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Learn about the education and preparation needed to become a Internet security administrator. Get a quick view of the requirements as well as details about schooling, job duties and certification to find out if this is the career for you.

Internet security administrators are the security professionals who specialize in protecting businesses from cyber attacks on their computer systems from hackers and viruses. They will typically have a bachelor's degree in information technology or computer science though their background in computer security is equally important. With businesses becoming more and more reliant on computer technology, the need for internet security administrators are on the rise with an expected growth rate of 18 percent for the next decade.

Internet security administrators are responsible for protecting computer systems against attack. Due to an increasing number of cyber attacks on computer systems, this industry has grown, and Internet security administrators are in higher demand. Although most security administrators hold bachelor's degrees, in this field, a combination of professional experience, knowledge of internet and network systems, and industry certifications often outweigh formal education credentials.

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Internet security administrators are also known as computer security specialists, network security analysts or Internet security specialists. The security administrator handles all aspects of information security. They teach others about computer security, check for security violations, install protection software and take action against cyber attacks. In some cases, an Internet security administrator may provide evidence of a cyber attack to prosecute individuals for breaching security.

Security administrators are known for their communication skills, as well as their ability to detect and analyze problems. Once a problem is detected, Internet security administrators are expected to quickly and accurately find a solution.

Most Internet security administrators work full-time. They are sometimes asked to work on-call in case of an emergency. Since data security threats continue to be of concern, employment opportunities for information security analysts are expected to grow a faster-than-average 18% from 2014-2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS further states that most of these professionals made between $51,280 and $143,770 per year in 2015.

Usually Internet security administrator positions require a bachelor's degree, but not necessarily in a related field. Common majors found in the field may include information technology, computer science and information systems. Although a bachelor's degree is beneficial, some employers may not require one. Many employers may find work experience and certification sufficient for many entry-level positions.

Certification is viewed as an industry standard. Internet security administrators are expected to stay up-to-date with current technology, so continuing education is also important. Individuals can find certification and continuing education courses on a variety of topics including:

Internet security administrators are security professionals who specialize in providing companies guidance on their internal security procedures and detect any weaknesses in their computer network that make them vulnerable to cyber attacks. While there are degrees offered in information technology and information systems, interested individuals who can also pursue certifications that keep them up-to-date with current technology. This is a growing industry where those employed can earn a possible salary anywhere between $51,280 to $143,770 a year.

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Internet Security Administrator: Job Description and Requirements

Computer Virus, Malware, Spyware and Adware: Whats the Difference?

Viruses, spyware, and adware are all malware with distinct differences. All of them do damage to legitimate computer users but they fall into different categories depending on the intent of their attack.

Viruses are a bit of malicious code that is secretly included in an application you decide to download. It replicates itself to infect other computers. Eventually, the virus is activated for its purpose: deleting important files, corrupting information, or randomly shutting off your computer.

Spyware is malicious software that gets installed without the user even knowing about it. This is usually the most dangerous form of attack. It invades your internet security to find sensitive information from your computer and sell it for a price on the black market.

Adware, on the other hand, is a unique form of software specifically written to produce popup ads. The popups can start as the user uses a certain application, when they visit a particular website online, or simply as soon as they boot up their computer. The most deceptive form of adware shows a popup telling the user their computer is infected and that they need to install antivirus software.

Computers and the internet are now almost a necessity in every day life. We email and chat with friends and family far away. We watch our favorite shows or how to videos to troubleshoot a problem. A lot of us even bank or shop online.

Whenever youve connected to the internet, you are opening up your private information to the world. Once online, computer viruses and malware find ways to infect your computer without your knowledge. Antivirus software provides the best virus protection and will remove any malware found on your computer.

You might already know that Microsoft Windows includes a basic form of antivirus. If you have Microsoft Windows 7 or earlier, you can download Microsoft Security Essentials, which will provide some basic protection against viruses, spyware and other malicious software. Microsoft Security Essentials are upgraded and renamed to Windows Defender in Microsoft Windows 8 and later. For example, the standard antivirus for Windows 10 is Windows Defender.

The bottom line is that Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender are free and does a reasonable job. But being free has limitations too. Support is limited (if any at all) and might not catch the very latest cyber threats. If the files on your computer are important (e.g. work documents, cherish family pictures, etc) we recommend that you pay for the best antivirus software. That way youll get the up-to-date protection to keep you safe.

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Best Antivirus Software, Internet Security & Malware Removal

Norton Security represents Symantec's next step in terms of PC safety and malware prevention.It is a different product than Norton Internet Security, as Norton Security offers multi-device protection and secure backup features. For those unfamiliarized with Norton, the software utility is designed to prevent, identify and remove files infected with viruses, Trojans, worms, rootkits and other kinds of malicious traces, in addition to some safety measures concerning online navigation.

Setting up Security should be a fast and painless task to any user, since the tool is not flexible when it comes to handpicking the components; everything is installed by default.

Sharing its look with Norton AntiVirus, Security's interface is mostly user-friendly, although some of its options could have been better put together. Most security modules can be activated and deactivated with one click, as well as configured in detailed by advanced users. Terminology could be an issue in some cases, since Norton adopts unique names to describe proprietary technologies.

Settings may be customized in detail for Norton Security by defining the scanning scope, such as compressed files, rootkits and stealth items, network drives, heuristics protection, low-risk threats, tracking cookies, scan scheduler, file and virus signature exclusions, and so on.

The real-time protection module has all components turned on by default. Norton is able to prevent spyware from infiltrating into the system while keeping an eye out for suspicious removable media devices and network locations. It can also scan Windows autostart entries at every boot sequence and hide notifications to let users carry on with normal PC activity without any intrusions.

All traffic between the computer and other systems can be temporarily blocked, while intrusion signatures can be customized to give passes to any items. The application monitors incoming and outgoing messages in email clients, and also features a personal firewall for network traffic, apps with tailored Internet access rules, and so on.

Online navigation is ensured by Norton, since it oversees web addresses and notifies users on malware-infected or suspicious links. It also keeps track of downloaded files and includes an identity safe to hold all confidential data in one place (e.g. autofill forms, credit card info). What's more, users are protected from phishing websites whose purpose is to steal transactional data.

Thanks to the cloud technology used, Norton Security finishes scan jobs faster than many other av products. It is mostly successful concerning identified and removed malware files, and regularly receives virus definition updates. CPU and RAM consumption is generally low. Although less experienced users are likely to get lost in translation when trying to figure our each features, advanced ones will probably find Norton Security worthwhile.

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Norton Internet Security - softpedia.com