Computer Security

Computer Security

1. Encryption

   • Keeps the code a secret to people who aren't supposed to see it.
   • To read an encrypted code, you need a key or password to solve the encryption.
   • Encrypted data that hasn't been encrypted, is called plain text and encrypted text is called cipher text.
   • If you were sending a private message to someone, you would use an encryption so the message doesn't get spread out to other people.
   • A cipher is a way people can send a data packet while it is a secret or disguised code
   • There are different types of ciphers to be used. Some of them are the Caesar Cipher, Enigma Code, Morse Code, Book Cipher and much more.
   • Ciphers can be made by anyone and anyone could use them. If someone makes a cipher, it won't be very good if it doesn't have a key for people to decrypt the data packets other wise it is a big jumble of letters, numbers or symbols.

2. Firewall

   • Prevents harmful data entering your computer.
   • Controls which programs can send and receive data packets.
   • Used to help protect a computer network from intruders.
   • Used when program is trying to connect to another network.
   • Firewalls controls which programs can send or receive data packets.

3. Anti-Virus Software

   • Needs updating regularly to make sure that it knows the latest threats.
   • Scans the computer periodically.
   • Quarantines any programs or files which are harmful.
   • Protect against malicious software.
   • Should be used on email attachments and downloads.

4. When buying products from a website, make sure there is https at the start of the URL because that shows that the website is trustworthy.

5. When creating a password, you should make the password something personal and have capital letters, numbers and punctuation ( .,:,!).

6. If you are entering personal details to a website, you need to look at the URL to make sure that it is the correct URL and not a fake website.

7. If you get an email from a bank account, it will never ask you for your bank details. If you see this, it would be fake and probably a person trying to get your bank details to spend your money.

8. To make a password secure, you would need to make the password between 8 and 16 characters including letters, numbers and punctuation.

9. When adding information to a website, make sure that it is a secure website because people could steal your personal information when you may not even now. This is called phishing.

10. Phishing is a very useful keyword for computing security. Phishing is the when someone would try to steal personal information that should be secure. Things they might steal personal information such as addresses, bank details and passwords.

    • Phishing is started when someone sends an email that would look real but you add information because you would think it is real and not a fake website.