Computer Security i

Hernando Gonzalez







CIS-158 Introduction To Computer Science

Computer Security

What Is Computer Security: Computers became more dispersed, security became more of an issue of preserving data and protecting its validity, also keeping the secrets secret. We can define Computer Security as a branch of technology known as information security as applied to computers. Also we can refer Computer Security to techniques for ensuring that data stored in a computer cannot be read or compromised by any individuals without authorization. The objective of Computer Security includes:

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   Protection of information and property from theft.




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   Corruption or natural disaster.

Computer and network security are built on three pillars, commonly referred to by the C.I.A acronym and means:

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   Confidentiality.




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   Integrity.




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   Availability.

Computer Security and network security are part of a larger undertaking that protects your computer and everything associated with it (terminals, printers, your cabling, and your disk and tapes), but most important your Computer Security protects the information you've stored in your system. That's why Computer Security is often called Information Security.

In some systems or application environments, one aspect of security could be more important than others, your own assessment of what type of security your information requires will influence your choice of which security techniques and products needed to meet those requirements, here few of them:

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   SECRECY AND CONFIDENTIALITY: A secure computer system must not allow information to be disclosed to anyone who is not authorized to access it. Ex. In highly secure government systems, secrecy ensures that users access only information that they are allowed, by the nature of their security clearances, to access. Likewise, in business environments, confidentiality ensures the protection of private information for example (payroll data) as well as sensitive corporate data such as internal memos and competitive strategy documents.




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   ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, AND AUTHENTICITY: a secure computer system must maintain the continuing integrity of the information stored in it. Accuracy or integrity means that the system must not corrupt the information or allow any unauthorized malicious or accidental changes to it. A simple software error changed entries in Bank of New York transactions many years ago, the bank had to borrow $24 billion to cover accounts until the problem was fixed and the mistake cost $5 million in extra interest. Authenticity provides a way to verify the origin of data by determining who entered or sent it, and recording when it was sent and received.

In financial environments, accuracy is usually the most important aspect of security. For example, the confidentiality of funds transfers and other financial transactions is usually less important than the verifiable accuracy of these transactions.

3. AVAILABILITY: A secure computer system must keep information available to its users. The computer system hardware and software keeps working efficiently and the system is able to recover quickly and completely if a disaster occurs.

THREATS TO SECURITY: There are three words that come up in Computer Security issues: vulnerabilities, threats, and countermeasures.

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  VULNERABILITY: Is a point where a system is susceptible to attack. Every computer and network is vulnerable to attack. Security policies and products may reduce the probabilities that an attack will actually be able to penetrate your system's defenses, or they may require an intruder to invest so much time and so many resources that it's just not worth it, but also is not there a completely secure system. The typical points of vulnerability in a computer system are:

-Physical vulnerabilities: Your building and equipment rooms are vulnerable. Intruders can break into your server room, just as they can break into your home. Once in, they can sabotage and vandalize your network equipment, and they can steal your back up media and printouts.

Locks, guards, and biometric devices provide an important first defense against break-ins. Burglar alarms and other ordinary types of protection are also effective deterrents.

-Natural vulnerabilities: Computers are very vulnerable to natural disasters and to environmental threats. Disasters such as fire, flood, or earthquakes, lightning, and power loss can wreck your computer and destroy your data.. Dust, humidity, and uneven temperature conditions can also do damage.

In areas where obtaining stable power is a problem, facilities employ back-up generators. These can also help during times of extreme weather. Localized protection can be obtained through installing an uninterruptedly power supply. A properly sized UPS will keep a computer energized long enough to shut down properly and without data loss, and providing power conditioning as well. Dust and other hazards are usually controlled by proper filters on the air conditioning and heating systems

-Hardware and Software vulnerabilities: Some kinds of hardware failures can compromise the security of an entire computer system. If protection features fail, they wreak havoc with your system, and they open security holes. Also is possible to open some "locked systems"