Contents
1.1) Computer threats categories 2
This attack covers: 2
2.) Bob signs up for internet banking. 3
2.1) how the security scheme works 3
2.2) is it secure against dongle theft 3
2.3) if safe from eavesdropping, does this eliminate need for dongle 3
2.4) the cryptographic primitives used 3
2.5) purpose of the serial number 3
2.6) does the serial number need to be randomly generated 3
Computer security and protecting our systems 4
Bibliography 5

Question 1
1.1) Computer threats categories

This attack covers:
i) Deliberate acts are the main threat category for this type of attack because the hacker is deliberately trying to cause harm. It also deliberates acts of espionage or trespass; deliberate acts of sabotage or vandalism; and deliberate acts of theft.

ii) Compromises to intellectual property – copying of files, defacing the web page, and stealing credit card numbers

iii) Technical failures. For instance, if part of the organizations software has an unknown trap door, then this type of hacker attack could occur.

iv) The final category is management failure. This hacker attack could happen if management were to have a lack of sufficient planning and foresight to anticipate the technology need for evolving business requirements.

Question 2
2.) Bob signs up for internet banking.

2.1) how the security scheme works The security token contains a secret key that is used to run a stream cipher continuously. Since the server share the same stream cipher and the same secret key, the output of the stream cipher is identical and thus can be used as a shared secret between Bob and the Bank.
2.2) is it secure against dongle theft
2. Yes, if the security token is lost or stolen Bob simply needs to report the loss and the bank will assign him a new one. With multi-factor authentication the compromise of a single factor does not compromise the entire system.
2.3) if safe from eavesdropping, does this eliminate need for dongle
3. Yes, security token, along with Bob’s PIN number helps to authenticate Bob as Bob. Even if a secure channel exists the bank has no way of verifying the person using the secure channel is indeed Bob.
2.4) the cryptographic primitives used
4. A stream cipher is used in this scheme. The same cipher is used on both the security token and the authentication server.
2.5) purpose of the serial number
5. The serial number serves to identify the secret stream cipher key of each authentication token.
2.6) does the serial number need to be randomly generated
6. The serial number does not need to be random as it reveals no information about the key (which should be random). It merely serves as an identifier so it only needs to be unique. As a result, it also does not need to be kept secret. It serves no purpose after the token has been activated.

Question 3
Computer security and protecting our systems

As computers have become a big part of our daily lives, they have become our main source of communications and transactions, they have in return opened a gap for treats thus in turn reason for us to protect our information and systems.
We have now under circumstances been required to set passwords to our computers, phones and other systems to insure that we do not have any unauthorized personal, we have been forced to create passwords so long and complicated that sometimes they even confuse us, the very own people who set them. Then have to go through long tedious recovery processes when we have forgotten them. Passwords are safe protection against people who do not have vast knowledge, but once a person has some knowledge its then better that we turn to other forms of security.
Encryption is another alternative to security when coming to computer security. It involves a process of hiding the real data with either symbols or characters placed in a manner that only the people involved in the data know the algorithm and state of the data and how to decipher he message, it serves an important role in protecting information and insuring that its safe from perpetrators. Whole systems can also be encrypted it takes a long time to encrypt large amounts of data but in return does provide well needed security
As we work both online and offline, it has become very crucial to have protection on both platforms to insure that we do not have people spying on our networks and gaining information to our personal lives and stealing, thus firewalls come into the picture as a way of protecting online threats and key logging and spying from taking place, we share and put a lot of private and confidential information online and we transact with our finances and businesses on the web and networks which is why it is important to keep the platform secure, along with firewalls comes the inclusion of antivirus software’s that keeps our system from harm and from crashing due to infections
All these means of security have become very necessary to our daily lives, and as crimes do get evolved, it is crucial to remain up to date with protection and crucial that one never gets caught out without it.

Bibliography
There are no sources in the current document.