Browsing different sites and searching information to your article is a good shape. But suddenly something happens, computer crashes and reboots itself. Then without moving your mouse you see that the pointer is moving. Someone is controlling your computer, why did this happen?
Information security
It is said that Internet security is all about securing different services, programs and data transfers with different ways. A new firewalls, product updates and anti virus-software are these security options usually. There are lot’s of other ways also to secure your computer, but what is the meaning of all this. Why we need so much security?
That example that I gave at the very begin can be easily happened. There are also so many other ways intellectuals use to get your computers mind, like making security holes, hijacking your entire system, monitoring secretly your monitor and placing annoying viruses and malwares. These are these days way of hurting people without being physically there.
CIA -main goals
So what is meaning of this term CIA? Well it comes from words confidentially, integrity and availability. These are main goals for information security, in other words, there must be a way to use technology without getting harmed by third-side users/programs.
The programs or data we use should be confidential, only people that are allowed use it can use it, modify it and delete it. Data and programs should also be integrated, meaning there should be no intentionally errors, security breaks or false data. And all the data and programs should be easily available when needed. Also note for the availability, the data or program can be access, means if you don’t have Microsoft Office Word -program the data shouldn’t be in doc. or docx. form.
There are also more goals that information security should accomplish. First of all everything should be played by the book, meaning no illegal-activity or means should be allowed. Also security should be unquestionable, means no other versions of same update or program should be recommend to access. This means that if they are other updates to one program, that isn’t from the same producer, you shouldn’t install it. Moreover information security should be verified from producer.
Ways to protect yourself
Before listing the ways you should first think this.
- Why you need to secure your data?
- Is it confidential, classified, public or inside data for home-group or work-group that you’re going to secure?
- Where to but the back-up of that file?
It’s important that these things are thought first. It’s not necessarily to make back-ups of data that doesn’t reveal anything important. Also it’s useless to hide or make data classified if it could be printed and then the file could be removed.
Here is a little list of ways to get better security
- Before plug-in your computer to Internet, you should install Antivirus-software and enable firewall
- Don’t use your Administrator privileges or Administrator account as a regular user. Use standard user accounts and set parental controls if necessarily.
- Create passwords for all users. They should be some like 8-14 characters, including special letters (#,%,&) and numbers
- Update your OS and other programs
- Uninstall all programs you don’t use or need
- Make sure that you also run your anti-virus programs, they don’t always detect viruses and malwares when they infiltrate your computer
- Make back-ups of your most important files (like pictures, text-files, music-files and video-files) to flash drives (USB-stick), remote hard drive or into DVD-discs
- If available use emulator computer to test programs in action (not needed in standard use)
-Tuomas Törmä
**Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. GNU License 3 (link)**
Sources
- Studies in Haaga-Helia spring 2013 Course Basics of Information security Teacher Petri Hirvonen
Tuomas Törmä 