Threat to I.T Security

By Otis Powers

Hacking

Hacking is a big threat to society because it could expose secrets of the I.T industry that perhaps should be kept unknown. Eg the latest celebrity phone hacking. Hacking is a massive threat.

Viruses• There are many different computer viruses. Some are dangerous and some spy on

you.• Macro Virus – A virus that is put into an email. (Never open).• Memory resident virus – A virus that can fix itself.• Multipartite Virus – Spreads in multiple ways.• Spyware – A type of software that can literally ‘Spy’ on you.• Adware – Forces pop-ups or adverts to appear randomly.• Worms – Spreads through different computer systems.• Time bomb virus – Executes the virus at a set time in the future.• Also you should take note that most viruses are operatingsystem specific. Most are created for Windows operating systemAs Windows are the most popular with over 90% of people use the Operating System Worldwide. Others are 7% with 3% for IOS. This means that people that design the viruses for specific operating systems will be creating a bigger impact.

Trojan horse

Trojan horse is a clever and well-made virus. The Trojan horse is a virus that disguises it’s self as a something that rids your computer of viruses but actually it’s self is a virus. Watch out for the Trojan horse virus – Use an anti-Virus like AVG or Norton and scan your computer for the viruses. (The anti-virus should remove the virus automatically for you.)

Worms

Worms are a type of virus that literallyspread and get their way into other computers. Make sure to check if the item you’re downloading is safe with an antivirus like AVG, Norton Security ect. (There are many).

Phishing• Phishing is the attempt to retrieve very valuable,

important information. The information is sometimes for bank accounts and other websites, like Facebook. The best way to minimize phishing is to get people educated in the matter. Phishing is one of the most popular ways to scam/hack people and retrieve their details (Possibly bank details) and steal their hard-earned money. It’s essential to be aware of phishers and phishing emails/websites. Be aware.

SPAM

Spam is often an unsolicited email that is sent to advertise, phish, get viruses onto your computer. The email is mainly sent to hundreds of people at a time and can cause a lot of harm if you’re not educated in the matter. If the email is advertising something you’re not familiar with then it IS a spam email. On many email websites there's a spam folder, and it sorts the emails out for you so you don’t have to risk anything.

PHISHING

PrecautionsYou need to take precautions to avoid viruses and phishing or other malicious software: 1. Educate your self and others with the dangers of phishing and what it could do to you and

your lives.2. Make sure that the site an email links you to has an green padlock. The green

padlock means that the web address is safe and trusted. (It’s okay to use the site. It won’t do any harm)

3. Check for the obvious signs of a phishing email. (Bad grammar, unprofessional appearance, also if it’s claiming that they are a bank they SHOULD include your name and surname. If they don’t they are often phishing)

4. Install an anti-virus. These anti-viruses prevent your personal computer from becoming infected with the many thousands + of viruses created. (You should also

turn your firewall on. Every windows computer is included with one)5. Be aware and careful of the emails that YOU download. – Check if the email isGenuine with the steps I’ve provided.

Backup

Be sure to ‘backup’ your files in case your computer is infected with a malicious virus or it has been physically stolen. If you are to create a back up it’s important to keep it somewhere secure and safe, for instance in a safe or somewhere in your house.

Secure PasswordsHaving a secure password prevents hackers from retrieving your accounts! (Don’t use the same password for all of you accounts, this is dangerous)Weak passwords:PASSWORD123 ---- Very plain and easy to guess

LoveKittens69 ---- Still quite easy to guess

Medium:BlueMoon14279GiraffeHead64800 ---- 2 words and assortment of

Strong: numbers

C!^%&&((%3”!123 ---- Random assortment of punctuation and numbers

The Dangers of Public WiFi

Other people can hack into your phone if you connect and use public Wi-Fi networks with there own phone! There is no really prevention other than avoiding public Wi-Fi completely so be sure to be safe. Make sure not to do any internet banking on public Wi-Fi networks as it’s too risky and you run the risk of your bank account being accessed by nasty strangers. What they do is illegal. Only do banking and paying for things on a trusted network

Physical Computer Theft

Even though online computer hacking and theft is very common there is also another way to retrieve or steal a computer and it’s information. Sometimes thieves might break into an office or work place and steal a physical computer with it’s information still on it’s hard drive. This is dangerous as the information on the hard drive might have credit card details on it or personal things. It’s essential to keep a backup of your computer at your house or in a safe.

Specific Operating Systems

There are actually quite a few operating systems available. Some are free and the more advanced ones are not. Some of the main operating systems or “OS” are Windows (owned by Microsoft) and iOS (owned by Apple) these are some of the most trusted and secure OS out there. Be sure not to download and install any OS that you are suspicious of as it might be just another virus. Be careful!

Firewall

A firewall is the software that is already on your computer that is designed to only allow the computers that have the rights the access your pc. It is made for stopping any unwanted users from getting into your network. It protects your network.

Anti-virus

An anti-virus software is used to stop potentially harmful viruses from getting into your computer, accessing/copying your private information, corrupting your hard drive. There are a wide range of anti-virus software's available some are completely free and the more advanced ones are not.Popular anti-virus software's:AVGMcAfeeBullGuardKasperSpy

Educate Users

In our day and age of technology we need to educate everybody on the dangers of using the computer and internet so that we are more a where.