Elements of Computer Security

Elements of Computer Security

Social media and the internet have become the leading platforms that people and organizations use for communication and interaction today. Computer security has turned into a critical issue because of its crucial role in ensuring secure information transfer. Organizations need to safeguard information from reaching unintended persons. Issues related to computer security, such as cybersecurity and data privacy, are also current issues across the world. An understanding of computer security elements such as secrecy, availability, and integrity is of particular importance for individuals accessing the internet to know the different ways of securing their information online.

While the element of secrecy or privacy involves all the activities directed at ensuring that data is not susceptible to unauthorized persons, integrity confirms the transmission of correct and accurate information. Additionally, availability entails the processes that guarantees the resources are accessible whenever needed (Lundgren & Möller, 2019). Although other properties exist for any good and viable security solutions, this security triad of privacy, integrity, and availability consists of all the fundamental elements or bedrock of security initiatives.

In view of the above, computer security cuts across all the aspects of computer application, including the hardware and software used, the channels of communication, and the internet. Organizations that use the internet for communication purposes consider the security of their information systems and utilize a security policy to ensure safety (Ključnikov, Mura, & Sklenár, 2019). An organizational security policy is a written document that defines how an organization safeguards its information.

The management of an organization develops and approves a security policy. As a carefully and delicately formulated document, it contains the content about which hardware and software need protection, who has authorization of what and why, what are the types and levels of safety required, and what are the procedures for ensuring security. There is always a need to update and review the policy regularly to include any new security-related developments (Ključnikov et al., 2019). Various devices may put an organization’s data at risk, including a client or employee’s computers and mobile phones, because hackers can use such tools to access organizational information and browse from one site to another. Hackers may access personal or company data without the knowledge of the owner.

Organizations and individuals are investing in antivirus software to assist in the protection of their systems. Such tools detect imminent attacks, malware, and viruses by either isolating or deleting them from devices to prevent them from attacking information or causing data breach (Bushby, 2019). Although antiviruses do not protect computers or mobile phones from all online attacks, they guard such devices against a majority of the cyberattacks. An individual using a smartphone with antivirus software can surf the internet with an extra level of protection. Another current trend in computer security is to regulate which employees can use the computers, company devices, and the data they can access. Many organizations limit internet use to work-related activities and restrict employees from browsing the internet for personal purposes.

A related trend is the human element that plays a pivotal part in computer security. Many organizations have developed a system that gives each employee a unique username and password to monitor their online activity. When an employee tries to access confidential data or visit a prohibited site, the system sends an alert to the IT department and revokes their entry. Companies and employees that deal with any sensitive customer information use more protected and complicated security systems like biometric technology on their devices (North-Samardzic, 2019). Such programs ensure that customer data remains private and confidential when conducting online business operations.

Wi-Fi security is also critical for organizations since most of them use wireless networks for business operations and internet access. Not every available Wi-Fi network is secure. Public Wi-Fi is at risk of security breach and cyber-attacks because of less-secure system applications. Although some public sites like social media platforms have recently made it harder for attackers to exploit them, all public networks remain vulnerable. However, there are some alternative available; for example, users can use smartphones as a hotspot for their laptop, which offers a secure connection. Moreover, home-based Wi-Fi is relatively more secure since it uses high-tech security systems. It also has a few users, which decreases the risk of cyber attackers.

No security strategy is secure when it comes to computer and internet security. Organizations should avoid relying on a single system or technique; they should use various methods because it would significantly reduce the chances of an attack. Using extra layers of security, such as firewalls, antiviruses, and passwords, ensures that attackers have a harder time trying to access unauthorized information from organizational systems and devices. Although cyber penetrations are all about devices and software exploits, the reality is that human element also plays a pivotal role. Without gullibility, it would be difficult-to-impossible to penetrate a well-crafted security system. Thus, the monitoring of employee activity is also significant to protect an organization from internal attacks.

References

Bushby, A. (2019, January). How deception can change cyber security defenses. Computer Fraud & Security, 2019(1), 12-14. https://doi.og/10.1016/S1361-3723(19)30008-9.

Ključnikov, A., Mura, L., & Sklenár, D. 2019. Information security management in SMEs: Factors of success. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues 6(4), 2081-2094. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2019.6.4(37)

Lundgren, B., & Möller, N. (2019). Defining information security. Science and Engineering Ethics, 25(2), 419-441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-017-9992-1

North-Samardzic, A. (2019). Biometric technology and ethics: Beyond security applications. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04143-6