The corporate network infrastructure can withhold a huge amount of data relevant to the company. It is imperative that this data has restricted access, and can not be viewed by unauthorised personnel. There are many ways of implementing an ‘Access Control’ solution which generally utilise a username/ password scenario or possibly having an agent on the end user point that verifies its authenticity. However, for increased protection to highly sensitive networks it is strongly advisable to consider a more secure approach. ‘Two Factor Authentication’ provides a solution to this scenario which is trusted and utilised in the most security conscious of environments including banks and finance sectors.
So why is the old username/ password system considered inappropriate by many top establishments? Firstly the username is generally easy to guess. In normal circumstances it will be based on a very simple formula which revolves around the employees name, which is the same formula used for all employees. So the first step in the process is already relatively insecure. Secondly, the username is combined with a password that goes hand in hand with the username. Passwords are generally easier to guess than people acknowledge and can vary around birthdays, mothers’ maiden names, and are probably very similar to passwords they use for a variety of other accounts. This is generally because so many accounts require passwords; users try to make them as simple as possible so they won’t forget them themselves. To make matters worse, many companies have the policy that passwords expire on a regular basis and force their employees to constantly change them. How does this make matters worse? Well it actually makes the password harder to remember for the operator, who is generally the weakest link in your company’s security. If the operator finds it hard to remember then they are likely to leave a reminder somewhere so they don’t forget themselves. This can be a post it note on the monitor or scraps of paper around the desk either under the keyboard, in the top drawer or in the nearby vicinity.

So what does ‘Two Factor Authentication’ offer? Using this method the user will require an additional piece of information in conjunction with their username/ password to gain access to the network. There are various vendors out there providing different versions of this solution, though the common approach is for a ‘token’ to be issued. The token is a small device which will comfortably fit into your pocket and is quite often able to attach onto your key ring. At any one time the token will display a numerical value. This value will provide an authorisation code unique to the individual employee that when combined with the username/ password will grant access to the network. How is this secure? Well the numerical value on the token changes every 60 seconds. The network infrastructure will be aware of the number that is expected and will verify it against the number being produced. If they match, then the connection will be successful otherwise they are not allowed to connect. This provides huge advances for the security of the network as this token won’t be found next to the computer when the user is away and due to the sheer complexity of the algorithms used to generate the values, the code has never been cracked. Even if someone was given the formula, they couldn’t process the figures quick enough to calculate the next number in anywhere near under a minute. In fact competitions are held regularly where some of the top mathematical minds are allowed months to attempt it, and it is still safe. Also, each number can only be used once, so if a number is compromised after the users fingers are seen typing the digits in, and a hacker tries to repeat that code within the 60 second window, it will already be void.

It also provides a solution for commuting staff that are looking to obtain remote access. They can use this process across a remote access solution, and are able to verify themselves in a very safe and secure manner. No agents will be required to be uploaded to the end user point so staff are not necessarily restricted to what computer they can access the infrastructure on.

This is a brief introduction to ‘Two Factor Authentication’ and provides a very strong and trusted solution for Network Managers.

‘Secure in the Knowledge’

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In a world that, more often than not, tends to focus on the differences between people, is often pleasant to find little ways in which we are all similar. For example, we all enjoy music, movies, and the company of good friends. And, at some moment in our lives, we have all played cards. Now, some of us have enjoyed bridge, and some of us have enjoyed poker, but at one time or another, we’ve all attempted some form of a card game. The understanding that an ace, which is really just the “one,” is automatically the highest card in the deck, is something that is ingrained into us at such a young age, that were more than likely unable to remember when it was exactly that we learned this fact.
And it’s not just the card games, if the vernacular associated with the games that have really embedded itself into the minds of average American. Terms like “trump,” “royal flush,” “clubs,” and “dead man’s hand,” have wormed their way into our culture. And why shouldn’t this be the case, card games are amongst the oldest and most popular games, to hit the good old USA.

But now, card games have found their way online. And in doing so, they’ve become even more popular. My father, for example, is a life-long bridge player. –And a pretty good one. But at the age of 82, he’s now able to play bridge without leaving his home. Sure, he has the same conversations, and tells similar jokes. He just does it without the hassle of having to drive to the local bridge studio. And it is not like it was an easy transition for him. My father was not quite ready for the World Wide Web. In fact, his only definition for the word “mouse,” was that of the “Mickey” variety.

And it’s not just games for teams of two teams, like bridge, or spades, that have made the transition to the online world. It’s also games like solitaire. A new release by Jenkatgames (Jenkatgames dot com) entitled “Fresh Air Solitaire,” really manages to bring the game firmly into the 21st century. Players are able to play a more robust, and exhilarating game of solitaire, without having to once shuffle the cards.

Fresh air solitaire enables players to progress through a series of levels. –each represented by a different outdoor environment. Lush sound effects accompany the experience. Sounds such as birds, frogs, and other wildlife, create a relaxing, and soothing environment in which to enjoy the game. So, what’s nice is, even if it’s snowing, or raining outside, Fresh Air Solitaire enables the player to feel as if they’re enjoying a game in paradise.

Card games have made a big impact on the world, and our country specifically. This impact has been felt significantly, and most recently, on the Internet. A good game, is a good game.-and it’s really as simple as that. And card games, even perhaps solitaire in particular, have proven that time and time again.

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Mahjong
is a darn popular game. Actually, that’s a tad of an understatement. Invented in China, Mahjong is a game that entwines skill, strategy and luck in a unique way. Akin to other games, like dominoes, Mahjong utilizes the use of titles which are combined in attempts to complete the player’s hand. Sound simple? It isn’t. Sound addictive? Oh, it is.

Mahjong was a cool pastime before the Internet was even invented. Come to think of it, Mahjong was a pretty cool game even before the automobile was invented. In fact, mahjong was so popular with the Chinese folks, and later the globe, that it managed to enjoy a lifespan that was longer than perhaps any other game in the history of the world. Chinese myth tells us that Mahjong was created by Confucius himself in, or round, 500 B.C. Now, whether or not this is true, is anybody’s guess. But it does lend a certain air of sophistication, to any game, to suggest that Confucius himself while away the hours playing it, in between bouts of delivering Chinese philosophy.

But watch out! With the invention of the Internet, and much later the online video game, Mahjong has become more popular than even Confucius would have thought possible. The chance to play games, especially classic games, in the comfort of one’s own home has caused a monstrous resurgence in many older games. Games like Mahjong, thanks to the World Wide Web, are now reaching people, and age groups, that it never did before.

A moderately new mahjong game, released by Jenkatgames dot com, entitled “Café Mahjongg,” combines an exciting, new-age sophistication to the ancient puzzle game. Basically, the core elements of Mahjong are completely intact. It’s just that now the game is intertwined with an enjoyable coffee shop motif. The tile patterns are prearranged into amusing shapes that complement the coffee theme. As play goes along, the player will advance from level to level, revealing new boards, and new challenges.

Café Mahjongg manages to be successful in an area where very few of the recently re-imagined classic games can. Café Mahjongg allows players to feel the thrill and energy of a video game, while providing the key elements of the classic game it represents. Mahjong may be popular, but never was it capable of reaching a mass audience like it is now.

And while numerous other games like solitaire, dominos, and various classic card games have all made the leap to the online game market, none have done so as triumphantly as mahjong’s transformation into Café Mahjongg. Because, after all, a classic game is still a classic game. And the furthermost achievement a game designer can hope for when re-creating these legendary games, would be the intelligence to not alter, or change any of the key elements that made the game such a classic to begin with. Jenkatgames has done a great job of not turning Confucius’ favorite pastime into “new Coke.”

Mahjong has managed to stick around for several centuries, and it will no doubt be around for several more. To those of you already been bitten by the Mahjong bug, this comes as old, old news. But to those of you unfamiliar with China’s greatest pastime I implore you to take some time today and play a game or two. It sure beats the tar out of whatever is on Television

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