Computer Security

Computer Security

1. Firewall

   • Controls which programs can send or receive data packets
   • Gives you the choice whether or not to accept incoming data packets meaning it's only weakness is you as you may accept data from software containing a virus
   • Will block data packets and ask if you if want to accept it once or accept data packets from that program every time
   • You need a firewall as otherwise anyone could just give your computer a virus without resistance

2. Antivirus

   • Quarantine means isolate files that contain malware so that it can't spread to other files
   • Needs to be up to date so that it can quarantine new viruses
   • Periodically scans your computer system for malware (for example: every day)
   • Also stops malware getting on to your computer

3. Encryption

   • Scrambles data and unscrambles it when it reaches it's destination
   • Can be decrypted using a key that tells you how
   • Makes it hard for anyone who intercepts data you send as they can't read it
   • A cipher is a method of creating a key

4. Computer Security/passwords

   • If you put your password into a site the owner has it forever and if the website isn't legitimate then they will do whatever they want with it; this is called phishing
   • A secure password should contain a variety of lower/higher case letters, numbers and symbols and also a minimum of 8 characters
   • You should never accept pop-ups from websites as it could be fake; always use a browser!
   • A site that sends data or gets sent data will have https at the start of the URL if its safe to send data