1. Computer Security and Privacy
Chapter 15:
Computer Security and Privacy

2. Learning Objectives
Explain why all computer users should be concerned about computer security.
List some risks associated with hardware loss, damage, and system failure, and understand ways to safeguard a PC against these risks.
Define software piracy and digital counterfeiting and explain how they may be prevented.
Explain what information privacy is and why computer users should be concerned about it.

3. Learning Objectives
Describe some privacy concerns regarding databases, electronic profiling, spam, and telemarketing, and identify ways individuals can protect their privacy.
Discuss several types of electronic surveillance and monitoring and list ways individuals can protect their privacy.
Discuss the status of security and privacy legislation.

4. Overview This chapter covers: Why computer security is important
Security concerns related to hardware loss and damage and precautions that can be taken
A discussion of software piracy and digital counterfeiting and steps to reduce the occurrence of them
Why information privacy is important
Possible risks for personal privacy violations and precautions to safeguard one’s privacy
Discussion of legislation related to computer security and privacy

5. Why Be Concerned About Computer Security?
There are a number of security concerns related to computers that users should be aware of, including:
Having a PC stolen
Losing important data
Losing contact lists
Pirated or counterfeited products

6. Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Hardware loss: Can occur when a portable PC, USB flash drive, mobile device, or other piece of hardware is stolen or lost by the owner
Hardware theft: One of the most obvious types of hardware loss
Occurs when hardware is stolen from an individual or an organization
Hardware can be stolen from homes, businesses, cars, airports, hotels, etc.
Often for the value of the hardware, but increasingly for the information that might be contained on the hardware
C level attacks are growing

7. Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Hardware damage: Can be accidental or intentional
System failure: The complete malfunction of a computer system
Can be due to a hardware problem, software problem, or computer virus
Can be due to a natural disaster or planned attack

8. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Use door and computer equipment locks
Cable locks
Security slots

9. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Use encryption to protect data
Increasingly used with USB flash drives, notebook PCs, hard drives, etc.
Full disk encryption (FDE): Everything on storage medium is encrypted
Self-encrypting hard drive: A hard drive using FDE

10. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Computer tracking software: Used to find a PC after it is lost or stolen
Sends out identifying data via the Internet
Law enforcement can use this data to recover the PC
Most often used with PCs but also available for other devices
Kill switch: Software used to destroy sensitive data on a stolen or lost PC
Other precautions:
Alarm software, tamper evident labels, etc.
Common sense

11. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure

12. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Proper hardware care: Needed to prevent damage
Ruggedized PCs: Designed for more abuse than conventional hardware

13. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Surge suppressor: Protects hardware from damage due to electrical fluctuations
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS): Provides continuous power to a computer system for a period of time after the power goes off

14. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Also:
Watch dust, moisture, static, heat, etc.
Avoid head crash
Stop USB devices before removing
Use screen protectors, jewel cases, etc.

15. Protecting Against Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Backup and disaster recovery plans:
Both businesses and individuals should use appropriate backup procedures
Continuous data protection (CDP): Enables data backups to be made on a continual basis
Backup media needs to be secured
Data storage companies store backup media at secure remote locations
Online backup is another possibility
Disaster-recovery plan: Spells out what an organization will do to prepare for and recover from a disruptive event
Hot sites

16. Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting
Software piracy: Unauthorized copying of a computer program
Widespread, global problem
Occurs when:
Individuals make illegal copies of software to give to friends
Businesses or individuals install software on more than the number of computers allowed according to the end-user license agreement (EULA)
Sellers install unlicensed copies on PCs sold to consumers
Large-scale operations in which programs and packaging are illegally duplicated and sold as supposedly legitimate products

17. Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting

18. Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting
Digital counterfeiting: The use of computers to make illegal copies of currency, checks, collectibles, and other items
Often scanned and printed or color-copied

19. Protection Against Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting
Educating businesses and consumers
Strengthening antipiracy laws
Holograms: Printed text or images attached to a product that change their appearance when the product is tilted
Mandatory product registration/activation
Watching online auction sites/lawsuits

20. Protection Against Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting
Protecting against digital counterfeiting
New currency designs
Microprinting, watermarks, security thread, etc.
Special paper is used with U.S. currency
Identifying technology included in digital imaging hardware
Digital watermarks: Subtle alteration to a digital item that is not noticeable but that can be retrieved to identify the owner of the item
Also can use:
Holograms, RFID tags, and other hard-to-reproduce content

21. Protection Against Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting

22. Why Be Concerned About Information Privacy?
Privacy: State of being concealed or free from unauthorized intrusion
Information privacy: Rights of individuals and companies to control how information about them is collected and used
Computers add additional privacy challenges
Many data breaches recently due to lost or stolen hardware, carelessness with documents containing sensitive data, database breaches, etc.
Businesses need to be concerned with the expense, damage to reputation, and possible lawsuits
Web activity and privacy was discussed in Chapter 8; other privacy concerns are discussed next

23. Databases, Electronic Profiling, Spam, and Other Marketing Activities
Marketing database: Collection of data about people, used for marketing purposes
Data obtained through online and offline purchases, public information, etc.
Beginning to be used in conjunction with Web activities
Government database: Collection of data about people, collected and maintained by the government
Tax information, Social Security earnings, personal health records, marriage and divorce information
Some information is confidential, other is public

24. Databases, Electronic Profiling, Spam, and Other Marketing Activities

25. Databases, Electronic Profiling, Spam, and Other Marketing Activities
Using electronic means to collect a variety of in-depth information about an individual

26. Databases, Electronic Profiling, Spam, and Other Marketing Activities
Privacy policy: Discloses how information you provide will be used
Included on many Web sites

27. Spam and Other Marketing Activities
Spam: Unsolicited, bulk sent over the Internet
Often involves health-related products, fraudulent business opportunities, pornography, etc.
Ads from companies a person has done business with are also considered to be spam by many
Appearing via instant messaging (spim)
Also delivered via mobile phones and fax machines
Spam legislation enacted some regulations regarding spam
Other annoyances
Pop-up ads
Pop-under ads
Telemarketing

28. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Safeguard your address
Use a throw-away address (an extra address that you can use for activities that might result in spam)
Get a second address from your ISP or from Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, or Gmail
Can stop using it and get a new one when needed

29. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Be cautious of revealing personal information
Read a Web site’s privacy policy
Can use privacy software, such as the free Privacy Bird program
Do not supply personal information to people in chat rooms

30. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Avoid putting too many personal details on your Web site
Be wary of sites offering prizes in exchange for personal information
Can use an anonymous Web browsing service, such as Anonymizer
Supply only the required information in registration forms
Delete your browsing history and settings when using a public computer

31. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information

32. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Use an filter to automatically route possible spam into a special folder to deal with later

33. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Can opt out from marketing activities
Some privacy groups want individuals to have to opt in to activities instead
Do Not Call Registry: Can reduce calls from telemarketers
Do Not Registry: May be a possibility for the future, but more difficult to implement
Web servers holding sensitive data should be secured
Only enter personal information on Web sites using secure servers
Automatic encryption systems for can help sensitive data from accidentally being revealed

34. Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Properly dispose of hardware and outdated data
Wipe (not just delete) data on hard drives before disposing of a computer or hard drive
Storage media containing sensitive data should be shredded
Businesses should have a media sanitation/data destruction policy

35. Electronic Surveillance and Monitoring
Computer monitoring software: Used to record an individual’s computer usage either by capturing images of the screen or by recording the actual keystrokes used
Can be used in homes by adults to monitor computer usage of children or spouse
Can be used in businesses to monitor employee computer usage
Keystroke-logging programs: Used to capture keystrokes
Can be used by hacker to capture usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information entered into a PC
Used by the government in criminal investigations

36. Computer Monitoring Software

37. Electronic Surveillance and Monitoring
Video surveillance: The use of video cameras to monitor activities of individuals
Used to monitor employees
Used in public locations for crime-prevention purposes
Stores and other businesses
Public streets
Subways, airports, etc.
Can be used with face recognition software
Privacy issues also involved with the use of camera phones

38. Video Surveillance

39. Electronic Surveillance and Monitoring
Employee monitoring: Observing or reviewing employees’ actions while they are on the job
Can monitor computer usage
Can monitor physical location
Video cameras
GPS capabilities built into cars or mobile phones
Proximity cards
Can also be used to access facility, computer, etc.
Businesses should notify employees

40. Electronic Surveillance and Monitoring
Presence technology: Enables one computing device to locate and identify the current status of another device on the same network
Instant messaging, mobile phones, etc.
Can be used to locate coworkers or by customers
May also be used for marketing activities in the future

41. Protecting Personal and Workspace Privacy
Can use antispyware software to detect if someone is monitoring your computer usage
Employers have a responsibility to keep employee and customer information private and secured
Employees should be familiar with their company’s employee policy and avoid personal activities at work

42. Computer Security and Privacy Legislation
Difficult for legal system to keep pace with technology
Difficult to balance freedom of speech with privacy

43. Computer Security and Privacy Legislation

44. Summary Why Be Concerned About Computer Security
Hardware Loss, Damage, and System Failure
Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting
Why Be Concerned About Information Privacy
Databases, Electronic Profiling, Spam, and Other Marketing Activities
Electronic Surveillance and Monitoring
Computer Security and Privacy Legislation