Computer Security

Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to remain accessible and productive to its intended users. The terms computer system security, means the collective processes and mechanisms by which sensitive and valuable information and services are protected from publication, tampering or collapse by unauthorized activities or untrustworthy individuals and unplanned events respectively.

Security Computer Programs - Why Security is Crucial

One thing everybody should be aware of in thinking about security computer programs is how the Internet and its technologies work. This will give you a means of using the Internet more safely and responsibly.

Human nature, being what it is, is heavily reliant on trust. The Internet was built on trust. Connecting computers in the 1960's was a very straightforward thing, relying on everybody playing by the rules. A lot has changed since those days. The way we use computers has changed and a lot more people have access to a computer. The Internet has literally exploded since the days that just a few researchers tried to connect their very slow PC's together.

Let's make a comparison. When you receive a landmail, most letters contain a sender's address. Did you ever stop and wonder if these addresses are really valid. How would you go about finding out if the return address was valid? Most people wouldn't bother, I think.

Here comes the - now so popular - email message, how are you to know where it comes from? An intruder can easily fake the return address, which is called spoofing. Not only can email messages be forged, the information packets that contain data and get sent all over the Internet are susceptible to forgery as well.

What does this mean for you and why should you be concerned? Think about it. It means that you should never unconditionally open an email from which you do not know the sender. You should never trust any information from an unknown source. Paranoia big destroyer, like the Kinks worded it in one of their songs. Better to be safe than sorry while using the Internet.

If you click on a link in an email message that turns out to have some harmful virus or Trojan attached to it, you are not only putting yourself at risk, but possible also all the people in your address book. That is a serious responsibility and that is also why you should care about your computer's security.

There is no need for paranoia, but being a bit critical and cautious will surely not do any harm while using the Internet.
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