involving users in the design and development process allows organizations to gather feedback and integrate ethical considerations into the innovation. For instance, applying user representatives in the design of a social media platform helps address privacy concerns and protect user data.

5. Provide education and training: Offering employees continuous education and training on ethical considerations and responsible innovation is vital. Keeping employees informed about emerging ethical issues empowers them to make ethical decisions throughout the innovation process. For example, providing cybersecurity training equips employees with the knowledge to address privacy and security concerns when developing new software applications.

6. Seek external expertise and audits: Engaging external experts and conducting third-party audits helps evaluate the ethical implications of innovations. Independent assessments provide valuable insights, identify potential risks, and offer mitigation recommendations. For example, involving external privacy experts to conduct audits on data handling practices ensures responsible data management in a healthcare organization.

7. Foster open dialogue and transparency: Encouraging open dialogue within the organization and transparent communication with external stakeholders builds a culture of accountability and trust. Transparent decision-making processes and active listening to stakeholders' feedback enable organizations to address ethical considerations effectively. For instance, hosting public consultations when introducing new technologies helps understand and address public concerns regarding privacy and surveillance.

8. Ensure regulatory compliance: Staying updated with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards is crucial for responsible innovation. Understanding and adhering to legal frameworks governing the industry, data privacy, and security ensures compliance throughout the innovation journey. For example, complying with data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) demonstrates responsible data handling practices.

9. Continuously evaluate and improve: Regularly assessing and evaluating the ethical impact of innovations after implementation is essential. Collecting user feedback, monitoring outcomes, and staying open to revisiting and improving innovations based on ethical considerations and lessons learned ensures responsible and responsive innovation. For example, regularly reviewing algorithms used in online recommendation systems allows organizations to identify and rectify biases or discriminatory patterns.

Final thoughts

As information technology continues to evolve, we must address the ethical issues that arise along the way.

Finding the delicate balance between innovation and responsibility in information technology is crucial for creating a sustainable and ethical digital landscape.

By embracing ethical principles, the tech industry can build trust, protect privacy, promote fairness and equity, and foster positive social impact. Responsible innovation not only ensures legal compliance and positive stakeholder relationships but also contributes to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Hey, you! What do you think?

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Ethical issues in information technology - balancing innovation and responsibility

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Discover just how to attain a balanced harmony between innovation and accountability in the field of information technology.

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