Scribd
Upload
29 views

COMPUTER SECURITY NOTES

Uploaded by

j2700617
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
29 views

COMPUTER SECURITY NOTES

Uploaded by

j2700617
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

COMPUTER SECURITY

Definition

Computer Security is the process of detecting and preventing any unauthorized use of computer
related materials. It involves the process of safeguarding against trespassers from using your
personal or office based computer resources with malicious intent or for their own gains, or even
for gaining any access to them accidentally.

Why Computer Security?

Cyberspace (internet, work environment, intranet) is becoming a dangerous place for all
organizations and individuals to protect their sensitive data or reputation. This is because of the
numerous people and machines accessing it.

(The world is now like a global village because of networking [Wide Area Network]; ICT –
Integration of computers along with telecommunication devices like modems, telephone lines
etc.)

Why is it successful?

 Hacking tools that can be found very easily by everyone just by accessing the internet
and they are endless.
 Access to hacking information manuals.
 Technology with the end-users has increased rapidly within these years, like internet
bandwidth and computer processing speeds.
Note:
All this can make even a school boy with the curiosity, a potential hacker for your
organization.

What to Secure?

Let’s see this case, you are an IT administrator in a small company having two small servers
staying in a corner and you are very good at your job. You are doing updates regularly, setting up
firewalls, antiviruses, etc. One day, you see that the organization employees are not accessing the
systems anymore. When you go and check, you see the cleaning lady doing her job and by
mistake, she had removed the power cable and unplugged the server.

Note:

In this case, even physical security is important in computer security, as most of us think it is the
last thing to take care of.

Data security core principles

Confidentiality:

Sensitive information that belongs to an individual, organization or a company should not be


disclosed to unauthorized person.

Integrity

Data or information should not be modified without the owner’s authority.

Availability

Information must be available on demand, but to the right owner or registered user.

Computer threats

A threat is a potential danger to an information system which interferes with data security core
principles.

Categories of computer threats

i. Theft
a. Physical
Control measures: employ security personnel. Reinforce weak access points,
b. Intellectual – piracy
Control measures Enforce laws that protect the owners of the propert, make
software and digital content affordable, licences and certificates for genuine
softwares, set admin paswords.

ii. System failure


a. Unstable power
b. Network breakdown
c. Hardware failure
d. Natural disaster
iii. Fraud
Stealing by false pretence, use of counterfeit documents.
Control measures:
iv. Sabotage
Malicious destruction of data and information with the aim of bringing down an
organization.
Control measures:
v. Malicious programs like viruses.
Control measures: Install the latest version of anti-virus software and make regular
updates, always scan removable storage media for virus before using them, scan
attachments for viruses before opening or downloading them.
vi. Privacy and confidentiality – unauthorized access
Eavesdropping, surveillance, industrial espionage, social engineering, hacking and
cracking
Control measures: firewall. Data encryption, biometric security, security policy –
smart cards, PIN, log on accounts

You might also like