OFFICE AUTOMATION – I COMPUTERS AND APPLICATIONS 18. DATA SAFETY, VIRUSES AND ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAM Home computers are typically not very secure and are very easy to break into. When combined with high-speed Internet connections that are always turned on, intruders can quickly find a weak link and then attack home computers. Once the intruders get in, they collect personal information like credit card details, passwords etc. Data safety is the means of ensuring that data is kept safe from corruption and that access to it is suitably controlled. Thus data security helps to ensure privacy and also ensures in protecting personal data. The increasing usage of computer networks, internet and data sharing has made security of both the computer and the data vulnerable. This lesson gives an introduction to Data Security in Computers and the issues that we face today.
18.0 Objectives On completion of this lesson, you will be able to know the following: • •
Understand what are Computers and Data Security. Appreciate the problems related to data security and the measures to be taken to rectify these problems.
18.1 Introduction Computer resources, such as local area networks (LANs), minicomputers, workstations and personal computers represent significant financial investments. There are many ways these resources could be damaged. For example, LANs usually house all the data available to users, as well as information about which users can access what data and how they can use it. Controls should be in place to prevent any unauthorized access to the LANs. Other potential hazards include the possibility of data destruction from virus infection, human error, computer breakdown, environmental hazards, and theft. In each case, either the data can be destroyed, manipulated or stolen. Backups and Data Security procedures prevent these hazards. 1