Keeping Data Safe | Computer for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

Access Levels

• Access levels are mechanisms used to control access to sensitive data, limiting it to authorized personnel only. This is critical in preventing unauthorized access, a significant threat to data security.
• These levels are often based on factors like a user's role, responsibilities, or security clearance, determining the actions they can perform on files.
• Various access levels include:
  • Full access: Users can open, create, edit, and delete files.
  • Read-only access: Users can only view files without editing or deleting them.
  • No access: Files are completely hidden from the user.

Anti-Malware

• Anti-malware solutions play a crucial role in safeguarding data by preventing and eliminating malware, a prevalent security threat.
• Anti-malware software encompasses anti-virus and anti-spyware tools, essential for identifying and eradicating harmful software from computer systems.
• Functioning through file scans and comparisons with a roster of known malware, this software ensures the detection and isolation of any malicious elements.
• Upon detection, malware is isolated to contain its spread effectively.
• Subsequently, the identified malware is permanently removed from the system.

Authentication

• Authentication ensures that only authorized users can access data.
• Various authentication methods exist:
  • Password Security: Passwords play a crucial role in safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access. A robust password should be intricate, distinctive, and not easily predicted. It is recommended to change passwords periodically and refrain from using the same password for multiple accounts.
  • Biometric Authentication: Biometric authentication leverages biological data to verify identity, relying on unique physical attributes like fingerprints, facial features, or iris patterns. This method offers heightened security compared to passwords due to several factors:
    • A biometric identifier is extremely challenging to guess.
    • It is highly improbable to replicate a biometric identifier.
    • Biometric data cannot be intercepted by malicious software.
    • Observing a biometric identifier surreptitiously is nearly impossible for an attacker.
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):2FA necessitates users to provide two forms of verification before granting access to data, typically combining something they know (like a password) with something they possess (like a verification code sent to their mobile device). 
• This dual-layered approach significantly enhances security and mitigates the likelihood of unauthorized entry.

Automating Software Updates

• Automating software updates is a crucial practice that ensures that your software remains current with the latest security patches. This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of security threats targeting your system.
• This automated process becomes particularly vital for operating systems and software that are frequently under attack by malicious hackers. By staying updated, you fortify your defenses against potential vulnerabilities.
• To achieve this, the system regularly scans the Internet to identify any available updates for the software installed on your device. This proactive scanning helps in staying ahead of potential security risks.
• Upon detecting updates, the system offers the flexibility to either install them automatically or prompt the user to initiate the installation process. This ensures that critical patches are applied in a timely manner, further enhancing the system's security.

Communications

• Ensuring correct spelling and tone in messages is crucial to prevent phishing attempts.

URL

• Verifying the authenticity of URLs in links is a key method to avoid falling for phishing scams.
• Hackers frequently employ deceptive URLs to lure individuals to malicious websites.
  • For instance, they might use URLs like http://amaz.on.co.uk/ instead of legitimate ones such as http://amazon.co.uk/

Firewalls

• A firewall can be either software or hardware-based.
• It supervises the traffic entering and leaving a computer and the network, maintaining a log of this traffic.
• Users establish criteria for the traffic flow, known as whitelist/blacklist, against which the traffic is evaluated.
• Based on these criteria, the firewall decides whether to allow or block the traffic and can notify the user accordingly.
• Firewalls play a crucial role in preventing hacking attempts and malicious software that threaten data security.

Privacy Settings

• Privacy settings allow you to manage the information you share online to protect your privacy and prevent identity theft.
• These settings are crucial for controlling the personal information you share on the internet.
• Adjusting privacy settings regularly is essential to ensure that your information is secure.

Proxy-Servers

• Proxy-servers serve to conceal a user's IP address and geographical location, enhancing protection against malicious tracking attempts by hackers.
• They function akin to a digital barrier, capable of regulating web traffic by applying specific traffic criteria.
• When detecting harmful content, proxy-servers prevent its access and can issue cautionary messages to users.
• These servers play a pivotal role in fortifying cybersecurity defenses by diverting incoming traffic away from the main server.

Secure Socket Layer

• SSL, known as Secure Socket Layer, serves as a critical security protocol essential for encrypting data transmitted across the internet.
• One primary function of SSL is to safeguard information from eavesdropping and interception during transmission.
• SSL finds extensive application in securing online transactions, especially those involving sensitive data like credit card details.
• Its operation involves the transmission of a digital certificate to the user's browser, containing a public key crucial for authentication purposes.
• Upon successful authentication of the certificate, the secure transaction is initiated.

Physical Methods

• Physical methods are implemented to safeguard hardware storing sensitive data. Examples include:
  • Locked rooms requiring key or card access
  • CCTV surveillance
  • Employing bodyguards

Backup

• This process involves creating duplicates of files to safeguard against potential loss.
• Backing up data is crucial as it shields against data loss stemming from hardware malfunctions, cyber-attacks, or unforeseen calamities.
  • For instance, if a computer's hard drive fails, having backups ensures that important files are not permanently lost.
• It is advisable to store backups in secure locations and maintain multiple copies to enhance data protection.
  • By storing backups in the cloud or on external hard drives, data remains safe even if one storage location is compromised.
• Regularly creating backups is essential as it facilitates data recovery in case of a security breach or data loss incident.
  • Imagine a scenario where a company's database is corrupted; having recent backups allows for the restoration of critical information.

Ethics

• Ethical concerns arise when utilizing the Internet, encompassing:
  • Addiction: Excessive engagement with online platforms like social media leading to dependency.
  • Breaching copyright: Illegally duplicating someone's intellectual property.
  • Cyber bullying: Harassing individuals through online channels.
  • Data protection: Mishandling personal information in violation of regulations.
  • Environmental effects: Escalation in energy consumption due to heightened internet usage.
  • Fake news: Dissemination of deceptive or harmful information.
  • Inappropriate materials: Content that may cause harm or offense, particularly to minors.
  • Intellectual property theft: Unauthorized use or replication of others' creative works.
  • Piracy: Accessing copyrighted material through illicit means.
  • Plagiarism: Presenting someone else's work as one's own without permission.
  • Privacy: Unauthorized exposure of an individual's personal data.