Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
tions (to defend against crashes), transaction processing, audit
trails, and roll backs.
Computer security involves granting authorized people access to
your confidential or sensitive data, while preventing others from us
ing this information. For some simple, isolated computer systems,
this problem may be solved reasonably well, because the machine
can be placed behind locked or guarded doors, where only appro
priate people can get near it. Once several users have access to a ma
chine, however, problems multiply. When several machines are in
terconnected on a network, difficulties are only compounded
further. Some common threats include keyboard sniffers, wire tap
ping, poor coordination of processor security levels, Trojan horses,
viruses, and worms.
Some technical methods to address these problems include pass
word systems, encryption, full erasure of old files, antivirus pack
ages, and firewalls. In addition, users must utilize care in monitoring
behavior of the software they use, in handling attachments in email,
and in reviewing files obtained either over the Web or on disks.
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Terminology from This Chapter
Audit trails
Caesar Cipher
Firewall
Incremental backup
Keyboard sniffer
Persistent storage
Personal
Identification
Number (PIN)
Public key
encryption
Transactions
Trojan horses
Virus
Worm
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Discussion Questions
1
. Discuss whether or not it is ethical for a student or employee
to write a passwordguessing program.
a.
How would you respond to the argument that a password
cracking program provides an intellectual challenge?
b.
If a student is successful in learning the password of an
other student or an instructor, should the student be pun
ished for reporting to the other student or instructor that
his or her password is not secure?
2.
On many machines connected to national networks, “guest”
or “anonymous” accounts are established to allow people
