...Even though news stories are full of computer security concerns, home computer users do not have a clear image about computer security. Home computers are target for hackers because of their vulnerabilities. Hackers change home computers into what is know a Zombie army which facilities them to attack other computers on the network by using smart software. Moreover, Home computers are subject to other threats like identity theft. Therefore, this report focuses on the importance of Home Computer Security by shedding light on threats to them with tangible solution to these threats. introduction Home computer is the preferable target of hackers according to Symantec (computer Security Company) that 86 precent \cite{Hacker} of all attacks aim home computers. Home computers are targeted due to the user’s lack of basic information about how to secure their computers. Another...
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...Commodore Computers John Fusaro LDR/531 May 10, 2011 Mike Alexander Commodore Computers Commodore computers were one of the first home computers a person could buy. The brand was an American computer company started in 1958 by Jack Tramiel. They originally built calculators, and after a price war with Texas Instruments, the company decided to go in a different direction. The direction they chose was the budding personal computer market. In 1976, the moved the company to California, and bought several microprocessor companies (Mortimer, 2003). By the early 1990s they had created the Commodore 64, which was the bestselling home computer of all time. At one point in the early 1990s they were manufacturing almost two Million units per year. By 1995, they were out of business. So what happened? I remember having a Commodore computer back in the early 1980s. My grandfather bought one, and we used it for playing games. The Commodore was unique for computers at the time because they were sold and marketed in chain stores along with electronic stores like Radio Shack. Also, to play games or programs the operator had to know a little BASIC programming. Little did I know at the time, but that Commodore 64 computer would go on to become the bestselling home computer of all-time, and at a mere $199, most people could afford it (Preimesberger, 2007). It seemed...
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...Computer Security Protecting Your Computer System Do’s and Don’ts Abstract This paper explores the computer security process of preventing and detecting unauthorized use of computers. I will also discuss: A. The prevention measures (do’s and don’ts) to help you stop unauthorized users (also known as “intruders”) from accessing any part of your computer system. B. Detections methods that help you to determine whether or not someone attempted to break into your system; a. If an attack was successful b. If so, what they may have done. Computer Security Protecting Your Computer System Do’s and Don’ts We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs. Although you may not consider your communications “top secret,” you probably do not want strangers reading your email, using your computer to attack other systems, sending forged emails from your computer, or examining personal information stored on your computer (such as financial statements). Intruders (also referred to as hackers, attackers, or crackers) may not care about your identity. Often they want to gain control of your computer so they can use it to launch attacks on other computer systems. Once an intruder takes control of your computer, they have the ability to hide their true location as they launch attacks, often against high-profile computer systems such as government or financial systems. Even if you have...
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...right awaythat he's robbed you. The thief is a computer hacker and he 'enters' your homevia your computer, accessing personal information -- such as credit card numbers-- which he could then use without your knowledge -- at least until you get thatnext credit card statement. Richard Bernes, supervisor of the FBI's Hi-Techsquad in San Jose, California, calls the Internet 'the unlocked window incyberspace through which thieves crawl' (Erickson 1). There seems to be anunlimited potential for theft of credit card numbers, bank statements and otherfinancial and personal information transmitted over the Internet. It's hard to imagine that anyone in today's technologically orientedworld could function without computers. Personal computers are linked tobusiness computers and financial networks, and all are linked together via theInternet or other networks. More than a hundred million electronic messagestravel through cyberspace every day, and every piece of information stored in acomputer is vulnerable to attack (Icove-Seger-VonStorch 1). Yesterday's bankrobbers have become today's computer hackers They can walk away from a computercrime with millions of virtual dollars (in the form of information they can useor sell for an enormous profit). Walking away is precisely what they do. TheNational Computer Crimes Squad estimates that 85-97 % of the time, theft ofinformation from computers is not even detected (Icove-Seger-VonStorch 1). Home computer users are vulnerable, not only for credit card...
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...permission before installing, attempting to install or storing programs of any type on the computers. • Damaging, disabling, or otherwise harming the operation of computers, or intentionally wasting resources puts your work at risk, and will cut short your time with the ICT equipment. • Only use the computers for educational purposes. Activities such as buying or selling goods are inappropriate. • Always check files brought in on removable media (such as floppy disks, CDs, flash drives etc.) with antivirus software and only use them if they are found to be clean of viruses. • Always check mobile equipment (e.g. laptops, tablet PCs, PDAs etc.) with antivirus software, and ensure they have been found to be clean of viruses, before connecting them to the network. • Protect the computers from spillages by eating or drinking well away from the ICT equipment. Security and Privacy • Protect your work by keeping your password to yourself; never use someone else’s logon name or password. • Always get permission before revealing your home address, telephone number, school name, or picture to people you meet on the Internet. • Other computer users should be respected and should not be harassed, harmed, offended or insulted. • To protect yourself and the systems, you should respect the security on the computers; attempting to bypass or alter the settings may put you or your work at risk. • Computer storage areas and floppy disks will be treated like school lockers. Staff may review...
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...people rely on computers to do homework, work, and create or store useful information. Therefore, it's important for the information to be stored and kept properly. It's also extremely important to protect computers from data loss, misuse and abuse. For example, businesses need to keep their information secure and shielded from hackers. Home users also need to ensure their credit card numbers are secure when participating in online transactions. A computer security risk is any action that could cause loss of information to software, data, processing incompatibilities or damage to computer hardware. An intentional breach in computer security is known as a computer crime, which is slightly different from a cybercrime. A cybercrime is known as illegal acts based on the Internet and is one of the FBI's top priorities. There are several distinct categories for people that perpetrate cybercrimes, and they are: hacker, cracker, cyberterrorist, cyberextortionist, unethical employee, script kiddie and corporate spy. A hacker is defined as someone who accesses a computer or computer network unlawfully. They often claim that they do this to find leaks in the security of a network. The term cracker refers to someone intentionally accessing a computer or computer network with malice in mind. They access computers with the intention of destroying or stealing information. Both crackers and hackers are having advanced network skills. A cyberterrorist is someone who uses a computer network or...
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...forgetting key components of a network virus security plan hurts a lot more. Overlooking even one item can weaken your entire network and mean significant losses in revenue and productivity. This paper will discuss the connection between corporate and home-use antivirus software along with the roles of top management/non-IT management, IT professionals, and end-users in maintaining network security. It will also discuss other issues which routinely arise that could affect the network security of our corporation. Antivirus software is a computer program that attempts to identify, neutralize or eliminate malicious software. The term "antivirus" is used because the earliest examples were designed exclusively to combat computer viruses; however most modern antivirus software is now designed to combat a wide range of threats, including worms, phishing attacks, rootkits, and Trojans, often described collectively as malware. Even though this software protects against certain threats, it does not protect against ALL threats. Fortunately, there are signature files and updates created daily that will allow the latest threats to be neutralized. Robert Vamosi states that it is important for corporate clients to protect their networks and therefore pay for the software and the annual signature-file subscriptions to ensure network operations (Vamosi, 2004) and I agree. Additionally, if antivirus were made available free of charge for home/personal use, these corporations would benefit...
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...TITLE: PERSONAL NETWORK SECURITY INTRODUCTION: Computer security is the process of detecting unauthorised use of your computer or PC . As the old saying goes “prevention is better than cure” , going by this we realise that if we learn about the possible loopholes in the security we can prevent it in the first place. But the big question is 'why should i care about my computer security?' . We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs.Although we may not consider our communiction a 'top secret' ,but you dont want others to eavesdrop on you conversations, read your mails, use your computer to attack others system , send forged mails from your computer to others or check the stuff from your computer hard drive. There are many people who whould want to break into you computer system they are generally known as hackers or crackers . More often they do this because they want to launch an attack on some computer system through your computer and other times it is done by some teenage kid who want to showcase his skills and feel proud of himself and maybe even gain some limelight. If your computer is connected to the internet then you dont need some hacker to personally attack your system . There are thousand of computer programs to do this job on the net. Even if you use your internet just to check your e-mails you could still be a huge target for attackers. Is it easy to break into my...
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...Hardware Theft and Vandalism Hardware theft and vandalism are other types of computer security risks. Hardware theft is the act of stealing computer equipment. Hardware vandalism is the act of defacing or destroying computer equipment. Hardware vandalism takes many forms, from someone cutting a computer cable to individuals breaking into a business or school computer lab and aimlessly smashing computers. Companies, schools, and other organizations that house many computers are at risk of hardware theft and vandalism, especially those that have smaller system units that easily can fit in a backpack: briefcase. Mobile users also are susceptible to hardware theft. It is estimated that more than 600,000 notebook computers are stolen each year. The size and weight of these computers make them easy to steal. Safeguards against Hardware Theft and Vandalism To help reduce the chances of theft, companies and schools use a variety of security measures. Physical access controls, such as locked doors and windows, usually are adequate to protect the equipment. Many businesses, schools, and some homeowners install alarm systems for additional security. School computer labs and other areas with a large number of semi-frequent users often attach additional physical security devices such as cables that lock the equipment to a desk, cabinet, r floor. Small locking devices also exist that require a key to access a hard disk or optical disc drive. Some businesses use a real time location...
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... 1. How vulnerable do you think the typical computer site is? Your vulnerability will depend on who the user is. Home users are more vulnerable than Business users. The average home user may or may not have antivirus installed on their computer and even when they do they are not using it properly. They rarely schedule scans and install updates. When those pop up come they usually can’t be bothered to let it run. Most computer users try to be safe when they are online. Many of them won’t open emails from people they don’t know and some only go to websites they know they can trust. Unfortunately it’s not enough you are still vulnerable to the latest Hack Attack. Now Business or Corporate users usually have an entire department dedicated to protecting them so they are less vulnerable. 2. What is the magnitude of the risk? That is, if security is compromised, what is the potential cost to the victim? Again this will depend on the user. Your average home users will run the risk of viruses, loss of data due to system crash and identity theft if they are not careful. With the Business or Corporate users the magnitude of the risk is much greater. If it is a financial institute, we could be talking millions of dollars at risk if security is compromised. 3. What policies and procedures can you suggest to counter the types of threats illustrated in this case study? * Intrusion Detection: A security service that monitors and analyzes system events...
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...Threats to Home Computer Systems I sometimes imagine a way of life as simple as sitting on a rock, watching the sky, tending to a cave. Could there have been anything complicated in those times, many millennia ago? In fact, there was: security. It must have been an enormous stressor to guard your cave dwelling from other primitive beings looking to gain something they were not entitled to. Maybe they suspected personal items such as weaponry or stored food, or to take a peek at your secret glyphs—directions to a source of something valuable. Today, we may not live in caves, and as such our secret information may be stored in sophisticated machinery rather than drawings on cave walls. However, human nature to steal and protect is still as common as it was in early humans. It was not so long ago that the home computer was in its primitive stage. In a few decades, this “advanced typewriter/calculator” has evolved into a way of life, along with its own set of threats to our security. These threats can be categorized as either software or behavioral, and can certainly be combined. Social engineering is a behavioral type of threat. It does not need to apply just to computers. Some social engineers call you on the telephone attempting to get you to reveal personal information, such as your social security number. But this can be done through email, as well. You may think the email is from someone you trust and you respond with information, such as passwords. Passwords, however...
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...today that an agency employee took home records on 26.5 million veterans that were subsequently stolen by a burglar. The data included names, Social Security Numbers (SSNs), and date of birth, as well as some disability ratings. The FBI and the VA Inspector General's Office have launched "full-scale investigations." Information for those who are concerned about identity theft is available from the Federal Trade Commission. (May 22) ▪ Scope of Veterans Affairs Data Theft Widens. The personal information of about 1.1 million active-duty military personnel, 430,000 members of the National Guard, and 645,000 members of the Reserves was stolen in the recent theft of computer data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the agency announced Tuesday. The agency previously said (pdf) that all 26.5 million people affected by the data theft were veterans and their spouses. The data include SSNs and disability ratings. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse offers ID theft prevention tips. (Jun. 7) ▪ Stolen Veterans Affairs Laptop and Hard Drive Are Found. The stolen laptop computer and hard drive containing sensitive data for up to 26.5 million veterans, their spouses, and active-duty military personnel have been found, according to Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson. This comes as newly discovered documents showing that Veterans Affairs had given permission in 2002 for the analyst, from whom the equipment was stolen, to work from home with data that included millions of...
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...tool called Report Security. This tool allows for the segregation of employee access based on hiring status. Employees who are full-time have the highest level of access. This means that they are able to see and edit members personal and financial information. The contractors and volunteers have read only access. Furthermore, these employees only have access to the rights for checking members in and out. As a security precaution, the menus and links to access the other parts of the system are removed from the application...
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...Manveer Hira Final Paper – Firewalls IAAS 221 Firewalls A firewall is one of the most important pieces of security software that a computer user can have. A firewall, in most cases, in the only defense of your network from the malicious aspects of the Internet However, this may be one of the most overlooked pieces of software on a home computer. Knowing what to look for in a firewall can greatly help you decide if your firewall is effective, or if one of these free alternatives can help. A firewall works by monitoring Internet traffic that goes into your network. Your network may include the four computers in your house, or it could include just your laptop. Regardless of the size of the network, the fundamental aspects as of your network work the same as just about any network setup in a home today. Traffic going in and our of your network follows certain routes, and will always occur on certain ports. For example, all traffic from your web browser will travel through ports 80 and 443. If you use an email client, you will be using ports 110 and 25. If you use an IMAP connection, port 143 will be used. There are also other services, depending on your operating system, that will open other ports. All of these ports, if left unchecked, could be a back door into your network. There are two main types of firewalls. Software firewalls are programs that run on your computer and nestle themselves between your network card software drivers and your operating system. They intercept...
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...has focused on computer security of big businesses and how they have been breached, yet individuals do not stop and think about their own personal computer safety. Information can be stolen or damaged, access of personal computers can be gained without permission, viruses and worms can enter creating problems for a user, and our computers may be susceptible to cyber-attacks from hackers. Yet most computer users are new to the technology or do not realize the dangers at hand. This is why users need to learn how to keep their personal computer safe. To achieve a good level of security, there are many important elements that must be taken into account: authentication, access control, data integrity, content protection, etc. Information security can be obtained using methods such as cryptography and network protocols. Computer security is the process of detecting unauthorized use of your computer or PC. As the old saying goes “prevention is better than cure”, according to this we realize that if we learn about the possible loopholes in the security, then we can prevent it from occurring in the first place. But the big question is 'why should I care about my computer security?’. We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs. Although we may not consider our communication a 'top secret', but you don’t want others to eavesdrop on you conversations, read your mails, use your computer to attack others...
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