Learning Aim C

Learning Aim C

1. threat types

   • opportunist threats
     • People who fi nd an unattended computer which has been left logged in to a system may view, steal or damage information, programs or even hardware.
   • computer viruses
     • These are small programs which can replicate themselves and spread from computer to computer. They are never benefi cial; usually they will make some changes to the system they infect and, even if they do no real damage, they are undesirable. They arrive by attaching themselves to fi les or email messages.
   • other malware.
     • Examples of malware include: computer worms (essentially a computer virus which does not need to attach itself to a fi le or message); Trojan horses, which appear as some benign program allowing a hacker full access to a system; spyware; adware; and various other nasties. Malware is never benefi cial.
   • Phishing
     • This is a type of threat which attempts to gain access to passwords, fi nancial details and other such privileged information. Often this is done by email messages pretending to come from trusted websites, instant messaging or social networks. Normally they try to divert you to a website which looks original and which asks for information about you.
   • Accidental Damage
     • This may be caused by a natural disaster (e.g.. flooding), mischief or accidental mishap, and can result in losing all of a computers data
   • Key term
     • Malware
       • A hostile, intrusive or annoying piece of software or program code.

2. Importance of security

   • Computer/technology systems are under continuous threat of attack and the threats are continuous and ever changing. All computers and systems are vulnerable to attack and it is impossible to provide 100% protection.
     • An attack could result in some form of loss (data or financial) to an individual, organisation and/or society. Examples include:
       • Organisations which trade online have to build up a reputation for being a secure organisation with secure network access. If this reputation is damaged, potential customers might be put off, costing the business money
       • When an organisation’s secrets are spread to competitors or to the wider public, any particular advantage the organisation has will be lost. An example is when an organisation has been doing research on a new product, and the results of that research find their way to a competitor.
       • Identity theft could cause problems with obtaining loans and other contractual agreements (see page 41).
       • Disclosure of information could cause legal problems. A company can be sued by its customers if it sells their personal information or fails to protect it properly. The obligations of organisations to protect customers’ data are covered by the Data Protection Act (1998). Organisations that store people’s personal information have to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and must undertake to treat the information responsibly.

3. reventative and remedial actions

   • Physical barriers.
     • These include turning off computers and locking offi ces when the systems are unattended to prevent damage by people, the environment (e.g. fi re, fl ooding, electrical interference) or theft.
   • Password control of access.
     • Passwords are sequences of characters, known only to the computer user, which allow access to a computer, network or application. Passwords should always be strong so that it is hard for someone else to guess them or work them out.
   • Access levels.
     • . These can be set up to allow individuals to have access to only specific levels of an application and to prevent unauthorised users from accessing particular data
   • Anti-virus software.
     • This is set up to intercept computer viruses before they can become resident on the computer. The software can isolate the virus, remove it and sometimes repair any damage. Equivalent security programs exist for other types of malware
   • Firewall.
     • This is a piece of software that monitors all data arriving at your computer from the internet and all data leaving your computer. It stops anything that it thinks is harmful or unwanted (such as viruses, spam, Trojan horses and hackers).

4. Personal safety

   • identity theft
     • When someone steals your personal details in order to use them to open bank accounts and get credit cards, loans, a passport or a driving licence in your name.
   • Technology
     • can be used to monitor individuals’ movements and communications. Burglars, for example could see from a public social network site that someone is away on holiday and break into their house. Similarly, if you send unencrypted email, it can potentially be read by other people.