Computer Concepts Ch.9

employee-monitoring software

These programs record virtually everything you do on your computer. One proposed law would not prohibit this type of electronic monitoring but would require employers to provide prior written notice. Employers also would have to alert employees during the monitoring with some sort of audible or visual signal. If you are employed and would like to know your company's current policy on monitoring electronic communication, contact your human relations department.

Virtual private networks: Virtual private networks (VPNs)

encrypt connections between company networks and remote users such as workers connecting from home. This connection creates a secure virtual connection to a company LAN across the Internet.

Password managers

help you create strong passwords. Additionally, they will store all your passwords in one location and automatically provide the appropriate password when requested from one of your favorite sites.

electronic profiles

highly detailed and personalized descriptions of individuals.

Mistaken Identity

in which the electronic profile of one person is switched with another.

Security

involves protecting individuals and organizations from theft and danger.

Malicious Programs A cracker

is a computer criminal who creates and distributes malicious programs.

Accuracy

relates to the responsibility of those who collect data to ensure that the data is correct.

Computer Ethics

are guidelines for the morally acceptable use of computers in our society.

Phishing

attempts to trick Internet users into thinking a fake but official-looking website or e-mail is legitimate. Phishing has grown in sophistication, replicating entire websites like PayPal to try to lure users into divulging their financial information.

Privacy

concerns the collection and use of data about individuals. There are three primary privacy issues:

botnet, or robot network

A collection of zombie computers is known as

Cyber Bullying

A fairly recent and all-too-common phenomenon, cyberbullying is the use of the Internet, smartphones, or other devices to send or post content intended to hurt or embarrass another person.

information resellers or information brokers

A vast industry of data gatherers who collects, analyzes, and sells such personal data.

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

Creating and knowingly spreading a virus is a very serious crime and a federal offense punishable under the

digital rights management (DRM)

DRM encompasses various technologies that control access to electronic media and files. Typically, DRM is used to (1) control the number of devices that can access a given file and (2) limit the kinds of devices that can access a file.

Big data

Effectively, every digital event—whether using a telephone or smartphone, buying a product or service, or sending or receiving any electronic communication—is collected and recorded. As a result, the size and the number of databases are exploding. In fact, it is widely reported that 90 percent of all of today's digitally stored data was collected in just the last two years. This ever-growing volume of data is often referred to as

Preventing Data Loss

Equipment can always be replaced. A company's data, however, may be irreplaceable. Most companies have ways of trying to keep software and data from being tampered with in the first place.

Data Manipulation

Finding entry into someone's computer network and leaving a prankster's message may seem like fun, which is why hackers do it. It is still against the law. Moreover, even if the manipulation seems harmless, it may cause a great deal of anxiety and wasted time among network users.

Rogue Wi-Fi Hotspots

Free Wi-Fi networks are available almost everywhere from libraries to fast-food restaurants and coffee shops. imitate these free networks. These rogue networks operate close to the legitimate free hotspots and typically provide stronger signals that many users unsuspectingly connect to.

Wireless network encryption

Restricts access to authorized users on wireless networks. WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is the most widely used wireless network encryption for home wireless networks. WPA2 is typically established for a wireless network through the network's wireless router. While the specifics vary between routers, WPA2 is usually set through the router's settings options.

Website Encryption

Secures web transactions, especially financial transactions. Web pages that accept passwords or confidential information like a credit card number are often encrypted.

Restricting Access

Security experts are constantly devising ways to protect computer systems from access by unauthorized persons. Sometimes security is a matter of putting guards on company computer rooms and checking the identification of everyone admitted.

malware, which is short for malicious software.

They are specifically designed to damage or disrupt a computer system. The three most common types of malware are viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.

Encrypting Data

Whenever information is sent over a network or stored on a computer system, the possibility of unauthorized access exists.

Firewalls

act as a security buffer between a corporation's private network and all external networks, including the Internet.

Zombies

are computers infected by a virus, worm, or Trojan horse that allows them to be remotely controlled for malicious purposes.

Trojan horses

are programs that appear to be harmless; however, they contain malicious programs. Trojan horses are not viruses. Like worms, however, they can be carriers of viruses. The most common types of Trojan horses appear as free computer games and free screensaver programs that can be downloaded from the Internet.

Worms

are programs that simply replicate themselves over and over again.

IT security analysts

are responsible for maintaining the security of a company's networks, systems, and data.

Ethics

are standards of moral conduct

Denial of Service A denial of service (DoS) attack

attempts to slow down or stop a computer system or network by flooding a computer or network with requests for information and data. The targets of these attacks are usually Internet service providers (ISPs) and specific websites.

disaster recovery plans

describing ways to continue operating until normal computer operations can be restored.

Biometric Scanning

devices such as fingerprint and iris (eye) scanners.

Internet Scams or Scam

is a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation designed to trick individuals into providing personal information or spending their time and money for little or no return. is simply a scam using the Internet. Internet scams are becoming a serious problem and have created financial and legal problems for many thousands of people.

Cybercrime or computer crime

is any criminal offense that involves a computer and a network. It was recently estimated that cybercrime affects over 400 million people and costs over $400 billion each year.

Physical security

is concerned with protecting hardware from possible human and natural disasters.

Data Security

is concerned with protecting software and data from unauthorized tampering or damage.

Identity theft

is the illegal assumption of someone's identity for the purposes of economic gain. It is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country and can financially devastate its victim.

https (hypertext transfer protocol secure)

is the most widely used Internet protocol. This protocol requires that the browser and the connecting site encrypt all messages, providing a safer and more secure transmission.

Software piracy

is the unauthorized copying and/or distribution of software. According to a recent study, software piracy costs the software industry over $60 billion annually.

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

makes it a crime for unauthorized persons even to view—let alone copy or damage—data using any computer across state lines. It also prohibits unauthorized use of any government computer or a computer used by any federally insured financial institution. Offenders can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined up to $100,000.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act

makes it illegal to deactivate or otherwise disable any antipiracy technologies including DRM technologies. The act also establishes that copies of commercial programs may not be legally resold or given away.

Security Suites

provide a collection of utility programs designed to protect your privacy and security while you are on the web.

Access

relates to the responsibility of those who have data to control who is able to use that data.

Property

relates to who owns data.

Encryption

the process of coding information to make it unreadable except to those who have a special piece of information known as an encryption key, or, simply, a key. Some common uses for encryption include

Dictionary Attack

uses software to try thousands of common words sequentially in an attempt to gain unauthorized access to a user's account.

Freedom of information act

you are also entitled to look at your records held by government agencies.

Anticipating Disasters

Companies (and even individuals) should prepare themselves for disasters

E mail Encryption

Protects e-mail messages as they move across the Internet.

File Encryption

Protects sensitive files by encrypting them before they are stored on a hard drive.

Copyright

is a legal concept that gives content creators the right to control use and distribution of their work.