Safeguards for Computers

By Emily Lee

There are a variety of unethical uses for computers. But, there are effective methods of protection. Some of the most popular unethical uses are provided below:

Introduction

Computers have influenced many people's daily lives by making it more efficient and easier. With technology on the rise, hackers and unethical people are becoming smarter and coming up with new ways to access personal and private information. As a result, many people can forget the risks associated with computers every day. The best way to protect yourself against these unethical people/uses is to have an effective safeguard to protect yourself. In the following report, it will inform you on some of the best ways to protect yourself, which include:

Firewall

A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that blocks out hackers, viruses and worms that try to access your computer through the internet. This is generally installed on a computer. There is traffic incoming and outgoing, so it is important to censor the information to be safe. This is one of the most effective ways to protect and safeguard computers. It acts as a barrier between a trusted and untrusted network and only traffic that meets the firewall's guidelines is allowed in. Anything that doesn't is blocked. It prevents unauthorized information from entering your system while allowing communication going outward. Firewalls are a great safeguard for protecting a computer system. If somebody has very important and private information, it is highly recommended that they get a firewall. They are a highly effective and reasonably priced safeguard that works very well to prevent unethical uses. A great example of how a firewall works is shown below.(5)

Anti-Virus Software

It is a software installed on a computer as a program that is designed to prevent, search for, detect, and remove software malware. It was originally made to prevent viruses, however, with the advancement of technology, it has evolved to censor many types of malware. It also searches for malicious software like: They all scan the computer to look for viruses. Many people put an automatic daily, weekly, or monthly scan to search for viruses. If one is detected, it will notify them and if given permission, it will remove it. There are new viruses that are becoming smarter, so it is important to protect your information. It is important to buy a anti-virus software from a reputable company, such as Norton or Avast which will ensure a high standard of an anti-virus scanner. If bought for a cheap price, the anti-virus software may actually put a virus on the computer, which would be pointless. This can help you with financial theft and fraud through phishing, which comes through your emails. A photo below outlines how some viruses work. (6)

Effective Passwords

Passwords are very important for protection and confidentiality of important and private information. These can include passwords to bank and social media accounts. Easy to guess passwords can let hackers easily gain access to your information. Some of the most common passwords include: One should not use these passwords as they are very easy to guess and information can be accessed easily. If a bank account password is easy to guess, they could potentially steal funds from an unknowing person. One way to protect valuable information is with a safe password.(7) It is recommended you follow the guidelines:

Do Use

Don't Use

12 characters or more11 characters or less
A combination of numbers, symbols, capital letters, and lower-case lettersa dictionary word or 3 consecutive keyboard letters
A password generatorOld passwords
Passwords that are unrelated to youBirthdays or special dates

For example, %Td*9?1@aK"f! is a very secure and effective password.

Secure Websites

Make sure to go on a secure website to prevent viruses. Viruses can steal valuable information and identity theft can occur. Safe and secure websites contain:

If it doesn't have a secure bar, one should exit the website immediately. It means that it is not certified by your browser and you could contract a virus. In all secure websites, the URL (Universal Resource Locator) will have https, the "s" meaning a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This means that it is 100% secure, and there are no risks attached to this website. If it is "http", it could mean it is safe, just not guaranteed 100% secure.

Additionally, people may receive phishing emails claiming to be from a reputable source, like their bank. They may request them to click on a website to enter their personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. To see if this website is secure, one should hover the mouse over the web address, and the link will appear in the bottom left corner. If the website looks "fishy", hence the name "phishing", one should not visit the website to protect themselves.(8)

Biometric Data

Biometric data is the measurement of specific body features with calculations used to unlock a computer. This is used as a "password" using a part of your body. They use unique fingerprints, eyes, and faces to unlock a computer. Biometric data is increasingly becoming popular because it is efficient and easier to use than typing in passwords. A certain body part is scanned and your computer is unlocked, which is much quicker than typing in a password. Smartphones and computers often use biometric data for their passwords. It is a safe way because your body parts are unique to yourself. Having a fingerprint is effective because they are the only person that has the print. If one wants to use biometric data, it is suggested that you use it for your very unique features such as your retina and finger. New technology is allowing people to unlock their computers with their body parts, such as the iPhone X, which lets the user unlock it with their face.(9)

Questions For Discussion

  1. What is the suggested length of a secure password?
  2. What is one way you can fully determine if a website is 100% safe?
  3. Why is biometric data becoming more popular?
  4. What does HTTPS stand for?
  5. Bonus: How could someone tell that this website below is unsafe?

Answers

Bibliography

  1. Microsoft. "How to Recognize Phishing Email Messages, Links, or Phone Calls. Microsoft, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/online-privacy/phishing-symptoms.aspx
  2. Mitchell, Bradley. "What Is Hacking?" Lifewire, 21 Aug. 2017, https://www.lifewire.com/definition-of-hacking-817991
  3. Norton. "Malware." What Is A Computer Virus?, https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-malware-what-is-a-computer-virus.html.
  4. "ITRC Sponsors and Supporters ." Identity Theft Resource Center, https://www.idtheftcenter.org/Identity-Theft/what-is-financial-identity-theft.html
  5. Microsoft. "What Is a Firewall?" Microsoft, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/pc-security/firewalls-whatis.aspx
  6. Criddle, Linda. "What Is Anti-Virus Software?" What Is Anti-Virus Software?, http://www.webroot.com/ca/en/home/resources/tips/pc-security/security-what-is-anti-virus-software
  7. Hoffman, Chris. "How to Create a Strong Password (and Remember It)." How-To Geek, How-To Geek, 6 Nov. 2017, https://www.howtogeek.com/195430/how-to-create-a-strong-password-and-remember-it/.
  8. Woodfield, Meggie. "How to Know If a Website Is Secure | DigiCert Blog." DigiCert, Disqus, 26 Nov. 2014, https://www.digicert.com/blog/buy-site-know-website-secure/.
  9. Beal, Vangie. "Biometrics." What Is Biometrics? Webopedia Definition, https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/B/biometrics.html.

Picture Bibliography