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New website focuses on Internet security
Privacy is paramount Jason Ronald
Echo Reporter
Wednesday January 16, 2008 Airdrie Echo — A new website has been launched to help people keep the private information stored on their computers private.
The website – www.webstoppers.ca – was created in response to some people’s growing concern over identity theft on the Internet, as well as the large number of viruses bouncing around in cyberspace.
"There has to be accountability with the Internet," said Christopher Egilo, Webstoppers administrator and software designer.
Egilo, who worked on his software for the past 13 months straight, started Webstoppers because he nearly lost his life’s work due to a computer virus, but also because he is concerned for the small business person who could lose his or her house if the business was compromised.
"I have a lot of passion about this," Egilo said.
The idea is that the website will work like Crime Stoppers for the Internet.
It’s a free website on which people can report suspicious websites where they fear their personal information was compromised or somewhere they believe they got viruses.
"If you have a virus, it’s like a backdoor to your computer," Egilo said, adding that the creator of that virus can look into a person’s personal information at any time.
"It’s a criminal without a face and it’s too complex to be prosecuted," he said.
Once a site is reported, Egilo uses software he created to evaluate a website’s vulnerabilities and identify any viruses it may have. If there are serious issues, Egilo sends the website’s owner a copy of his site audit with three options:
• The website owner can have the administrator fix up the vulnerabilities.
• The website owner can hire Egilo’s for-profit company – securedcanada.com – to have him fix up the gaps in security.
• The website owner can do nothing.
If the website owner does nothing, or the website is not fixed up to Egilo’s standards for security, then it is placed on a watch list, which will be posted online for everyone to see. If a company updates its security, it will immediately be removed from the watch list.
Conversely, if a site is deemed up to Egilo’s security standards it is placed on a safe list, which is also available for all to see.
One easy way to tell if a website could compromise personal information is to read the website’s privacy policy.
"If they don’t have one, then it’s (probably) been compromised," Egilo said. |
