1. Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th edition
Unit F: Data Security

2. Objectives Know what can go wrong Protect computer systems
Understand authentication
Explore security threats and malware
Avoid security threats and malware
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition
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3. Objectives (continued)
Examine network and Internet access security
Explore Web and security
Understand backups
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition
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4. Knowing What Can Go Wrong
Risk management in computer systems
Identify potential threats to equipment and data
Implement plans to avoid threats
Develop steps to recover from unavoidable disasters
Possible problems with electricity
Power failure
Power spikes (or voltage spikes)
Power surges
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

5. Knowing What Can Go Wrong (continued)
Hardware failures
Software failures
Human error
Computer viruses
Safe Mode: a limited version of Windows that is used to troubleshoot some problems
Cyberterrorism: terrorist acts committed via the Internet
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

6. Figure F-3: Troubleshooting guidelines
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

7. Protecting Computer Systems
To reduce likelihood of computer theft:
Use common sense
Use locking devices
Use security plates
Tracking and recovery software
Used to track a computer if stolen
Ways to protect data if computer is stolen
Software that deletes data if computer is stolen
Use of a password to access computer
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

8. Figure F-5: A security plate Figure F-4: A locking device
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

9. Protecting Computer Systems (continued)
Protection from power problems
UPS (uninterruptible power supply)
Offers the best protection against power problems
Provides a continuous supply of power
Surge strip
Protects against power surges and voltage spikes
Most computers have a fan
Allow for ventilation around the computer
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

10. Understanding Authentication
Authentication protocols
Used to confirm a person’s identity when he or she tries to use a computer system
Three common ways to authenticate a user:
Using something a person carries
Using something a person knows
Using a unique physical characteristic
Biometrics: identification on some physical trait, such as a fingerprint, handprint, etc.
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

11. Figure F-9: Retinal scans are a form of biometric authentication
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

12. Understanding Authentication (continued)
Two-factor authentication: verifies identity using two independent elements of confirmation
User ID: a user’s unique identifier on a computer or Web page; typically public
Password: verifies a user ID and guarantees that the user is the person he or she claims to be
User rights: rules that limit the directories and files that each user can access
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

13. Exploring Security Threats and Malware
Malicious code or malware
Created by hackers, crackers, black hats, or cybercriminals
Computer virus (or virus)
Set of program instructions that attaches itself to a file, reproduces itself, and spreads to other files on the same computer
Computer worm (or worm)
Self-copying program that carries out some unauthorized activity on a victim’s computer
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

14. Figure F-13: A simulated worm attack
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

15. Exploring Security Threats and Malware (continued)
Trojan horse (or Trojan)
A program that seems to perform one function while actually doing something else
Intelligent agent (or bot)
Software that can automate a task or autonomously execute a task
Bad bots are used by hackers for unauthorized or destructive tasks
Spyware
A program that secretly gathers personal information, usually for commercial purposes
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

16. Exploring Security Threats and Malware (continued)
Malware can:
Create network traffic jam
Initiate a denial-of-Service (DoS) attack
Reconfigure a browser
Delete and modify files
Access confidential information
Disable antivirus and firewall software
Control your computer
Degrade performance
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

17. Avoiding Security Threats and Malware
Some guidelines to avoid threats:
Install and activate security software
Keep software and operating system updated
Do not open suspicious attachments
Obtain software only from reliable sources
Use security software to scan for malware
Do not click pop-up ads
Avoid unsavory Web sites
Disable the option Hide extensions for known file types in Windows
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

18. Avoiding Security Threats and Malware (continued)
Security suite
Typically includes antivirus, firewall, and anti-spyware modules
Antivirus software
Utility software that looks for and removes viruses, Trojan horses, worms, and bots
Virus signature
A section of code that can be used to identify a known malicious program
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

19. Avoiding Security Threats and Malware (continued)
Virus definitions
Contains information that antivirus software uses to identify and remove malware
Needs to be updated regularly
Make regular backups of your data
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

20. Examining Network and Internet Access Security
Wireless networks
Susceptible to unauthorized access and use, especially if unsecured
LANjacking or war driving
Hackers can intercept signals with a Wi-Fi enabled notebook computer
Wireless encryption
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
WPA2
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

21. Examining Network and Internet Access Security (continued)
Wireless network key
The basis for scrambling and unscrambling data transmitted between wireless devices
Encryption
Transforms a message so that its contents are hidden from unauthorized readers
Firewall
Software or hardware that filters out suspicious packets attempting to enter or leave a computer
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

22. Figure F-20: Windows Firewall settings
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

23. Exploring Web and Email Security
Cookie
Contains information about the user
Stored on the user’s hard drive
Ad-serving cookie
InPrivate feature of Internet Explorer
No user data is stored after a browsing session
Antispyware
Security software designed to identify and neutralize spyware
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

24. Figure F-23: Anti-Spyware software
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

25. Exploring Web and Email Security (continued)
Phishing
-based or IM scam that persuades users to reveal confidential information
Pharming
Redirects users to fake sites by poisoning a domain name server with a false IP address
Spam
Unwanted electronic junk mail
Techniques to combat spam:
authentication techniques
Spam filter
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

26. Understanding Backups
Backup: a copy made in case the original files become damaged
Full backup (or full-system backup)
Differential backup
Incremental backup
Backup storage media include:
Writable CDs, DVDs, BDs, solid-state storage cards, tapes, and USB flash drives
Can back up data to a network server
Some Web sites offer Web-based storage
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

27. Understanding Backups (continued)
Backup software is designed to back up and restore files
Boot disk
A removable storage medium containing the operating system files needed to boot a computer
Recovery CD (or recovery disk)
A bootable CD, DVD, or other media that contains a complete copy of a computer’s hard drive, as it existed when shipped from the manufacturer
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

28. Talking Points: Prosecuting Computer Crime
Traditional laws do not cover the range of possibilities for computer crimes
Computer crime laws
Many countries have laws that specifically define computer data and software as personal property
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

29. Talking Points: Prosecuting Computer Crime (continued)
Computer crimes include:
Data diddling
Identity theft
Salami shaving
Denial of service
Information theft
Virus distribution
Vandalism
Are hackers dangerous cyberterrorists or harmless pranksters?
Computer Concepts – Illustrated 8th Edition

30. Summary This chapter introduced:
Potential threats to computer equipment and data
Ways to protect computer system hardware
Authentication
How to use software to protect or recover computer data
How to back up data
Network and Internet access security
Different positions on prosecuting computer crime
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