1_Computer Security (Improved)

1_Computer Security (Improved)

1. Firewall

   • A Firewall controls which programs can send and receive data packets
   • Prevents harmful data entering your computer
   • Used to help protect a computer network protect a computer network from intruders
     • This makes sure that any untrusted software/data packets would be denied access to a computer network
   • Controls which programs can send and receive data packets
     • This then makes sure that programs don't have untrusted data packets that could potentially be malicious software.
   • Used when a program is trying to connect to another network
     • Without using a Firewall to allow and deny access to a computer network,any data packet can access a computer network

2. Anti-Virus

   • Should be used on email attachments and downloads
   • Quarantines any programs or files which are harmful
   • Protects against malicious software
     • If malicious software reaches your computer,it can stop productivity on the computer.
   • Scans the computer periodically at regular intervals.
     • Scanning at regular intervals makes sure that any malicious software can be detected quickly and got rid of fast.
   • Needs updating regularly to make sure that it knows the latest threat
     • If anti-virus isn't updated,new versions of malicious software will attack the computer and as the anti-virus wouldn't of been updated,it wouldn't be able to stop the new malicious software.

3. Computer Security

   • Websites that have https in their domain use encryption to send data across the internet securely.
     • This leads to information being secure as unauthorised users cannot access it because of the encryption
     • Users should check to see if https is in the domain if they are entering personal data into the website (logging in to a website,entering bank details,making online payments
   • Phishing - The attempt of stealing sensitive information (e.g passwords,bank details,usernames).This often happens as people who do it disguise as genuine websites/companies.
     • This leads to Identity theft and Fraud as people give the people stealing the information their details as they believe that the fake website/company is genuine.
       • It happens as people believe that the email is from a genuine company so it leads to them clicking on the phishing attempt and entering the personal email
   • Before using a website/software,read trusted reviews of it to confirm whether its real or fake.
     • This allows you to be certain whether the website/software is secure to use and whether it leads to malicious software
   • Secure passwords contain a range of both lower case and capital letters,a different range of symbols and numbers.Secure passwords shouldn't contain personal information as this would make the password easy to guess.There should be at least 8 characters in the password.
   • Hackers attempt to steal bank details from unsuspecting people by sending them emails as a bank and asking them to confirm their details.
     • This leads to fraud as the hackers then use the information that the people sent to them and steal the money from their banks

4. Encryption

   • Encrypting messages makes sure that third-parties cannot access them.
   • Encrypting a message = cipher needed
   • Decrypting a message = Key needed
   • We use encryption when paying for products online.
     • Without encryption when paying online,bank details would be available for anyone to see
   • Encryption is vital as it makes sensitive data more secure and inaccessible to anyone apart from the user who created it
   • Websites encrypt data if it starts with 'https'