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Unit 13: Understanding the Need of Security Measures

• Data can be damaged due to many reasons. You must protect your data from illegal access Notes
or from damage.
• Cyber terrorism can be defined in different ways viz. it can be politically motivated hacking
operations inteded to cause grave harm such as loss of life or severe economic damage.

13.7 Keywords

Authentication: The process of verifying that users are who they claim to be when logging onto a
system. Generally, the use of user names and passwords accomplishes this. More sophisticated is
the use of smart cards and retina scanning. The process of authentication does not grant the user
access rights to resources-this is achieved through the authorization process.

Availability: The prevention of unauthorized withholding of information or resources. This does
not apply just to personnel withholding information. Information should be as freely available
as possible to authorized users.

Brownout: Lower voltages at electrical outlets. Usually they are caused by an extraordinary drain
on the power system.

Computer security: Computer security means to protect information. It deals with the prevention
and detection of unauthorized actions by users of a computer.

Confidentiality: The prevention of unauthorized disclosure of information. This can be the result of
poor security measures or information leaks by personnel. An example of poor security measures
would be to allow anonymous access to sensitive information.

Cyber terrorism: It can be defined as any computer crime targeting computer networks without
necessarily affecting real world infrastructure, property, or lives.

Data protection: It means making sure that private data belonging to a person or organization
is kept hidden from those who are not authorized to use it.

Detection: Take measures that allow you to detect when information has been damaged, altered,
or stolen, how it has been damaged, altered, or stolen, and who has caused the damage. Various
tools are available to help detect intrusions, damage or alterations, and viruses.

Finger faults: These are an all too frequent cause of data corruption. This commonly happens
when you are intending to delete or replace one file but actually get another.

Hacking: It is the activity of breaking into a computer system in order to gain an unauthorized
access to it. The unauthorized revelation of passwords, the hacking of IP addresses can prove
being severe threats to the well-being of society.

Integrity: The prevention of erroneous modification of information. Authorized users are probably
the biggest cause of errors and omissions and the alteration of data. Storing incorrect data within
the system can be as bad as losing data. Malicious attackers also can modify, delete, or corrupt
information that is vital to the correct operation of business functions.
Prevention: Take measures that prevent your information from being damaged, altered, or
stolen. Preventive measures can range from locking the server room door to setting up high-level
security policies.

Reaction: Take measures that allow recovery of information, even if information is lost or damaged.

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