computer security

Computer security is a branch of technology known as information security applied to computers. Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, interruption, modification, or destruction. The goal of information security varies and may include protecting information from theft or corruption, or preserving availability, as defined in the security policy.

Technological and management procedures applied to computer systems to ensure the availability, integrity and confidentiality of the information managed by the computer system

Computer security places requirements on computers that are different from most system requirements because they often take the form of restrictions on what computers are not supposed to do.

Typical approaches to improve computer security may include the following:

o Physically limit access to computers to only those who do not compromise security.

o Hardware mechanisms that impose rules on computer programs, thus avoiding reliance on computer programs for computer security.

o Operating system mechanisms that impose rules on programs to avoid trusting computer programs.

o Programming strategies to make computer programs reliable and resistant to subversion.

Information Security has three Layers:

or hacking

or Cracking

or Phreaking

To hack:

Unauthorized use of or attempts to circumvent or circumvent the security mechanisms of an information system or network.

Hacking always involves some degree of infringement of the privacy of others or damage to computer property, such as files, web pages, or software. The impact of hacking ranges from being simply invasive and annoying to being illegal.

Cracking:

The act of breaking into a computer system.

Software Cracking is the modification of software to remove protection methods: copy prevention, trial/demo version, serial number, hardware key, CD verification, or software nuisances like annoying screens and adware.

The most common software crack is modifying an application binary to cause or prevent a specific key branch from executing the program.

Phreaking:

The art and science of cracking the telephone network.

Security by Design:

Computer security technologies are based on logic. There is no universal standard notion of what safe behavior is. “Security” is a concept that is unique to each situation. Security is outside the function of a computer application, rather than assisting it, so security necessarily imposes restrictions on the behavior of the application.

There are several approaches to computer security; sometimes a combination of approaches is valid:

1. Trust that all software complies with a security policy, but the software is not trusted (this is computer insecurity).

2. Trust that all software complies with a security policy and the software is validated as trustworthy (through tedious branch-and-path analysis, for example).

3. Do not trust any software, but enforce a security policy with mechanisms that are not trusted (again, this is computer insecurity).

4. Don’t trust any software, but apply a security policy with trusted mechanisms.

12 tips for computer security:

1. Update/patch ALL your software from time to time!

2. Check/adjust ALL your settings to be safe, as they ARE NOT the default!

3. Use a firewall, like ZoneAlarm, to control what goes in and out of your computer.

4. Use good passwords: at least 13 marks long, containing letters and numbers. Remember to change your password at least every few months and never use the same password in two places!

5. Get a good antivirus program: NOD32, F-Secure or Norton Antivirus and keep it up to date!

6. Do not open or run files that you are not 100% sure are absolutely safe, no matter where or how you get them.

7. Clean your history files (such as cookies, internet history and temporary files, etc.), logs and personal files, with a specific cleaning program (such as Eraser) instead of simply deleting them.

8. Use encryption to improve your privacy! Use encrypted email (like Hushmail or Ziplip), browse the www, and encrypt sensitive files on your computer (PGP).

9. When you’re done using any Internet-based service, like email, log out instead of just closing your browser! Also, when you leave your computer, make sure that none of those programs or connections are left open for someone to abuse. On WindowsNT/2k/XP, press Windowskey+L to lock the workstation.

10. Don’t use public computers for anything you need to enter in your logins, they usually have Trojan horses that capture your passwords.

11. Make backup copies and keep them in a safe place! The easiest way to do a full backup is to make an “Image” of your hard drive or partition and store it somewhere safe, but floppy disks will generally be fine for storing documents etc.

12. Install and use a hardware firewall