How to prevent the unethical use of computers.

What are the most common unethical uses of computers?

Five unethical uses of computers are media piracy, ransomware attacks, identity theft, financial theft and intellectual property theft. However, these can be prevented by using safeguard on your devices. (7)

What is a Safeguard?

Safeguard is any protection for one's devices in forms of softwares and hardwares.
(ex. Firewalls, Antivirus Software, Updates, Backups, physical Damage, Secure Disposal, Data Theft, Hardware Theft, etc.) (1)

Why is it important to protect your computer? (2)

Keeping important and private information with no safeguards may be concerning. Computer security is important because it keeps one's information protected. It affects the computer's overall health while preventing viruses and malware which improves the computer's performance.

What are the most common computer security threats?

Installing unverified freewares.

When people download unverified freeware without caution, they will result in many harmful attacks. This happens due to not knowing that they are downloading spyware or a browser toolbar along with the application that they download. Many free applications will have a checkbox installation that some people might not notice before installing which enables the download. When downloading unverified freewares, this opens one's computer to:

Man-in-the-middle attacks.

When a 3rd person is directly listening to a phone conversation through wire tapping or picking up another landline in the house, undetected. This allows the information between the callers are now known to the hacker as well.

How do the hackers get in?

When the sender sends something private like an email. The hacker intercepts the email and sends an imitation of their original message. The receiver sends the message back to the sender, which the hacker intercepts again and then the hacker opens the message with a private code and re-encrypts the message with the public code that the sender provided. So the sender is tricked that the intended receiver has gotten and sent an email back.

What safeguards protect against data breaches?(3)

Types of solutionsUser authenticationSystem protectionsSafe hardware disposal
Types of safeguards for data breachesPasswords, automatic logouts and biometric informationFirewall, antivirus programming and active audit trailsErasing hard drives from rented photocopiers and proper disposal of used computers

Differences between Firewalls and Antivirus Software.(6)

When firewall acts as barriers for your pc, on the other hand antivirus software protects the device from internal attacks. They are both part of the Cyber Security which safeguard systems. However, there is a way to distinguish.


What is a fire wall?

Firewalls are standard approach softwares that protects local computer assets from external threats. It acts as a barrier between the World Wide Web and your own network. Firewalls monitor inbound and outbound traffic from computers while also preventing apprehensive files from leaving or entering the network. (e.g)Windows Firewall for Windows 7 Firewalls that are used today is built in routers and they help safeguard the network.

What is Antivirus Software?

Antivirus software is a cybersecurity mechanism which many PCs use. Antivirus' main function is to scan, spot, and inhibit any suspicious or malicious files. All antivirus software prevents further attacks on pcs by deleting or isolating the files and by monitoring the traffic of the internet. Many antivirus software incorporates detection of susceptibility additional scanning of regular antivirus, and control of internet traffic.

Comparison between the two safeguards.

Basis of ContrastAntivirus softwareFirewall
ImplementationOnly found in the softwareFound in the hardware and the software
What it doesScans for corrupt files and softwaresMonitors and filters the network traffic
ConcernsInternal and external threatsExternal/Incoming threats
Basis of attack InspectionMalicious software in a computerIncoming data packets

Basic knowledge checking.

  1. Why is it important to safeguard your computer?
  2. What is the difference between a firewall and an anti-virus software?
  3. What are two ways of protecting your computer using user authentication?


    Find the answers here.

    Citations

    1. Date accessed (Jan 10 2020)(Jan Edwards, Clare. "Ways to Safeguard Computers." Small Business - Chron.com, 21 Nov. 2017,
      https://smallbusiness.chron.com/ways-safeguard-computers-45589.html.
    2. Date accessed (Jan 10 2020)Onsharp, Team. "The Importance of Computer Security." Blog.
      blog.onsharp.com/the-importance-of-computer-security.
    3. Date accessed (Jan 16 2020)Vaidya, Anuja. "3 Types of Safeguards to Protect Against Data Breaches: An Article, Published in The New England Journal of Medicine,
      Outlines the Types of Safeguards Healthcare Providers Can Use to Protect Patient Information." Becker's Hospital Review,
      www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/3-types-of-safeguards-to-protect-against-data-breaches.html.
    4. Date accessed (Jan 23 2020)"SafeGuard." Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology,
      www.ultra-forensictechnology.com/en/services/safeguard/.
    5. Date accessed (Jan 23 2020)"Computer Security Threats." Excel in Learning, 10 Sept. 2019,
      myfastlearning.com/2019/09/04/computer-security-threats/.
    6. Date accessed (Jan 27 2020)Meade, Travis. "What Is the Difference between Firewall and Antivirus?" Colocation America, Colocation American Staff, 23 Apr. 2019,
      www.colocationamerica.com/blog/differences-between-firewall-and-antivirus.
    7. Date accessed (Feb. 7 2020)Leonard, Kimberlee. "Five Unethical Uses of Computers." Bizfluent, 11 Feb. 2019,
      bizfluent.com/info-7806377-five-unethical-uses-computers.html.