The Challenges of the Digital Age Shanti Kusumawardhani, MBus.Sys.

The Digital Age Challenges:  Truth Issues  Security Issues  Quality of Life Issues  Economic and Political Issues

Truth Issues: Manipulating Digital Data 3  Digital Images and Sounds can be manipulated  Pro: Creates new forms of art  Con: Has made photographs & recordings untrustworthy  Photographs may not be authentic  Photographs may be deliberately misleading  1994 Time magazine photo of O.J. Simpson was digitally darkened to make him appear sinister  Could this have biased potential jury members?  Fashion model photos are routinely elongated to make models appear more slender

Truth Issues: Manipulating Digital Data 4  Techniques to combat digital deception  Hany Farid of Dartmouth College devised algorithms to detect changes to uncompressed digital photos  Prof. Jessica Fridrich of S.U.N.Y. at Binghamton is researching digital cameras that hide a picture of the photographer’s iris inside each digital photo  Digital Watermark  Encoding information about the owner of the image within the pixels of the photograph that can be traced even if the image has been modified

Security Issues: Threats 5  Errors and accidents  Natural hazards  Computer crimes  Computer criminals

Security Issues: Threats Errors & Accidents 6  Human errors  People choose the wrong computer  Too simple or too complex  Human emotions affect performance  People get frustrated  Human perceptions are slower than the equipment  Watch out when you click the OK button! You may have just deleted something important!

Security Issues: Threats Errors & Accidents 7  Procedural errors  When people fail to follow safe procedures, errors can occur  Software errors  Programmers make coding errors  Famous example: Utility billing software:  Customer pays early – software credits account  Customer pays late – software credits account, adds late fee in for next bill  Programmer forgot to consider customers who pay exactly on time – their payments were never credited at all!

Security Issues: Threats Errors & Accidents 8  Electromechanical problems  Mechanical systems wear out  Power failures shut down computers unless you have battery backup  Using cellphones and Blackberries while driving can cause people to crash  Dirty data problems  Incomplete, outdated, or inaccurate data  Check your records – medical, school, and credit to make sure they are accurate  Natural hazards can lead to disasters

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 9  Two types of computer crime  It can be an illegal act perpetrated against computers or telecommunications  It can be the use of computers or telecommunications to accomplish an illegal act

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 10  Theft of hardware  Theft of software  Theft of online music and videos  Theft of time and services  Theft of information  Internet-related fraud  Taking over your PC  Crimes of malice  Computer criminals

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 11  Theft of hardware can range from  Shoplifting an item from a computer store  Stealing an entire PC or laptop  Theft of software  Pirated software is software obtained illegally  This includes “softlifting” - buying one copy of the software and using it on multiple computers  Software makers have prosecuted both companies and individuals including students for software piracy

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 12  Theft of online music and movies  Entertainment industry takes this seriously and prosecutes offenders  Stealing music  Illegal file swapping services  Damages can be up to $150,000 per song  Stealing movies

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 13  Theft of time and services  Theft of computer time at work  Surfing or playing games when you should be working  Some employees violate policy by conducting personal business online such as online auctions from work  Most employers have policies against viewing X-rated web sites at work  Theft of phone services  Use company phone systems to make “free” unauthorized long distance calls  Why break the law, when you can get free long distance over the internet using Skype (

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 14  Theft of Information  A common crime today  Can include theft of personal information, medical information, or credit card and financial information  Internet-related Fraud  Because it lends itself to anonymity, internet-related fraud is becoming more common

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 15  Internet-related Fraud  Because it lends itself to anonymity, internet-related fraud is becoming more common  Well-known examples include:  Nigerian letter scam  Evil twin attacks  Phishing  Pharming  Trojan horses  A program such as a “free” online game or screensaver that loads hidden programs that take over your computer or cause mischief without your knowledge  For example, Windows users who install the phony MSN Messenger Version 8 "beta" are actually installing an IM worm that spreads to their IM contacts, and connects their computer to a remote control "bot" network run by malicious hackers

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 16  Crimes of Malice: Crashing entire computer systems  Sometimes criminals are more interested in vandalizing systems than they are in gaining control of them  In 2003, an entrepreneur with a grudge because he lost a sale retaliated by shutting down the WeaKnees website  Crackers regularly attempt to crash Microsoft’s website  Security specialists monitor for possible cyber-attacks on electrical and nuclear power plants, dams, and air traffic control systems  Crackers have attacked the internet too and brought down large sections of it

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 17  Computer criminals may include  Individuals or small groups who  Use fraudulent and websites  Steal peoples’ identities for monetary gains  Show off their power for bragging rights  Employees who  Have a grudge against their current or former employers  Have a grudge against another employee  Sell their company’s secrets for personal profit  Outside partners and company suppliers

Security Issues: Threats Computer Crimes 18  Computer criminals may also include  Corporate spies  Enemy foreign intelligence services  Organized crime  Vandals & Terrorists  Computer criminals do not include your employer, who is legally allowed to monitor the computers at work  Check your company’s computer usage policy  Make sure you follow the rules  Know that any data you store in the computer at work – including s – is company property

Security: Safeguarding Computers & Communications 19  Security is  A system of safeguards for protecting information technology against disasters, system failures, and unauthorized access that can result in damage or loss  Computer Security’s Five Components  Deterrence (Prevention) of computer crime  Identification and access  Encryption  Protection of software and data  Disaster recovery plans

Security: Safeguarding Computers & Communications 20  Deterrents to computer crime  Enforcing laws  Tools to fight fraudulent and unauthorized online uses  Rule-based detection software  Predictive-statistical-model software  Employee internet management software  Internet filtering software  Electronic surveillance  Verify legitimate right of access  Use cards, keys, signatures, and badges  Use PINs and passwords  Use physical traits and personal identification

Security: Safeguarding Computers & Communications 21  Encryption  The process of altering readable data into unreadable form to prevent unauthorized access  Advantage: encrypting data that is available over the internet keeps thieves and crackers from reading it  Disadvantage: encrypting data may prevent law- enforcement officials from reading the data criminals are sending to each other

Security: Safeguarding Computers & Communications 22  Three ways to protect software & data  Control of access to restrict usage  Audit controls to document who used what programs and computers and when  People controls include screening applicants, background checks, monitoring internet, , and computer usage

Security: Safeguarding Computers & Communications 23  Disaster-recovery plans  A method of restoring information-processing operations that have been halted by destruction or accident  Plans range in price and complexity from  Backing up data from disk to tape, CD, or zip disk, with a UPS  Automatically storing data redundantly in two places, with a generator  Having an off-site computerized data storage center with independent power supply  Having a complete “hot” redundant data center that can instantly be used if there is a disaster

Quality-of-Life Issues 24  Information Technology misuse can result in  Environmental problems  Manufacturing computers and circuits can cause pollution  Computer component manufacturing employees may be exposed to toxic substances  Used computers/monitors contain chromium, cadmium, lead, mercury, PVC, and brominated flame retardants – all toxic substances that must be disposed of properly

Quality-of-Life Issues 25  Information Technology misuse can result in  Exacerbation of mental-health problems  Isolation; computer gamers may substitute online games for interpersonal interaction  Online gambling can be addictive  Many users find PCs stressful  Internet usage by children can expose them to online predators

Quality-of-Life Issues 26  Information Technology misuse can result in  Explosion of pornography  Online pornographers use pop-up ads and internet search engines to troll for new customers  This means that children may be exposed to porn when involved in innocent online searches  Parents may use online blocking software like Cybersitter, Cyber Patrol, or Net Nanny to prevent this

Quality-of-Life Issues 27  Parental responses to protecting children from online porn  Online blocking software  DVD filters  Videogame rating systems  The V-chip  “xxx” web addresses  Monitor internet use  Be candid to your children about the threats  Save evidence and block messages to prevent cyberbullying

Quality-of-Life Issues 28  Information technology misuse can result in  Workplace problems  Misuse of technology  Fussing with computers can waste time  Information overload

Economic & Political Issues 29  Technology may affect the gap between the rich and the poor  Most jobs require employees who are tech-savvy  People who are not tech-savvy won’t qualify for those jobs  Technology is being used to replace employees in traditional jobs, traditionally filled by untrained workers  Internet is not controlled  This means that information moves freely on the internet  Nondemocratic governments can’t control internet political activism  Internet is only loosely policed, so criminals take advantage