Threats to a Computer System

Information security commonly refers to as CIA (short form of Confidentiality, ntegrity and Authentication), protects our computer from any unauthorized access and maintains the system resources.

Precisely, Confidentiality ensures protection of the computer system from any unauthorized access Integrity ensures that information stored in the computer is protected. Authentication ensures the authenticity of the authorized user CIA can be weakened or broken in many ways. Some of the possible attacks are the following:

Viruses

Worms

Trojans

Viruses are computer programs developed to copy themselves and infect other files stored on the computer. These are malicious programs that move from computer to computer by attaching themselves to files or boot records of disks and diskettes. Virus can automatically be transferred from one computer to another when its host is taken to the target computer, for example an user can sent it through a network or the internet, or carried it on a removable storage medium such as CD, DVD, USB pen drive or Memory Cards. Viruses can cause destruction to the entire file system which in result would need to reinstall and reload the whole system again. They can also create effected sectors on the disk destroying one or more files and part of some programs. Viruses also lesser the space on the hard disk by duplicating and attaching itself to various files. Through these viruses, system gets hang-up and the entire system stops working.

Some common security measures are given below:

· A computer should be used only by authorized users [user login];

· Password should be changed regularly;

· Password should not be shared;

· Always be careful about some suspicious person who might see your

password while typing;

· Scan your computer regularly with anti-virus software;

· Regularly update your antivirus software;

· Restricted use of removable storage devices, especially USB Pen Drive;

· Properly configure the email-filter option;

· Never download any email attachment from an unknown sender;

· Avoid even browse email sent by some unknown sender;

· Must take backup of the computer system regularly;

· Preferably use sky drive (online storage) to have additional copies of

important documents so that in case of natural calamities, at least your

important documents are safe;

Desktop Security

Using anti-virus software is one way to counter computer threats. Moreover, these

software are used after a virus has attacked the computer. There are ways and measures by which we can restrict viruses to enter into the computer. These measures collectively come under "Desktop security" which includes software authorization, authentication, firewalls, encrypted channels, anti-virus tools and user education. It is a mechanism through which we can stop entry of viruses and other threats into our computer system and also restrict the access of unauthorized users to protect our system file and folders. We explain below some of these measures. It is a code which can be set to log on to a computer access to its resources. Although setting a username is not mandatory, but it must be set for each user so that only the authorized ones have the access. It is a code which can be set to log on to a computer access to its resources. Although setting a username is not mandatory, but it must be set for each user so that only the authorized ones have the access.

Password

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1400