Chapter 10

ISSUES AND TREND

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Computer Security Risks
• A computer security risk is any event or action that could cause a loss of or
damage to computer hardware, software, data, information, or processing
capability
• A cybercrime is an online or Internet-based illegal act
• Any illegal act involving the use of a computer or related devices generally is
referred to as a computer crime

Hackers Crackers Script Kiddies Corporate Spies

Unethical
Cyberextortionists Cyberterrorists
Employees

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Computer Security Risks

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Internet and Network Attacks

• Information transmitted over networks has a higher

degree of security risk than information kept on an
organization’s premises
• An online security service is a Web site that evaluates
your computer to check for Internet and e-mail
vulnerabilities

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Internet and Network Attacks

Computer
Worm Trojan Horse Rootkit
Virus
• Affects a • Copies itself • A malicious • Program that
computer repeatedly, program that hides in a
negatively by using up hides within computer
altering the resources or looks like and allows
way the and possibly a legitimate someone
computer shutting program from a
works down the remote
computer or location to
network take full
control

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pter 11
Internet and Network Attacks

• An infected computer has one or more of the

following symptoms:
Operating system Available memory Screen displays
Files become
runs much slower is less than unusual message
corrupted
than usual expected or image

Unknown
Music or unusual Programs or files
Existing programs programs or files
sound plays do not work
and files disappear mysteriously
randomly properly
appear

Operating system
System properties Operating system
shuts down
change does not start up
unexpectedly

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Internet and Network Attacks

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Internet and Network Attacks

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Internet and Network Attacks

• Users can take several

precautions to protect
their home and work
computers and mobile
devices from these
malicious infections

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Internet and Network Attacks
• A botnet is a group of compromised computers connected to a
network
– A compromised computer is known as a zombie
• A denial of service attack (DoS attack) disrupts computer access to
Internet services
– Distributed DoS (DDoS)
• A back door is a program or set of instructions in a program that
allow users to bypass security controls
• Spoofing is a technique intruders use to make their network or
Internet transmission appear legitimate

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Internet and Network Attacks

• A firewall is hardware and/or software that

protects a network’s resources from intrusion

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Internet and Network Attacks

Intrusion detection software

• Analyzes all network traffic
• Assesses system vulnerabilities
• Identifies any unauthorized intrusions
• Notifies network administrators of suspicious behavior
patterns or system breaches

Honeypot
• Vulnerable computer that is set up to entice an intruder to
break into it
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Unauthorized Access and Use

Unauthorize
Unauthorize d use is the
d access is use of a
the use of a computer or
computer or its data for
network unapproved
without or possibly
permission illegal
activities

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Unauthorized Access and Use

• Organizations take
several measures to
help prevent
unauthorized access
and use
– Acceptable use policy
– Disable file and printer
sharing
– Firewalls
– Intrusion detection
software
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Unauthorized Access and Use

• Access controls define who can access a

computer, when they can access it, and what
actions they can take
– Two-phase processes called identification and
authentication
– User name
– Password
– Passphrase
– CAPTCHA
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Unauthorized Access and Use
• A possessed object is any • A biometric device
item that you must carry to authenticates a person’s
gain access to a computer identity by translating a
or computer facility personal characteristic into
– Often are used in a digital code that is
combination with a personal compared with a digital
identification number (PIN) code in a computer

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Unauthorized Access and Use

• Digital forensics is the discovery, collection, and

analysis of evidence found on computers and
networks
• Many areas use digital forensics
Law Criminal Military
enforcement prosecutors intelligence

Information
Insurance
security
agencies
departments
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Hardware Theft and Vandalism

Hardware vandalism
Hardware theft is the
is the act of defacing
act of stealing
or destroying
computer equipment
computer equipment

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Hardware Theft and Vandalism

• To help reduce the of chances of theft, companies

and schools use a variety of security measures
Cables to lock
Physical access controls Alarm systems
equipment

Real time location Passwords, possessed

system objects, and biometrics

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Software Theft

• Software theft occurs when someone:

Steals software Intentionally

media erases programs

Illegally registers
Illegally copies a
and/or activates
program
a program

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Software Theft

• A single-user license agreement typically contains the

following conditions:
Permitted to
• Install the software on one computer
• Make one copy of the software
• Remove the software from your computer before giving it away or selling it

Not permitted to
• Install the software on a network
• Give copies to friends or colleagues while continuing to use the software
• Export the software
• Rent or lease the software
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Software Theft

• Copying, loaning,
borrowing, renting, or
distributing software
can be a violation of
copyright law
• Some software requires
product activation to
function fully

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Information Theft

• Information theft occurs when someone steals

personal or confidential information
• Encryption is a process of converting readable
data into unreadable characters to prevent
unauthorized access

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Information Theft

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Information Theft

• A digital signature is an encrypted code that a

person, Web site, or organization attaches to an
electronic message to verify the identity of the
sender
– Often used to ensure that an impostor is not
participating in an Internet transaction
• Web browsers and Web sites use encryption
techniques

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Information Theft

• Popular security techniques include

Digital Transport Layer

Certificates Security (TLS)

Secure HTTP VPN

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Information Theft

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System Failure

• A system failure is the prolonged malfunction of a

computer
• A variety of factors can lead to system failure,
including:
– Aging hardware
– Natural disasters
– Electrical power problems
• Noise, undervoltages, and overvoltages
– Errors in computer programs
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System Failure

• Two ways to protect from system failures caused

by electrical power variations include surge
protectors and uninterruptable power supplies
(UPS)

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Backing Up – The Ultimate Safeguard

• A backup is a duplicate of a file, program, or disk

that can be used if the original is lost, damaged,
or destroyed
– To back up a file means to make a copy of it
• Offsite backups are stored in a location separate
from the computer site
Cloud
Storage

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Backing Up – The Ultimate Safeguard

• Two categories of • Three-generation

backups: backup policy
– Full backup
– Selective backup Grandparent

Parent

Child

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Wireless Security

• Wireless access poses additional security risks

– About 80 percent of wireless networks have no security
protection
• War driving allows individuals to detect wireless
networks while driving a vehicle through the area

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Wireless Security

• In additional to using firewalls, some safeguards

improve security of wireless networks:
A wireless access
Change the default
point should not
SSID
broadcast an SSID

Configure a WAP
so that only Use WPA or WPA2
certain devices can security standards
access it
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Health Concerns of Computer Use

• The widespread use of

computers has led to
health concerns
– Repetitive strain injury
(RSI)
• Tendonitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
(CTS)
– Computer vision
syndrome (CVS)

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Health Concerns of Computer Use

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Health Concerns of Computer Use

• Ergonomics is an
applied science devoted
to incorporating
comfort, efficiency, and
safety into the design of
items in the workplace

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Health Concerns of Computer Use

• Computer addiction occurs when the computer

consumes someone’s entire social life
• Symptoms of users include:
Craves Overjoy when Unable to stop
computer at the computer
time computer activity

Irritable when Neglects

Problems at
not at the family and
work or school
computer friends
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Ethics and Society

• Computer ethics are

the moral guidelines
that govern the use of
computers and
information systems
• Information accuracy is
a concern
– Not all information on
the Web is correct

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Ethics and Society

Intellectual property rights are the rights to which creators

are entitled for their work
• A copyright protects any tangible form of expression

An IT code of conduct is a written guideline that helps

determine whether a specific computer action is ethical or
unethical

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Ethics and Society

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Ethics and Society

• Green computing involves reducing the electricity

and environmental waste while using a computer

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Ethics and Society

• Information privacy refers to the right of

individuals and companies to deny or restrict the
collection and use of information about them
• Huge databases store data online
• It is important to safeguard your information

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Ethics and Society

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Ethics and Society

• When you fill out a

form, the merchant that
receives the form
usually enters it into a
database
• Many companies today
allow people to specify
whether they want their
personal information
distributed
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Ethics and Society

• A cookie is a small text file that a Web server stores on

your computer
• Web sites use cookies for a variety of reasons:

Assist with
Allow for Store users’
online
personalization passwords
shopping

Track how
Target
often users visit
advertisements
a site
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Ethics and Society

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Ethics and Society

• Spam is an unsolicited
e-mail message or
newsgroup posting
• E-mail filtering blocks
e-mail messages from
designated sources
• Anti-spam programs
attempt to remove
spam before it reaches
your inbox
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Ethics and Society

• Phishing is a scam in
which a perpetrator sends
an official looking e-mail
message that attempts to
obtain your personal and
financial information
• Pharming is a scam where
a perpetrator attempts to
obtain your personal and
financial information via
spoofing
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Ethics and Society

• The concern about privacy has led to the

enactment of federal and state laws regarding the
storage and disclosure of personal data
– See Figure 11-36 on page 589 for a listing of major U.S.
government laws concerning privacy
• The 1970 Fair Credit Reporting Act limits the
rights of others viewing a credit report to only
those with a legitimate business need

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Ethics and Society

Social engineering is defined as gaining

unauthorized access or obtaining confidential
information by taking advantage of trust and naivety

Employee monitoring involves the use of computers

to observe, record, and review an employee’s use of
a computer

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Ethics and Society

• Content filtering is the

process of restricting
access to certain material
on the Web
• Many businesses use
content filtering
• Internet Content Rating
Association (ICRA)
• Web filtering software
restricts access to
specified Web sites
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